Lucknow Sentinel, 2009-03-25, Page 7McIver didn't anticipate new hires
From page 1
"I guess this year I really wasn't anticipating any
new hires," said Northern Bruce Peninsula Mayor
Milt McIver.
"But we depend on staff to give us good advice;
not foolish advice so we're not making mistakes," he
said about accepting the budget and new positions.
Among the new staff , are two supervisors for the
Emergency Medical Services department and a webl
designer for the tourism department
Even at 4.69 per cent there's "all kinds of new
spending in this budget" McIver said, though he
added the budget is a positive reflection on the coun-
ty's "great department heads and a great business."
"Spending is what the new money was intended
for. It wasn't meant to reduce the levy," Goetz said.
"It's a reasonable budget- for everybody. We'll.
move ahead and hope for a good year"
The 2009 budget goes to ` a final vote in At
The program .that provides down payments for
qualified low income applicants has helped 45 fami-
lies buy their first home, said manager Susan Earle.
"It's a fun program to administer because people
are so excited to be able to finally buy their first
home," she said.
"They have small children and are thinking they're
never going to be able to buy a house. And now they
can, and have their own yard. It's great."
Bruce County still has $80,000 in the home own-
ership program for low income families, and a few
more- applicants in the mess.
"Hopefully we can get some more money out the
door," Earle said.
Meanwhile Bruce County is lobbying the province
to extend the home ownership program beyond the
March 31 deadline.
Social assistance
Bruce County's social assistance caseload crept. up .
again in February.
The increase could.: be the impact '01.. -season
employment., and the bigger economic picture, : said
social services director Terry Sanderson,
"We're showing some indication (the numbers). are
starting .to grow but we always get seasonal
Ws s reall . hard toget a handle o _
tion as well so �t y . - � . ,
he said.
Sanderson described the overall. caseload increase
. m Bruce County. as Moderate.
I flunk we seem to be buffered -by what's happen
ing at Bruce Power. There are some: opportunities
there and people are finding employment," he said.
• "It seems to make things a little bit easier for us."
The number of new cases.. int February dropped
slightly from the previous month, but overall the
caseload .is up 13 per cult comp .aced to the.. same peri-
od last year.
Even with those numbers :Sanderson said the
effects of .a major,, recession `have not hit locally, .
though that could°.. � happen later in the. year as
Employment Insurance for laid off workers runs :out.
In all there were: 493 people on social assistance `in
Bruce County in • February That . trend.: fits county
budget projections:
Crystal meth
Bruce County is bringing the province to the table
to. deal with the crystal meth problem.
Social services director Teny Sanderson ma!le a
presentation on crystO meth to Health Ministry stag
at the Good Roads convention and got a commitment_
for representatives to attend a local coalition meetin
on Thursday in W,
'I'm expecting a chance: for. the politicians to have
a good peek at what's going on, understand what the
implication are and perhaps have a' better under-
standing of whereSanderson said
taking
Its us,"a�..
about this weeks meeting.
e
commitment from' . the
full. (we can)et �a. co
I-Inpe ..yg
T
exploring furthe
province :that. he are interested in
o tion and pe -s even -funding m the- future,
�nf mna perhap g
. he said.
Crystal meth use is still growing rapidly in Bruce
County, Sanderson said in a report to county coun-
cillors.
Provincial funding could help the local coalition
deal with education, .treatment and policing related to
the drug and its users.
Sustainabllty network
A consultant says sustainable planning for rural
municipalities is long overdue. •
Barry Randall told Bruce County council that cli-
mate change is one reason to include sustainability m
decisions municipalities. make on waste manage-
ment, infrastructure and: community projects. 4 ,
The gas tax is another. The federal government
• won't - release those fundsunless sustainability is
integrated into decisions and 'programs .Randall. said.
Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, March 25, 2009 - Page 7
Submitted photo
iploy was pleasetto host the Regional Public speaking contest
this past Tuesday sponsored by the Ripley Legion and put on by
Bruce County. The Ripley Ravens were entertained by students
from grades four to eight from Lucknow, Huron Heights, : St.
Anthony's, and of course our own Ripley Ravens. From left to
right are the junior category medal winners, third peace to
Hannah DlckIe,: first to Hannah Scott and second to Brontae
I ,unt�er.:
Dickie will represent the region at the County finals on
April3 9:30 a.m. at Ripley School.
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A provincial home ownershipprogram has
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the manager of Bruce County's housing department.
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