The Times Advocate, 2005-05-11, Page 21Wednesday, May 11, 2005
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TIMES -ADVOCATE
County stands to lose with OMPF
By Pauline Kerr
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE
GODERICH — Huron County council learned last
week that the new Ontario Municipal Partnership
Fund (OMPF) may not be such a good deal for local
ratepayers, as it first appeared to be.
OMPF replaces the old Community Reinvestment
Fund (CRF). Municipalities had been promised they
would receive at least as much as they got in last
year's CRF.
County treasurer David Carey explained that most
municipalities in the county come out ahead, some of
them by quite a bit. The county itself is getting
$2,403,000 plus $4,845,372 in one-time transition
funding.
"The total is over $6 million. It sounds great," said
Carey. But the one-time funding is only for 2005, and
the $2.4 million will be phased out over the next three
years.
Carey said that in 2006 the county will lose $1.2 mil-
lion, and will get nothing by 2008. He said the county
as a whole (lower tier municipalities plus the upper
tier county) will end up getting $1.4 million less over
the three years.
"They're taking away more from the county than
they're giving to the lower tier," he said, noting most
neighbouring counties are being negatively impacted
as well — Chatham -Kent is down $10 million, accord-
ing to Carey.
County Coun. Deb Shewfelt of Goderich described it
as a "neat little shell game", moving the money from
the upper tier to the lower tier, when the only thing
that will happen is municipal taxes will go up.
Both Carey and chief administrative officer Larry
Adams said the winners in the new system are the
large urban municipalities — Carey said they will get
an increase of $177 million through the gas tax.
Yearlings sell steady; calves, lambs sell hi,
Brussels
Livestock Market
report for the
week ending
May 6.
-Total
receipts
3,376 head of cattle, 904
lambs and goats
Summary
Tuesday: The fed steers
and heifers sold on a steady
market. Choice steers and
heifers sold 87 to 92 sales to
105, second cut steers and
heifers sold 82 to 86. The
cows traded on a steady
market.
Thursday: The good veal
sold on a steady market
while the medium and plain
veal sold under pressure.
The lambs sold on a strong
active trade with prices $10
to $20 higher.
Friday: The calves sold at
prices $2 to $3 higher while
the yearlings sold steady to
last week.
Steers
There were 931 steers on
offer.
Levi F. Martin, Wallestein
consigned two limo steers
averaging 1263 lbs which
sold to Dominion Meat
Packers for 105. His overall
offering of six steers aver-
aged 1312 lbs selling for an
average price of 89.07.
Eleven steers consigned
by Emerson L. Martin,
Linwood averaged 1474 lbs
which sold for an average
price of 95.70 with his top
gold steer weighing 1230
lbs selling for 102.25.
Amos B. Frey, Wallenstein
consigned sixteen limo
steers averaging 1446 lbs
which sold for an average
price of 96.25 with sales to
96.75.
Heifers
There were 452 heifers
on offer.
Lyle Kinsmen, Kippen
consigned three limo
heifers averaging 1147 lbs
which sold for 101.25.
Twelve black heifers con-
signed by Johnston Farms,
Bluevale averaged 1445 lbs
selling for an average price
of 93.42 with sales up to
97.75.
Clarence Dekens, Clinton
consigned two black heifers
averaging 1558 lbs which
sold for 94.25. His overall
offering of six heifers aver-
aged 1421 lbs selling for an
average price of 91.60.
Cows
There were 238 cows on
offer. D1 & D2: 30-40 sales
to 56; D3: 25-30; D4: 10-20.
Larry Rogers, Mildmay
consigned five limo cows
averaging 1710 lbs which
sold for an average price of
43.14 with his top cow
weighing 1415 lbs selling to
Holly Park Meat Packers for
56.
One limo cow consigned
by Glenn Koepke,
Palmerston weighed 1645
lbs which sold for 49.
Elgin Hogg, Wingham
consigned one limo cow
weighing 1150 lbs which
sold for 46.
Bulls
There were 12 bulls on
offer selling 20 to 35.50
sales to 37.50.
Murray Johnston,
Bluevale consigned one
black bull weighing 2,275
lbs which sold for 37.50.
One limo bull consigned
by Doug & Amy Miller,
Lucknow weighed 2305 lbs
which sold for 37.50.
Veal
There were 163 head of
veal on offer. Beef: 90-118;
Good Holstein: 80-85 with
sales to 86; Medium
Holstein: 65 to 75; Plain &
Heavy Holstein: 40 to 60.
John Martin, Lucknow
consigned one blonde veal
heifer weighing 690 lbs sold
to New Market Meat
Packers for 118.
