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Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2008-10-29, Page 15Wednesday, October 29, 2008 Times -Advocate 15 Christmas wares The St. Boniface Catholic Women s League hosted its annual bazaar Oct. 25 at the St. Boniface parish in Zurich.A number of items were do- nated by local businesses and members of the parish, to raise money for the church s building fund. Shown here inspecting a few of the items are: Barbara Rau and granddaughter Meghan Hartman (left) and Michaela Cyr and Shianne Regier. Lucan Biddulph mayor concerned about ABCA budget By Ben Forrest TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF LUCAN A proposed levy increase of 10.4 per cent from the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) has raised concern from Lucan-Biddulph Mayor Tom McLaughlin. McLaughlin called the increase exorbi- tant following the Oct. 20 council meeting, citing tough economic times. He noted that Lucan Biddulph is hoping to keep its 2009 tax increase to two or three per cent, saying this will be more difficult if the ABCA levy increase is passed. To me, 10 per cent isn t really acceptable to our municipality, he said. If it gets passed, it gets passed, and we 11 have to end up paying for it, but for me it s not a good amount. McLaughlin said Lucan Biddulph sits in the watershed of two conservation authori- ties the ABCA and Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. The proposed levy increase does not translate to a huge dollar amount, and the amount paid to the ABCA is only a small part of the municipality s budget, McLaughlin said. Still, he feels a 10.4 per cent increase would make it more difficult to keep Lucan Biddulph s increase to three per cent. You re trying to keep to three per cent and you ve got a portion of it going 10 per cent ... [then] you ve got to be two and a half per cent, he said. So it puts a lot more burden on what we re trying to spend here. The first draft of the ABCA budget was met with opposition by its board of direc- tors recently, and will be brought back for further consideration in November. Bylaw amendments Lucan Biddulph council gave approval to two zoning bylaw amendments on Oct. 20 which may result in the creation of a new daycare centre and dentist s office in Lucan. The first zoning amendment concerns a Richmond Street property owned by Kingsley and Lois Abel, who asked that a residential building on their property be re -zoned to allow for the daycare. The daycare would accommodate up to 20 children, according to a presentation given at the Oct. 20 council meeting. A public meeting was held on that date, and though one person vowed to fight the move, there were no other objections. One man present for the public meeting pledged his support for the project, saying before and after school programs are badly needed in Lucan. This echoed the feeling of King- sley Abel, who also attended the Former drug dealer cleared of assault in Exeter court EXETER A one-time drug dealer with ties to Exeter was cleared of an as- sault charge in Exeter court on Oct. 23. Donavan Ford, a 20 year-old who now resides in Chatham, was charged as an accessory to an assault that took place in Exeter in January 2007. Judge R.G. Hunter dismissed the case against him last week. According to testimony at the trial, on Jan. 14, 2007 Ford was at an Exeter res- taurant and observed a man he hoped would become his drug supplier. The man was seeking a long-time acquain- tance of Ford s. Ford went with the man, and another individual, to an Exeter apartment where the acquaintance lived with his mother and his mother s boyfriend, ac- cording to testimony at the trial. The boyfriend testified that on Jan.14 he answered a knock on the apartment door, finding two individuals stand- ing in front of him, with Ford standing behind them. The two individuals in front were allegedly seeking to collect a debt from Ford s acquaintance, who was not home at the time. The mother confronted the two men in front and was punched in the head, according to testimony. The boyfriend testified that he then stepped in and suggested that assault- ing his girlfriend was not a good idea, at which time one of the two men in front lifted up his shirt to reveal a sword he had been carrying. One of the men allegedly struck the boyfriend on the forearm with the sword's handle, and shortly after this the apartment door was slammed shut and the police were called. Defence lawyer Ron Ellis argued that Ford did not know there would be an altercation at the apartment, and that he had no plan to become involved in an assault. Hunter sided with the defence, dis- missing the case. Other cases A number of alcohol-re- lated offences were heard at Exeter court Oct. 23. Jason Christie of Staffa pleaded guilty to over 80 mg, stemming from an incident Aug. 22. A charge of ability impaired was withdrawn. Christie re- ceived a $1,000 fine and a 12 -month driver s license suspension. Kyle Denomme of Den- field pleaded guilty to a charge of ability impaired, receiving a fine of $1,000 and a 12 -month license suspension. A charge of over 80 mg. was with- drawn. Daniel Sheppard of Dashwood pleaded guilty to one count of failure to comply with a probation order, stem- ming from an incident on Feb. 20. Sheppard received a 60 -day jail sen- tence, to be served intermittently. Suzanne Butler of Arkona was con- victed on a charge of over 80 mg., after pleading not guilty. Butler received a $750 fine and a12 -month driver s license suspension. $1.:11P,"i tunr of BLUEWATER .mo-»~.. qimosommi insilENBALL 2001 NOTICE & WARNING MUNICIPALITY OF BLUEWATER NO PARKING is allowed on any road allowance between the hours of 2 A.M. - 7 A.M. during the period of November 1- April 1 for snow removal purposes. Violators will be ticketed. Council has passed a motion prohibiting the placement of signs, planters, pop machines or any items that would interfere with snow removal on sidewalks or boulevards during the period of November 1st - April 1st. meeting. There is a need for it, he said. The second re -zoning application con- cerns another Richmond Street property, across the street from Lucan Biddulph s municipal office and council chambers. It was noted that the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) had no objections to the re -zoning, and that it is felt that creating a dentist s office in the 2,650 square foot building could serve as a transition property between residential and commercial areas. The bylaw amendments have entered a 20 -day appeal period, and may become Linda Reaume Design Consultant Bob Smyth Design Consultant West Coast kitchens.. And Much More • Kitchens • CustomVanities • Entertainment Units • Home Offices PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATIONS CUSTOM DESIGNS & COUNTERTOPS Visit Our Showroom! 50 West St. Goderich 519-440-0352. 1-866-440-0352 Goderich & District Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award 2006 Email: westcoastkit@cabletv.on.ca PUBLIC NOTICE HURON Re: 2009 County of COUNTY Huron Budget Warden J. Bezaire and Councillors of the Corporation of the County of Huron invite you to attend a Public Meeting where the initial presentation of the Draft 2009 Departmental Budgets will be presented. November 4, 2008 9:00 a.m. — Council Chambers, Court House, Goderich November 10, 2008 1:00 p.m. — Council Chambers, Court House, Goderich Following the budget presentations, there will be question periods. Barbara A. Leamen County Clerk The Corporation of the County of Huron 1 Court House Square Goderich, Ontario N7A 1M2 (519) 524-8394