The Times Advocate, 2004-08-11, Page 1(519)235-1115
www.hurontractor.com
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Exeter, Ontario, Canada
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
x.25 (includes GST)
First hair
cut donated
Three-year-old Mackenzie OI<e's first hair cut was a big event.After donating her
own hair last year, Mackenzie's mom, Danielle, decided to donate her daughter's
hair as well.Above,Terri Farquhar-Vanneste ofTerri'sTrends Hair Design in Exeter
prepares to cut the eight -inch braid, which Mackenzie proudly holds up at the
right. The hair will be sent to Angel Hair for Kids, an organization in Mississauga
which makes wigs for children with cancer. (photo/Mary Simmons)
South Huron looking at health plan costs
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAID
SOUTH HURON — Faced with large cost
increases in its employee benefit plan, South
Huron is looking at various options that could
save money.
Chief administrative officer Larry Brown
reported to council Monday night the munici-
pality's benefit plan renewal effective July 1,
2004, saw a 23.7 per cent increase in premi-
ums, amounting to a total of $16,228 a month.
Brown said the extended drug benefit is the
largest part of the premium and the biggest
reason for the increase. In Huron County, drug
claims make up 78 per cent of all claims.
Various changes to South Huron's benefit
plan could see decreases in costs Examples
include lowering the extended health benefit
by 17 per cent. Other options include going to
mandatory generic drug substitutions, having
a $5 fee per prescription and going to a nine-
month recall on dental appointments instead
of the current six months.
At Brown's recommendation, council decid-
ed to have its employee relations committee
review the options and report back to council
on what the employees want. Brown said it is
important to have the employees involved in
the decisions.
Another option that could be added to the
benefits plan, which would actually increase
costs to employees, is an Employee Assistance
Program which offers counselling and referral
services for employees and their families.
Other council notes:
Interesting parking spot
Coun. George Robertson said he has received
complaints about incidents where tractor trail-
ers have been parked in the centre turning
lane on Main Street in front of Tim Hortons
while the driver goes inside Tim Hortons for a
coffee.
Deputy Mayor Dave Urlin, a member of the
police services board, said a $100 ticket has
already been issued for such a case and peo-
ple should take their complaints to the OPP.
New staff
Brown and council officially welcomed three
new South Huron staff members Monday
night.
Ken Betties is the new road superintendent,
effective Aug. 16. A civil engineering technolo-
gist from Clinton, Betties has worked for
Yundt Brothers Construction in Stratford, and
Warren Bitulithic Ltd. for the last 10 years.
Wilma Telford is leaving her job in the trea-
surer's department with the Municipality of
Bluewater to become South Huron's deputy
treasurer Aug. 30. Telford, who lives in
Bayfield but intends to move to the Exeter
area, will be responsible for tax collecting.
Exeter's Caren McDonald starts her job as
treasury assistant Aug. 23. Her previous expe-
rience includes working in London for CIBC
Mellon.
Sign bylaw amendment
Council passed a sign bylaw amendment
allowing the Burkley Restaurant to place one
sign each on the north and south walls of the
restaurant. The pedestal holding the old
Burkley sign, damaged by weather, will be
removed.
Building and development manager Robert
Pattison said the removal of the old sign and
the addition of the new signs will improve the
appearance of the building.
Before the bylaw amendment, businesses
were allowed one "fascia" sign on the main
wall of the building, but the Burkley is unique
because it has two open sides but doesn't sit at
a corner.
Monthly building report
Pattison also presented his monthly building
report for July. Sixteen building permits were
issued in South Huron, with work value of
$925,500. Fees collected were $6,925.25.
Pattison also reported two "stop work"
orders from the previous month have been lift-
ed after the proper information was provided
to the municipality.
To date, there have been 71 building permits
issued in South Huron this year at a value of
$3.6 million, with permit fees of $27,671.
Those numbers are down from previous years
at the same point of the year.
Fire report
South Huron fire chief John Morgan present-
ed his quarterly fire report to council, noting
fire calls at the Exeter station are less than
half of last year's calls as the same time last
year. Huron Park's calls are also down, while
Dashwood's are up. Morgan said false alarms
have "dropped right off."
Once concern for Morgan was the issue of
ambulance dispatch calling South Huron fire-
fighters to three vehicle accidents this year,
which has cost the department $1,887.50 in
labour.
Carling/Alexander reconstruction
Reconstruction on Carling and Alexander
streets is expected to start in two to three
weeks after low bidder Birnam Excavating
was awarded the work at a cost of $697,814.
The tender came in under the budgeted cost of
$730,000.
Whalen Line paving
South Huron and Lucan Biddulph will share
equally the $86,078 for nearly two kilometres
of paving on the Whalen Line. The work,
already done, was completed by low bidder
TCG Asphalt.
Pay raise correction
Pay increases for South Huron staff accepted
by council in July are slightly higher than first
reported. Staff will receive a three percent
increase for 2005, followed by 2.5 per cent
increases for both 2006 and 2007. A typo by
municipal staff in July stated the latter two
raises were for two per cent each.
Petition
started
By Pat Bolen
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
HENSALL — The
movement to deamal-
gamate Hensall from
the Municipality of
Bluewater took anoth-
er step forward this
week.
A petition asking the
Ontario Legislature to
allow Hensall to sepa-
rate from the munici-
pality started being
circulated in the vil-
lage Monday night.
The petition is being
circulated by the
Concerned Citizens
Group of Hensall.
Group head Kay
Wise said the group is
hoping to have the
petition done by the
end of the week.
The full text of the
petition reads:
"Whereas the
Ontario Government
by regulation and leg-
islation coerced the
amalgamation of the
Village of Hensall into
the Municipality of
Bluewater;
Whereas the
Municipality has not
delivered the
promised streamlined,
more efficient and
accountable local gov-
See PETITION page 2