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Times Advocate, 1997-07-16, Page 21'aXe 2 Times -Advocate, July 16, 1997 IN THF. NEWS Regional wrap up Top doctor moves to Goderich GODERICH - One of Cana- da's top young doctors, Dr. Ken Milne has come to Goderich, re- ports the Goderich Signal -Star. More than a year ago, Milne switched to family medicine af ter. contact ,with latex gloves, necessary for orthopedic sur- gery. on -two occasions nearly stopped 'breathing. Two months ago, Milne received an award from the Canadian College of Family Physicians for being the most outstanding family medi cine resident in Canada. A sunny day spent in Gode- rich with his father convinced him to move to the small town • wherehe would "get to do medi- cine." Green garbage pick-up has branched out HENSALL - At its Monday night meeting, Hensall Council dealt with several items including garbage'pick-up. `The weekly green garbage pick up has been causing headaches for vil- lage staff. Residents have been asking staff to pick up` yard waste, shrubs and trees which do not'compiy with the guidelines set.out by council. According to Derek Robinson, the acting works superintendent, the pick-up ;service was meant to keep green waste gout. of.houschold garbage? However;' not everyone .has been following the guidelines of tying the waste in bundles less than four feet long and under 45 pounds. Robinson asked council to clarify the -criteria. - • "it's been happening a couple times.a week," claimed Robinson. "You can't be expected•to lift something up into ttiai truck by. yourself," •stated Councillor Dick Packham. . "As long as they get away with it. -it'll keep on going." said Councillor Butch Hoffman, adding;'If guidelines are followed, we'll pick it up:': "1 think it's going to have to be a -judgement cal on your part" ex- plained Reeve Cecil Pepper. • - Road construction :- • Lavis Contracting has -requested the Richmond Street .construction pro- ject he- extended to September 30. The company •claims it is' very im- portant the 'construction have ;minimal -disruption on W.G. Thompson and Sons. . According to'l,avis Contracting, DaleGood ofThonipson's: has sug gested the first two or three weeks in August wood not be a :good time due to the wheat season. Hoffman,was concerned aboti.t the impact of the t elay on the quality of the. prpject and other businesses. - Swimmer in "t's unfortunate to go through this. We're giving up the best weather for someone else. My concern is of a wet September."said Hoffman Canada Council passed a motion to extend the Richmond Si. S. project until September 30. - - Other items Games The Hensall Liquor Store asked permission to he' open on August 4 if CLINTON, - A gold - medal win 'at the Canada Summer- - Games Trial has guaranteed i6- year old Kristy Cameron' a chance to represent Ontario at this- year's games in Brandon, Manitoba. She is a member of the Huron -Hurricanes Aquatic Club..' . " The Clinton News -Record re- ports Cameron will swim the 20U -meter breaststroke and has a chance to compete in the ,200- meter individual medley and the :100 -meter breaststroke. Blanshard request rgir S coion) ,- MITCHELL A provincial . commissioner has been request- ed by Blanshard Township 'to examine the status of St. Marys in. regards -to the recently ap- proved Perth_County restructur- ing proposal, according 'to the Mitchell Advocate. - The restructuring proposal which excludes Stratford and St: Marys amalgamates 14 existing municipalities into four and was approved by the Minister of Mu- nicipal Affairs on July 2. Blan- shard Township reeve John Scott said Blanshard waited un- til government approval of the county plan before asking for a commissioner,' not ' wanting to jeopardize it. With only Blanshard and Downie townships in the newi municipality of South Perth, Scott said'it would be simpler if Si. Marys was included in the anew township. Scott says he has heard St. Marys would like to expand its boundaries by obtain- ing land wm.Blanshard.Town ship. . ' Because of a backlog of re- quests for commissioners to ad- dress restructuring issues it is unlikely a commissioner will re view Blanshard's concerns until 1998. Bolton receives highest honor SEAFORTH - An Bolton of Dublin has won the highest hon- or awarded by the Canadian Seed Growers' 'Association, ac- cording to the Huron. Expositor. The Robertson Associate Award is presented to individuals who "have had 15 years or more of outstanding leadership in the in- terests of better farming and im- proved agriculture." He has been on many different boards and associations, among them the Ontario Seed Growers' Association as president and the Huron Cattlemen's Association. • ' its on theyiquor Control Board of Ontario list of stores to stay open on that date: There was no -council opposition. . Reeve Pepper reported on the meeting with Usbo rne, Township - re- garding the perpetual care costs of the,Hensall landfill site, "Usbornc,was quite receptive to paying their share of the -cost's," said •Pepper. - Lucan's Maple St. still open Developer John Tsantilas request to close the street was turned down by village council. By Craig Bradford T -A Reporter ' - , • . - LUCAN: Those on or living, near -Maple Street proved they're liv= "ing in a democracy at the'recent council' meeting: They bucked and successfully fended off the possible, closure of Maple Street •after council voted.to•go no further with the proposed closure of the street from either Market to Duchess streets or Market.. - to /Kent. Local developer John -Tsantilas -applied for the closure cit ing little usage in the