Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2008-08-06, Page 66 Times -Advocate Wednesday, August 6, 2008 Opinion Forum News Disappointed in behaviour I had just finished coaching an under -five soccer game at the South Huron high school and was walking with my niece to the Exeter Public School when we approached a middle aged man urinat- ing in full view by the tennis courts. I hollered "excuse me," because he made no attempt at hiding himself. I tQ the approached him after my niece was not Editor with me and told him of the portable washrooms on the premises and that what he is doing is wrong. I also told him there are children everywhere and he replied, "I don't see any," yet there was a base- ball game across the street and lots of people around. He didn't seem to care. Obviously he has no respect for others or himself. I was real- ly disgusted and disappointed. average use of 225 cubic metres a year as $ 2.525 fixed charge per cubic metre plus the variable rate of $1.53 or $4.055/cubic metre X 225 cubic metres = $912.38/year the same as with the current fixed costs allocation. The water rate now changes from the more you use the cheaper it gets, to a uniform charge, and we should have a balanced social pricing structure and an environmentally sound approach. The municipal pricing policy needs to protect small water users but it also needs to protect high volume business and commercial water users from high costs. High volume businesses have the least expensive water, a benefit of the current pricing structure which is removed when a balanced pricing structure is created. The pricing policy needs to also reflect the environmental need to conserve water. Water costs have a social and economic impact on our community. Small water users who often are indi- viduals on fixed incomes should not pay on a fully costed basis more than others but nor can we afford to make the cost to business overly expensive. Our municipal council does not have an easy task and this is but one possible solution for them to consider. I would like to thank the municipal councillors for recognizing the need to change the water pricing structure. Please get it right as we will be paying this for a long time. t! Lett ers ANNA Sz_ABO, Kirkton Water rate suggestion South Huron has always had a water policy that supports consumption. Who can forget the good old days prior to meters when we all paid, apartments included, a flat rate for water? The introduction of meters gave small water users in apartments some relief from high water costs but small water users in their own homes continued to pay extra per cubic meter of water used. The current large flat rate makes water cheaper the more you use. I personally would like the cost of a glass of water to be the same in every residence in Exeter. Our water pricing structure seems to be at an impasse as to being environmentally sound and to have relatively similar fully costed residential water rates would require a low fixed cost and a high variable rate. The consultant's suggestion for using the number of resi- dents in a unit to adjust water rates as a base seems unwieldy. It may be realistic for us as a community to tie the fixed cost recovery to total water consumption and charge it to con- sumers based on their prior year's use. Reduced consumption by a consumer in the year will not impact the fixed charge 'til the next year assuring that the fixed costs will be recovered. The fixed charge is always collected but the rate is now tied to the amount of water used and should mimic a variable rate. Everyone pays a similar amount for water estimated using the FRED SIMMONS Exeter Writer asks "Is this fare?" In the early hours of Sun., July 20, a cab was hired from a local company for a fare from Centralia to Kippen. The price for this ride was quoted at $20 and agreed upon. After reaching Exeter on the way to Kippen the cabbie promptly pulled over and refused to carry the fare to Kippen because he suddenly realized he misquoted the fare and want- ed another $15 to go the rest of the way. We suddenly had a choice to make, if we refused to pay, either get out or return to Centralia. Makes sense, right? Of course, what choice did we have? We agreed to the "new" fare and continued on to Kippen. Is this good business? What right did we have? JAMIE, BARB, BRITTANY CALDWELL Kippen Centre forYouth closes for the season EXETER — The Exeter Service Canada Centre for Youth (SCCY) is now closed for the season. "The summer was extremely suc- cessful," said youth services officer Ashley Blake. "We helped a large number of young people with their job searches, resume and cover letter writing, interview techniques, and information on employment standards, health and safety in the workplace and wage rates." The Exeter Centre helped local employers find enthusiastic students who were ready to work. The SCCY also hosted a number of events designed to connect employers and students, and to promote the benefits of hiring a young person during the summer "Summer jobs help young people develop their skills and get valuable work experience, which helps pre- pare them for the rapidly changing world of work," said youth services officer Katie Clarey. "There is an ever-increasing demand for a skilled and adaptable workforce, and the skills, talents, knowledge and creativity of our young people are key to our future success." The Exeter Centre would like to thank the many employers, youth and community organizations that helped make these events such a success. The Exeter SCCY is looking forward to working with the community again next summer For more information on Service Canada services for youth call 1 -800- 0 -Canada or visit servicecanada.gc.ca Stewardship Rangers learn environmental career skills EXETER — A group of area young people are finding that their summer work may open doors to future careers. Members of the Middlesex-Lambton crew of the Stewardship Rangers have been exercising both their muscles and their minds on local environmental pro- jects this summer. They have also made contacts in the environmental field and learned about post -secondary opportunities. The crew is sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) in partnership with local Stewardship Councils and Networks. The crew's projects this year have included water quality sampling for the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA). "We got to have a chance to test water and to learn about E. coli," said Lauren Schryers, a 16 -year-old participant from St. Thomas. "We also got a chance to look at wildlife and the environment." She said that despite the hard work the Stewardship Rangers experience is very educational and helps open up career possibilities. "It helps us decide where we want to go in life and to access career opportu- nities." She isn't the only crew member con- sidering an environmental career after taking part in the program. Chris Surita, 17, of London, said "this helps me narrow down which career choice in the environmental field I would like to pursue - such as fish and wildlife." He said working with people from the MNR has allowed him to ask questions about programs that are available studying geography, biology, fish and wildlife and environmental science. "I get to talk to them about those pro- grams and hear a lot about post -sec- ondary opportunities." Rebecca Lidster is the team leader of the Middlesex-Lambton crew, based out of the Aylmer office of the MNR. She said the students get to live at home yet still travel to a variety of work sites and acquire more knowledge about their local surroundings. The young crew members all work hard, she said during a visit to the ABCA administra- tion centre at Morrison Dam Conservation Area. "This is a great chance to acquire new skills, net- work with others in the field and take part in many interesting and beneficial projects," Lidster said. "This experience may also help stu- dents to make informed career choices." In addition to water quality sampling, the Stewardship Rangers crew was busy recently assisting with management of the Forests for Life Tree Nursery in Aylmer. The team also intends to work on vari- ous projects this summer such as assist- ing with seed collection for tall grass prairie plant species, exotic species con- trol, species at risk monitoring and habi- tat management and development, among others. "Our Stewardship Co-ordinators have been busy developing many different partnerships," according to Lidster. The Ontario Stewardship Rangers are youths aged 17 (or turning 17) who 'earn and learn' while helping out envi- ronmental projects for different agencies and organizations. The Stewardship Ranger crew out of the Aylmer MNR office is one of about 26 across the province. Based on the Ontario Rangers program model, the youths develop skills and build knowl- edge as well as work hard on many pro- jects with different community partners. Hard working —The Middlesex-Lambton crew of the Stewardship Rangers, an Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) program for young people, includes from left, Cale Sprague of Aylmer; Ryan Johnson of Aylmer; Lauren Schryvers of St.Thomas and Chris Surita of London.The crew was shown after a morning of work water sampling for the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA), one of several work sites for the youths this summer. (photo/submitted)