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The Citizen, 2005-02-10, Page 1Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Volume 21 No. 6 Thursday, Feb. 10, 2005 $1 (93c + 7c GST) NH I NORTH HURON PUBUSHING COMPANY INC. Inside this week Pg-3 Pg-8 Pg-9 Pg. 12 Pg-18 Get wired at local libraries Bantam Dogs advance in playoffs Wheeler back in action Financial pages begin Grey student job shadows Belgrave to get recycling By Bonnie Gropp Citizen editor Humphrey subdivision residents in Belgrave will once again have recycling pickup if they choose. A number of the subdivision’s ratepayers petitioned North Huron council to investigate the possibility -- on their behalf. At the Monday night meeting of council, clerk­ administrator John Stewart said that initially the garbage contract for Belgrave had been with Canadian Waste. They had picked up recycling as well. However, he said, when the contract changed to Bluewater Recycling, the service stopped as the residents weren’t paying for Continued on page 3 Good Food Box still being By Keith Roulston Citizen publisher With the Huron Good Food Box program discontinued for lack of funding, debate over county support for the program continues. The program sells a monthly box of fresh fruits and vegetables at a cost of $14 but was discontinued Feb. 1 after a federal government grant that paid for a co-ordinator ran out. The Huron Field to Table Network, which has run the food box program, has proposed hiring a co-ordinator at a salary and benefits cost of $50,000 under the budget for the Huron All smiles Jenna Swart, daughter of Tracy and Mark, shared a little giggle as she enjoyed the meal at St. Ambrose Roman Catholic Church’s lasagna supper on Friday night. (Vicky Bremner photo) County Health Unit, which would mean half the cost was picked up by the province. A decision on this will be made in budget deliberations. Both the cost and the philosophy (to bring better nutrition to Huron families) behind the project, were once again a topic for debate at the Feb. 3 meeting of council. “You can’t just keep adding these programs on,” said East Huron councillor Joe Seili. If the health unit wants the program it should find funding that doesn’t come from the Huron County taxpayer, he argued. Bluewater councillor Bill Dowson said he’d had six or seven people seek him out to urge him to keep the program going. South Huron councillor Dave Urlin argued that refusing the proposal to hire the co-ordinator would kill the whole program. Ken Oke, South Huron councillor and chair of the health and planning committee, said he’d asked around about charging more for the boxes to help support the program and found no resistance for an additional $2 cost but some reluctance at $5 extra. Dr. Beth Henning, medical officer of health, pointed out that while promoting good nutrition is a major reason for the food boxes, it’s also debated intended as a boost for the farm economy. Field to Table Network figures show the co-ordinator had purchased food from 23 local producers and four wholesalers for the average of 269 boxes sold each month. Some councillors have objected to the fact that anyone can purchase the boxes whether rich or poor and feel only the poor should get the boxes. Figures presented by the Field to Table Network showed one-third of boxes were purchased by those with a family income of more than $40,000 a year, 26 per cent oy those with an yearly income of under $20,000. Men face multiple charges Two men appeared in Walkerton court last week on charges that resulted from a crime spree that began in Huron-Kinloss and ended in Brussels. Huron OPP have charged Mike Cooper, 23, of Brussels with break, enter and theft; two counts of theft over and under $5,000; driving while disqualified; possession of stolen automobile and two counts of possession of stolen property under $5,000. Mike Walker, 21, of Moorefield, was charged with break, enter and theft; dangerous operation of a motor vehicle; breach of probation; operating a motor vehicle without insurance and possession of a controlled substance. The trouble began on the evening of Jan. 30 when a Huron-Kinloss resident returned to his home to fine two people leaving the house with a number of stolen items. Police say the pair fled in a 1989 Ford Mustang and the owner gave chase. The accuseds entered a grocery store parking lot in Kincardine and the victim blocked the exit. According to police they rammed vehicle, and fled into the town down residential streets. Police apprehended one of the accused after they ditched the car and fled on foot. The other one stole another vehicle, ditched it, then stole a black pickup. This was the vehicle that Huron OPP caught up with in Brussels, and the accused was taken into custody. The arresting officer learned that earlier that evening items had been stolen from two vehicles parked in the Belgrave arena lot. Items from the first, a 1994 Mazda pickup, included a 21 CDs, a snowboarding coat and a chequebook. An attempt had been made to remove the dash CD player, which was damaged in the process. The total theft is estimated at $450. From the second vehicle, a 1995 Mazda pickup, a CD dash player and digital camera were stolen. The value was $1,400. All of the property was found in the black truck when police apprehended the accused. Sr. Const. Don Shropshall said the pair will be arrested on the Huron charges when they are released from Walkerton. Councillors anxious to resolve cross-border billing By Keith Roulston Citizen publisher The slow progress of getting surrounding counties to pay for calls by the Huron County ambulance service into their territory has some Huron County councillor fum­ ing. Joe Seili, councillors for Huron East, was upset with the delay. “I’ve been here (on council) for 14 months and the clock is still ticking and we’re got nothing,” he said of the county’s success in collecting $1 million for unpaid calls into neighbouring municipalities. Treasurer Dave Carey explained that the committee of the whole at its December meeting authorized staff to try to have the issue settled by June. David Lew, manager of the ambulance service, said a meeting with Perth’s service seemed to find acceptance of Huron’s figures. He has requested meetings with other neighbouring municipalities. Carey elaborated that a letter had been received from Middlesex County offering to meet to discuss the situation but that Bruce County wanted to handle the negotiations through the western wardens’ association.