Steady prices for cattle, pigs at Denfield
DENFIELD — The market at
Denfield Livestock Sales traded on an
even demand at steady prices on the
good fed cattle with the fancy cattle
very active at strong prices. A good
offering of cows were in good demand
at fully steady prices. Stockers steady,
pigs, sows and boars were steady.
Duncreif Farms, Denfield sold 15
steers average weight 1339, average
price 98.03 sales to 103 purchased by
Norwich Packers.
Ross and Henry Duff, Croton sold six
steers average weight 1346, average
price 95.12 sales to 102.50 purchased
by Norwich Packers.
Don Eedy and Mark Vanderploeg,
Denfield sold 18 heifers, average
weight 1424 average price 97.57
sales to 102.75 purchased by Norval
Meats.
Norm Hodgins, Parkhill sold 26
steers average weight 1390 average
price 93.
Choice steers: 90-95, sales to 103;
Good steers: 84-90; Plain steers: 70-
80; Choice exotic heifers: 90-95, sales
to 102.75; Good heifers 83-88; Plain
heifers 60-70; Good fed cows: 35-40;
D1 and D2 cows: 27-33; D3 and D4
cows: 20-25; Shells: 15-20; Good beef
bulls: 32-40; Good Holstein bulls: 25-
30; Good Holstein bull calves: $150-
$240; Sows: 44-48.
POLICE BRIEF
Stolen boat
recovered
BAYFIELD – Huron OPP have recov-
ered a stolen 1998 jet boat, taken from
Bayfield Marine. The Four Winds Fling,
yellow/white vessel, was reported stolen
last week. The boat had been removed
from a shed. On April 30 officers
received a tip and made their way to a
residence on Orchard Line in Central
Huron. The boat and trailer were hidden
in a bushy area. Police are still looking
for the thieves.
One black veal heifer con-
signed by Grey Luyten and
Sandra Dodd, Wingham
weighed 625 lbs which sold
for 105.
George Ducharme,
Dashwood consigned two
gold veal heifers averaging
700 lbs which sold for 95.
Lambs
under 50 lbs: 145-190;
50-65 lbs: 160-204; 65-80
lbs: 170-188; 80-95 lbs:
161-171; 95-110 lbs: 146;
110 lbs and over: n/a.
Sheep 40-63
Goats $20 to $87
Top Quality Stocker
Steers
under 400 lbs: 102-138;
400-500 lbs: 95-132; 500-
600: 102-124.50; 600-700:
93-122.50; 700-800: 88-
121.50; 800-900: 87-108;
900-1000: 80.50-96.75;
over 1000: 77- 96.25.
Top Quality Stocker
Heifers
under 300 lbs: n/a; 300-
400: 70-117; 400-500: 81-
124; 500-600: 94-116; 600-
700: 90.25-108; 700-800:
84.50-104.75; 800-900: 84-
106.75; Over 900 lbs: 70-
95.
"The large urbans are the big winners," Adams said.
County Coun. Rosemary Rognvaldson, reeve of
Howick Township, said, "At ROMA-Good Roads we
were told there would be winners and there would be
losers ... now we know what they meant."
A number of councillors suggested responses to the
OMPF. County Coun. Bernie MacLellan of Huron East
stressed this year's allotment should not be used to
"bring down the 18 per cent" (proposed budget
increase), noting there is a hefty budget increase pro-
posed for next year, too.
If the one-time funds were put into reserves, there
would be no reserves repayment in next year's budget.
"It's better management," he said.
County Coun. Joe Seili, also of Central Huron, agreed,
saying if the money was used to offset the budget
increase, it would be similar to what councillors did
"back in the '90s ... the only way to cut the budget is
to cut services."
County Coun. Paul Klopp of Bluewater said it is a
political issue that counties should be taking up with
their MPPs.
"We'll take them at their word they thought it was
good news," he said. "For the big municipalities it is a
plus -plus. We have to give constructive criticism."
Morris-Turnberry mayor and county Coun. Dorothy
Kelly said the matter should be presented to AMO
(Association of Municipalities of Ontario).
County Coun. Rob Morley of South Huron pointed
out, "The downloading started at the top" with the
federal government, which downloaded onto the
provinces which in turn downloaded onto the counties.
He recently attended a seminar in Ottawa put on for
35 mayors of small Ontario municipalities. It was done
at the request of the mayor of Collingwood, under the
auspices of the Conservative Party.
Morley said he found the meeting rewarding.
According to Morley, municipalities are all going
through the same problems.
"Municipalities have double-digit deficits and the fed-
eral government has a $9 billion surplus. It's time we
got up and fought ... because we're all getting sick of
it."
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