Loading...
The Citizen, 1991-04-03, Page 9THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3, 1991. PAGE 9. Brussels council briefs Council rejects Canadian National’s offer to sell Brussels Village Council voted Monday night not to accept an offer from Canadian National to sell one block of Cypress St. to the village for $3,000. The village has been pursuing CN over the issue for several years but only recently received informa­ tion back from the railway with a deadline in the next few days for action. The street, running from Turnberry St. back to the C1L Agromart, has been maintained by the village for years despite the fact it is on railway property. Council had been hoping the railway would donate the land. When the offer came, however, it was for only the first block of the street to Princess St. and the village was hoping for land all the way to Albert St. “One block’s better than none but it would be better to have two,” said Councillor Greg Wilson. Reeve Gordon Workman said “1 don’t think we need the hassle of this”, noting the village was short of money this year anyway. Rec. budget raises taxes 5% Brussels village councillors Mon­ day night approved a budget for the Brussels, Morris and Grey recreation board that includes a five per cent increase in cost for village taxpayers. The budget calls for revenues of $225,690 and expenses of $214,485 for the year, writing off an accumu­ lated deficit of $6,533. The revenue includes more than $30,000 in grants from the municipalities of Brussels, Grey and Morris. Brus­ sels, which picks up 48 per cent of the municipal costs of the recrea­ tion program, will pay $15,120, up from $14,400 last year. Grey, which picks up 33 per cent of the costs, see its share increase to $10,395 from $9,900. Morris township’s 19 per cent share will increase from $5,985 this year from $5,700 last year. D. White officially named clerk Donna White officially became clerk-treasurer of Brussels Monday night when she was hired after completing a probation period of six months. Mrs. White had taken over the job provisionally last fall after the resignation of Hugh Hanly from the job. She wasn’t sure she wanted the responsibility of the office so agreed to take it on a probationary period which would allow her to retain her old job as deputy clerk-treasurer if either she or council were unhappy with the situation. Mrs. White said she couldn’t see much that could go wrong in future that she hasn’t already had to deal with in a hectic last six months. “It’s challenging,” she said of the job. “It’s hard work with a lot of extra hours.” Reeve Gordon Workman told councillors he wished they coujd spend a day in the office to see how busy, the staff is. He had recently been in the office and the phone rang all day, he said. Council also hired Lori Parker as assistant to Mrs. White on a full-time basis following comple­ tion of her probationary period. Clerk-treasurer Donna White said she had been informed by Ministry of Transportation officials that if the village could get the whole street from CN it could get subsidy on the capital and legal costs of the street. Councillor Bruce Hahn said he felt CN should be willing to give a better deal. He thought they should be reminded the village had spent a lot of money maintaining their road for years. “I’m like Bruce,” Reeve Work­ man agreed, “1 don’t think we should be nicked for it. We’ve gravelled, it, we've chlorided it every year for as long as I can remember.” Mrs. White was to get back to CN with council’s reaction.***** Council agreed to let a tax consulting company take a look at the village books to see if it can recover any provincial and federal taxes for the village. Mrs. White said she had talked to Wingham and Seaforth officials who had had ComTax do work for them and both had been pleased with the company’s work. The company will go over the last few years of receipts from the village and see if there is any unclaimed tax to be recovered. If there is none, there will be no cost to the village. If there is any tax recover­ ed, the company will take half. Mrs. White said there was a sizeable recovery in Wingham and Seaforth. ***** Council approved improvements at the library to be paid for using PRIDE funds. Councillor Bruce Hahn said he had gone over the building guided by complaints contained in a letter from Beth Ross, county librarian and had worked out estimates with various contractors for $1,600 worth of work. Included could be repairs for plaster on some walls, new ceiling tile in some areas, painting and some new lighting fixtures. He said he felt the improvements would see the library through for a few years. “Sure the place could use new windows but there are other places we need the money now,” he said. ***** The village will advertise to tell dog owners once again to mind their manners and mind their dog’s manners too. Reeve Workman said he has been receiving complaints from people about dogs tearing open garbage and dogs doing their business on other people’s proper­ ty. “I don’t know what the answer is,” the Reeve said in disgust. “People walk on main street and dogs do it right on the street and little kids have to walk in it. That gags me.” People should take responsibility and clean up after their dogs, he said. Others have been complain­ ing that their garbage is being torn apart before it can be picked up. Mrs. White said she would put an ad in The Citizen asking people to co-operate. ***** Councillors reluctantly agreed to pay a three-year-old bill for legal fees. The bill, for $790 for advice given in 1988 came out of the blue recently from Donnelly and Murphy of Goderich. Clerk-Trea­ surer Donna White said she has questioned the bill and talked with former clerk-treasurer Hugh Hanly and discovered the legal firm had been asked for advice over a subdivision agreement back in 1988. The firm said it didn’t know how the bill had been overlooked this long. How to get your financial life in shape. •protection for mongage, business, family income, disability or estate; •retirement planning, RRSP's, RRIF’s, and annuities: •employee benefits and pension plans. ; •Investment, GIC's, Mutual Funds and Registered Education Savings Plan •Term Deposits Call me: Tony G. Arts 107 Main St. N. Seaforth, Ont. Seaforth: 527-0794 London: 432-1841 O SunLife