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Times Advocate, 1999-05-12, Page 31TAKE OUR CAKE! vE ,lvElt7 T E egoz,ext DESSE, 1S 22114640 1.8.420.7775 TRY OUR PIE! Exeter Times -Advocate Crossroads PIZZA NOT UNE 235.3141 Wednesday, May 19 , 1999 Page 21 Candidates' meeting in Grand Bend Lambton-Kent-Middlesex candidates: (l -r) Wayne Forbes (Freedom Party), Marcel Beaubien (PC) end Jim Lee (NDP).Absent Larry O'Neill (Liberal) GRAND BEND — Lambton-Kent-Middlesex candidates were given a golden opportunity to address the electorate during an all candidates' meeting last Saturday morning at the Southcott Pines Clubhouse. - The three candidates present, incumbent PC Marcel Beaubien, NDP Jim Lee and Freedom Party Wayne Forbes, were given an opportunity to deliver their election plat- forms and address ques- tions from the crowd. Notably absent from the meeting was Liberal can- didate Larry O'Neill. The meeting's moderator and Southcott Pines resident Laurie Mannell told the audience he was absent because "his handlers decided it wasn't worth- while coming up here." Sam Dixon, a member of the audience, later disput- ed that saying O'Neill couldn't attend because of a mandatory Liberal can- didates meeting. Despite O'Neill's absence, the three other candidates contesting the riding managed to talk about a range of issues including health care, edu- cation, the Ipperwash sit- uation and government spending. A prevailing theme of the debate was Beaubien defending and explaining his party's poli- cies. Question period • A hot topic was munici- pal restructuring. Because of the area's ongoing restructuring woes, Beaubien was specifically questioned about his stance on the issue. Beaubien told the meet- ing he knew restructuring was taking a long time but he said he'd like the end product to be decided locally. "We need local solutions to local problems," he said. "It may not be the perfect solution but it is more palatable." Forbes agreed with Beaubien that restructur- ing must be decided local- ly. Lee said he'd scrap municipal restructuring. "Bill 136 has to go. If elected it's gone," he said.. When asked point blank by an audience member whether they would con- sider abolishing county government all agreed restructuring is necessary but solutions must be made locally. Here are sound bites from what the candidates had to say on some other issues: Education spending Beaubien: "The govern- ment just funds the sys- tem, they don't micro manage. -It is up to the school boards on how the money is spent. ... Change is always difficult to accept. ... Kids are going to be competing globally and we need to prepare them." Forbes: "We all went through school and there is not one dummy sitting in this room. There is nothing wrong with the system. ... We need respect, politeness and manners. We don't have that in our schools." Lee: "We need to talk to teachers to find out where the problems are." Access to Ipperwash Beaubien: "We still need to negotiate between all the stake holders involved before the army base question is resolved." Forbes: "They were burning down buildings - that's an illegal act. If you or I did that we would have been charged ... If he didn't want to get shot he shouldn't have been there breaking the law (re: the death of Dudley George)." Lee: "I'd like a public inquiry launched on the issue." Answer on Granton Sewer Project expected this week By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF GRANI'ON — The $1.9 million Granton Sewer Project is still on hold with an answer on an appeal expected this week. The appeal, called a '`bump up," Was made by. Ontario Street resident Charles Hayden, who has several con- cerns about the project, which will see all Granton resi- dents hooked up to a sewer system. If the Ministry of the Environment approves Hayden's appeal, an individual assessment on his property will have to be done, cancelling the project for the year. While Hayden is appealing the project, he says he is doing so to protect the interests of other Granton resi- dents as well. One of Hayden's main concerns are two sewers going down Ontario Street, which will run close to a well on his property. Hayden says he spent $25,000 to install the well in 1985 and he's worried about the effect the sewers will have on it. He said the municipality should pay him the $25,000 (with inflation) if his well is adversely affected. Hayden is also concerned about the cost assessed for his three properties for hookup. Originally quoted at $16,320.50 in December 1998, that number changed to $24,759.51 three months later. Hayden says he's Worried the costs will keep rising and wonders if other property ownprs hive seen similar increases. "What the hell is it going to (cost) when it's finished?" Hayden asked. Township engineer Bob Stevenson, of Stevenson Engineering Limited, said cost for the project is based on frontage and assessment for the ratepayers is divided fairly. He added that Hayden's appeal has delayed the project for at least 66 days, making it harder for engi- neers to get materials for the project. As a result, Stevenson said, Hayden is partly responsible for some of the rising costs of the project. Lucan Biddulph administrator Ron Reymer said there are always additional costs to any project. He added As for harming Hayden's well, Stevenson said there shouldn't be any concern. Hayden also said the public needs to be better informed about the project through public meetings, but Stevenson said there will be more public meetings once the project gets going again when council receives an answer from the ministry. Reymer added the project is "at a standstill" because of Hayden's appeal and a public meeting to view the pro- ject's final drawings will be held when the project is back on. He said the township is assuming it will win the appeal and an individual assessment won't be needed for Hayden's property. Reymer also explained that the longer the project is delayed, the harder it gets to hire sub contractors for the job, because they're already scheduling their summer work. The point of his appeal, says Hayden, is that while he feels Granton needs sewers, he's worried the project isn't being planned well. "I.want this done right," he said. "I don't want this country ruined." He said he's so concerned about the project that ifVhis' appeal is turned down, he will consider calling for an RCMP investigation. ' Citizen worried about manure management By Katherine Harding TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF GRAND BEND — Bob Brown is worried large- scale swine operations in the Grand Bend area could become environ- mental disasters if manure management standards aren't put into place. Armed with statistics and literature on the sub- ject of "factory farms," the Stephen Twp. resident approached Grand Bend council for help. "I'm not a farmer... but I've been listening a lot and I'm alarmed about the large amount of manure that is being generated," said Brown. "I'm worried about an accident happen- ing at one of these big fac- tory farms." Brown told council a barn of 2,000 pigs pro- duces the equivalent amount of sewage a town of 30,000 people does. He said some factory barns operate with up to 6,000 pigs. "I think there should be some concern," he said. Brown has informally met with other concerned citizens in the area over the environmental issues surrounding factory farms. "We've contacted people including MPP's but have only heard 'Until there is a problem we can't do any- thing'," Brown said. "That's not good enough... I think we should push for people to be monitoring • the situation." While Brown says Stephen Twp. has rules in place regarding manure management he fears they may be in jeopardy when the township is amalga- mated. He said because large corporations often own these large-scale swine operation and "serious money is involved" Grand Bend may be their only hope in getting these envi- ronmental concerns addressed. "I think if tourism gets involved we could do something," he said. Coun. Shirley Andraza was in agreement with Brown. "This is something we should be looking at as a tourist town not just because of the smell but because we are going to have it in our water soon with the system they're using," she said. "The right to farm legis- lation shouldn't override environmental issues," said Coun. Bob Mann. Council eventually passed a motion to send a letter to the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) requesting they lobby the Ontario govern- ment on their behalf regarding this issue. Reaching beyond the school Usborne Central School donated the proceeds from an Earth Day dance and hat day to Kosovar refugees who have come to Canada. On Friday, from left, Mike MacLean, Lindey Rundle, Kathleen Westerhout and Sherri Skinner presented the cheque to Major Harold Hosken, centre, of the Salvation Army.The organization will use the money to purchase clothing and other necessities for the refugees. Stephen Central School is also raising funds for the Kosovars.Any groups or indi- viduals interested in donating money through the Salvation Army can call Hosken at 519-672-5597.