Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-05-03, Page 22 Exeter Times–Advocate Wednesday, May 3, 2006 Slight decrease for Lucan Biddulph taxpayers By Nina Van Lieshout TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF LUCAN BIDDULPH — Lucan Biddulph council passed its budget April 27 which will bring a less than one per cent overall tax decrease to property owners and a zero per cent levy increase from 2005 to 2006. Other council notes: Warden and CAO visit Middlesex County Warden Joanne Vanderheyden and Middlesex County chief administrative officer Bill Rayburn visited council, explaining that their budget is in great shape for 2006. Middlesex County received $3.14 million unexpected- ly from the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund. OPP share statistics Devon Corners property to be sold Continued from front the engineer firm had made a mistake because the estimate was $100,000 low, Brown said there were only two bidders on the project and many contractors aren't interested in this type of work. Huron Park work South Huron also awarded a contract to low bidder Garnet Services for the replacement of the altitude valve and other equipment in the inlet control valve chamber at the Huron Park reservoir for $28,853, plus GST. With engineering costs, the project will amount close to the budgeted cost of $60,000. An inspection of the Huron Park Water System revealed the altitude valve wasn't working which means operators have been controlling the reservoir fill rate manually. That resulted in a dangerously low operating pressure in the watermain and could have potentially led to excessive wear on the gate valve in the Airport Line Meter Chamber. Engineer Gamsby and Mannerow assessed the situa- tion and gave the municipality three options to fix it. South Huron chose the cheapest option. New generator Amid concerns about the lack of a standby generator for the South Huron Rec Centre, South Huron decided Monday night to budget $50,000 for a new 100 kw generator. The generator will provide "low -voltage capability" in the case of a community emergency in which the public gathers for safety at the Rec Centre. The option of a new generator ($44,950) was actually cheaper than using an existing 115 kw generator, which would require a building, doors and vents and would cost $47,000. The new generator will run the air conditioning and heat in an emergency but would not maintain the ice, Brown said. Devon Corners to be sold Council officially deemed surplus the Devon Corners property at the corner of Highway 4 and Crediton Road. The property will now be prepared for sale through a public bidding process. The one -acre property is zoned highway commercial and a recent appraisal put its value at $35,000, although Brown said realtors have suggested the sell- ing price could be higher. The property fell into the municipality's hands after its former owner defaulted on the property taxes. The municipality was then responsible for cleaning up the former gas bar and restaurant. The original estimate of $50,000 ballooned to about $220,000 after 9,900 tons of fuel contaminated soil was excavated and removed from the property, in addition to the removal of six underground storage tanks. A buyer for Huron Park? After questioning from an audience member, Brown said he has heard an official announcement will be made from the province Friday that will reveal who the new owner of the residential side of Huron Park is. The province put the residential side of the park up for sale in January and has been looking for one buyer to purchase all the homes. Const. Doug Graham and Staff Sgt. Dan Grant shared the 2005 year end Lucan Biddulph OPP statistics. In 2005, the OPP received 288 calls from incidents in Lucan Biddulph. The highest number of calls were traffic complaints at 96, followed by alarm calls at 61 and mischief and theft tied at 38. Most areas in 2005 were down in comparison to prior years. Alarm calls, traffic complaints, mischiefs, break and enters, assaults and thefts all decreased. Impaired charges increased from eight to nine, rob- beries and arsons rose from none to one and drug related incidents went from nine to 10. Auditor finds nothing unusual Chartered accountant for Lucan Biddulph Christine Scrimgeour presented her 2005 financial report. Scrimgeour reported no problems. Wind power Andrew Henry spoke to council on wind power April 27. Coores Construction get tender After receiving nine bids to reconstruct the Kent Street and Saintsbury Line area sidewalks, council picked Coores Construction at $296,479,88. Town wide garage sale Lucan is holding a town wide garage sale Saturday. jack Russell club A new club for Jack Russell owners is starting in Lucan and area. Owners will have the opportunity to race their dogs. A letter sent to council recently asked that council consider booking club for racing at the Market and Elm Street Parks. Council turned down the request from Kristine King, head of the Lucan and area Jack Russell Racing Club, stating noise as a factor. They are considering booking the club at the Lucan Community Centre, close to the ball diamond instead. Theft at Exeter LOBO on weekend Tim Hortons theft leads to charges EXETER — Huron OPP are inves- tigating a robbery at the Exeter LCBO April 28 at approximately 8 p.m. A lone male entered the business dressed in black and demanded money from the employee. He then left the LCBO, heading south by foot on Main Street with an undisclosed amount of money stolen from the cash drawer. The male is described as cau- casian, about 