The Citizen, 2012-11-15, Page 7THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012. PAGE 7.
Bylaws to implement dissolution
of the ward system and reduce the
number of councillors will be
considered at the Nov. 20 meeting of
Morris-Turnberry Council, but the
proposal will be different than that
taken to the public at a Nov. 1
meeting.
Comments made at the public
meeting caused some councillors to
change their views on reducing the
council to four councillors from six.
“I’ve had more feedback since it
[council size] came on the agenda,”
said Councillor John Smuck who
had been a proponent of a reduced
council size. “Talking to people, I do
have some problem going down to
four councillors. I’d like to see five
councillors.”
Councillor Jamie Heffer said some
people were concerned about
dropping to four councillors if the
ward system was also abolished,
because it increased the possibility
all councillors might be from
one or the other of the former
wards.
“Maybe we should look at five
councillors at large plus the mayor,”
suggested Jason Breckenridge,
deputy-mayor.
Councillor Neil Warwick
supported the proposal for four
councillors plus the mayor.
“My feeling is that five people can
do the job as well as seven,” he said
in making the motion to take the
original proposed bylaw to the Nov.
20 meeting.
Councillor David Baker said
available time might be a factor in
who might run for a smaller council.
“It’s going to take a lot more
responsibility,” he said.
But Mayor Paul Gowing wasn’t
worried. “You’ll get individuals who
are sincere who want to make the
commitment,” he said.
When Warwick’s motion to bring
the bylaw for a four councillor plus
the mayor to the next meeting was
voted on, it was defeated.
“I think we’re making a mistake,”
said Warwick. “We had a chance to
fix a mistake we made 10 years ago.”
A new motion proposing a new
bylaw which would see five
councillors plus a mayor was then
made and approved 4-3 in a recorded
vote. Supporting it were Smuck,
Jamie McCallum, Heffer and
Breckenridge. Opposed were
Gowing, Baker and Warwick.
Though he supported the new
proposal McCallum was concerned
that council was now proposing
something different than was
considered at the public meeting.
“We listened to the people,” said
Smuck. “I think the public meeting
changed my mind.”
The original bylaw to dissolve the
ward system will also be considered
at the Nov. 20 meeting, despite an
effort by McCallum to send the issue
to a referendum. There was no
seconder for his motion.
“I ran on a platform of getting rid
of the wards,” said Breckenridge in
reaffirming his support for the
bylaw. Despite some public concern
over the size of Morris-Turnberry, he
felt it is not a large municipality and
there’s not a big difference between
the two wards.
In a recorded vote, he, Smuck,
Warwick, Baker and Gowing
supported bringing the bylaw
forward at the Nov. 20 meeting.
Opposed were Heffer and
McCallum.
The limited number of taxpayers
who bothered to return a survey
were solidly opposed to the creation
of a Morris-Turnberry fire service,
councillors learned at their Nov. 6
meeting.
Though people had until the end
of that day to return of the survey,
Nancy Michie, administrator clerk-
treasurer distributed figures
calculated up until 2:42 p.m. when
only 489 replies had been received
of the 1,471 surveys mailed, a return
of 33 per cent.
There were three questions on the
survey. The first, which asked if the
respondent was in favour offormation of a Morris-Turnberry firedepartment saw under 12 per cent in
favour as opposed to 66 per cent
who were opposed and 22 per cent
who made no response.
On the possibility of a joint fire
service, nearly 45 per cent agreed
that would be a good thing while
nearly 32 per cent opposed it.
Another 23 per cent made no
response.
Asked if they supported the status
quo (with Morris-Turnberry
purchasing fire service from North
Huron, Huron East and Howick),
more than 62 per cent said yes.
Nearly 16 per cent said no and
nearly 22 per cent had no response.
Mayor Paul Gowing expresseddisappointment with the low rate ofreturn.
“This is a big issue yet we’re very
down in returns compared to the
election returns,” he said, referring
to the municipality’s mail-in ballots
for municipal election.
But Councillor John Smuck
blamed the survey itself for the lack
of returns.
“It was too vague,” he said. “I’ve
had people running into me who ask
‘what does it mean?’”
Despite the limited results, the
message was obvious to Councillor
Neil Warwick. “It’s fairly obvious
people are not in favour of us
building our own department,” he
said. “They’re in favour of the statusquo.”But Councillor Jamie Heffer
thought that response might not be
so clear. “People were so confused
about what the status quo meant,” he
said.
There were individual comments
included in the surveys that were not
released in open council. Michie
said they would be distributed to
councillors in the closed portion at
the end of the meeting.
Gowing said the survey results
would be considered by council.
“This will be part of the decision-
making process but there will
be other decisions to make,” he
said.
Morris-Turnberry councillors
learned, at their Nov. 6 meeting, that
the long-awaited municipal history
book is on its way, and will be more
expensive than budgetted.
A revised quote from the printer,
received at a recent meeting of the
history book committee, revealed the
printing bill would be an extra
$24,260 for the 1,000 two-book sets
ordered, or an additional $24.26 per
set.
The original quote was for $36.74
per set for artwork and printing but
the new figure is $48.87.
The original quote was made in
2009 for printing in 2010, explained
Mayor Paul Gowing. Since then
There were eight tables of shoot in
play on Friday, Nov. 9 at the
Belgrave Community Centre.
Winners were: high pink card, Jane
Grasby; second high pink card,
Dorothy Carter; most shoots pink
card, Freda Scott; high white card,
Ken Spears; second high white card,
Marie Millian; most shoots white
card, Bill Logue.
The next shoot party is
on Friday, Nov. 23. Everyone is
welcome.
On Sunday, Nov. 18 Rev. Gary
Clark and Blyth United Church
congregation will be at Belgrave
Knox United Church for the North
Huron United Church Ministry
Exchange. Rev. Tom Murray will be
at Fordwich United Church to share
in worship that day.
Tickets are still available for the
roast beef supper on Wednesday,
Nov. 21 at the Community Centre
from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The community congratulates and
extends special birthday greetings to
Margaret Robinson on her 100th
birthday. Ross Anderson, who was a
patient at Wingham and District
Hospital has returned home. The
community wishes Ross a speedy
recovery.
Morris-Turnberry to drop one councillor
Knox supper next week
History books coming
Fire surveys indicate opposition
WE’LL KEEP YOU ROLLING
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