The Times Advocate, 2006-09-20, Page 1diiiich
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TIMES -ADVOCATE
Exeter, Ontario, Canada
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
1.25 (includes GST)
Library loan ExeterTerry Fox Run raises $9,000
finally settled ' .8
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
SOUTH HURON — A settlement has finally been
reached on the municipality's efforts to receive finan-
cial compensation for the construction of the Exeter
branch library.
Under the settlement, South Huron has received
$475,000 from Guarantee Company of North America,
the company which held the bond on the library's con-
struction.
While the municipality sought over $600,000 from
Guarantee, chief administrative officer Larry Brown
said he is satisfied with the settlement.
The settlement comes nearly four years after the
completion of the library, which was delayed a year
and a half when original contractor, Pegdon
Construction, went into receivership halfway through
the project. As a result of delays and increased con-
struction costs, the municipality had to get a loan of
$500,000 to complete the library.
The loan is now paid off.
As Brown explained in his report, the settlement
includes $317,000 for the contract shortfall (the differ-
ence in price between the original price of the library
and the second price after Pegdon went into receiver-
ship) and $158,000 for damages such as the cost of
renting the former Canadian Tire building on Main
Street to house the library during construction, interest
on the loan and legal costs.
The settlement was recommended at a pre-trial
hearing in London in April.
Brown said the settlement is a reasonable amount
and added it was an impossible task to determine the
actual damages in the situation.
"We believe the money we got offset our real dam-
ages," he said.
Ratz not running
in fall election
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
SOUTH HURON — South Huron council will lose a
voice of experience after the end of November.
Stephen ward Coun. Harvey Ratz announced at
Monday night's council meeting that he will not seek
re-election in the Nov. 13 municipal election.
"After Nov. 30, I'm done," he said.
Ratz told the Times -Advocate after Monday's meet-
ing he had been considering retiring from politics for
quite some time, but didn't make the decision until
about two weeks ago.
Ratz has spent 15 years on municipal council, the
See RATZ page 2
Run raises $9,000 — The ExeterTerry Fox Run supporting cancer research was a success once again with
164 people participating, raising over $9,000.Above from left are Kirsten Brintnell, Nicole Pfaff, Sue, Josh and
Scott Brintnell, Chevy the dog, Brock Horner, Suzanne Mathers and Drew Horner. More photos on page 17
(photo/Nina/Van Lieshout)
Klopp seeks warden's position
and third term for Bluewater
By Pat Bolen
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
ZURICH — Bluewater Deputy
Mayor Paul Klopp has announced
his intention to run for warden of
Huron County as well as for a third
term as deputy mayor in the
upcoming municipal election.
Klopp, who with wife Heather has
two children, said while the idea of
running for mayor was a possibility,
the role of deputy mayor fits better
with his schedule as well as the
position of warden.
One of the priorities Klopp said he
would see as warden would be
making sure the province is funding
health care in the county adequate-
ly.
"Years ago, municipalities helped
because they wanted to, not
because they had to...the ball has
been slowly shifting and has been
put in the court of local councils
and it should be provincially. There
is an issue I would twig a bit more."
Klopp says the municipality has
Paul Klopp
come into its own
and one of the
strengths he
brings to council
is challenging
people to not
think of the
municipal wards
as separate from
each other.
He added he has
roots
across the municipality
and that if someone
brings him an issue he
looks at it as a munici-
pal problem.
Although the new
four-year term wasn't
an issue for Klopp, he
er reason not to run and that more
people used to run when the term
was two years.
"I'm in a position to make debate
happen," said Klopp who added an
issue Bluewater will look at in the
next term will be whether to renew
the position of manager of fire ser-
vices.
Klopp said he will ask that council
justify the need for the position and
that just because
other municipalities
"I'm in a position to
make debate happen."
PAUL KLOPP
CANDIDATE FOR
BLUEWATER DEPUTY
MAYOR AND COUNTY
WARDEN
said the change wasn't
being pushed by the Association of
Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and
that he wishes the province would
concentrate on priorities.
Klopp said for anyone considering
public life, the longer term is anoth-
are doing it isn't good
enough.
Another improve-
ment council has
made, said Klopp, has
been the addition of a
water department
head, which reduced
the workload of public
works manager Ross Fisher.
"We're trying to have this balance
of getting the regulations fol-
lowed...and at the same time trying
to keep costs as low as possible."
See KLOPP page 2
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