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The Huron Expositor, 1995-03-15, Page 5News and Views People fight proposed landfill site BY PAT LIVINGSTON Ashfield Township residents are joining forces to fight the possible location of a Huron County landfill in their municipality. Around 75 people turned out for Monday night's meeting called to receive public input from those opposed to, or, in favor of a county landfill site being located on A3 which meets the intent of the criteria at this early stage of inves- tigation. The site is an 86.5 acre parcel of land at Lot 4, Conc. 13, and Part of Lots 4 and 5, Conc. 14, E.D. A3 is the last remaining site of 11 potentials identified in the coun- ty's Waste Management Master Plan. The majority signed in opposition to the landfill site; one was un- decided and a submitted letter from a resident was in favor of the landfill under certain conditions. "If we are to receive the garbage, we should receive the goodies," wrote Robert Markham. The meeting was co-chaired by Richard Payne, a resident living within 1100 metres of the site, Stuart Reavie whose business is located 1.5 miles from the site, and Ashfield farmer Doug Hackeu. "There's no need look- ing in this end for Clay..." Payne said that along with him- self, several neighbors were con- cerned with an upcoming meeting planned on Saturday when the discussion of issues and concerns would occur in small groups with members of both the planning department and the public liaison committee distributed among the groups. "That sounds like segregation to me," said Payne. Payne believes there is strength in numbers. To gain that strength several residents volunteered to head committees to gather infor- mation, prepare questions and a presentation for Saturday's meeting. Hackeu noted that of the 16 municipalities within the county, the population in the northern eight is only about half of what it is in the southern half. "They also talk about the clay up here in our part of the country. This map shows you that our area, from about Clinton, is a medium loam and silt loam. If you want heavy clay and clay loam you go down to Hensall, Exeter and the south end of the county. There's no need looking in this end for clay." "Alternative methods rather than burying garbage in a hole should be investigated," said Payne. He referred to comments from Huron county councillor Mason Bailey, in an article in last week's Signal Star. Bailey thinks the search for a new landfill site in Huron County should be halted while other waste management options are examined. At the Mar. 2 meeting of county council, Bailey said, "The world is developing better methods for waste management and they are very good methods." He referred to "some very good incineration giants in British Columbia and Brampton. They have incineration plants where the emissions are cleaner than the air in our major cities." Alternative methods was one of a list of 10 areas to be investigated by the concerned citizens. Others were the 500 metre buffer zone; water, air and noise pollution; rodents and pests; land/soil base; property evaluation cost; toxic spills; on-site control; hours of YOUTH GROUP SUPPORTS FOODGRAINS BANK - The UniPres Youth Group,compo ctsed of young PHOTO people from First Presbyterian Church in Seaforth and Egmondville United Church, held a 30 -hour fast which ran from Sunday to Monday to support the work of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Shown here are (in front) Erin Nicholson and Jamie Bell and (from left) Ryan Dowell, Ian McKichan, Scott McNaughton, Dan Morrison, Chris Bock, Ian McMillan, Chris Morrison, Jamie Dick, Ryan Nicholson, Jill McKichan, Krista Heimpel'and Julie Shewan. Not shown in photo are Jill Wood, Reegan Price and Karen Dillon who also supported the event. Donations for the charitable event are still being accepted. Legion seeks officer nominees operation and how much refuse. Grant and Audrey Johnston, who were involved with the West Wawanosh Coalition that opposed the potential location of the landfill site in their community, shared some information. "Get organized, get a committee going and go by the points they have down (refute them)," said Mr. Johnston. Some of the areas are "so stupid" said Johnston. "During their drive-bys to look at property, they must have been looking the other way." Johnston also suggested that the committee has to prove that the land in question is Class 1, not 2/3 as stated. In addition to the three who chaired the meeting, members of the committee include: Robert McQueen, Tim Hackett, Chris Hackeu, Matthew Staehli, Fred Phillips, Ken Phillips, Ken Alton, Gerrard Howard, Kevin Irwin, George Hoy, Lawrence Hogan, Joe Van Osch, Pat and Aubrey Weir, and Bev McNay. More people are welcome to sit on the various com- mittees. Saturday's meeting will be held at the Dungannon Senior Citizens Centre, at 1:30 p.m. THS HURON EXPOSITOR, March 15, 1505-5 Wase -c% 8'eaS8j/u "Fresh Baked" Kaiser Rolls dozen =1.79 French Bread 567 g. loaf 99C "Wild" Blueberry Muffins 6 for $1.99 Hot Cross Buns Pkg. of 8 $1.99 "Fresh Off The Block" Colby Cheese Ib. $3.49 Danish Blue Ib. $4.99 Now Available Easter Candies, Fancy Cookies, Cakes, etc. Bakery & Cheese House TastyNu THANK YOU The Seaforth Curling Club sincerely thanks all contrib- utors to the St. Patrick's Day Mixed Bonspiel held March 11, 1995. Your support made it a great success. Hart Ford Mercury LAC (London