The Citizen, 1989-04-12, Page 19THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 1989. PAGE 19.
Development costly, Municipal Officers told
Nine out of 10 small municipali
ties worsen their financial position
when faced with new development,
the Huron County Municipal Offi
cers Association was told Friday by
a lawyer specializing in develop
ment law.
W. D. (Rusty) Russell, an Orillia
lawyer that represents many muni
cipalities across the province on
development matters (and some
developers in areas where he
doesn’t work for the municipality)
told the assembled Reeve, council
lors and municipal staff in Blyth
that whether dealing with a sever
ance or a subdivision, “if you don’t
get lot levies, money to improve
roads, storm drains, etc. then
you’ve started to erode the finan
cial position of your municipality.’’
He said the objective of develop
ment should be to improve the
status of living of the residents of
the municipality while improving,
Seniors Centre plans
anniversary celebration
BY GLORIA WORKMAN
Spring has definitely sprung.
While I was writing this article I
saw a robin and a blue jay outside
my window, that put me into a
great frame of mind to write this
article. There is something about
spring that makes everything and
everyone around me come alive.
This is especially true at the Day
Centre for the Homebound.
The first week in April was
National Volunteer Week. A spe
cial Potluck Dinner was held on
Wednesday, April 5 to show our
appreciation for all the time and
energy given to the operation of the
centre. I know that I say this each
year, that the Day Centre couldn’t
function without volunteers. I say it
over and over, because it is the
truth.
Our topic for discussion was
Elder Abuse. We saw a film called
the “Silence Upstairs”. This film
showed us how a family emotion
ally and financially abused the
eldest member of their family.
Chief Robert Wittig of the Wing
ham Police Department provided
us with some information of a
situation that occurred in our area.
This older adult was on the
receiving end of some of the worst
kinds of abuse anyone could face.
His message was that abuse to the
elderly does not just happen to
people in the city. It happens in
our own community. Christine
Gibson the Assistance Director did
an excellent job planning the
evening.
Activities for the seniors, this
month include ceramics, and a trip
to the Belmore Maple Syrup Festi
val during the first week of April.
During the second week, we are
planning to tie a quilt. Even the
men get involved in this activity.
Our program will be cancelled on
Thursday, April 13 to allow the
Hospital Auxiliary to set up for
their spring rummage sale. The
Thursday group is invited to come
in on Tuesday or Wednesday.
During the week of April 18-19
we’ll be holding an afternoon at the
movies. Details of the film will be
announced at a later date. Popcorn
will be served along with the show.
We are planning a special craft
during the last week of April.
Plan to attend the 10th Anniver
sary Open House scheduled for
Thursday, April 20 at 1 p.m. Our
special guest speaker will be Dr.
Anne Martin-Matthews, Director
of the Gerentology Research Cen
tre of the University of Guelph. It
will be a reunion for many.
If your group is interested in
hearing more about the Day Centre
programs, we are available for
Citizen office
suffers break-in
Ontario Provincial Police from
the Wingham detachment are in
vestigating a breakin overnight
Wednesday at The Citizen’s office.
Only a small amount of cash wasl
taken after burglars apparently!
guest speaking. Please call the Day
Centre at 357-1440 for more infor
mation.
or at least maintaining, the finan
cial health of the municipality.
“I find you people are reinvent
ing the wheel every time,’ he told
the group, saying firm policies on
development are needed by the
municipality. Clerks and planners
see the problems created by ad hoc
decisions on planning, he said “but
how do we convince our politicians
that they shouldn’t give away the
farm.”
A municipality has only three
sources of revenue, he pointed out:
assessment and taxes, transfers
from senior governments and local
revenue factors like licencing,
building permits, lot levies, etc.
Subdivisions and developments
cost for new roads and services.
They should be cash and carry, he
said. If the developer doesn’t pay
the price then it’s not fair to the
“widow up on the sixth conces
sion” who ends up paying part of
the cost, he said.
He suggested councils should
make the developer pay for all legal
fees for the municipality. He said
the council should insist the deve
loper applies in writing for a plan of
subdivision so all proposals are
down on paper. Councils shouldn’t
take the cash in lieu of parkland in
a new subdivision, even if the
municipality has enough parkland.
Take the land, have the developer
service it, then sell it and make
more money for the municipality,
he said. Often the developer will
buy the land back himself.
He urged councils to deregister
old plans of subdivision so that they
can be in a good bargaining
position if development happens on
the land. There can always be a
by-law passed bringing the old plan
back to life again he said, but it will
mean the council doesn’t get stuck
paying all the cost of opening roads
and servicing the area.
In order to speed up the approval
process he recommended a “check
list meeting” of everyone involved
in the process to get the municipali
ties lawyer, engineer, planner, etc.
and the developer, his lawyer and
engineer together in one room at
one time to get the process moving.
The reason the approval process
moves so slowly many times is
because the municipality doesn’t
get moving quickly, he said.
forced a door to gain entry.
Come on in and see for yourself
RUBBER GLOVE
"Spring Deals Have Sprun
BATTERY . oJ^
Fits: John Deere, Case-IH, Massey
and automotive applications.
SOL-VEX
CHEMICAL GLOVES
Protect yourself from harmful
herbicides, pesticides,
gasoline and chemicals.
Three sizes available.
TY11484/85/86
SPECIAL!
2 QT. PLASTIC
TY9494
STEEL (WITH FILLER)
TY15061
8QT.STEEL
(LOCK-ON TYPE)
$*|22 $297 TY9496 $-|g85
AUDIOVOX AM/FM RADIO WITH STEREO
CASSETTE PLAYER rk/x
Comes with 40 watt amplifier and
5" speakers. For your car, truck or MM w v
tractor. One heckuva deal! PMTP707
SPECIAL
PURCHASE
only
HANDYMAN®
Screwdriver Set by Stanley
with bonus hang-up rack.
Lubricates planter hopper
bottom parts, seedplates and
valves to provide trouble
free, easier operation and
longer wear with high plant
ing speeds.
B
SPECIAL
PURCHASE/
Stanley 10
Adjustable
Wrench
BATTERY
Fits most lawn and
Garden Tractors
Group 22F 360
Offer expires
April 28
/your & PARTS
\ STORE
PARTS HOTLINE 1-800-265-4268 EXETER 235-1115 BLYTH 523-4244 WALKERTON 881-2231