The Citizen, 2016-07-07, Page 28PAGE 28. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 7, 2016.
Council discusses property standards, recreation
Continued from page 1
privacy of identifiable individuals.
MacLellan also said that the
public needed to more about what
recourse they have in the face of a
property standards issue. Knight said
that both the municipality's property
standards and clean yards bylaws are
available for download on the Huron
East website.
The Huron East policy remains,
however, that in order to file an
official property standards
complaint, the form must be
signed — it cannot be anonymous.
Seili spoke to the committee from
the floor at the meeting, saying that
in many cases people are afraid of
their neighbours in these situations
and don't want to make waves, but it
doesn't make their concerns any less
legitimate.
Seili, who had presented council
with a list of approximately 15
properties in Brussels that he felt
were offending the bylaw, signed the
list, saying that if a signature is
required to get action, he would be
happy to take that step.
McGrath said it was important that
the bylaw, and its policies, stay the
way it is. If Huron East employed a
full-time bylaw enforcement officer
and the officer began patrolling,
rather than acting on complaints as
per the current policy, the
municipality would be in court
constantly and in debt due to those
related costs.
Steffler said he sympathized with
those in Brussels concerned with the
property standards of their
neighbours. Residents of Huron
East, he said, pay "a good buck for
taxes" and deserve better than a
neighbour not caring for their
property, resulting in a black eye for
the community in the face of the
efforts of many to keep up their
properties.
MacLellan, as he did at the
original meeting in Brussels,
lamented the problem of absent
landlords. While he acknowledged
the problem, he said there is very
little Huron East can do to enforce
property standards in those
situations.
At the original Brussels meeting,
MacLellan said, there had been
some discussion regarding imposing
a heritage district on Brussels in
order to keep main street businesses
in line with one another. However,
McGrath felt a heritage district
wouldn't fit for Brussels. If it's a
property standards or clean yards
issue, that's the avenue that should
be used, he said. That's why the
bylaws are in place.
Seili again reiterated the thoughts
of many at the Brussels meeting,
saying that when Brussels residents
drive through Seaforth, they simply
don't see the level of disrepair or
lack of care that exists in some
properties in Brussels. This indicates
an enforcement issue that doesn't
exist throughout all of Huron East,
he said.
Chartrand also spoke up from the
floor, saying that he felt the property
standards procedure works well.
Since he became a councillor, he
said, he has had four complaints and
in all four cases the properties have
been cleaned up as a result.
Knight said that Brockelbank will
prepare a report for council on
property standards throughout the
municipality, including progress
made on previous complaints.
The report, however, will not be
public.
MacLellan also detailed numerous
complaints regarding recreation in
Brussels, whether it be the
cleanliness of the property near the
community centre's ball diamond,
the hours of the pool or the condition
of the community centre, he said
there are numerous concerns that are
widespread throughout the
community.
Those concerns will be directed to
the Brussels, Morris and Grey
Recreation Committee before
returning to council with comments.
Knight also said that the Huron East
recreation strategic planning
sessions planned for this fall will
also hopefully address some of the
residents' concerns.
While Steffler reiterated council's
position that there are no immediate
plans to close any of the
municipality's three community
centres, Seili said Brussels
would fight for its arena if
that day were to come.
"We lost our school, we're not
going to lose our community
centre," he said.
After MacLellan went through his
list from the meeting, the majority of
concerns were addressed and staff
has been directed to follow through.
The concerns will return to council
through various avenues over the
next few months.
One great sleepover
Senior students at North Woods Elementary School had a special treat just before the school
year ended as they camped at the school. Students playing games, telling stories and having
fun, filled the tents as early as right after school before darkness descended and traditional
camping activities took place. Shown is a group of students hanging out before the activities
began. Back: TJ Groves. Middle row, from left: Brett McCutcheon, Sam McArter and Hudson
Marshall. Front row: Owen Newell, Sam Overholt and Kaleb Roth. (Denny Scott photo)
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