The Citizen - Feb 17, 2022

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The

THIS WEEK

Citizen

Huron County’s most trusted independent news source

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Volume 38 No. 7

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0

Ironmen win two, move up to third

By Denny Scott The Citizen

Part of the rush On Saturday at the Blyth and District Community Centre, the Blyth Brussels U11 Black Crusaders took on the U11 Burgundy Crusaders. The two teams battled for the win, of course, as well as for bragging rights within the Blyth Brussels Minor Hockey Association. In the

end, it was the Black squad that would triumph, coming out on top of a 5-4 score. The U11 Black Crusaders are now 5-6 on the season, while the Burgundy team is 2-10-1. The Burgundy squad next takes on South Bruce on Friday, while the Black team next plays on Feb. 23. (John Stephenson photo)

New positions stall Huron County budget

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Huron County Council has sent back the 2022 budget to staff for revisions, asking for more information on a number of proposed new positions, which will lead to further consideration of the potential tax rate increase.

Council held a special budget deliberation session on Feb. 9 virtually via Zoom to discuss potential changes to the budget and concerns that had been raised at previous meetings and placed in a “parking lot” to be addressed at that meeting.

While councillors didn’t propose many major changes to the budget, several new positions being proposed by staff caught councillors’ eyes and they’ve asked for more information.

NEW POSITIONS First, Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn and Deputy-Mayor David Jewitt both sounded the alarm on the sheer number of new positions being proposed in the budget,

which equated to 23.75 new fulltime equivalent positions, even if some are fully funded by upper tiers of government.

Ginn said he wasn’t comfortable with all of those new people being hired, adding that he said that the county isn’t out of the COVID-19 pandemic yet. Jewitt agreed, saying the average ratepayer will see a figure like that and want an explanation and it will be councillors who have to respond.

Huron East Deputy-Mayor Bob Fisher singled out four positions he said he wanted to know more about.

On the surface, he said, he felt like they were creating redundant positions, or part-time equivalents that could be absorbed by those in other positions.

Fisher asked for more information on the new communications co-ordinator, housing supervisor, climate change co-ordinator and the equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) officer. Council would eventually expand the scope of the review to include the museum program co-

ordinator and human resource information system (HRIS) analyst positions as well.

In regards to the housing supervisor position, Fisher said he was concerned that the position would represent a duplication of services with work being completed by the planning and development and economic development departments.

Chief Administrative Officer Meighan Wark pushed back, saying that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, when Huron County was beginning to feel the effects of the housing crisis, staff created a crossdepartmental working group to address the need for housing in the county and the need has only intensified. The position, she said, would work to co-ordinate efforts in the housing world and work to benefit all departments across Huron County.

Fisher also felt that the communication co-ordinator position’s work was also being done by the economic development department and current

communications employees.

However, again, Wark pushed back, saying that while during the pandemic some staff members were redeployed to sectors of greater need, such as the communications Continued on page 3

After taking the Kincardine Bulldogs to overtime for the second time in a week, the Wingham Ironmen were able to seal the deal on Friday, marking the first of two victories over the weekend.

On Friday evening, the Ironmen posted a 3-2 victory over Kincardine followed up by another close game on Saturday when the Ironmen posted a 5-4 win over the Mount Forest Patriots.

The two wins move the Ironmen up to third place in the North Pollock Division of the Provincial Junior Hockey League, with 33 points, followed by the Patriots with 31 points. The Hanover Barons are in first place and Mitchell Hawks are in second, each with 47 points.

WINGHAM 5 MOUNT FOREST 4 The Wingham Ironmen posted a 5-4 win over the Mount Forest Patriots on Feb. 12 by outshooting their opponents 47-37.

Wingham’s Evan Visser opened the scoring with a marker assisted

by Josh Pham. Tanner Reid followed up with an unassisted goal for Wingham.

The second period saw Mount Forest strike back with Benjamin Tenhag scoring a goal assisted by Caleb Cribbin and Darcy Winkler.

In response, Visser completed his hat trick for the evening, scoring back-to-back goals. The first was an unassisted powerplay marker, while his third was assisted by Trevor Klee.

Mount Forest responded with Continued on page 9

‘Stops’ nominated for OCNA Award North Huron Publishing has earned one of the top three spots for an Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA) Better Newspapers Competition Award in the Best Vertical Product category for its tourism publication Stops Along The Way. The publication was listed as a finalist on Monday in the category, alongside The Listowel Independent Plus’ “County Life Spring 2021” issue and The Highlander of Haliburton’s “Here

with Colin and Justin” section.

Whether Stops Along The Way will capture first, second or third place will be announced on Friday, April 29 during a virtual awards presentation.

The Citizen also received an honourable mention in the Best Community Website/Webportal category for publications with a circulation of under 9,999.

For more information or a full list of nominees, visit the OCNA website at ocna.org.

PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022.

