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Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2005-05-18, Page 1Jorry DEERE (519)235-1115 www.hurontractor.com IwHURON) TRACTOR MORTGAGE INTELLIGENCE° AGMACCmpeny ca11238.HOME 14.1 Home Ownership Made Easy SunCoast.ca Head Office: 1013180SolalDmeMississauga ONUW5M8 TIMES -ADVOCATE Exeter, Ontario, Canada Wednesday, May 18, 2005 x.25 (includes GST) Looking for speeders in Dashwood SH taxes up By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STA1 1 DASHWOOD — Huron OPP are encouraging dri- vers to play it safe and slow down during the hol- iday weekend. OPP constables George Finch and Don Shropshall last week allowed local media representatives to observe them monitor traffic speed on Highway 83 in Dashwood. Finch said every com- munity has a speeding problem. Entering Dashwood, the speed limit drops from 90 km/h to a 50 km/h zone. Over about an hour last week during which 100 cars drove by, Finch gave tickets to two drivers. The average speed as drivers entered Dashwood seemed to be about 55 km/h. Weather also plays a factor in speed, Finch said, and it was raining while he and Shropshall were checking speed. The hand held radar gun Finch and Shropshall used last Friday afternoon in Dashwood is accurate within a two kilometre radius. The gun can detect speeds up to one kilometre away, depend- ing on the size of the vehi- cle. He said in addition to using a radar gun, officers must use their experience and training to visibly determine the car is speeding. Finch, who has worked at the Exeter OPP detach- ment since 1986, said dri- vers need to be account- able for their speeding. The first driver Finch pulled over last week in Dashwood was driving 72 km/h in the 50 km/h zone. As the driver wasn't from Canada, Finch had to call dispatch in London to run his name through Interpol. After everything was deemed OK, the dri- ver found himself with a Huron OPP Const. George Finch checks speed on Highway 83 in Dashwood last week. OPP are increasing their patrols during the holiday weekend. (photo/Scott Nixon) $52.50 ticket. Another driver had a heavier foot, with Finch clocking him at 89 km/h in a 50 km/h zone. The dri- ver ended up with a $100 ticket. Shropshall reported that in the OPP's Western Region, the Victoria Day weekend in 2004 saw 1,760 speeding tickets issued, 102 other provin- cial traffic tickets issued, 36 impaired charges and 23 crashes that involved serious injury. In 2003 during the same weekend, there were 1,560 speeding tickets, 462 other provincial traf- fic tickets issued, 18 impaired charges and 146 other Criminal Code viola- tions laid. Also, there were 26 serious crashes involving serious injury. Last week Finch also fol- lowed a school bus to make sure no drivers passed the bus while it was stopped with its lights flashing. He then answered a call from dispatch about a 9- 1-1 hangup from a home in Huron Park. Despite the fact a woman from the home called to say the original 9-1-1 call was a mistake, Finch said police check every 9-1-1 call to make sure everything is OK. He determined there were no problems after visiting the home. He said many 9-1-1 calls are false, and reminds people to only use the number for emergency purposes and to not have 9-1-1 programmed on your phone's speed -dial. four percent By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF SOUTH HURON — South Huron homeowners will see a four per cent increase in their municipal taxes. The budget was passed at Monday night's council meeting, with only Coun. Jim Dietrich voting against it. Coun. Pete Armstrong was absent. This year's budget sees the municipality collecting $3,697,000 from taxpayers, up four per cent from last year's. As previously reported, this means an Exeter resi- dential property assessed at $150,000 will pay $877.20 (a $25.20 increase over last year) in munici- pal taxes, while Usborne and Stephen property own- ers with the same assessment will pay $730.82 (a $19.15 increase over last year. Helping out the balance sheet this year is a provin- cial grant increase of $640,774. The budget also includes a reserve transfer of $67,221 and last year's surplus of $208,000. The municipality's various departmental budgets are all balanced or show surpluses, except for the Exeter water budget, which has a projected deficit of $283,409. Replying to Coun. George Robertson's question if the new increased water rates will make up for the Exeter water system's deficit, chief administrative officer Larry Brown said they will eventually, but not by the end of 2005. Mayor Rob Morley noted the water system's debt is over $600,000 now and the new rates are knocking it down. Both Dietrich and Coun. Harvey Ratz previously criticized the 2005 municipal budget for the lack of tax dollars being used for road work in the Stephen ward. The municipality received no correspondence from the public on the 2005 budget and no ratepayers attended Monday night's public meeting. OPP prepare for Victoria Day weekend activities By Stephanie Mandziuk TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF HURON COUNTY — Victoria Day weekend is fast approaching, sig- nalling the beginning of summer. Throughout Huron County, traffic flow increases as tourists and cottage -goers converge on the area. Huron OPP are doing their part to make our roadways safer. During the May 20-23 weekend, officers will be stepping up their patrols to catch aggressive dri- vers, speeders and impaired drivers Over the last three years, during the Victoria Day weekend, there were 53 See WEEKEND page 2 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Sunrise GARDEN CENTRE D711 1-177 SAT. MAY 21 FREE COFFEE & DONUTS 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. BX93 ONSITE WITH WENDY WEEKEND SPECIAL IMPATIENS -99° SATURDAY 1/2 PRICE GOLF LARGE SELECTION OF HANGING BASKETS, PATIO POTS & HOSTA Hwy. #4, minutes North of Lucan at Clandeboye (follow the signs) OPEN 9-8 MON.—FR/. • 9-6 SAT. & SUN. 227-1879 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •