The Citizen, 2017-04-27, Page 241
PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2017.
Tax rate decreases in CH for fifth straight year
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Central Huron Council has
approved its 2017 budget and this
will be the fifth straight year with an
overall tax rate decrease to residents.
Treasurer Terri Rau presented the
budget to council and members of
the public at the April 18 council
meeting. She told those in
attendance that despite a one per
cent increase to the municipal
portion of the budget and a 0.26 per
cent increase by Huron County on
hYJ BrIe1 r11,1M11IAIlk
Helping out
The Brussels Optimists recently donated $16,000, split evenly, to the Brussels and Grey
stations of the Huron East Fire Department. The funds came from the Optimists' annual dinner
and auction where more than $30,000 was raised to distribute to local community groups.
Receiving the funds are, from left: Grey Deputy -Chief Don Cochrane and Grey Chief Gary
Boyer and Brussels Chief Max McLellan and Brussels Deputy -Chief Brian Deitner. Four
hospital foundations from Wingham, Seaforth, Clinton and Listowel also each received $4,000.
(Denny Scott photo)
its budget, the education rates have
decreased 4.79 per cent, resulting in
an overall decrease of 0.11 per cent.
What the overall decrease means
to the average resident is a decrease
of $1.40 per $100,000 of residential
assessment. She did remind
councillors, however, that
assessment in the municipality has
risen 6.45 per cent over the previous
year.
Despite the decrease to the tax
rate, the 2017 Central Huron budget
includes a 2.45 per cent increase in
cash requirements, representing just
under $200,000 more in spending
this year over last. Without taxation
paying for the increase in spending,
that means a greater draw on the
municipality's reserves than in
previous years.
Rau told councillors that in this
year's budget, 46.4 per cent of the
taxes collected, representing $6.3
million, will go to the municipality.
Huron County will receive 36.1 per
cent, or $4.9 million, and the
school boards will receive 17.5 per
cent of the taxes, totalling $2.38
million.
As an example, Rau used a house
assessed at $200,000, which will
have to pay $2,623 in taxes for 2017.
Broken down, 39 per cent of those
taxes will go towards the roads and
fleet portion of the budget, followed
by 24 per cent to protection or
inspection services, 16 per cent to
recreation and facilities, 10 per cent
to administration and council, five
per cent to the Regional Equine and
Agricultural Centre of Huron, four
per cent to economic development,
planning and agriculture and two per
cent to the landfill and recycling
Obituaries
services. Those figures, she said, do
not include user -pay services such as
water, wastewater, streetlights and
garbage collection.
As for last-minute additions to the
budget, Deputy -Mayor Dave Jewitt
reiterated his suggestion that the
municipality pay for the balance of
the skateboarding portion of the new
Clinton park being constructed.
At previous meetings, Jewitt said
he felt as though the skateboard park
was falling behind in that council
was providing funding for a splash
pad, playground and gazebo for the
park, but still making those who
want a skateboard park, who were
the first to approach council,
fundraise for their project.
Rau told councillors that it would
cost the municipality an additional
$30,000 or $40,000 to finish the
project and fund the skateboard park.
This comes after the municipality
had already provided $60,000
towards the project.
Jewitt said he felt that the park
should be completed all at the same
time, rather than piecemeal.
Councillors agreed, passing a
motion to fund the park from the
Erie Thames and Parkland Reserve
funds to a total cost of $150,000 for
the entire project.
Council then passed a motion
approving the budget and
authorizing tax rates, making the
budget official. Rau said the budget
and her public presentation are now
both available to be viewed on the
municipality's website at
centralhuron.com or physical copies
of the budget can be picked up at the
Central Huron township office in
Clinton.
THELMA DOREEN (APPLEBY)
JOHNSTON
Thelma Doreen (Appleby)
Johnston of Blyth, passed away
peacefully, surrounded by her family
at Seaforth Manor on Tuesday, April
18, 2017. She was in her 84th year.
Thelma was the beloved wife of
the late Ken "Speed" Johnston
(2007) and the late Gordon
McDougall (1995). She was the
loving mother of Wayne (Debbie)
McDougall, Bill (Brenda)
McDougall, Diane (Ken) Anderson,
Shirley Taylor (Dave Armstrong)
and Kevin McDougall (Terri
Harrison).
Thelma will be missed by 10
grandchildren and 16 great-
grandchildren. She was stepmother
of Glenda (Dane) Novak, Blaine
(Tracy) Johnston, Dori Johnston
(Chris Shalone), Lee (Albert)
Kwong and Sonya (Jeff) Werner.
Thelma was the dear sister of
Marguerite Peckitt, Don (Sharon)
Appleby and sister-in-law of Lillian
Appleby. She will also be missed by
nieces and nephews.
Thelma was predeceased by her
parents Samuel and Mary Appleby,
brothers Lloyd and Bill Appleby,
brother-in-law John Peckitt, sister-
in-law Iona MacLean, son-in-law
Dan Taylor and grandson Luke
Anderson.
Thelma was a long-time member
of the Blyth Branch of the Royal
Canadian Legion, having joined in
1988 as a fraternal affiliate member.
In 1991 she was given honorary
membership to the Branch.
In 1998, Thelma became an
associate voting member and then
was voted in as second -vice
president of the Branch.
Thelma served as Branch
president from 2002 to 2006.
She also held various chair
positions over the course of her time
with the Legion, including Training,
Organization and Development,
Constitutional Laws, Honours and
Awards, Membership and Nevada.
She remained the Chair of both
Membership and Nevada at the time
of her death.
Thelma was very active in both the
Branch's Poppy campaign and its
Remembrance Day service.
Not only did she hold a Zone C-1
Bursary Chair position, but in 2015
she was presented with a life
membership award to the Blyth
Branch of the Royal Canadian
Legion.
In 2003, Thelma was named The
Citizen's Citizen of the Year for the
Blyth community alongside Bev
Blair. In addition to numerous other
community responsibilities, the two
women were integral parts of the
Blyth 125th anniversary committee.
Visitation was held at the Blyth
United Church on Friday, April 21
followed by the funeral service on
Saturday, April 22 with interment at
Blyth Union Cemetery.
As expressions of sympathy,
donations to the Blyth Legion or the
Heart and Stroke Foundation would
be appreciated.
Condolences for the Johnston
family may be placed through
www.falconerfuneralhomes.com
HELEN VICTORIA
(VOLLMER) DOBSON
Helen Victoria (Vollmer) Dobson,
Ethel passed away on Friday, April
21, 2017 at Listowel Memorial
Hospital surrounded by her family.
Born in Mornington Township on
July 28, 1930, Helen was in her 87th
year.
Helen was the beloved wife of the
late William Dobson. She was the
dear mother of Allan and Barb
Dobson, Palmerston; Ruth and
Wayne Ward, St. Thomas; Donna
and Roger Smith, Simcoe; Jim and
Lois Dobson, Listowel; Norm
Dobson, Ethel and Darlene and
Kevin Nichol, Tottenham. Helen was
the dear sister of Edna and Fred
Wick, St. Marys and the dear sister-
in-law of Beverly Vollmer, Listowel;
Gordon Stemmler, Kitchener; Frank
Gibbons, London and Pete and
Dorothy Dobson, Port Elgin. Helen
was also loved by her 15
grandchildren, 30 great-
grandchildren and her many nieces
and nephews.
Helen was predeceased by her
sisters Jean Stemmler, Rita and
George Graff and Elizabeth
Gibbons; her brothers Carl and Clara
Vollmer, Sheldon and Leona
Vollmer, Elgin and Beatrice Vollmer,
Edgar Vollmer and Lorne Vollmer
and her sister-in-law Jean Dobson.
Friends were received by the
family on April 23 at the Schimanski
Family Funeral Home, Brussels
where a Legion Memorial Service
was held under the auspices of Royal
Canadian Legion Brussels Branch
218. The funeral service was
conducted at the Brussels Legion on
Monday, April 24. Rev. Jeff Hawkins
officiated. Remembrances of Helen
were given by her granddaughters
Angela, Michelle and Amanda.
Musical tributes were given by her
nephew Brian Vollmer and friends
Don and Dale Chesher.
Burial followed at Mount Pleasant
Cemetery, Ethel. Helen's grandsons
Jeff, Tom, Craig, Bill, Jamie and
Michael acted as pallbearers.
Flowerbearers were granddaughters
Heather, Tammy, Kim, Angela,
Michelle, Amanda, Connie,
Christina and Carrie.
As an expression of sympathy,
memorial donations to the Brussels
Legion Poppy Fund would be
appreciated by the family.
Online condolences may be left at
www. schimanskifamilyfuneral
home.com
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