hopes of building:on land'o*ned'by t.ew is. The 10 ratepayers affected also -had the opportunity to,buy parcels of land with 25' frontages: but voiced their opposition to the applica--' tion at a recent public meeting. Although the land they could pur-- chase would come cheap at 5500-5800 per parcel, it has little: use there is a hydro easement on one half and the Benn Drain runs on the other, so the new owners would fiaye no access to it. No.dwell• - ings could be built on the newly acquired' land but owners would.: have to cut then grass and do other upkeep. - - "There were -lots of reasons why people- weren't interested in the , land," Reeve Rob Brady said. _ , . Brady said most of'Tsantilas' blocks to building should be solved if he files a.bylaw minor variance. - Brady declared a conflict of interest and handed the gavel to Dep- uty Reeve.Harry Wraith because he lives near Maple Street. • Clerks to prepare restructuring proposal • Contined from front of the MRC report. "If someone's .dissatisfied, we• should get them to look at it main. We should ask the road superintendents to get together and make a proposal at the next meeting," said Bill Dowson of Stanley Township. "You have to point out the exercise is not to do the same thing with the same_ people_binto say_ we wantLto.save_moriey." explained Janisse Zim> merman', the-MRC's coordinator. ` • Clerks from the six municilialities-will prepare the proposal for the com- mittee's review. The proposal will contain as much detail as possible but a transitional board will hammer out the details. . - "We can't have everything clear. There are no clear answers to some things," said Carttochan. Village settles for patch job on Main St. By Craig Bradford T -A Reporter LUCAN - It's a case of doing more with less when it comes to provincial money to fix Main Street. Lucan council will get 5120,000 from the Ministry of Transportation for the milling and resurfacing Main Street. Administrator Ron Reymer said the money, called the '97-98 connecting link allocation, is much less than the about 5500.000 required to reconstruct the road. Previous connectinj link •:,"eements had the province pay- ing 100 per cent of road work done i on municipal portions of provincial highways. "All we would be able to do is re- pair the cracks," Reyiper said at the recent council meeting about the provincial money. "if we don't do anything (Main Street) will have to be totally redone in four or five years. Pitching it will make it last seven to eight years." Councillor Rosemary Gahlinger- Beaune wants the 'province to cough up more cash for the' work and asked if the decision can be ap- pealed. "It doesn't make economic sense," she said. Reymer responded that "there's no hope" of getting the full re- construction amount from MTO. Village engineer Doug Johnston recommended the money be used to patch the three worst sections of Main Street and squirrel municipal money away to do the rest of the work later. Johnston said the work will begin asrsoon as the 56,000 en- gineering study (part of.the 5120,000) by Dillon Consultig's Bill Boussey is tabled. Gift of life Blood needed badly. Exeter's Carolyn Regiet, left,, said giving -blood for the first time last -.week at the Canadian Red Cross Society clinic 'at Lucan Community Centre 'was a cinch while Patricia _Outten, 'a Red Cross London Centre branch 'RPM, . monitored Regier's progress. Sixty-four Lucan area residents gave blood: that will help as many as 256 patients. Blood supplies are'always down in the summer and this season is no exception with types -'0' and 'A' especially needed. Blood -supplies ,are so low 7sbme elective surgeries may be cancelled if donors don't roll up their sleeves en masse. ,Though the Red Cross won't be re- - turning to the TA readership' area until the fall, those wishing to'don'ate can attend the per- manent London clinic at 850 Commissioners Rd. Clinic• hours -are Monday and 'Wednesday, noon -8 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday, 4 p.m, -8 p.n. 'Donors need to be healthy (no colds or infections), be at least age 17; have at least 56 days rest from their last donation, bring identification, not visited the dentist in past 72 hours and'nothave any body piercing or tat- .coos in past year. For more information, call (519) 661-6781. Mega -Week still mega headache for Lucan • By Craig Bradford the two municipalities merge, as - TA Reporter • ' planned. Biddulph would pick up - 56 •per.•. cent of 'the .o.t - LUCAN --The. province's Mega- i5285.678.55 t , and Lucan the • rest Week announcements are still hav- (5224.69&681. based on -96 taz til- ing a `mega .impact in Lucan.' es- ures. - pecially when ' it comes to anal- " Councillor Rosemary Gahlinger-. • gamation and policing. , Beaune said she -prefers to wait and - •Administrator Ron. Reymer told - see what jhe fallout from'titole pro-' council at the recent ,meeting •that , v.incial downloading will be and the'provinSe•, hasn't - budged on: its save the -costs •of merger_ Meetings position on'ehanges to the farm tax with other municipalities until then. rebate:." `'sF %'o, "This' is not the time to be jump- rned:. of 4 c6 ipce's ing on the:_ amalgamation band `stance ter a . private_ discussion .wagon.' she said. She' cited a report with Ministry:of Municipal Affairs from• the recent meeting in Nissori - London -office's John. Maddox at . Township that focused on amal- the Association of Municipal- :gamation. Gahlinger-Ileaune, said Clerks - and • 'the. ' report• con - .Treasurers of-« ' luded it's "not a • I think it's just � p- Ontario annual - • conference in Sault