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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-08-09, Page 22 Exeter Times—Advocate Wednesday, August 9, 2006 Council veterans join South Huron election race Continued from front page Association and the Primary Lake Huron Water Board, he can represent the entire munic- ipality of South Huron. Robertson said priorities for council are the $6.2 million Crediton/Centralia sewer pro- ject that is going ahead with or without a grant. While Robertson admits the chances are thin the municipality will receive a grant under the third phase of the Canada -Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (South Huron has already been denied twice), he said South Huron has to continue to seek a grant. He adds South Huron has to make it as easy as possible for Crediton and Centralia residents to pay for the sewers. Another concern of Robertson's is the flooding problem in Exeter and in Stephen. Referring to the water retention pond dug last year to take care of the problem in the south end of Exeter, Robertson said, "We've got part of the problem solved here in Exeter, but we still have a long way to George Robertson go." Robertson, along with candi- date Armstrong, is a member of the committee working on the municipality's flooding problem. Robertson is optimistic about the proposed $150 million ethanol plant coming to Hensall, which he said will have positive spinoffs for South Huron, bene- fiting stores, housing and farm- ers. He said the well -paying jobs created by the plant will help keep young people in the area. Robertson said one of the highlights of the current term of council was the deal with mid - Huron and Goderich that will see those areas bring their garbage to the South Huron landfill site for five years, start- ing probably in 2010. Robertson said royalties from the tipping fees charged to those munici- palities will raise between $6 million to $7 million for a per- manent perpetual care fund for the landfill site and to help pay for the future of garbage collec- tion when the landfill site dos- es, which won't be for 30-40 years. Before this deal, Robertson said there was no money in the reserves for perpetual care for the landfill site. Robertson is also pleased the three former municipalities of Exeter, Stephen and Usborne are working closely together and truly becoming one munici- pality of South Huron. He said South Huron needs to continue to work on its building code. Mandated by the province, Robertson said the laws are made to protect the people and the municipality needs to work with the people on the building code. Robertson doesn't have any major disappointments from the current council term, although he said he has been "a bit upset" about some of the "bad press" council has received from some. He enjoys his time on council, saying he likes working with people, resolving issues and making the amalgamation work. A retired police officer, Robertson is a bus driver for Usborne Central and South Huron District High School. He has lived in Exeter since 1967 and is married to Pam and has a son, Cameron. Pete Armstrong Born and raised in Exeter, Armstrong had previously said the current term of council would be his last, but he decid- ed to seek re-election as a coun- cillor in the Exeter ward because South Huron has a number of major projects com- ing up and he wants to stay on the job. Armstrong says he believes a council with a good mix of experienced and enthusi- astic new councillors will be able to meet upcom- ing chal- lenges. He said in addi- tion to having the responsi- bility of run- ning a large financial corpora- tion, councillors also have to lead with a sense of "heart." One of the major infrastruc- ture projects for South Huron is the Crediton/Centralia sewer project, which Armstrong said he wants to see finished in "a fair, cost-effective manner." Armstrong points to the planned $14 million water pipeline from Lake Huron to Exeter that will need to be rout- ed to Hensall to make the pro- posed ethanol plant a reality. He said South Huron is willing to work with the plant to help with water and effluent con- cerns. Pointing to positives from council in recent years, Armstrong said the Relouw Early Childhood Learning Centre has been a success and negotiations with landowners in Exeter's east end to work on the flooding problem there are pro - Pete Armstrong McGuinty, Mitchell make stop in Bayfield Continued from front page to set up the fund to help construction of new ethanol plants. The province will invest $12.5 million into the Hensall plant and has created the $520 -million Ontario Ethanol Growth Fund, which provides operating grants worth up to $60 million annually. By 2007, all gasoline sold in Ontario must contain five per cent alco- hol. That number will rise to 10 per cent by 2010. McGuinty REGIONAL WRAP Goderich native helps Lebanese GODERICH — Goderich native Capt. Derek Gilchrist of the Canadian Forces has been helping Canadians flee from Beirut, Lebanon recently, according to the Goderich Signal -Star. Gilchrist says with the operation winding down, citizens were pressured to get out. "I would hate to see people wait and wait and then all of a sudden the ships stop coming and we leave people behind, which we obviously don't want to do." "We have to get out there and put a little bit of pressure on people so they don't have to wait until the bombs get close and they arrive. So we can get them out while the gettin's good, so to speak," Gilchrist adds. Gilchrist estimated 10,000 Canadians would have left the war-torn country when the evacuation was complete. Gilchrist says the Canadian Forces were prepared to assist the Canadians with the evacuation process but a shortage of bottled water could have been an issue. Bridge collapses NAIRN — A bridge on Petty Street and Coldstream Road, just southwest of Nairn has collapsed, reports to The Parkhill Gazette. The bridge, washed out by a heavy rainfall will have to be completely reconstructed. Middlesex County engineer Chris Traini says, "We have to start from scratch. It will take at least this week to clean up the road." The recently repaved bridge will re -open around the end of August, according to Traini. The bridge is closed to all drivers with the excep- tion of local traffic. Detour signs are posted direct- ing vehicles. The cost of the damage and repairs are unknown. said the province is helping create new opportunities for the use of corn, which he said is a substitute for coal. Since he was in Bayfield, tourism was another subject raised. McGuinty said factors such as high gas prices and the strong Canadian dollar have made attracting tourists more challenging for towns such as Bayfield, but "I can't think of a more attractive brand in the United States and in the international community than the Canadian flag." McGuinty said another chal- lenge for tourist attractions is that some tourists are of the mistaken impression they already need a passport to cross the Canada/U.S. border. McGuinty stopped to talk to Bob Denomme of Detroit, whose family's roots are along the Ontario side of Lake Huron. Lakeview, Michigan couple Ed and Martha Parish didn't know who McGuinty was until they met him, but said it was an honour to meet the premier. Al and Jean Meadows of Kitchener stopped McGuinty to talk to him about the situation in Caledonia. On the topic of funding for smaller municipalities, McGuinty deferred to Mitchell, who said rural communities have greater needs than the $900 com- mitted in the Canada -Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund. Asked why he was visiting Bayfield, McGuinty said he likes to use the summer months to visit the smaller communities of Ontario he may not normally get a chance to. He said he likes meeting and chatting with people on the streets and says he gets some of his best input from them. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and Huron -Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell face reporters during McGuinty's visit to Bayfield Aug. 1. Electricity consumption, agriculture and tourism were some of the top- ics discussed. (photo/Scott Nixon) gressing. He said the municipal- ity is meeting with its engineer soon to choose the best option on how to proceed with the pro- ject. He said South Huron also wants to meet with the Minister of Municipal Affairs to present its case for stormwater man- agement for the municipality. Armstrong says council has worked well together and amal- gamation has worked "extremely well," considerably better than in other municipali- ties. In addition to serving on South Huron council for the last six years, Armstrong was an Exeter councillor for the term before amalgamation. He said his only disappointment on council is that while for his first seven and a half years, council was run- ning a business and making it run based on regulations hand- ed down by the upper levels of government, that has changed in the last year and a half to "putting out fires." Armstrong said he is the type of person who looks at the glass as half full. Armstrong likes being on council because he gets "the inside scoop" and gets to learn how and why decisions are made. An employee at Exacon Inc, Armstrong is married to Eleanor and has two adult sons. 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