Lakeshore Advance, 2012-11-28, Page 13Wednesday, December 21, 2011 • Lakeshore Advance 9
County budget talks to begin
Cheryl Heath
QM1keny
Huron County's Warden for
2012 is ready to talk budget.
Bernie MacLellan (Huron
East) reported at Huron Coun-
ty's Dec. 14 committee -of -the -
whole session that he has
already met with the treasury
`rtment to discuss the
.abilities for the coming
budget.
As a result of those talks,
MacLellan says the best line of
attack seems to be to break
down the budget into two
parts, one for the legislated
aspects that the county has no
say in, and the other for unleg-
islate(1 expenses where costs
cotll(d he trimmed.
Naturally, notes MacLellan,
the unleglslated portion of ale
budget is " a lot smaller" than
the other side.
Citing the homes depart-
ment as an example, Mail ,e1 -
Ian notes 1 lttron County oper-
ates two Seniors' home
whereas the province only
asks for one county honk'.
"We don't have to have two,'
says MacLellan, adding, "l am
not saying get rid of one"
Maclellan further directed
treasurer Dave Carey to for-
ward every councillor a copy
of the broken down expenses
for the county.
Fee Hike
Planning application fees
are about to rise but the move
will be a gradual one thanks to
a motion passed by council-
lors after some debate.
At issue was a proposal by
the county's planning depart-
ment to Introduce across-the-
board fee increases effective
March 2012.
hi addressing the proposal,
planning director Scott 'lbu-
saw says it is important to
understand such fees are
introduced on a cost -recovery
basis, and are not a tax since
they are paid only once.
Still, notes Tousaw, he is
aware that five of the nine
lower -tier municipalities have
('t)IWerls with the document.
In further outlining the pro-
posal, planner Sandra Weber
notes the last time the fees
were increased was in 2005,
and at that time, county coun-
cillors agreed to make the sys •
tem a user -pay one.
"Not increasing the ties will
increase the burden on tax-
payers," she says.
Warden Bernie MacLellan
(I Luton East) says the topic
was debated at length at
1 lttron East council whet. the
discussion centred on whether
such fees hinder
development.
Meanwhile, Coon. lames
Ginn (Central 1 loon) says the
increase would be more palat-
able if it were introduced on
an incremental basis.
Councillors agreed to the
fee increases over a Live -year
span beginning in March
2012. County Council must
endorse the emotion before it is
in effect.
A New Van
Huron County's Homes
department will soon get the
keys to a new van but the
move caused some debate.
In reporting that a new van
was budgeted for the hones
department in 2011, 1 fomes
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administrator Barb Springall asked coun-
cillors for approval to move forward with
the purchase.
Warden Bernie MacLellan (Huron
East) questioned whether it is true county
staff using their own vehicles supplement
the van's service.
Springall replied that while it's true
sometimes personal vehicles are used,
that is because the van nes between the
county's two homes.
MacLellan further wondered how often
the accessible van, rather than a personal
vehicle, is necessary to which Springall
noted the van's special features are
required by more than half of homes'
residents.
In speaking of favour of Springall's
request, Coon. Neil Rintoul (Ashfield Col-
borne Wawanosh) notes the availability
of Inc van allows residents to enjoy activi-
ties and t'Vt'llts that they wouldn't other-
wise be able to access.
"1 don't think cost is everything;" he
says.
While further questioning revealed
there ale other services available for sen-
iors in need of transportation, (:our. Art
Verstet'g (1 iowick) noted this is an exam-
ple of one area where costs could be
trimmed.
"We have to start finding ways to
reduce costs," he says.
lltitnately, councillors opted to sup-
port the request, which will require coun-
ciI's endorsement before moving
forward.
Severance OK'd
A request to sever a surplus dwelling
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Christmas & Happy Now rear
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from a I Lowick 1wvp. property is receiving
the thumbs up though neighbouring
property owners expressed concern with
the practice of allowing such severances
on prime farmland.
In outlining the merits of the applica-
tion, the county planning department
notes I lowick's Official Plan allows for the
changeover.
Sent Back
A request for an extension on a draft
plan for a sutxlivision was sent hack to its
home turf for further review.
At issue was a request by a developer
for n further extension on a draft plan for
a Grand Bend airport industrial subdivi-
sion that was first approved in 1995.
While both the home Municipality of
South Iluron and the county planning
department were recommending the
refusal of the request given the amount of
time that has passed since the first appli-
cation was made, councillors agreed to
send it buck to South 1 !mon at the behest
of its mayor after learning the developer
was asking for less time in the extension
than originally stated.
Into the Fund
'Ihe county's planning department will
now he atilt' to place fees of more than
0
•
$1,000 into its reserves for access to its
GIS department's maps.
Planning director Scott Tousaw made
the request after learning a $10,000 fee
will be collected from a wind company
that is purchasing GIS information on
I luron County.
Moving Fawa d
Truss repair work is moving forward on
a County Road 83 bridge at a cost of
$120,000.
While public works director Dave Lau-
rie notes the work will extend the bridge's
life by five years, council also learned that
replacing the entire bridge would be
about $2 million.
COW Maks
1luron County Councillors welcomed
aboard Conn. John Grace (Goderich) as
chairman and Conn. Joe Steffler (Ileum
East) as vice-chairman for the day one
committee -of -the -whole sessions for
2012.
Both seats went uncontested.
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