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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-05-10, Page 9Wednesday, May 10, 2006 Exeter Times -Advocate 8 Positives of rural life maybe put at risk Apply for grant again Open letter to the municipality of South Huron coun- cil, MPP Carol Mitchell and MP Paul Steckle: A council meeting at the Municipality of South Huron's office was held May 1 at which representatives from the Ministry of the Environment and the Health Unit were present. We were informed by our mayor that the latest petition for a grant for the project had been rejected. The attending Ministry representatives informed us that unless the municipality goes ahead with the installation voluntarily, they will be issuing an order to proceed. They want it completed by the end of 2007. Many of the citizens were assured prior to the last provincial election by Carol MItchell that, if elected, this project would not proceed until grant monies were allo- cated to assist with the costs. It is time that promise was fulfilled. These two villages are small in population which means the exorbitant price tag, which is increasing as time goes by, must be borne by very few people. The municipality stated that payment could be made over several different time frames by issuing a debenture. This, however, means that a significant increase in our tax bills will occur with interest charges and principal payments plus property tax assessments. Our popula- tion consists, for the most part, of young families who do not have high paying jobs and seniors who are on pen- sions, some living on $1,000 per month. With the increase in hydro rates, gas rates, water, fuel prices, food, etc., on top of the sewer costs, and very little increase in income, how will many of our citizens be able to shoulder this financial burden? Very few of us would say that a sewer system is not needed, however we require assistance from our provincial and federal governments. We have seen precious little of the taxes we pay returned to our communities and it is essential and expected that our representatives fight for us at this time. There seemed to be no problem with the government funding of the huge sewer, drains and curbs project now taking place in Huron Park. Will all of this expenditure be recouped by the sale? If so, could not that funding be allocated in a grant to our sewer project? Huron Park already had sewers, while Crediton and Centralia are under threat of an order to install them. If our situation is so dire and threatening, we would expect we would have had priority and grant assistance to see it happen. The unfairness in blatantly turning down grants, with no explanation or hope of success in future is causing anger. Larry Brown, the chief administrative officer for the municipality stated at the meeting that the munici- pality will not be applying for a sewer grant if there is another opportunity, but rather will apply for a grant to install a water pipeline to Exeter. The impression this gives citizens is that our concerns are of no consequence and we will just have to accept their decisions. The environment is very important to all of us, and water safety is of course very important, but sewers go hand in hand with that. We want an explanation as to why grants would not be available for both water and sewer projects. Moreover we want our representatives fight- ing for funding before issuing any orders to have sewers installed. A letter sent to Larry Brown dated April 21, 2006, from Martin Zablochi, Federal Co -Chair, Management Committee, states that round three for funding will be launched in the spring of 2006. It also states, and I quote: "Projects not funded under Intake Two can be resubmitted under Letters • to the Editor Intake Three. Please note that Intake Two applications will not be automatically considered for funding under Intake Three. Municipalities should review Intake Three priorities and select a project to submit accordingly using the requirements of the third intake." All parties have known about this sewage problem for the past 10 years. We, the residents of Centralia and Crediton, feel that our funding should take top priority over the water line for Exeter given the seriousness of the health issue as stated by the Ministry of the Environment and the Health Unit. We ask our council to reconsider their decision and resubmit the request for grant funding for the Centralia/Crediton sewer project. We may have been refused twice, but perseverance with a third request just might meet with success. MEL AND KATHY WINGER MEL AND GLENDA LATHER Bureaucracy created problem The last South Huron council meeting on May 1 was a lively one. After once again being denied funding for the Crediton and Centralia sewer system many local citizens showed up to express their concern. They were greeted with the pronouncement by an official of the Ministry of the Environment that if the sewer project does not go ahead there will be those that will be ordered out of their homes. This official apparently is the top dog. When asked who his boss is by a local citizen, so that he may call to express concern, his reply was "Dalton McGuinty". We should be honored to have a man of such stature grace our council chamber. What I don't understand is how someone in such a position of power (only one tier down from the top) was unable to answer the next citizen's question as to whom they should call to complain about this project being denied funding. It seems that our bureaucrats at all levels work in their own little world with very little outside contact. It is no wonder it takes so many to do so little. An official with the local health unit also spoke up and stated that no