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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-12-29, Page 2222 Exeter Times–Advocate Wednesday, December 29, 2004 p l%lew ear The Exeter Times -Advocate surveyed prominent members in our community asking for their forecast of 2005.Will it be a year of development, change or challenges or will it be a year of cutbacks, hard decisions or hard work? CAROL MITCHELL ORGANIZATION: MPP for Huron -Bruce. 2005 WILL BE A YEAR OF: challenges and achievements. It will be a year of challenges and hard choices. How to get the most value for each tax dollar will continue to be the challenge. The demands for better service from all levels of government will continue. Health care and education and a strong economy will present the biggest challenge. We have made some fundamental changes in how health care is delivered. We must control costs yet meet the increasing demands on the health system. Waiting times for cataract care, cancer, hip and knee replacements will be reduced. We are also address- ing the doctor shortage. This year will see the results of our work on renewable energy. It opens a new opportunity for Huron -Bruce. The first wind farm will be in opera- tion at Kingsbridge and the commercial alcohol plant in Tiverton will provide another market for our farmers through ethanol. Agriculture in the 21st century will provide both food, energy and a growth of the bio economy. Your public schools will be strengthened through smaller class sizes, emphasis on reading and writing skills and more co-op and apprenticeship programs. I Sew • PDS ear The Exeter Times -Advocate sur- veyed prominent members in our community asking for their forecast of 2005.Will it be a year of development, change or challenges or will it be a year of cutbacks, hard decisions or hard work? STEPHANIE F. DONALDSON ORGANIZATION: Greater Grand Bend Community Association/President. 2005 WILL BE A YEAR OF: Reducing inflows and outflows for Greater Grand Bend. WHY? 2004 brought a couple of wake-up calls for residents of this area. A massive inflow of livestock effluent to an area drain in South Huron leading to Lake Huron provided evidence that our water sources are still not immune to attack from environ- mental pressures, despite increased awareness of the need to protect them. This precious resource belongs to all of us and is vital to our quality of life and to our tourism industry. Greater Grand Bend Community Association will be increasingly vigilant on this and other environmental issues in 2005, in co-operation with our municipal governments and other groups. On the outflows side, Bluewater Health Services Foundation has reached far to the north of their pri- mary service area and into the pockets of municipal taxpayers in Lambton Shores for funding expanded health care facilities in Sarnia. We feel strongly that municipal tax dollars should not be diverted for health care, as this is primarily a provincial respon- sibility. Residents of greater Grand Bend have already voluntarily committed substantial funds towards a new community health centre here and we are still looking forward to having a family doctor for all those who need one in this medically underserviced area. Any assessments made should be based on use of services by individual communi- ties within the county of Lambton. Residents here do not access many health services in Sarnia. THE COMING YEAR'S CHALLENGES AND HOW TO MEET THEM: The coming year will undoubtedly bring new challenges to add to these, and we look forward to continuing to represent the interests of area residents in dealing with them. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: The greater Grand Bend area continues to see strong growth in our community. With regard to new property develop- ment, we need to find ways to welcome this interest and the potential economic benefits it can bring, while preserving the unique shoreline environment we all enjoy as a central part of our lives. ew'' ear The Exeter Times -Advocate surveyed prominent members in our community asking for their forecast of 2005.Will it be a year of development, change or challenges or will it be a year of cutbacks, hard decisions or hard work? ORGANIZATION: Mayor of Municipality of Bluewater. 2005 WILL BE A YEAR OF: Challenge to keep spending in line and still provide the services the taxpayers have come to expect. Water and sewage will still be a priority with council. THE COMING YEAR'S CHALLENGES AND HOW TO MEET THEM?: A new challenge put forth by government is adding ethanol to gasoline by using corn and other farm products so we will be looking for sites within our municipality which may be suitable for this venture. We have been looking at other business opportunities to come to our area to help our tax base and offer employment to our peo- ple. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: On behalf of council and my family, we wish everyone a prosperous and happy new year. BILL DOWSON p ea The ExeterTimes-Advocate surveyed prominent members in our community asking for their forecast of 2005.Will it be a year of development, change or challenges or will it be a year of cutbacks, hard PAU L decisions or hard work? STECKLE ORGANIZATION: Member of Parliament for Huron - Bruce. 