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The Citizen, 2016-12-15, Page 1INSIDE THIS WEEK: SPORTS - Pg. 8 Huron County adopts new cycling strategy document TURBINES - Pg. 21 Mayor wants `unwilling host' motion rescinded AWARD - Pg. 22 Local resident honoured with university award Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON NOG 1H0 4Citiz Volume 32 No. 49 n WELCOME TO BINT H $1 .25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, December 15, 2016 The Christmas spirit Students at Hullett Central Public School did their best to help get members of the community, as well as themselves, in the Christmas spirit on Tuesday, as they held the dress rehearsal for their annual holiday concert. The event was originally scheduled for Monday, but with the snow falling, school was cancelled and the morning of song was pushed back a day. The Kindergarten class was one of the first groups of students to take to the stage. Back row, from left: Macey Adams, Brook Bergsma, Cole Greidanus, Landon DeJong, Abby Haak and Reese deBoer. Front row, from left: Carson Lee, Gavriella Garrity, Trace Boven, Natalie McClinchey, Lukas Hubbard- Buffinga, Alexis Ansley and Addison Hoekmeijer. (Denny Scott photo) Traffic lights could be far reach: Kemp By Denny Scott The Citizen A proposed set of traffic lights at the corners of County Roads 4 and 25 may be further away than some people realized according to Huron County's Economic Development Officer. Andrew Kemp, the Huron County Economic Development Officer visited the Blyth Business Improvement Area's (BIA) Dec. 7 meeting for reasons unrelated to the traffic lights, but explained it was one of the first things he had been handed when he assumed his position three months ago. Kemp explained that, for traffic lights to be in place, a four-way stop should be in place first and the intersection doesn't meet the requirements for even a four-way stop, he said, explaining that the metric used was based on collisions at the location. "Based on historical use from the Ontario Provincial Police, it's not even close to what the requirement would be for a 4 -way stop, let alone a stop light," he said. "There isn't half the required incidents for a four- way stop." Kemp said political will can prevail when it comes to the decision, but, according to the numbers, the intersection doesn't need the kind of traffic control measures being sought. North Huron Council BIA representative Councillor Bill Knott didn't think Kemp's assessment was right because the information provided by the OPP wasn't accurate. "The historical data was done several years ago, but even then, the problem isn't a numbers game," he said. "We have a lot of people who will come forward and say there are unreported accidents and the database is flawed." Knott explained that, depending on the officer who reports collisions, they may write down different addresses. "We're dealing with County Road 4, Queen Street, London Road and County Road 25," he said. "Depending on who is reporting, it could be under different locations." Knott also said that, given the opening of the Cowbell Brewing Company at the southeastern corner of the intersection and the Tim Hortons, convenience store and gas bar on the southwestern part of the intersection, the problems around the area are going to increase, especially with pedestrian factors. Kemp asked if anyone had talked to the business owners on the corners, saying that in other locales he has worked in, a business causing increased traffic could be looked at to cover the costs of traffic control systems which could cost nearly $300,000 at the corner. Knott invited members of the BIA who wish to see the lights erected by the county to attend the Jan. 4 meeting of Huron County Council to show support for the initiative. Turbine research takes new direction By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen The Huron County Health Unit is taking its wind turbine study in a new direction next year in hopes of achieving superior and thorough results. Huron County Medical Officer of Health Maarten Bokhout and Epidemiologist Erica Clark discussed the study's new direction at a meeting held at the Huron County Health Unit headquarters in Clinton last week. The circumstances surrounding the meeting were confusing for some due to road closures associated with a fatal collision near Vanastra. Some were turned away and told the meeting was cancelled until Clark was advised that Ontario Provincial Police were allowing those attending the meeting to circumvent barricades in order to access the Health Unit building. The meeting, however, went ahead with approximately 60 interested residents in attendance. Clark told those in attendance that the initial study, which began earlier this year, was not yielding any results. The survey system being used wasn't collecting as much data as Clark would need, so she and Bokhout began to seek alternative means of collecting data. Rather than having interested parties opt in to a study, Clark said in an interview with The Citizen, the study needs to look at all households in Huron County within 10 kilometres of at least one wind turbine. Then, she said, people would be asked seven basic questions about themselves, like their name, date of birth and address, as well as whether or not they're receiving any monetary compensation for hosting wind turbines on a property they own. Once those basic questions are answered, that person will be given an identification number. Then, any time a resident has a complaint they assess as being wind turbine -related, they are to call the Health Unit, state Continued on page 6 'The Citizen' to close for holidays With both snow and temperatures falling, it's almost time for Christmas and The Citizen will be taking a short break. The Citizen office in Blyth will be closing for the holidays on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 2 p.m., while the Brussels office will close on Monday, Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. There will be no Dec. 29 issue. The deadline for the Dec. 22 issue of The Citizen is Monday, Dec. 19, 2 p.m. in Brussels and 4 p.m. in Blyth. The Citizen's offices will reopen on Monday, Jan. 2 at 9 a.m. in Blyth and 10 a.m. in Brussels in preparation for the Jan. 5 issue. The staff of The Citizen wishes all of its readers, supporters and community members a safe and happy holiday.