St. Marie ' on June 15-18. "1 think it's dust' another way of forcing propnate.' for mu:. another way of nicipaliues;to • forcing smaller proceed with mer=, rural municipalities ,gers because of the. to amalgamate." unknown impact of , , the province's '98 • budget - and. Meia- smaller -rural - municipalities, to ' Week announcements. amalgamate," Reymer said. "As a . Bur Reer,e•'Rob Brady said a mer- council. we have to decide - do . ger.with at least Biddulph Town - we• want to dig in our heels and say'sship which surrounds Lucan, is in - •'force. us' or pursue a merger. with a - evitable:. though talks have been put partner from the west . or • the on; hold pending, word -on what '• south?" .. happening to the farm tax rebate -. In -a later interview. Reymer said • question. , .he was surprised about M4ddox's - -"We're_ not amalgamating with • lack of answers. .anyone. unless it's Biddulph.". he 'The thinglhat really shocked me said. ' . is they won't address. the farm tax Deputy Reeve Harry Wraith said rebate issue." Reymer. said later' in he favors finishing the deal - with an interview: • - Biddulph`and then approaching an - Farmers now pay all of the tax, other municipality like • London bill to the municipality but•later get Townshipabout a larger merger. . - .three quarters -of -it back from the Those for, working towards an province. The • province plans on amalgamaw want to avoid inunic—Fla ittts cowl ecting only aa •what happened to Chatham -Kent quarter of the regular. tax amount. where. a commissioner dictated in effect passing the farm subsidy merger details when the players to municipalities..If Luc,an and. Bid- couldn't come up with. their own • dulph Township don't merge. -Ly- solution. • • ' can. isn't affected and Biddulph The future policing price in Lu - gets stuck with the entire bill. But if can also has councillors scratching their ..hea ds. Lucan Reeve Rob Bra- dy told council Middlesex County .council is looking into ,:aunty -wide policing by the OPP because it will likely be the cheapest route. though that- direction "doesn't .preclude"- Lucan from -getting •their - own quotes. Strathroy: the only ' Mid- - chewy( municipality to have their . own police service. is 'seeking sep agate quote's and • North Dorchester' has requested quotes from the OPP. - London' Police -and private. security Brady' said it's imperative. each - Middlesex municipality is on the . same page the Police Act -states • each .municipality in a county. must agree on county -wide OPP service - or each has'to pay for their own ser- vice... Special OPP services. like bet- icopters and the Tactical' .Rescue Unit that handles' special . details ' like explosives. hostage takings and • armed stand-offs could be excluded • from a deal to save money. but -Bra- - dy said they might be son if they don't go for the full deal. . "Lucan will have to pay through the nose for that type of.emergency service i if one arises).".he said. "It makes a lot of sense to buy the ba- sic service which_includesit'aIL" Brady said one frustration is the OPP can't tell municipalities how much service will cost until the • Ministry . of the Solicitor General - gives then the okay. Word is -ex-:• pected from: the province in• mid to late :august: but Brady has -.heard-.- numbers...ranging from S180 to 5250 per person annually •for Lucan - . to btiy its•own OPP service. ` • "You're talking. a ton of money for a small town the size of Lucan." • her said. "That's our enure budget." .But Brady said he expects the province to back- down on its hard; • stance'like it did with welfare and education reforms. . • Proposed work overruns budget By Heather Mir T -A Reporter GRAND BEND - After much discussion 'of the roads budget at the July 7 meeting. Grand Bend Council passed a motion to /proceed with the capital and maintenance items outlined by the administrator while staying within budget. • An item. estimated to cost 512.500, that is corder consideration is a project to tar and chip Gill Road from the bridge to the turnaround. Councillor Shir- ley Andraza said she felt it was important to improve the road because of the amount of traffic. especially boat trailers, using it. "Those people have suffered long enough." she said of the residents along Gill Road. • Council also took into consideration possible future development in the area which would result in tear- ing up the road for services such as sewers. All agreed Gill Road is in poor shape and requites at least a "stop•gap" measure. A discussion followed as to whether or not it is the village's responsibility to improve local roads or rather maintain them. The administrator was in- structed to cost out the options for resurfacing Gill Road in regards to distance as well as quality of ma- terial . A similar argument over maintenance versus im- provement also applied to a sidewalk installation proposed from in front of the T -D Bank to Gill Road: Deputy Mayor Phil Maguire suggested the im- provement could be done under the category of local improvement with the bank sharing 50 per cent of the. capital costs. To accommodate a road widening. the village would also require a road allowance dedica- tion. "it should be a local improvement in my mind." said Maguire. Other work scheduled under the roads budget in- cludes a drywell on Lakeside, Circle. realigning the main intersection lights and sidewalk repairs at the IGA north entrance, in front of the beer store and in front of J Dee's. • The total amount of the budget spent to date is 513,000 with 535,000 available in block funding as well as 512,000 from the connecting link budget.