The Citizen, 1993-04-21, Page 1
The North Huron
itizen
Vol. 9 No.16
Wednesday, April 21, 1993
NOWT included
DOUG SCRIMGEOUR
ROBBIE LAWRIE
What a fun guy!
Mr. Dressup and Tutti Frutti earned the.delighted laughter
of children and adults alike Saturday when they appeared
on stage at the Blyth Festival. Tutti Frutti's hiccup problem
had Mr. Dressup digging into his Tickle Trunk for his 'Dr.
Silly Pill' costume so he could try to cure the fruity puppet
with a number of hilarious tricks. The hour-long show was
viewed by a full house at the 1 p.m. show and repeated
two hours later for another crowd. Ernie Coombs, who
plays Mr. Dressup, gave an energetic and boisterous
performance that had children shaking with laughter.
Blyth councillors resign
Community
Blyth Masonic Lodge
celebrates opening
of new rooms
See page 6
Government
Huron-Perth P.C. s
hear Cardiff's intent
at annual meeting
See page 8
Special
Information and tips
for getting your car
in shape for spring
See page 13
HCBE passes
3.74% tax hike
By Lisa Boonstoppel-Pot
School trustees voted to raise
taxes instead of cutting programs
Monday night when they approved
the 1993 Huron County Board of
Education budget.
While the Family Studies and
Design Technology programs will
remain, taxes will increase an esti-
mated 3.74 per cent. Based on an
average homeowner's $60,000
assessment, this means taxes will
increase by $19.80.
The tax increase was passed fol-
lowing a budget review that saw
$494,376 being cut from the pro-
posed 1993 budget.
Areas that were cut include:
—salaries and benefits for ele-
mentary teachers from $22,724,253
to $22,608,039 for a saving of
$116,214
—salaries and benefits for sec-
ondary teachers from $16,214,040
to $16,126,030 for a saving of
$88,000
—programmed maintenance
from $780,000 to $700,000 for a
saving of $80,000 (this means pro-
posed lighting and flooring changes
will not be made this year but the
- cuts will not affect on-going pro-
jects such as renovations to
libraries and special education
rooms)
—reserve gratuities (a reserve to
cover gratuity costs for retiring
staff) from $145,304 to $0 (there is
still approximately $700,000 in the
fund from previous year's). .
—day school formula budget
from $1,630,909 to $1,487,861
for a saving of $143,058
Despite the cost cutting, Blyth
and Hullett Twp. Trustee John
Jewitt was opposed to passing a
budget with a tax increase.
"Talk all you want about the
increase only being $20 but the
agricultural industry hasn't received
a raise for years and years and
years and years yet trustees and
teachers get a raise every year," he
said. "I'm not saying we haven't
done well nor have we been extrav-
agant but I say people are not
happy to pay for raises when
they're not sharing in the prosperi-
ty."
He voted against passing the bud-
get, along with Don McDonald,
trustee for Brussels and Grey Twp.
and Vicki Culbert, trustee for East
and West Wawanosh and Ashfield
Twp.
Bob Heywood, trustee for
Stephen Twp. said he felt bad that
the board had to ask the taxpayer
for more money. However, he said
"I feel we've done the best we can
do without cutting programs."
The end total for the 1992 expen-
ditures is approximately
$65,209,208. Previously, the over-
Correction
In last week's story on the
Brussels Village financial report
of 1992 it was mentioned that the
Brussels, Morris and Grey
Recreation Committee had used
$10,000 to start a capital reserve
budget in 1992. In fact the
$10,000 put into reserve was part
of an ongoing reserve program,
bringing the total to $45,000 at
the end of 1992.
all budget prediction had been
$65,703,674 which would have
meant a 6.5 per cent increase.
Before cost-cutting measures
Continued on page 7
For the second time since the
municipal elections Blyth council-
lors will be looking at options to
fill a vacant seat on council.
Last July elected councillor John
Elliott resigned his position, citing
a busrsonal schedule as the rea-
council, were brief and to the point,
saying only that their resignations
were effective immediately. How-
ever on Friday a joint statement
was issued which stated,"We were
prepared to donate any amount of
time to the job, but weren't pre-
pared to waste our time."
In asking for a motion to receive
the resignations, Reeve Lee stated
the remaining councillors will need
to think of options available to fill
the vacancies for discussion at the
next council meeting, April 27.
According to the Municipal Act
council has three choices: a by-
election, appointment or choosing
the next person on the ballot. The
latter was the option used for Mr.
Scrimgeour's appointment. At that
time Councillor Steve Sparling had
stated that he felt there should be a
by-law adopted for filling vacan-
cies on council.
If the replacements are chosen in
the same manner as before, the next
names on the ballot are Al Donald-
son and Lorna Fraser. Should either
refuse George Szarek is the final
name.
In speaking to Wednesday night's
motion Councillor Steve Sparling
said,"I don't think it appropriate to
do a post-mortem now, but there's
work in the village to be done. We
will have to find two people soon."
Reeve Lee questioned Clerk
Administrator Helen Grubb on
whether council could continue
making decisions on municipal
business with only two councillors
and himself still serving. The
response was that as long as coun-
cil had a quorum, they could go on.
"I would suggest that it be for as
short'a time as possible," said
Councillor Sparling.
Car gets
smashed
outside pub
A Hullett resident received a lit-
tle suprise upon returning to his car
on Friday night.
A spokesperson from the Wing-
ham OPP said Scott McDonald had
left Champs Sports Bar in Blyth.
When he reached his 1981 Olds he
found that someone had kicked in
the driver's mirror, the driver's
door, the left front headlight and
parking light, police said.
There is no estimate of damage
and the investigation is continuing.
son. At the April 14 meeting of
council resignations were read from
his successor, Doug Scrimgeour
and Councillor Robbie Lawrie.
Neither was present.
Both letters, which were
addressed to Reeve Dave Lee _and