Agricultural Fleming Feed Mill Ltd. Commodities Inc.) Seaforth Food Market McLaughlin Chev-Olds Ltd. Vincent Farm Equipment Ltd. Sun -North Systems Ltd. Culligan Real Estate Ltd. Godfather Pizza Hildebrand Flowers & Gifts KMM Farm Drainage Milton J. Dietz Ltd. Pizza 'IA-ain Flower Magic by Jean Hair Designs by J.C. Janet's Country Donut Cafe McCallum Automotive Northrup King Seeds Seaforth Creamery Ltd. W.G. Thompson & Sons Ltd. • to our customers for our first two weeks in Business. "Special thanks to our staff for all their help & support" This Friday...Coffee & Donut only $100 f2aeeQ DONUT, CAFE MAIN ST., SEAFORTH LEGION NEWS The regular meeting on Thursday, March 16 is nominations of Officers for Seaforth Legion Branch 156. Please attend this meeting and ensure your choice of people will be running the Branch for the next 1 year. The ceiling upstairs has been completed and work is underway on the women's washroom downstairs. Sony for any inconvience this has caused, the end results will certainly Seaforth Legion by Barbara Scott be well worth it. The last Stag euchre of the season will be held on Wednesday, April 12. Friday afternoon from 4 to 6 p.m. a St. Patrick's pubnight will be held with meat draws, etc. and entertain- ment by Jim Rose. Food available. Come out and support the commit- tee on this event. Sunday Dinner takes place March 26 from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Desserts and help are needed, so please contact Thelma Coombs. 'At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remem- ber them.' Board says consider our record BY AMY NEILANDS With the announcement on Feb. 24 that Dave Cooke, Minister of Education, will establish a task force to supervise the possible amalgamation of some school boards in Ontario, the Huron County Board of Education hopes that the task force will strongly consider the co-operative measures the board has taken already with area school boards. It was announced that the govern- ment will reduce school boards by between 40 and 50 per cent. If boards in northern Ontario, where there are a smaller number of schools, are reduced in numbers and French boards are reduced from 77 to a possible 15 boards, then the 40 to 50 per cent reduction will be reached, not affecting the Huron board, said Paul Carroll, director of education, at the March 6 board meeting. Chair Roxanne Brown also said they may look at city boards for possible amalgamation. Metro Toronto needs to be addressed, she said. "Who knows what the govern- ment is going to do?," added Brown. Aside from reducing the number of boards, Cooke announced that there will be reduction in board administration costs, a cap of $20,000 on trustee compensation, a redefinition of the trustee roles and a requirement for boards to start sharing services in order to reduce duplicate spending. This will no longer be voluntary, said Carroll. Carroll added that the Huron Board has had a "long history of collaboration with the Huron -Perth Roman Catholic Separate School Board and other public boards." Brown said that the Huron Board has shown that they are already making these co-operative efforts and continue to explore ways for further co-operation with both the local Catholic Board and the Perth County Board of Education. It was shown in a recent press release that both the Huron and Perth Boards have the lowest expenditures per elementary and secondary students. Huron County ranked the lowest in local taxation per elementary and secondary stu- dents. "The Board's position is that if amalgamation of school boards is being done to save money, it does not make sense to join with boards that spend more and tax more than we do," said Brown in that release. It has also been shown by the Ministry that the most cost effective boards have a student population range of between 10,000 and 14,000 students, which is where the Huron Board lies, said Carroll. We don't know how to save any more and still offer the same qual- ity of education, said Brown. The cost of the four -member task force is $250,000. Their decision on new school board boundaries is expected by September 1995 with an implementation of these bound- aries by 1998 after the next munici- pal election. Board eliminates fee BY AMY NEILANDS Yearly enrolment fees for non- resident students of the Huron County education system have been eliminated. A motion was passed by the Duron County Board of Education at its regular meeting on Monday, March 6, eliminating the $300 enrolment fee for students who live just outside the boundaries and attend Huron County schools. It was noted that a large number of these students come from Grand Bend and the Ashfield Township area. "It's not really costing the board anything (to have these students attend Huron County ' schools)," said Trustee Bea Dawson, noting that the board receives provincial fees for each student that attends their schools. The maximum fee a school board can charge is $740 for a family of one or more children and the board felt that no fee was needed. The elimination of the enrolment fee will be effective on Sept. 1, 1995. NOTICE. starting April 1st Bill Eisler will be on a new Garbage Pick up schedule. TOWN OF SEAFORTH New Thursday Pick Up New Tuesday Pick Up F Iii *NOTE: HARPURHEY and RETAIL OUTLETS will have Garbage pick up on TUESDAYS. All residential north of the train tracks will have Garbage pick up THURSDAY and south of the tracks will have pick up TUESDAY.