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Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-09-13, Page 3Wednesday, September 13, 2006 Exeter Times–Advocate 3 Concerns remain for sewer project By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF SOUTH HURON — The proposed $6.2 million Crediton/Centralia sewer project once again dominated discussion at council's most recent meeting. Concerned residents Dianne Faubert and Tina Premont made a presentation before council Sept. 5 with another request the project be delayed until funding comes forward. As already reported, council has decided to go to tender with the pro- ject to get a firm price. Council has also said if tenders come in way over the estimated $6.2 million, they won't go ahead. Part of Premont and Faubert's pre- sentation involved showing a video- Dombrowsky along with Mayor Rob Morley and Coun. Pete Armstrong. Oke went into the meeting lobbying for more funding for lower income residents in Ontario. Premont also took issue with comments Oke made in a Canadian Press article in which he stated, "Sewage is coming up out of the ground. Kids are playing in it." "Where did Mr. Oke see this happening?" Premont asked. "Our children do not go out and play in the raw sewage. And if this is happening, where is "We went to bat on your behalf. I apologize if I offended you for trying to help." KEN OKE SH COUNCILLOR tape of an interview with Southwest Middlesex Mayor Doug Reycraft on ETM, during which Reycraft explained how his municipality reacted when the town of Wardsville was faced with an expensive water project which would have cost residents $12,000 to $15,000 per household. Working with the Health Unit and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE), Reycraft said the project was delayed until grant money came in, resulting in a project that cost $4,000 to $5,000 per household. Under the delay, the town was under a boil water advisory for almost four years. When asked if South Huron could do something simi- lar, Mayor Rob Morley noted a sewer project is differ- ent from a water project. "Do we put in a no -flush hold?" he asked, later saying South Huron's issue "is totally different from Wardsville's." Faubert said the sewage problems in Crediton/Centralia aren't affecting the health of resi- dents because they are on pipeline water. In Premont's statement to council, she said, "One of the many concerns that many of us residents have is dealing with the lack of information or being given the wrong information." She encouraged council to ensure the sewer project doesn't fall between the cracks of government grant programs. Ottawa meeting "positive" Referring to a recent Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in Ottawa, Premont asked how Coun. Ken Oke's meeting went with Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Leona this happening and why are the health unit and/or municipality not posting signs to avoid this health issue? If our children are playing in it and our animals are walk- ing through it as Mr. Oke claims, then show us where this is happening so some- thing can be done to avoid risking their health." Oke said he acquired his knowledge on the sewage situation in the villages from the residents and added the health report on the vil- lages states sewage is ponding and coming up through the ground. "We went to bat on your behalf," Oke said. "I apolo- gize if I offended you for trying to help." He later said, "If you're saying I shouldn't have gone to bat for you, I should have stayed home, then I apolo- gize." Oke said he, Morley and Armstrong came out of their meet- ings in Ottawa with a positive feel- ing. They learned the health-relat- ed issues concerning the sewage situation in the villages needed to be emphasized more in South Huron's application for a third attempt at a Canada -Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (COMRIF) grant. "Coun. Oke made huge steps," Armstrong said. "It was a success." Morley and operations manager Don Giberson also recently went to Guelph, where they met with offi- cials who score COMRIF applica- tions. He said the municipality "made great gains in Guelph" and will score "huge points" for making South Huron's sewer system a regional system. He later said he remains optimistic South Huron Watch for buses and pedestrians HURON — Area OPP remind motorists of the return to school for area students. This will also mean an increased population of school buses on area roadways and young students walking to and from schools. The plan is simple — during the morning and afternoon commutes, be aware and watch for chrome yellow buses with red lights flashing and kids crossing streets or intersections. Legislation that took effect Sept 1, 2005 now allows vehicle owners to be charged if their vehicle illegally passes a stopped school bus with its upper red lights flashing. Penalties for not stop- ping are a $400 to $2,000 fine and six demerit points for the first offence and a $1,000 to $4,000 fine, six demerit points and possible jail time up to six months for each subsequent offence. Help protect our children, our most vulnerable and precious com- modity. Wallet stolen LAMBTON SHORES — A Toronto woman camping with her family in a trailer at Pinery Provincial park had her wallet stolen from within the trailer while enjoying the Labour Day weekend. Sometime, during Sept. 4, the woman left her wallet in the closed but unlocked camper trailer. Upon returning to the site, it was found that the door was open and the wallet taken. The wallet, described as small and black in colour contained personal documents, her children's health cards, credit and debit cards and an undisclosed amount of cash. Breast Screening Saves Lives... WOMEN 50 & OVER in Huron County can now be screened at the Ontario Breast Screening Program site at Alexandra Marine & General Hospital in Goderich. The program includes screening mammography (breast x-ray) plus Clinical Breast Examination. Book your appointment TODAY. Dodge Dakota damaged LUCAN — On Sept. 3 a 2000 Dodge Dakota truck received damage to its hood and wind- shield while parked in the driveway on the Main Street of Lucan. 519-440-0783 or 1-800-461-0640 /rC/1 T Canadian J` ontario breast Breast Cancer screening program Foundation a cancer care Ontario program =' —+--^— M AN OR CIIIIIVIE FOR SOeTH HURON OPEN GOVERNMENT WITH INTEGRITY For more information visit deanducharme.ca Your Choice for Prosperity a Accountability will receive a COMRIF grant in the next phase, but noted there are limited dollars available for municipali- ties. He said South Huron has also recently met with MP Paul Steckle and MPP Carol Mitchell and the municipal- ity can turn down the tender if it's too high. Verbal deadline The much-discussed deadline of the end of 2007 for the municipality to have the sewer project complete is a verbal one; there is no written order yet. If South Huron decides the price is too high and decides not to go ahead, Morley said "we'll find out" how the MOE reacts. "If they write us an order (to proceed) I can say I've done due diligence for the people of Crediton and Centralia," he said. Other issues that came up during the discussion was why some neighbouring properties aren't included in the project. Morley said the project's engineer determined the service area, although he said it can be expanded and the municipality will ask nearby properties if they want to be included in the project. He said Dashwood Industries will be included. 0 0 0 n 0 U s,s4 crd N Trivitt Memorial Anglican Church Exeter, Ontario Supports Huron Habitat for Humanity Sunday October 1st Everyone Welcome! 4 pm Thanksgiving Service • Mass by Franz Schubert • Special Community Choir, Soloists and Orchestra • Celebrant The Bishop of Huron • Nursery & Children's Program BBQ Chicken Dinner by Pineridge Barbeque following the service, north of the church. Tickets: Adults $15 Children: 6-12 $ 5 Proceeds to Huron Habitat for Humanity Ticket Hotline 519-235-4156 Advance Ticket and at the Door 264 Main St., Exeter, Ontario Trivitt Memorial Anglican Church