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The Times Advocate, 2008-07-09, Page 22 Times -Advocate Wednesday, July 9, 2008 Ratepayers seek answers from council By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF SOUTH HURON — Two South Huron ratepayers appeared before council Monday night asking for answers to questions about the Crediton/Centralia sewer project and about the current proposed water rate increases. Dianne Faubert and Susan Regier started their pre- sentation by stating they weren't representing any par- ticular group or community, they were speaking for themselves. Most of the concerns of Faubert and Regier dealt with grants and the municipality's inability to receive larger grants on both the sewer project and the Lake Huron water pipeline. Faubert asked if the average estimated property owner's cost for the sewers in Crediton and Centralia has changed in light of a $1 million grant the munici- pality received. Faubert also asked if the municipality was "under threat" by the Ministry of the Environment to go ahead with the sewer project, or were they "ordered?" Regier asked if council consulted with other munici- palities under similar orders or threats. Turning to the new proposed water rates, Faubert wanted to know how operations manager Don Giberson can claim other municipalities will similarly be raising their water rates. Faubert and Regier also wanted to know if the municipality is still seeking grants and why the munici- pality has received smaller grants for its projects than other municipalities. Faubert and Regier received no answers Monday night — Mayor Ken Oke thanked them for their pre- sentation and said their questions will be referred to Dion to visit Friday Continued from front page production, or our economic development efforts, hav- ing Mr. Dion here again is a tremendous opportunity to showcase all that Huron -Bruce has to offer. Huron -Bruce MP Paul Steckle said, "Stephane Dion is a genuine team builder. He is a man who is prepared to turn good ideas into public policy. By recognizing that the people of Huron -Bruce are contributors .. . and by giving us a place at the national table ... Mr. Dion is showing real leadership qualities. Running a closed, one-man show is divisive and counter-produc- tive and it is not Stephane Dion's style. REGIONAL WRAP UP Jets over Goderich GODERICH — Spectators lined the shores in Goderich July 2 to take in the show of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds precision jet acrobat- ic team, says the Goderich Signal -Star. The team appeared over Lake Huron just after 6:30 p.m. in front of an estimated crowd of over 5,000 people. While dark clouds made canceling the show a possibility, after a short delay the Snowbirds were able to put on a full show. Training complete SEAFORTH — Training of staff and volunteers in defibrillators at the Seaforth arena has been completed, says the Huron -Expositor. The completion means every arena in Huron County has been equipped with the machines. With 15 more machines having been awarded, Todd Martin from Huron County EMS says libraries could be the next public buildings to be fitted with defibrillators. "I'm just in the process of figuring out where they'll go. I've talked to the libraries and we're still waiting for them to give their blessing - we should hear in a week," said Martin. Compost problems CLINTON — Central Huron could lose its com- post site if it continues to be abused, says the Clinton News -Record. Roads and public works manager Tom Sinclair says measures will have to be put in place if peo- ple continue to dump garbage at the site. "What would happen is we'd just gate it and it would become like a landfill and it would be a Saturday thing," he said. "I kind of enjoy it the way it is. It's open 24 hours a day seven days a week." staff. Oke said he wanted to make sure Faubert and Regier get the correct answers to their questions. Other council news: Water discussion Council will hold its next regular meeting July 28 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will deal primarily with the proposed new water rates. Talking to Mitchell Oke told council he and Deputy Mayor George Robertson were to meet with Huron -Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell Tuesday afternoon "to ask a lot of questions and get answers" on various issues. He invited anyone interested on council to join them. "Everything is on the table," Oke said. Pump house improvements Council approved engineering services for modifica- tions to the Exeter main pump house to convert the Exeter water system from the well system to the Lake Huron water system. Engineering work will be done by B.M. Ross and will cost $47,000. With the conversion, Giberson's report states the pump house needs "modifications to the pumping gallery and piping systems to support the north pres- sure zone and to fully utilize the existing underground water reservoirs." Stephen Arena paving Council awarded the resurfacing job to the Stephen Arena front parking lot to low bidder ADS Asphalt Paving for $13,820. The municipality received four quotes for the work, ranging from the low ADS price to a high bid of $28,500. Energy efficiency Council agreed to spend $4,500 on an "energy effi- cient controller," which will see the municipality make back its expenses on the machine in 11 months. According to facilities manager Dave Atthill's report, installing an energy efficient controller for the ice plant at South Huron Rec Centre will increase the arena's "power factor" from 81 per cent to the 95 per cent range. Curfew extended Council granted a curfew exemption to the Grand Bend Motorplex for its Cutting Edge Music Festival Aug. 1-3. The exemption will extend the noise curfew from the regular 12:30 a.m. curfew to a curfew of 2 a.m. The extension will apply only to the music in the dance tent portion of the event. The normal 12:30 a.m. curfew will apply