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TIMES -ADVOCATE
Exeter, Ontario, Canada
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
1.25 (includes GST)
Huron Park
resident upset
with decision
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
HURON PARK — Dave Burrell is upset the province
has decided not to allow Huron Park residents to buy
their homes.
Burrell, originally from London, has lived in Huron
Park for three years.
He said his reaction last week to the news was "disap-
pointment. I was very disappointed and angry. I was
angry because I was told we'd be able to buy our places
... I had to actually leave the meeting because I was
that angry."
Huron Park residents were told Jan. 9 that the
Ontario Realty Corporation (ORC), which manages land
for the province, had decided to sell the park's 355
homes to one buyer and that residents would not have
the option of buying.
Burrell has distributed flyers to Huron Park residents
asking them if they want to buy their home, continue
renting or form a co-op. Residents received their flyers
Monday and Burrell hopes to hear from his neighbours
sometime this week.
He wasn't happy with the meeting in Huron Park
because there was no presentation given to residents —
residents had to approach ORC officials.
"We had to approach them and ask them what was
going on. That's how we got the news."
He also said the government has known for over four
years they were going to sell the homes, but just told
residents last week.
"Also, why weren't the press allowed in (the meet-
ing)?" Burrell asked. "To me that says they want to hide
something. What is it they want to hide?"
He said he's worried Huron Park residents won't have
enough time to form a committee and take action.
Burrell said he doesn't know how many of his neigh-
bours would like to buy their homes, but of the approxi-
mately 20 people he saw at the meeting last week,
"pretty much everybody was agreeing with me ... they
wanted to buy."
Burrell would like to buy his home because "there's a
pride in ownership." He added Huron Park residents
can't make changes to their homes without permission.
He encourages Huron Park residents to let him know
their feelings on the issue of the sale, which is now list-
ed on ORC's website. No price is given for the 177 -acre
property. In addition to looking for one buyer for the
residential side, ORC is in negotiations with industrial
tenants in an effort to sell that property. ORC is also
seeking a buyer for property such as the former
Centralia College and the airport.
Lisa Martin, left assists Exeter resident Marg Kehn on the computer Saturday at a weekly Computer Access
Program session at the Exeter Library. See story on page 26. (photo/Nina Van Lieshout)
County drafts 5.3 per cent increase
despite a $15 million surplus
By Andrew Smith
SPECIAL TO THE T -A
GODERICH — A 5.3 per cent
increase to the Huron County levy
was presented at the Jan. 5 meeting
of county council, despite a budget
surplus of over $15 mil-
lion.
Treasurer David
Carey presented a
report to council,
explaining the reason
for the substantial
$15.9 surplus for the
end of 2005. Going over
the 16 separate reserve
funds for the county, Carey stated
that the highway reserve was origi-
nally forecast at $200,000, and
ended up having an estimated $1.4
million in the account.
"That is a growing reserve fund in
case we have a very bad winter,"
Carey said. "We did not need to
spend the extra money on winter
maintenance."
In another case, the levy stabiliza-
tion fund was projected at $2.9 mil-
lion, and is now at $3.6 million. "The
province gave us more money than
we expected and what they original-
ly told us," Carey said.
Carey attributed
other reserve increases
to less activity over the
year than what was
budgeted for in waste
management, water
source protection and
corporate IT.
The general reserves
are an estimated $4.5 million, an
increase over the $1.06 projected
amount. $2.6 million of that increase
was part of funds allotted to the
2004 year-end budget deficit, which
wasn't all needed to keep the levy at
20 per cent.
The opposition to the levy increase
"There's millions in
reserve, and you told
us we were broke last
year."
— BILL DOWSON
HURON COUNTY COUNCIL
paired with the surplus news was
considerable.
Coun. Bill Dowson questioned how
an increase could be justified with
such a huge surplus.
"There's millions in reserve, and
you told us we were broke last
year," Dowson said. "The public is
getting tired of paying the county
levy."
Coun. Jim Fergusson echoed
Dowson's feelings.
"How are we increasing the levy
when we didn't spend all the budget
last year?" Fergusson asked.
Coun. John Bezaire said the 5.3
per cent increase was only the tip of
the iceberg, with the county assess-
ment already coming in higher than
expected. "I put it to this council to
take a long hard look at our spend-
ing," Bezaire said.
The draft budget was accepted in
principle, with further review by
various committees to follow.
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