The Citizen, 1991-07-10, Page 1Japanese visitors
Tourists come to
Tomorrow Box 'birthplace'
See page 23
Tender approved
Huronview start
draws closer
See page 12
FunFest photos
Photo record
of weekend of fun
See page 14
Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel,
Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships.
VOL. 7 NO. 27 WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1991.60 CENTS
FunFest
successful
organizers say
Organizers of this year's FunFest
held this past weekend in Brussels,
are again pleased with the success
of the three-day event.
A good crowd was on hand for
most of the activities and every
thing went smoothly, even the
weather, with skies staying clear
until evening when everyone was
indoors.
About 70 entries took part in the
Continued on page 2
Up...
Pilots of the About Town Taxi hot air balloon
prepare the balloon for flight at the Brussels
FunFest Sunday night. A propane burner heats the
air to fill the balloon with hot air.
Up...
The balloon lifts off from the Brussels ball diamond
watched by hundreds of spectators. Saturday's
balloon flight was cancelled because of high
winds.
...and away!
The balloon soars high over Brussels and heads
east. Dozens of people followed the balloon as it
went out into the countryside.
County rejects CAS budget's 28% increase
Calling the request for a 28 per
cent increase in the budget of the
Huron County Children's Aid Soci
ety (CAS) "unacceptable", Huron
County councillors voted Thursday
lo ask for a review of the agency’s
budget.
Councillors had the option of
accepting the budget or asking for a
Child Welfare Review and past
Warden Lionel Wilder argued for
the review. The budget is up 28 per
cent from last year, he claimed, and
the per capita cost in Huron is dou
ble the cost in other counties in the
area. He was quoting from figures
supplied by Bill Mickle, Reeve of
Exeter who quoted per capita costs
to the county in Huron at S8.20
(total cost to the county of
$459,976), compared to S4.76 in
Middlesex, $4.17 in Sarnia-
Lambton and S4.15 in Bruce.
Reeve Mickle had asked Tom
Knight, executive director of the
CAS who made a presentation to
council.
Mr. Knight had made a lengthy,
statistic-laden presentation that had
some councillors noticeably nod
ding off. The presentation attempt
ed to show councillors that the
costs and rate of use in Huron were
not out of line w ith other compara
ble jurisdictions. The number of
children per thousand in care, for
instance, was 1.1 in Huron, about
the middle of five agencies quoted.
There were some additional costs
mandated by the province such as
an increase in the per diem rate for
foster parents that will now see
them receive about 75 cents per
hour instead of the 61 cent rate of
1990. There was also the need for a
rearrangement of staff'to provide
more adminsitrative support for the
child welfare workers. But, he
said, child welfare is an extremely
complex issue. The CAS staff must
have proper support because if they
make a mistake in judgement they
are subject to a review and staff in
other areas have been charged in
the past. More than the cost an
embarrassment to the agency and
the county, there is the harm this
means for children, he said.
"We're in the business of sup
porting and assisting the children of
Huron County", he said.
But while councillors applauded
the goals, they disputed the facts
regarding the cost. Quoting his per
capita figures, Reeve Mickle said
"It indicates lo me there is cither a
higher level of service (in Huron)
or we have a problem not showing
County sets open house dates
for Huron Study information
A scries of open houses have
been set up to the public to get
more information about the Huron
County Study.
The study is a long-term review
of the provision of government ser
vices in the county and uhich level
of government should provide
them.
In looking at the services of the
county and the boundaries of
up in our figures. Either we have
some inefficiencies lo be looked al
or there's a problem not being
picked up in the statistics." He told
Continued on page 3.
municipalities, the county has had a
number of focus groups examining
the current and future needs of the
country. Those groups range from
municipal clerks, lo agriculture, lo
groups providing recreation and
cultural services, to cottage associ
ations to professionals working in
the county.
The open houses, however, arc
Continuea on page 19