The Citizen, 2004-04-08, Page 6Rico's big day
The Citizen's 'Bachelor' and contestants got
acquainted at a social time on Friday afternoon,
attended as well by staff and sponsors. With
'Rico' from left are: Kelly Clark, Lee Ann Riley,
Melina Rose Hussey, winning bachelorette
Shannon Cook and Dixie Embling. Absent were
Holly Dauphin, Crystal Devlin and Elizabeth
Ross. (Bonnie Gropp photo)
Preparing a fool'-ish meal
The Blyth Community Church of God held its
April Fool's lasagna dinner at the arena last
week. Getting the salad prepared were Sandra
Penner, left and Linda Loder. (Bonnie Gropp photo)
Are Drugs or Alcohol
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0 Ontario
PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2004.
Funding concerns for
NH water upgrades
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
A request from the Wingham
Minor Hockey Association
asking North Huron council to
forgive the rental fee at the
North Huron Wescast
Community Complex for a
ball hockey tournament raised
some debate on Monday night.
The rental had been forgiven
the past two years, according
to clerk-administrator John
Stewart, primarily as a way of
giving back. While the
Association used to run the
arena's concession booth as a
fundraising venture, the
municipality "took it away"
from them.
County Council
Goderich
Traffic delays caused by
repairs on the Hwy. 21 bridge
across the Maitland River
north of Goderich have
county councillors concerned
about ambulance and other
emergency services.
Neil Rintoul, councillor for
Ashfield, Colborne,
Wawanosh raised the issue at
the April 1 meeting of
council. Bridge repairs had
reduced the bridge to single-
lane traffic with a wait of
several minutes to cross. The
only other bridge across the
river is several miles to the
east at Benmiller.
"We'll be moving our fleet
around to cover off (the area
north of the bridge)," said
David Lew, manager of the
ambulance service. "We're
still talking to the contractor
to see what they can do for
US:.
Warden Bill Dowson said
The first year the rental for
one day of the tournament was
forgiven, while last year both
days were free.
Councillor Murray Nesbitt
expressed concern, noting that
many community groups
would like to use the facilities
at no cost.
Reeve Doug Layton,
however, stated again that this
was to give back to the
Association for taking over the
concession booth. He also
pointed out that in keeping
costs down there might be
more people able to play
hockey which in turn brings
money into the facility.
However, when it was noted
that the rental cost per day was
briefs
the county can position
ambulances to be able to get
to an emergency north of
Goderich but the problem
will be getting back to the
hospital when there's no way
around the bottleneck.
South Huron councillor
Rob Morley suggested the
county should be putting its
concerns in writing to the
Ministry of Transportation.
"It could leave us in a
liability position if we do
nothing."
***
Plans for the new Howick
Twp. library were reviewed
by the Huron County Library
Board at its May 11 meeting.
The new library will replace
the libraries at Fordwich and
Gorrie which the library
board had planned to close.
***
Warren Moore of Blyth,
who earlier this year was
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
Clerk-administrator John
Stewart was finally able to
address concerns over
funding for township water
upgrades at the Monday night
meeting of North Huron
council.
With the province stating
that costly upgrades must be
done, the municipality has
been counting on funding
Continued from page 1
budget. Others included
Dorothy Kelly of Morris-
Turnberry, Rosemary
Rognvaldson of Howick, Rob
Morley of South Huron and
warden Bill Dowson of
Bluewater. Councillor John
Bezaire of Central Huron had
to leave before the vote was
taken but had voted against
the budget at committee of
the whole.
$300-$400, Nesbitt's wasn't
the only one concerned.
Councillor Arnold Taylor
said he felt his colleague was
right and that council needed
to look closely at this.
Nesbitt added that the arena
runs at a deficit as it is and
wondered what made the
Association any different than
any other organization. "They
all put money back into the
community."
Brought to a motion, three
agreed to waive the rental,
Councillors Archie
MacGowan and James
Campbell, and deputy-reeve
Murray Scott.
However, MacGowan said
that he wanted notice to be
appointed forestry officer for
the county, has now been
appointed weed inspector as
well. He will provide service
to those municipalities that
don't have their own weed
inspector.
***
With the departure of
Continued from page 1
it hadn't billed a customer. He
suggested council should
contact other municipalities
in the same situation to form a
joint position against paying
the amounts owing.
But MacKinnon said
municipalities don't have
much bargaining power
because the province can get
the money it wants by
from OSTAR. However, at
the last meeting of council
Stewart had said that no
confirmation had been
received that the new
provincial government was
going to honour promises
made by the former
government.
Monday night, he told
councillors that following that
meeting a letter had been sent
to both the federal and
provincial governments
During public question
period, Wayne Marshall of
Goderich expressed anger
that councils in the past 10
years had not instituted
smaller yearly increases
which made the current
increase so large. "Before
long people like myself are
going to get mad and say 'no'
(to tax increases) because
you've been too stupid," he
said.
given that this will not
continue. "It's great to be nice,
but valid points were made by
councillor Nesbitt and
councillor Taylor."
Upon being questioned
about whether - fees were
forgiven for other groups,
Stewart replied affirmatively,
but noted that most of these
were for community events,
such as the village's
community Christmas in
Blyth, not fundraising
activities. Also, the rental time
is only about an hour.
While there was some
thought that a blanket policy
be made, Taylor said that each
request may have to be judged
individually.
Claus Breede as curator of
the Huron County Museum,
the cultural services of the
county have been
reorganized with Beth Ross
being named director of
cultural services. Patricia
Hamilton is the acting
curator of the museum.
reducing its payments
through the Community
Reinvestment Fund or other
provincial programs.
"If we just ignore it and
drive on it's not helping clean
up the situation," warned
warden Bill Dowson.
In the long run council
approved a motion to
negotiate with the ministry
over the amount owing.
indicating that North Huron
was not comfortable
proceeding with the costly
upgrades without some
assurances that there would
be funding.
"Either by co-incidence or
our letter having some result,
both offices called and said
the money had been approved
for both the Wingham and
Blyth systems," said Stewart.
Though there was some
suggestion the money should
be here this month, Stewart
added, "I hope I'm not overly
optimistic."
With the assurance,
however, council felt more
confident in proceeding with
a tender for the Wingham
upgrades. The contract went
to Finnibilt General
Contracting Ltd., the lowest
of three tenders in the amount
of $519,427.85.
Goderich man
expresses anger
towards councils
Wingham hockey asks MI to forgive
traffic delays cause concern
Council agrees to
negotiate with ministry