permits have been taken out for repairs or replacement of faulty septic systems in the last five years and that the problems in Crediton and Centralia have been going on for over 10 years. A citizen then correctly pointed out that five years is the exact amount of time that all levels of government have been promis- ing funding for the sewers in these communities. It seems the bureaucrats and politicians are the ones who have created the seemingly urgent nature of this prob- lem. This problem was compared to the notorious Walkerton by the mayor. I believe it does have many similarities. In Walkerton bureaucrats and politicians from all levels of government spent more time on paper- work than finding a workable solution to the problem. The problem well in Walkerton was covered with paper by all levels of government for approximately 30 years and the behinds of those responsible have been covered by barrels of our tax dollars. Perhaps we could use some of our shelved studies and reports to absorb some of the black smelly potions that are present in some yards in these communities? At the rate we have been producing I would judge this could get us through a few years and it will also benefit the environment. Number two of the three Rs is reuse! DEAN DUCHARME Sewer costs "a terrible burden" People live in Crediton and Centralia because of the opportunities, the lifestyle, proximity to open spaces and the great place these villages are in which to raise children. But these positives could be put at risk if landowners are forced to pay $20,000 for a sewer pro- ject which is being forced on them. South Huron Mayor Rob Morley told a large gathering of Crediton and Centralia residents at the May 1 council meeting that he didn't know why the villages had been rejected for an infrastructure grant for their much- needed sewer project and suggested we contact the provincial and federal governments Several resi- dents of the vil- lages took up that challenge. Here's what we have learned in contacting the provincial bureaucrats in charge of the program: • There will be a third round of infrastructure funding, although the criteria have not yet been deter- mined. • The assistant deputy minister in charge of the Rural Development Division at the Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs said it would be "unfortunate" if the municipality did not apply for fund- ing for this project in round three of the program, if the criteria remain the same. • The villages are being threatened with an order by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (which isn't what anyone wants), yet until that order is issued, it doesn't hold much weight in the rating process. An order gives higher priority to grant applications. It is unfortunate that communities have to be stigmatized with an environmental order before they can get help with a problem that the Environment Ministry and Health Unit obviously consider severe. • Municipalities are rated on the basis of how well their billing system is set up so that users pay for oper- ating and future capital needs of their municipal water and sewage system. South Huron has moved towards those goals and they make sense. But municipalities are also rated on whether they have planned for capital needs in their municipalities through the creation of reserve funds. The infrastructure program does not expect "user pay" to extend to initial capital construction costs, and in fact the director of the Ontario rural invest- ments branch said they expect municipalities to help fund projects for the "common good." • The South Huron application was a reasonable appli- cation — not at the top, but not near the bottom. There just wasn't that much money to go around in round two of the program. Other projects with "need" weren't funded. However that doesn't mean going ahead with a project that expects residents to pay $20,000 per lot is fair. Such a cost would be a terrible burden on seniors, peo- ple of fixed income and the young families who live in these villages. Other sewer projects in Huron Park and Nairn continue, both with government help Think about it in these terms. How would you feel if the government forced you to buy a $20,000 car? How would that affect your family's budget? JOHN GREIG AND CAILIN CLARKE, Crediton Work together on sewer issue At the last Municipality of South Huron council meet- ing, a motion was proposed by council to pass a resolu- tion to not submit a Crediton -Centralia sewer applica- tion for COMRIF Intake III funding. As reported in the Times -Advocate, the council chamber was jammed with concerned residents in what was believed to be a record attendance for a council meeting. Through the combined efforts of concerned area resi- dents, a meeting has been organized tonight (May 10, 7 p.m.) at the Crediton Community Centre to discuss this issue further before the next council meeting. The proposed Crediton -Centralia sewer is an issue for all residents of South Huron to consider along with Exeter flooding concerns, Huron Park's future, future of farming, etc. The more we work together to under- stand/support all issues in this municipality, the better our odds will be to obtain funding from federal and provincial levels of government. Broad-based communi- ty support in any funding application translates into a block of votes available to any MP, MPP who decides to "invest" in our community. (WALLY) PETER FYDENCHUK, Crediton Mothers Day is coming and we have what she wants... flowers die, candy gets all eaten up but gold and silver last forever! 4o% off all in stock jewellery lots of new merchandise arriving daily FOUR SEASONS 423 Main St., Exeter, ON JEWELLERY DESIGNS Tel: (519) 235-2666 4110 AMERICAN EXPRESS