5'8" in height, approximately 160 to 170 pounds with long blonde hair. He was wearing a black coat, hat and gloves and blue jeans. If anyone has any information that can assist police with this investigation, call the OPP or CRIME STOPPERS at 1-800-222- 8477 (1 -800 -222 -TIPS.) Huron OPP say this individual should be considered dangerous and the public should not approach the party but contact the local police. Project could be forced on residents Continued from front page six per cent interest as a figure, Brown said average costs to resi- dents would be $1,510 over 20 years or $1,150 over 40 years. As the sewer project wouldn't be done until the end of 2007, resi- dents wouldn't start paying until 2008. Deputy Mayor Dave Urlin said in the past the municipality has said it would support the people and that there would be no project if there was no grant. He suggested residents call Huron -Bruce MP Paul Steckle and MPP Carol Mitchell and tell them their concerns. "There should be some money in a closet or a drawer" the federal and provincial governments can find to pay their share, Urlin said. Hutt said if the municipality does- n't proceed with the project, the MOE would again look at the sever- ity of the problem and if it decided the villages posed an environmental or health issue, order South Huron to put the sewers in. "If push came to shove, that's what would take place," he said. While Morley said there are no recent official test results on the condition of the septic systems in both villages, "We know what's out there." He said people tell him it would be nice if they could walk through their community without having to smell sewage. He added that while he met with two provincial Ministers in February and spoke to them about the project, "I don't think we're get- ting a lot of support from Toronto." He said he also spoke to Steckle, who told him he's not sure if there will be a round three for COMRIF. If there is a round three, South Huron is considering partnering with Bluewater for a grant on the Lake Huron water supply pipeline. "We struck out twice and it does not look like we'll get funding" for the sewer project, Brown said. Residents were vocal in their con- cerns about the cost of the project. One member of the audience asked why the municipality couldn't sim- ply defer the issue until the govern- ment comes up with funding. "It's a health issue," Morley said. Another resident asked if there were alternatives to a sewer system that would solve the villages' septic problems. Huila said engineer B.M. Ross determined a sewer system was the most efficient way to fix the prob- lem. He explained that some homes in the villages don't even have enough land for septic system hold- ing tanks and because of the nature of the soil in the villages, some new septic systems have even failed. Another woman in the audience said there are children in the vil- lages walking through sludge in backyards. "It's pathetic," she said. Other residents suggested that only those homes with septic prob- lems be forced to repair them, while those without problems should be left alone. Huila explained that wouldn't work. When residents asked if there was anything they could do, Hutt said, "The squeaky wheel gets the grease — squeak." Council was also asked if it could put the $453,611 surplus from 2005's budget towards the project, but Morley explained that surplus comes from all taxpayers in South Huron and as the sewer project is a user pay project, tax money from residents outside those villages can't be used. The estimated cost of the project has risen substantially. A 2004 esti- mate put the project at $4.8 million or $14,200 per property. The most recent estimate saw the project's cost increase $1 million to the cur- rent $17,285 per property. South Huron deputy clerk Laurie Dykstra said Monday night's crowd was the largest she's ever seen at a council meeting. EXETER — A 17 -year- old Lucan Biddulph male faces one count of robbery with a firearm after robbing the Exeter Tim Hortons April 10. The male entered the business around 3 a.m. dressed in black, hold- ing a silver hand gun. He left with a locked cash drawer containing an undisclosed amount of money. The Huron OPP Crime Unit investigated and arrested the male April 28. He attended Goderich Provincial court Monday and was released. His next court appearance is June 8 in Goderich. REGIONAL WRAP UP • Masonics merging MIDDLESEX — Three Masonic lodges in North Middlesex will merge into a building owned by Ailsa Craig Main Street, according to The Parkhill Gazette. Parkhill's Doric lodge #233, Ailsa Craig's Craig lodge #574 and Lucan's Irving lodge #154 will merge May 9 into a larger Craig lodge #574 due to declining enrollment. Craig lodge is graphically in the middle and is the youngest of the three buildings, not yet receiving the gold apron braid for reaching the 100 year mark, says secretary of Parkhill lodge Murray Smith. Ontario's top Mason, Most Worshipful Brother Gary Atkinson of Wyoming will attend the amalgamation ceremony. Peace garden SEAFORTH — Four trees were planted recently at Seaforth Public School in commemoration of their peace garden, according to The Huron Expositor. Two of the sycamores honour retired teacher Bill Farnell. Farnell with the assistance of teacher Nancy Kale, has been planning the garden for several years. Farnell says he is pleased to see the first trees planted, with his two being a retirement gift. Farnell and Kale are hoping a flagstone walkway will be built this fall into the berm which will be seed- ed or sodded this spring.