Times-Advocate, 1999-03-31, Page 41'
Wednesda
mach 31 1999
In the N
Dashwood public meeting well
attended and e
By Stott Nbcon .•
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
DASHWOOD Residents in this small
police village spoke loudly and clearly at
a public meeting last Thursday: don't
split our village apart.
Approximately 80 people filled the
Dashwood Community Centre to talk
about the community's future, which
has been caught in the middle of amal-
gamation talks.
The South Huron amalgamation group
Exeter, Stephen and Usborne —
wants to annex the northern Hay por-
tion of Dashwood. So far, Hay Twp.,
itself involved in amalgamation talks
with five other municipalities, has resist-
ed.
The Dashwood meeting featured a
head table consisting of three trustees of
the village as well as councillors and
staff from Hay and Stephen. Hay Reeve
Jim Love was at a conference in Niagara
Falls and unable to attend the meeting.
Councilors from Exeter, Usborne and
Zurich were also in the audience.
• The meeting began with Stephen
administrator Larry Brown taking the
audience through the South Huron
amalgamation proposal. Hay clerk -trea-
surer Janisse Zimmerman then went
through the 'Original Six' proposal,
which consists of Hay, Hensall, Zurich,
Stanley, Tuckersmith and Bayfield.
Chairman of the Dashwood village
trustees Bill Becker admitted he was
surprised at the large turnout and
,explained to the -audience, "We have
some real concerns as to the future."
When the meeting was opened to pub-
lic discussion, resident Tim Steele asked
if Dashwood residents would be able to
know what their taxes ,would be if they
went with the north group or the south
group.
"It's impossible to predict," said
Brown, leading Steele to say Dashwood
"residents can't decide where to go if
they don't know how it will affect them
financially.
Another Dashwood resident, Adrienne
Talbot, wondered if amalgamation and
any proposed boundary changes will
affect what schools Dashwood children
attend. Brown said school boundaries
will not change.
Dashwood fire chief Jim Hoffman
questioned why Hay is not amalgamat-
ing with the South Huron group,
explaining that
the natural flow
for Dashwood
residents is to go
to Exeter.
"These have
been our people
for many, many
years," he said of
South Huron,
adding that
Dashwood residents have no connection
With municipalities such as Bayfield and
Tuckersmith.
He added that Hay isn't even talking to
the South Huron group or giving them a
,chance.
"You're scared of Exeter," Hoffman
said to audience applause.
Hay Coun. Fred Campbell admitted
there was some fear of Exeter, but said
council believes it should join with other
small municipalities, not a larger centre
such as Exeter. He said there is also the
-concern that taxes in Hay will rise if the
township joins with Exeter.
Hay Deputy Reeve Gerald Shantz later
said Hay Is committed to its group of six
and won't talk about amalgamating to
the south even If Exeter leaves that
u
• Resident Cathy Cade said Dashwood
residents should be able to vote which
way they want the village to go, adding
it isn't a decision councillors should
make.
"We didn't vote you in to decide some-
thing like this."
Campbell, trying to ease the fear of
some audience members that Dashwood
will lose its identity if split in half, said
the village has been split down the mid-
dle between the two townships anyway,
"so what's the difference" if amalgama-
tion splits it up? He added that the vil-
lage will keep its identity.
Becker, though, disagreed, saying the
village will have no trustees after amal-
gamation and won't have the represen-
tation it has. now.
Of the choice of either staying together
and joining Stephen or being split,
Becker said, "I don't like either option."
But according to Shantz, Dashwood
won't change if it is split. He used the
examples of Kirkton and Sebringville,
both of which have been split in half.
The only difference since ,they were
split, he said, is that garbage collection
on one side of the highway is on a differ-
ent day than collection on the other side.
Another resident, John Becker, asked
Shantz what will happen to the
Dashwood fire board after amalgama-
tion. Shantz told him the fire board will
remain until thecouncil of the new
municipality decides to change it.
Becker also wondered about how ser-
vices such as road plowing will be deliv-
ered to Dashwood.
"What happens to the little hole of
Dashwood?" he asked.
Brown told him all services of the for-
mer municipalities will be consolidated
and Dashwood will still have road ser-
vice, but it won't necessarily be a local
person doing the work.
Jennifer Steele, a five-year resident of
Dashwood, said she was getting the feel-
ing that Stephen Township really wants
Dashwood to stay together and join
South Huron, while Hay is simply saying
the north part of the village belongs to
Hay, "so tough."
Responding to several audience mem-
bers who wanted to know why Hay has
never requested the southern Stephen
portion of Dashwood in an effort to pull
the village north
with the group
of six, Campbell
said that group
doesn't want
any boundary
changes. He
added Hay
wants to be
good neigh-
bours and not
take anybody else's land.
Campbell later said Hay may put
together a proposal to annex the south
part of Dashwood from Stephen, which
would result In a struggle over
Dashwood by both amalgamation
groups.
. Responding to Hay's refusal to give , up
its portion of Dashwood, Shantz said
there has to be compensation and that
Hay would be losing $7 million,worth of
assessment If it gives up Dashwood.
Campbell asked Stephen Township if it
would be willing to give 'up its portion of
Dashwood in exchange for money.
Stephen .Deputy Reeve Tom Tomes
said Stephen would agree with 'that if
"We didn't vo
decide somet
to you in to
hing like this."
RESIDENT CATHY CADE TO HAY AND STEPHEN
COUNCILS, EXPLAINING THAT DASHWOOD
RESIDENTS SHOULD VOTE ON THE VILLAGE'S
FUTURE.
• 1 4s
Dashwood trustee chairman Bill Becker addresses a crowd of approximately 80 at
the Dashwood public meeting last week.Trustee Mike Tiernan looks on.
that's what residents wanted.
Exeter Mayor Ben Hoogenbooni, a
member of the -audience, assured Hay
any annexation would include a "negoti-
ation" and
would be fair for "You're scared
Hay council and — DASHWOOD FIRE
the people of
Dashwood.
He also defended Exeter, saying the
town is not acting as a bully, and the
partners of Exeter, Stephen and
Usborne are equal.
Usborne Reeve Robert Morley agreed
with Hoogenboom, saying Usborne is
getting a good deal with the South
Huron group.
"We're happy" he said.
Trustee Becker, near the end of 'the
meeting, said it is obvious Dashwood
residents want the village to stay togeth-
er and most at the
of Exeter." meeting appeared to
CHIEF JIM HOFFMAN want to join the
TO HAY COUNCIL South Huron group.
• Several members of
the audience,though, said they didn't
have enough information to decide
which way they wanted to go.
The South Huron amalgamation group
meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Exeter
council chambers, while the Original Six
meet again on April 14 at 7 p.m. at the
Hay Township office in Zurich.
#at, 2, left,
cey rtlett, l 2, and
Tarr Elliott,4 (and a
t#)'` strut their stuff
on the runway during
the Crediton Zion
United Church Spring
Fashion Show at South
Huron District High
School last week.
Ninety-five children
and adults modeled
clothes from Exeter's
Purple Turtle,
Deslgners,,Saans and
European Addition.The
show, a first for
Crediton United, was a
fund-raiser for the
church,