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The Citizen, 2012-11-01, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2012.ACW’s Drennanopposes inspections Influenza lands in Huron County Citizens of the Year for Brussels Jim and Lois Lee, who own Cinnamon Jim’s, were named Citizens of the Year for Brussels and area. Shown is Hank Ten Pas, a member of The Citizen’s board of directors, presenting them with their plaque. (Denny Scott photo) Huron County Health Unit has received the first laboratory confirmed case of Influenza A for the 2012/2013 season. Huron County residents are encouraged to get their flu shot either through a publically funded clinic in the area or through their health care provider. Influenza, commonly called the flu, is a highly contagious viral infection of the nose, throat and lungs. It causes a sudden fever, sore throat, chills, dry cough, headache, muscle aches and fatigue. Most people who get the flu are sick for two to seven days, but can feel tired and weak for up to two weeks. In some cases, the cough can last for weeks, too. In seniors and people with chronic health problems (like lung or heart disease or diabetes), influenza can lead to complications such as pneumonia. The flu spreads very easily from person to person in tiny droplets from the nose and throat. Public Health Nurse RuthAnn Ogilvie says to reduce the risk of spread of influenza and other respiratory illnesses people should: • Wash hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and hot water or, if soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer • Sneeze or cough into a sleeve or arm • Stay home if sick and, • Frequently clean commonly touched surfaces such as keyboards, doorknobs, countertops etc. For more information and for a list of flu shot clinics in Huron County check out the Huron County Health Unit website at http://www.huroncounty.ca/health/fl u/clinics.php When faced with some concerns with the mandatory septic system inspection plan put forward by the County of Huron during its Oct. 16 meeting, Ashfield-Colborne- Wawanosh (ACW) Township council head Reeve Ben Van Diepenbeek defended the decision of council to support the plan. Shawn Drennan, an outspoken citizen who has strong opinions on the K2 wind turbine project, said that he didn’t want council to support the plan. After Van Diepenbeek explained that the program wasn’t set to start until the spring, Drennan asked what it would take for council to remove its support for the plan, but Van Diepenbeek said that the plan was a good one. “I see everything positive about it, but if you’re looking for negativity, you’ll always find it,” he said. “A program that looks for flawed tanks is good. Looking at water quality tests, we know that things aren’t getting better, they’re getting worse.” Drennan requested that Van Diepenbeek state what tests he was talking about and Van Diepenbeek cited tests that the Huron County Health Unit performs on waterways and the lake across the municipality. The plan is, according to Drennan, a tax named something else. He said that, with an estimated $1.8 million startup fee and $20,000 cost to the township, it wasn’t worthwhile for the numbers he had heard. “In a letter from Morris-Turnberry it says there are 10,000 tanks and that 200 of them are in a risk zone,” he said. “That seems like taxing the many for the responsibilities of the few.” Van Diepenbeek explained that, across the county, there were between 14,000 and 15,000 tanks and that, in ACW, there are more than 2,900 and that the plan would help people address septic issues that they may not be aware of. “Lots of homes have never pumped their septic systems,” he said. “We’re trying to encourage people to pump and make sure their system is working. It’s up to the homeowners right now, but that might not be working. “The inspections won’t be intrusive, when a site is pumped, the hauler will inspect the tank and make sure it’s working,” he said. He also stated that he was confused as to Drennan’s motives who, for several months, has been acutely concerned with water table issues that could be caused by the placement of Hydro One stations that are part of the K2 Wind Project. “You were here a month ago talking about water quality and now you’re condemning a plan created to protect it,” Van Diepenbeek said to Drennan. Drennan also indicated that he believed the system was more expensive than it needed to be, however, Van Diepenbeek explained that the system wasn’t designed to be an income generator, but to break even. He also addressed a concern that Drennan had about the program not being discussed by council very often. “You mentioned that it was sprung on you without any notice,” Van Diepbenbeek said. “It wasn’t, it’s been discussed for 10 years now. We’ve had quite a few meetings. Back in March, 2010, Bob Worsell and Susannah Reid [Of the Health Unit and Huron County Planning Offices] attended a meeting here and reviewed the process and how it was going to be implemented.” ACW has been dealing with the issue quite regularly since before the last municipal election when Councillor Roger Watt, then a council-hopeful, and several councillors of the day visited Tiny Township, a township north of ACW, to see how they managed their system for far less than the more than $200 that the county suggested. Since then the Health Unit’s program has dropped drastically in price to approximately $30 annually on a five-year cycle. Van Diepenbeek pointed out that the program is already used in Huron-Kinloss and costs ratepayers there approximately $55 annually and that the system is accepted there. “The program tries to be educational, providing detailed reports to people regarding the location and status of their systems,” he said. He also stated that some properties in Huron County, specifically cottage properties or lakeside properties, lack any proper septic system at all and that this system will help identify those properties and stop them from having an adverse effect on lake and groundwater. Later in the meeting Van Diepenbeek was asked to clarify what it would take to have councillors change their mind and he stated that the system was a good one and that only evidence to the contrary would likely bring the issue back up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hursday, November 8, 2012 5-9 pm 226 Turnberry St., Brussels 519-887-6277 By Denny Scott The Citizen Get entertainment information on the Entertainment section of our website at www.northhuron.on.ca