Loading...
The Times Advocate, 2008-06-11, Page 22 Times -Advocate Wednesday, June 11, 2008 Home targeted in Exeter invasion EXETER — An investigation into an Exeter home invasion last week has led the Huron OPP to believe the incident was tar- geted and not a random act. On June 4 shortly after 5 a.m., two males were reported to have entered the home at 460 Main St. S. The house is a yellow brick, two-storey home beside Dollarama. While inside, the males caused injury to one of the resi- dents. The males are reported to have fled on foot after the incident. The suspects are both described as males in their twenties. They were wearing baggy, dark clothing. The victim was treated at South Huron Hospital for minor injuries and released. As of print time (yesterday) Tuesday the T -A had no further House targeted — A home invasion occurred in Exeter on Main Street June 4. One resident was injured. Huron OPP are looking for two males in their twenties.(photos/Nina Van Lieshout) information. PERS at 1-800-222-T.I.P.S. Anyone with information is (8477) or the Huron OPP at 1 - asked to contact CRIME STOP- 888-310-1122. Youth injured SOUTH HURON — A 14 -year-old South Huron male was air lifted to the London Health Sciences Centre with serious burns after an industrial accident June 4 around 5 p.m. The youth had been working at a South Huron scrap yard when a fire ignited in a burn barrel and burned him. The Huron OPP and the Ministry of Labour are hives- tigating the incident. The youth remains in serious condition. REGIONAL WRAP UP Father's rights CLINTON — A father's rights open house by the advo- cacy group 'Dad Loves You Too' (DLYT) opened its Clinton office with an open house May 24, said the Clinton New -Record. DLYT was founded by Dennis Valenta and seeks to ensure that children receive care from both biological parents in the event of a divorce. Valenta said he intends to press his campaign with letters, phone calls and trips to Toronto and Ottawa. Clandeboye cleans up The aftermath — Residents of Clandeboye were cleaning up Monday after a tornado, right, hit the area early Sunday evening.At left Clandeboye resident Jerry Dayman cleans up part of the aluminum roof which was blown off his shed. (left photo/Nina Van Lieshout; right photo/Jesse Foster) Increases somewhat offset by decreases to sewage costs Continued from front page metre. On the sewage side of the bill, there will now be a quarterly charge of $20 and a consumption charge of 57 cents per square metre of water. Starting in 2009, the quarterly base charge and pipeline fees in Exeter will remain at $60 and $82, respec- tively, the water rate will rise to $1.76 per cubic metre of water con- sumed, while sewage rates will keep the $20 quarterly charge and increase the consumption rate to 68 cents per square metre of water. In Stephen, the quarterly base water charge will increase from the current $44 to $60, and a $5 charge for the pipeline will be added. Like in Exeter, the water rate will jump from the current 57 cents per cubic metre of water to $1.53, increasing to $1.76 in 2009. Sewage rates in Stephen will be the same as in Exeter. So while the water rates are going up, there will be savings for residents on the sewage side of their bills. In Stephen, the average customer pays $459 per year on their sewage bill; with the new rates, that will drop to $208. In Exeter the average customer pays $330 annually; that too will drop to $208. South Huron operations manager Don Giberson said one of the reasons for the decrease in the sewage side of the bill is that with new sewers in Crediton and Centralia, there are about 300 new customers paying for the system, meaning costs can be spread out more. The new draft rates represent an effort by the municipality to harmo- nize costs throughout South Huron. Where that couldn't be done, Giberson said, is in paying off the debt for the Lake Huron pipeline, for which Exeter customers are on the hook for 95 per cent of the cost, with Stephen picking up five per cent. Rates are slated to remain the same for the next several years, although the municipality's consultant has rec- ommended the municipality revisit the rates every three years. The draft rates will be discussed at public meetings in Exeter June 18 at South Huron Rec Centre at 7 p.m. and at the Crediton Community Centre June 24 at 7 p.m. The consultants who completed the South Huron "Water and Wastewater Rate Study" will be on hand to pre- sent the new rates and answer ques- tions from the public. Municipal staff and councillors will also attend. The new July 1 rates will affect the last two quarters of 2008, Giberson said. He added there was discussion of phasing in the new rates at a more gradual pace, but while he says the municipality's water systems are "really well run," they have been underfunded for a long time. He said South Huron has been deficit financing its water systems for a few years. "It's unfortunate we're playing catch-up" and dealing with new costs, he said. As recently as 2004, the quarterly fixed charge in Exeter for water was $10.24. Chief administrative officer Roy Hardy said the municipality expects some water conservation to occur from residents, with Giberson adding, "We strongly encourage water con- servation." An example of encouraging water conservation is that while there were previously summer lawn watering restrictions only in Exeter, limitations will now be seen across the munici- pality. While customers will see an increase in their annual water/sewer bill costs, Hardy pointed out it's not the double increase some predicted a couple of years ago. Giberson said there are a couple of reasons for this. In addition to sewage rates going down, the new water base charge of $60 per quarter and the pipeline charge of $82 per quarter will be charged to each dwelling unit, including apartments. Up until now, apartment buildings only counted as one connection; now, each apartment in a building will count as a connection and will face the base charge and pipeline charge, meaning there will be more customers paying for the system. The same charges will apply to trailer parks. Giberson said this is an attempt to bill residents in a more equitable way. In a comparison chart included in the South Huron "Water and Wastewater Rate Study," the new annual Exeter water/sewage costs sit at the most expensive among many other munici- palities, higher than places such as Bluewater, Thames Centre and Middlesex Centre, and significantly higher than cities like London and Sarnia. In addition to the new Lake Huron pipeline, other increased costs to munic- ipalities are new legislation governing water systems in light of Walkerton, Giberson said. Hardy said the new rates will reflect the costs of maintaining the system. "It's a business," Giberson said, "and you have to have a proper financial plan." Hardy said over time the new rates will attract growth to the municipality because South Huron has a good water system that is well run with predictable costs. Giberson credited the previous South Huron council with making the tough decision to go ahead with the more expensive Lake Huron pipeline, as opposed to upgrading the groundwater well system for a cheaper $6 million fee. He said the decision "took a lot of guts," but there's no doubt in his mind it was the correct one. He said the new pipeline is designed for 40 years of growth and ensures the future of the community. Also, water quality will be better with the new pipeline. Exeter residents will notice their water is much "softer" than the current water they're get- ting from the groundwater system.