The Citizen, 1989-07-12, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 1989.
4000 population figure
too high, Reeves tell Eakins
Continued from page 1
municipalities is just too large. If
Huron county has a study and
decides not to go with the 4000
minimum, he asked “can we have
your assurance that the ministry
won’t legislate it or penalize us?’’
Mr. Eakins said the 4000 figure
was simply a benchmark establish
ed by the committee and didn’t
mean that every county had to
accept it. But somewhere along the
way you have to look at what an
efficient size is, the Minister said
there are some municipalities with
75 people with a vote on county
council in his home county of
Victoria. Besides, he said the
amalgamation to 4000 population
wouldn’t wipe out communities,
only municipal boundaries.
Warden Johnston said he was
assured to hear that the 4000 figure
is not firm and said from his contact
with other counties, if the 4000
figure hadn’t been in the commit
tee’s report, probably there would
have been strong endorsement by
most counties instead of opposi
tion.
Blyth Reeve Albert Wasson
came back to the population issue
again, warning the minister that in
small municipalities there is a
strong spirit of volunteerism and if
larger municipalities are initiated,
that spirit may be lost and council
lors may want to be full time
politicians. But he warned too, that
if government paperwork continues
to increase, small municipalities
may not be able to cope with the
burden.
Mr. Eakins said that perhaps
municipalities of 1000 will have to
look to^ee if they can work under
modern circumstances. It is harder
and harder to get administrators he
said and it takes good administra
tive leaders to promote growth.
“You can’t just look at how to
protect your turf but at how to
strengthen the county,” he said.
Reeve Tom Tomes of Stephen
township said his township was one
of the few that didn’t have to worry
about the 4000 population figure
but he worried about the provision
for wiping out boards of trustees in
police villages. There are three
police villages in his township, he
said, and as long as good people
were willing to fill the posts of
trustees, he didn’t see why the
police villages shouldn’t be left in
place.
Mr. Eakins said he had his own
thoughts on the subject but didn’t
feel he should express them at this
time.
After Mr. Eakins, Mr. Riddell
and their staffs had boarded a
plane at Goderich airport to take
them back to Toronto, the council
reconvened to go over the county’s
response to the committee report
and the subject of police village
came up again.
Hullett Reeve Tom Cunningham
said he didn’t have a problem with
the disolution of police villages but
he wondered what would happen in
a case like Auburn which could be
cut into three pieces because it
straddles the lines between Hul
lett, East Wawanosh and West
Wawanosh. He felt the whole
village should be included in one of
the townships.
Huron County Planning Director
Gary Davidson, who had kept the
notes on the Executive Commit
tee’s deliberations in preparing the
report said it was the committee’s
feeling such police villages should
be kept in one municipality.
Controversy arose over the exe
cutive committee s proposal that
mayors of towns should not be on
the council. Reeve Cunningham
said he still felt strongly that the
mayors should be on the council so
that there would be direct commun
ications with the mayors about
what is going on at the county
level.
Reeve Bee Cooke of Clinton said
her council was against the inclu
sion of mayors on county council,
feeling the mayor would virtually
be a full-time official and would
have to be paid more accordingly.
The mayors of the towns definitely
have more to do than township
reeves, she said. She was support
ed by Wingham Reeve Bruce
Machan but rural reeves, including
Reeve Tomes took exception to the
comment that mayors have more to
do than reeves.
Eventually the issue was resolv
ed in a recorded vote in which the
proposal to continue to have reeves
and deputy reeves represent towns
was supported.
The county’s 22 page response to
the 41 recommendations included
in the committee’s report was
passed without change by the
councillors.
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Young and old enjog
Humphries picnic
On Sunday, June 25 the fourth
annual Humphries Picnic was held
at the Walton Hall. Twenty-four
adults and nine children attended a
fun-filled day.
A pot luck lunch was the first
thing on the agenda. Following a
delicious meal, games for the
children and adults were enjoyed
by all. Games included the sack
race, a balloon toss, a scavenger
hunt and many more.
Young and old participated in the
annual ball game with the girls
against the guys. At the completion
of the ball game M.V.P. awards
were presented to Terry Nichol for
the guys and Peggy Humphries for
the girls. A pot luck supper
followed using up all the leftovers
from lunch.
' People attended from Arva, Bay
field, Brussels, London, Missis
sauga, Palmerston, Sarnia and
Walton.
Local girl
honoured
A shower will be held for Patricia
Hackwell this Friday evening at 8
p.m. in the basement of Duffs
Church. It is being planned by
Walton I unit ladies.
Walton Women’s Institute is
going on a mystery tour. Enjoy the
sights and sounds of Huron Coun
ty. Those on the tour will be less
than 25 miles from home but will
see things from thousands of miles
away. All interested in going must
meet at the Walton Community
Hall at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July
19. Visitors welcome. Those plann
ing to attend should phone Mar
garet Shortreed, 887-9297
Phon® John Nixon
887-9417
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