to the live concert. Kudos to staff Coun. Tom Tomes gave credit to municipal staff, in particular Atthill and community services manager Jo- Anne Fields, who organized and put on the beef sup- per at the Canada Day festivities. Tomes noted staff volunteered their time and the proceeds were donated to the Crediton Community Centre building fund. Council supports Upper Thames By Nina Van Lieshout TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF LUCAN BIDDULPH — The Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) is asking Lucan Biddulph council for its support after facing continu- al budget challenges since the early 1990s. "I think this is a reasonable request," says Lucan Biddulph Mayor Tom McLaughlin, noting the letter from the UTRCA says they are formally requesting: • That a letter of support be provided to your local MPP(s) encouraging provincial capital funding for this project and; • That consideration be given for a representative from your municipality to attend a meeting with a local MPP (time and date to be confirmed) to discuss this issue further. The UTRCA has been able to stabilize its operating budget, delivering effective environmental programs during the past few years through municipal fund- ing, but needs more funding to address the next cri- sis. In a letter from the UTRCA, it states there are "extreme deficiencies in our current UTRCA admin- istration office," at the Fanshawe Conservation Area in London. The facility is 40 years old. The building was origi- nally built to support 30 staff, but the UTRCA has twice that number working in the building. "The Administration Office has been over -crowed for more than a decade but the situation is no longer manageable without a new facility," the letter states. The UTRCA says financing for a new office is their key challenge, explaining, "Up until 1995 Ontario paid 50 per cent of capital expenditures with the municipalities paying the remaining 50 per cent. "Our current model was built with this funding model." UTRCA general manager Ian Wilcox visited all of the municipal chief administrative officer's, coming out with a clear consensus that, "All councils would be looking for the province to support a portion of the capital costs for this new construction, however, there is currently no provincial capital funding plan available for Conservation Authorities for this type of construction. The UTRCA plans to meet with each of the seven MPPs throughout the summer, to final the financing plan over the summer. The UTRCA plans to bring the project to council in the fall. Lucan Biddulph council will support the UTRCA. South Huron was not in favour of supporting the UTRCA. Residents want parking bylaw in Bayfield By Pat Bolen TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF VARNA — The possibility of a Bluewater no -parking bylaw will be looked into after a request to council Monday night. Bayfield resident Lori Buet spoke to council as the represen- tative of a group of residents who live in close proximity to the Woodland trail portion of the River Valley trail in Bayfield. Buet presented a petition to council saying the residents have concerns about the parking and disruptions in their neighbour- hood caused by users of the Bayfield River Valley Trail. Buet said while the trail is sup- posed to start at Clan Gregor Square, cars have been parking on Sarnia Street, blocking some of the driveways. She asked that a no -parking bylaw be imposed 011 the street. Coun. Marg Deichert asked how the law would be enforced and how residential cars could be separated from the cars of trail users. Buet replied that there is a bylaw officer and that the trail association is ignoring much of its own code of conduct. Bluewater Mayor Bill Dowson said once the municipality start- ed making no -parking bylaws it would be hard to stop from hav- ing them everywhere. Dowson said council gave the association permission to build the trail and it will have to talk to them. "The bylaw will be a struggle to get through. It should be a last resort," said Dowson. Public works general manger John Graham was directed to look into the issue and bring a report back to council. In other business, Brian Luinstra, a hydro geologist with the Source Water Protection Committee, spoke to council about the group taking over Hensall well number two which is being taken out of service. Luinstra said the Hensall well, since it is one of the only ones in southwestern Ontario that does- n't use bedrock, is ideal for the group's study needs. "It's a good monitoring site," said Luinstra. Asked about who would retain ownership of the well, Luinstra said it would be the group's preference for the municipality to retain responsibility. Dowson replied that the costs of decommissioning the well could double in a few years. Luinstra said an agreement could be reached which will make clear who is to be respon- sible for decommissioning the well with the possibility that that the provincial groundwater monitoring network may take over after 2012, although Luinstra said, "I can't promise they will take over." A motion was passed agreeing to move ahead with setting up an agreement with the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority, (ABCA) to take over Hensall well number two. Water meeting A public meeting will be held in Hensall Aug. 6 at the commu- nity centre at 7 p.m. to present residents with information on what their water rates will be as the village prepares to hook up to the new pipeline. Prior to the date being set, Coun. Dave Johnston asked what options were going to be presented to the public. Bluewater chief administrative officer Lori Wolfe replied that the options will be presented to council at its next meeting July 21. Coun. Bill MacDougall then requested the meeting be taken in -camera to discuss a legal matter regarding the water rates. After the in -camera session, the meeting was scheduled for Aug. 6.