Lucknow Sentinel, 2009-05-27, Page 6•
Page 6-- Lucknow Sentinel; Wednesday, May 27, 2009
There may be no more free lunch for COW council sessions
• BY CHERYL HEATH
Clinton News -Record .Staff
There may soon be no such thing as a
free lunch in Huron County's council
chambers.
Thanks to a motion by Councillor Deb
Shewfelt. (Goderich) during Huron
County's committee -of -the -whole ses-
sion. May .19, county council is looking
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at doing away with picking up the tab
for councillors' lunches during their
thrice -monthly committee -of -the -whole
and council sessions.
That resolution was approved after
some debate sparked by Coun. Joseph
Seili (Huron East) who had earlier
asked county administration to provide
a breakdown on lunch costs. •
According to stats provided by Chief
Administrative Officer Larry Adams,
the tab will come in at about $15,000 for
2009, with a breakdown of about $15
per plate.
That expense, argues Seili, is some-
thing that shouldn't be borne by the tax-
payer.
Indeed, says Seili, he makes it a prac-
tice to forego the county supplied lunch-
es and instead patronizes Goderich busi-
nesses. •
It was Coun. George Robertson
(South Huron) who originally proposed
foregoing the lunches and instead allo-
cating a one-hour lunch break at county
sessions.
"This seems to be an awful lot of
money to pay for one person's lunch,"
he • says. "I can't see why anyone here
can't afford to buy their own lunch.
However, • his resolution, which also
called for' a one-hour lunch break, left
some councillors worrying that such a
break would mean fewer councillors at
the table, once meetings resumed.
Coun. Bill Siemon (Huron East) says
perhaps a better solution is to have
councillors pay for the catered lunches
through donation boxes that will benefit
area food banks.
"If the county is still buying it, is it
coming out of taxpayer's money?" said
Robertson,
County Warden Ken Oke, however,
says the •county chose to pick up the tab
in the "spirit of saving time."
"What you have is anarchy at 12," he
says in reference to a plan for an our -
long lunch break. "Yes, it's expensive,"
but it was continuity we were going
for."
Robertson, however, notes councillors
are paid a full-day honorarium regard-
less of how long the meetings . run.
Robertson's motion lost by a nine -to -
five vote. However, Shewfelt's motion
to eliminate lunch entirely passed by a
10 -to -five vote.
"He means no free lunch," says
Siemon, who then moved a resolution to
eliminate free beverages from council
sessions.
That move, however, found few fans.
"If the county can't afford coffee that's
getting fairly ridiculous," says Coun.
Bert Dykstra (Central Huron).
Coun. James Fergusson (Bluewater)
wondered whether a "little bread" could
be included with the water -only plan but
that request raised the ire of Seili.
"If you try to bring up some goal to
the benefit of the taxpayer, you're
ridiculed for it," said Seili. "In 18
months, personally, I'm gone."
The next municipal, election is set for
November 2010.
The water -only motion was
defeated.
County council must endorse • the
elimination of the lunch plan before the
move is made.
Happy 9 t
Kathleen D. Collyer
May 31
lave, from your family
we invite you to
Join Kajhteen for
a luncheon in the
fellowship hall of the
Lucknow United Church,
after the morning service
on May 31.
Best wishes only, please.
1
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PARK THEATRE soms 5qucre
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GOD[RICH 524-7811
Fri A Sat
6:45&9:15
Sun - Thur 8:00
Sat & Sun Mat 2:00
sol
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DI 'Ai( '1V%,
www.rnovioIiriks.ca
•
May 29 -
June 04
8:00
Nightly
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photoSubmkeed
of local : Odds got together to take part ,in s. youth. • actors
puton b the Hf W.K. Theatre th1s .
_ It took place at the Ludrnovii Library. youth *cars
indude, .back rows from kft to right, Logan Stanley, M diCtnzle
• BoItnder, jessica Nelson, Rachael ivi is : Kelsey Fischer, Rebecca
Nivins and Heather Sande. Front raw, Kariey Woods, Chase
Meurs, Jordan Meurs and Shane Logtenberg.
4-11
Breakfast
Sunday, June 7
8 a.m. -noon
m
Mary's Family
Restaurant, Luclmow
Come Out and Support
Our Local Youth
Z
Proceeds to
Lucknow 4-H Beef Club
r
Ptease
Recwle
This
Newspaper
9