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TIMES -ADVOCATE
Exeter, Ontario, Canada
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
x.25 (includes GST)
Big Brothers Big Sisters program fosters relationships
By Mary Simmons
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
ST. JOSEPH — Both Laurie Mackechnie and her
"little sister" Rebecca Slaughter say they have got-
ten a lot out of their match through Big Brothers
Big Sisters of South Huron.
Mackechnie says she decided to become involved
with the program after hearing about it from her
sister. She said she waited until she was sure she
would be able to commit herself for the
2-3 hours a week which is recommend-
ed.
After moving to St. Joseph and estab-
lishing a bed and breakfast, she felt the
time was right and was matched with
15 -year-old Slaughter May 29.
Slaughter has been involved in the
program since she was in Grade 5, but
her former match decided she no longer had the
time to remain involved in the program.
Since Mackechnie and Slaughter were matched
they have gotten together at least once a week and
enjoyed activities such as hiking, going to the
beach, making crafts and cooking.
They are able to work around each other's
schedules and find the time to have some fun.
Slaughter says she is lucky to have Mackechnie
in her life since there are many children in the
area who are waiting to be matched with adults,
her younger sister Kendra being one of them.
For the children on the waiting list the Big Bunch
program offers fun activities, which is how
Slaughter and Mackechnie first met two years ago.
Mackechnie, who had been thinking of becoming
involved, attended a toboggan party with the Big
Bunch group and the two of them hit it off. When
Mackechnie decided she was ready to make the
commitment, she asked for Slaughter to be her
match.
Slaughter, who lives with her grandmother in
Dashwood, says she has gotten to know more peo-
ple and has more respect for others and herself
since becoming involved in the pro-
gram.
It was her grandmother who
asked her if she wanted to partici-
pate because she had moved around
a lot and didn't have a lot of friends.
"I've gotten more out of it than I
ever would have thought,"
Mackechnie says, adding she would
recommend it to others. "I've learned things from
Rebecca and we get to have fun.
"I expect to know Rebecca for the rest of her
life."
The organization is also hosting its annual event,
A Taste of Huron in Black and White Sept. 17 at
Peckerwood Farm in Hensall. Appetizers will be
served and the cash bar will be open at 6:30 p.m.
with a four course dinner at 7:30 p.m. Live music
and dancing will start at 9:30 p.m.
Everyone is expected to dress in black and white
A donation of $50 will go towards programs,
events and supplies for children in the program.
For reservations call 235-3307.
""I've go
out of it
ever wo
thought,
LAURIE
tten more
than I
uld have
91
"BIG SISTER"
MACKECHNIE
Rebecca Slaughter and Laurie Mackechnie are a match in the Big
Brothers Big Sisters of South Huron organization. (photo/Mary
Simmons)
New water rates coming
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
SOUTH HURON — South Huron
water customers are closer to know-
ing what their new 2005 water rates
will be.
In an effort to bring its water fees
up to date, the municipality had
Dillon Consulting analyze the system
and come up with different options
on what water fees South Huron
should be charging.
Residents will have a chance to
hear a presentation and offer their
opinions during a Sept. 30 public
meeting at the South Huron Rec
Centre at 7:30 p.m. Council got a
preview of the Dillon report Monday
night.
Dillon civil engineer Guy Courtnay
explained the progress of the report,
what still needs to be completed and
what input is needed from council
and the public. Numbers presented
at Monday's meeting were prelimi-
nary, but it's clear some customers
will see increases, while others will
see decreases.
The water rates discussed Monday
night also didn't include the tempo-
rary $10 increase per month South
Huron added to Exeter water bills in
the spring. The charge, designed to
help pay off $300,000 of the system's
$600,000 debt, is to last until the end
of 2004. Previous water rates were
deemed to low.
Courtnay said part of his compa-
ny's analysis was to identify the total
value of the municipality's infra-
structure, identify the cost of main-
taining and operating the water and
sewage systems and looking at
replacement costs.
Once that was done, it was neces-
sary to determine what rates the
municipality would need to cover
costs and build up reserves to
replace its aging system. Courtnay
said infrastructure systems across
Canada are aging rapidly and bil-
lions of dollars need to be spent to
replace them. He said South Huron
council has been proactive in
preparing for the replacement of
parts of its system early.
Wesley Stevens, a financial analyst
with TeraTrends of Toronto,
explained the finances to council.
He explained that as the South
Huron water system ages, the
municipality will have to replace it.
He suggested the municipality start
putting $400,000 into reserves every
year to deal with costs of replacing
the water system. He said the
municipality now spends about
$100,000 a year on its system and
needs to increase that.
Stevens recommended the munici-
pality have equal water rates across
South Huron, instead of the differ-
ences now seen in rates between
Exeter, Stephen and Huron Park.
Under this system, residential and
commercial customers pay the same
rate.
Of the options Stevens looked at, he
preferred a system he said would
encourage water conservation
because users would pay for all the
water they use. In this system, which
would see all water customers pay a
fixed quarterly charge between what
Exeter and Stephen customers pay
now plus plus a charge/cubic metre
of water used, Stephen cottagers and
Huron Park commercial customers
would pay "substantially more" than
what they pay now, because rates
are so low now. Stevens wasn't yet
sure of the impact on the Huron
Park residential properties.
Small residential and commercial
properties in Exeter would also see
increases, as would large commer-
cial properties in Stephen. Large
commercial properties in Exeter
would pay less under the system, as
would small residential and com-
mercial properties in Stephen.
Not included in the calculations is
the additional $400,000 the munici-
pality will have to raise annually for
its reserves, which would raise rates
an additional 25 per cent.
Both Stevens and Courtnay sug-
gested South Huron phase in its new
rates quickly. They said the sooner
rates are phased in, the sooner the
municipality can start building up its
reserves. Courtnay said it's up to
council to make the decision on
which rates to implement.
At the Sept. 30 meeting, the need
for the rate increases and the impact
they will have on a typical water bill
will be presented. Stevens suggested
customers bring their water bills to
the meeting.
A second meeting will also be held
to inform the public of when the new
rates will be implemented.
Mayor Rob Morley said he wasn't
surprised at the Dillon report and
said council knew it would have to
start saving for the future to keep
the water system up and running.
Sewer project
to go ahead
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
SOUTH HURON — The proposed Crediton/Centralia
sewer project is a go.
South Huron chief administrative officer Larry
Brown reported Monday night that an environmental
assessment completed by B.M Ross recommended the
$4.8 million project go ahead. The project will see a
sanitary sewage collection system installed in
Centralia and Crediton, with the sewage pumped to
the Exeter sewage treatment facility.
A new pumping station will be built in Crediton,
while the Huron Park sewage pumping station will be
modified to pump the Centralia wastewater.
Brown said he expects to request work proposals
from engineering firms soon, with design work done
over the winter and approval in the spring. The
municipality is also applying for a Canada -Ontario
Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund to provide a
grant. The municipality has been approved for a $4.8
million loan.
The project has been controversial because some
residents have been upset with the average cost of
$14,000 per household. The project involves 339 con-
nections in the two villages and is necessary because
studies done by the Huron County Health Unit have
shown high levels of E. Coli in storm drains and ditch-
es. Studies showed sewage problems in 26 per cent of
Crediton properties and 33 per cent of Centralia prop-
erties. Problems included sewage ponding on proper-
ty and off site discharge of sewage and greywater.
Other council notes:
Shoppers on the move
Building and development manager Robert Pattison
reported a busy month of August and said Shoppers
Drug Mart will be moving from its Main Street loca-
tion to the former Seip's valu-mart mall at the corner
See SHOPPERS page 2