2005 WILL BE A YEAR OF: Adjustments. WHY? I expect adjustments to the Canadian dollar against the U.S. currency; less than normal growth on the stock markets and; further adjustments to new realities in the beef industry with some likely exports of animals under 30 months by mid -year. Furthermore, I look forward to Canada asserting itself internationally on issues involving missile defence, Iraq, the Sudan and certain trade matters. The coming year's challenges and how to meet them: Conducting ourselves with greater efficiency on matters such as food security. In all things we must promote Canada as the wonderful place it is. We must work to develop and protect our natural resources and we must strive to increase access to societal institutions such as post secondary educa- tion and health care. It is through this process that we may better ourselves as a nation. Canadians know our country is a wonderful place to live, to raise a family and to realize our dreams and, with just a little more effort, the international community can know that the world needs more Canada. cillik p 411100 l%lew ear The Exeter Times -Advocate surveyed prominent members in our community asking for their forecast of 2005.Will it be a year of development, change or challenges or will it be a year of cutbacks, hard decisions or hard work? KELLY MAIDENS ORGANIZATION: South Huron Chamber of Commerce. 2005 WILL BE A YEAR OF: Growth, opportunity, co-operation and improvement. WHY? With communication and co-operation con- tinuously improving in our community among differ- ent organizations, greater opportunities to improve our community are uncovered and accomplished. THE COMING YEAR'S CHALLENGES AND HOW TO MEET THEM?: Build a greater awareness of our diverse business community and its contribution to our community. Manufacturing, retail, service, and tourism businesses are all avail- able here. Are we aware of all the jewels we have locally? ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: I would like to thank all our member businesses, the directors, volunteers and staff who helped make 2004 a great year and are getting ready for 2005. Also a special thanks to all the volunteers in our community who make South Huron "Our home!". P%lew ear The Exeter Times -Advocate surveyed prominent members in our community asking for their forecast of 2005.Will it be a year of development, change or challenges or will it be a year of cutbacks, hard GEORGE decisions or hard work? IRVIN ORGANIZATION: Bluewater Councillor - Stanley West. 2005 WILL BE A YEAR OF: Holding the line on tax increases. WHY? We are all aware of the impact that down- loading has had at the municipal level, however we also know as individuals, we must control our expenses because we do not control our wages. We can't just give ourselves more money. THE COMING YEAR'S CHALLENGES AND HOW TO MEET THEM?: We must look at ways to distribute the taxes on a more equitable basis - of Bluewater's total residential tax revenue. Hay West and Stanley West represent 46.5 per cent, Hay West, Stanley West and Bayfield represent 68.1 per cent. The other four wards combined represent only 31.9 per cent. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: We must be proactive in our approach to keeping the water entering Lake Huron clean. Avon Maitland chairperson acclaimed By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE SEAFORTH — Ever since the Avon Maitland District School Board's inception — through amalgamation — in 1999, the annual process of nominations and secret ballots lead- ing to the selection of a chairperson and vice -chairperson has entailed a level of suspense. This year, at the board's "Inaugural Meeting" Dec. 14, that process seemed more like a formali- ty leading to a foregone conclusion. That's because the people now serving in those positions — as well as the board's representative on the Ontario Public School Boards Association (OPSBA) — were cho- sen by acclamation. And not only that, but those two people are the same people who served as chair- person and vice -chairperson in 2003-04: Meg Westley of Stratford and Randy Wagler of Exeter. Wagler and past chairperson Colleen Schenk of Wingham were both nominated for chairperson, but both declined. Likewise, Stratford's Doug Pratley declined a nomination to seek the post of vice -chairperson. There is a change in the OPSBA post, however: North Perth trustee Jenny Versteeg was the only nomi- nee to take over from Pratley in the position. Pratley said in an interview that, although he respects the work being done by the provincial lobby group, he was happy when Versteeg expressed interest because it will allow him — as a second -year trustee and former teacher — to refocus his energies on some other areas of interest. "I'd like to thank the board for what I'm choosing to regard as a vote of confidence," said Westley after accepting her acclamation for a third term as chair. In a subsequent interview, she explained there has been less con- troversy surrounding the financing of various programs than in previ- ous years, though challenges remain in such areas as Special Education and transportation. "A lot more money has flowed (from the provincial government) in the past year, and that's a lot of the reason it has been so quiet," Westley said in explaining why her fellow trustees seem content with her work as chairperson. However, she cautioned her coun- terparts that "I think we need to be a little bit wary of either becoming complacent or of getting up on our chairs and stirring the pot over rela- tively minor issues, just to create a bit of controversy." And in the interview, she suggest- ed the board's biggest challenge over the coming year could be the renegotiation of various employee contracts. She noted the govern- ment has recently complied with requests from school boards for sev- eral -year-long commitments for the funding of salaries, but that those commitments aren't necessarily sig- nificant enough to cover the long- term desires of some employee groups.