Friendly fire Two Blyth U11 squads took each other on last Saturday in Blyth, with the Blyth and District Community Centre hosting a contest between the Burgundy and Black Blyth Brussels Crusaders. The Black team would win the high-scoring affair by a score of 5-4. (John Stephenson photo)

Infections declining locally says Klassen

By Denny Scott The Citizen COVID-19 cases continue to climb in Huron and Perth Counties, though several key indicators, including hospitalizations, have shown a reduction in infection rate locally.

As of Monday, Feb. 14, there were only two individuals hospitalized in the two counties as a result of COVID-19, with no active hospitalized cases. In total, 176 people have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 in Huron and Perth Counties since the pandemic began, up three from last week.

There are four active COVID-19 outbreaks in the two counties with one being an unidentified congregate living facility. All three identified outbreaks are ongoing, including the Queensway Nursing Home in Bluewater, where the ongoing outbreak case counts increased by two residents and five staff members, bringing the total to 51 infected individuals (34 residents and 17 staff members).

Braemar Nursing Home in Wingham remained at the same counts as last week with 42 residents and 17 staff members testing positive for COVID-19.

South Huron Hospital’s outbreak, which was declared last month, includes 16 patients and 12 staff testing positive, for a total of 28, up from 25 the week before.

In total, there have been 5,431 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Huron and Perth Counties, up from 5,269. Huron Perth Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Miriam Klassen has pointed out, however, that those numbers are much lower than the reality due to lower testing numbers leading to many community cases going unidentified.

Vaccination efforts continue with 84.1 per cent of eligible HuronPerth residents having at least one dose, 80.4 per cent being fully

vaccinated, 51.1 per cent having one booster and 1.3 per cent having two.

Huron and Perth Counties’ incidence rate (the number of confirmed cases per 100,000 individuals) and positivity per cent (the percentage of tests coming back positive) remain in the “red” zone of the province’s former colour-coded reopening program.

The former sits at 191.1, up from 181.7 the week before, while the latter decreased from 12.06 to 10.09.

PROVINCIAL OUTLOOK During a press conference on Monday Morning, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that, beginning Feb. 17, all COVID-19 capacity limits would be removed except for those in place at sporting events, concert venues and theatres, which will remain capped at 50 per cent. He said some higher-risk Continued on page 12

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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022. PAGE 3.

Councillors fight for lower tax levy increase Continued from page 1 department, they were being sent back to their original departments.

As a result, the communications team was losing people. There had been three people working in the department and the new position would keep the staffing complement at two, she said.

In regards to the climate change co-ordinator, Fisher said he felt as though that work was already being done by Climate Change and Energy Specialist Lily Morrow and that he didn’t feel another person was needed there.

Director of Planning and Development Sandra Weber, however, said the person who fills the new position would work to coordinate efforts, research and work with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), in addition to other duties surrounding climate change and its effect on Huron County.

Finally, Fisher said he was most concerned about the EDI position, saying he felt the work being done

by Immigration Partnership Coordinator Kristin Crane and Immigration Partnership Communications Officer Mark Nonkes was sufficient, saying he wasn’t sure the department warrants the work of three full-time employees.

Wark said that the EDI position, in addition to the climate change position, reflect directions of the future for municipalities in Canada, with many other municipalities and counties hiring people in those positions to be prepared for the

future. She said that if those positions aren’t filled, the county will not have the resources to address certain opportunities and challenges related to those areas.

Director of Human Resources Lara Vanstone agreed with Wark, saying that the positions fit into the four-year framework approved by council and that Crane and Nonkes have jobs that are quite clearly defined by the upper-tier funding formula for the local immigration partnership positions. As a result, she said, they aren’t really able to split their time and take on other county tasks that aren’t prescribed by the funding agreement.

Goderich Mayor John Grace disagreed with Fisher on the two positions, stating that in 2022, equality, diversity and inclusion, as well as climate change, have all been identified as important areas for the county and they then need to be supported with sufficient staffing.

Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan also stood up for the recommendations, saying that the benefits gained from improvements to the county’s communications are well worth it and he supported the inclusion of that position.

Ginn said he spent years working very closely with Wark when he was Huron County Warden and he didn’t think she would support the inclusion of a position if it wasn’t needed, but that he was concerned with the sheer number of positions being proposed to be added in this year’s budget.

Several councillors then

expressed an interest in a staff report on the aforementioned six positions, which council approved.

TAX RATE INCREASE Treasurer Michael Blumhagen presented the current draft of the budget at the meeting with a proposed 4.4 per cent year-overyear increase to the tax levy for a total budget cost of $46.6 million.

He told council that the property assessment roll increased by just under $160.7 million, supporting a levy increase of 0.91 per cent.

Therefore, in order to support the 4.4 per cent increase, the county tax rate would need to increase by 3.46 per cent over the 2021 budget.

He told councillors that the proposed tax levy increase for the county portion of the budget will be $33.31 on the median residential property in Huron County, which is valued at $209,000. For farmland, the increase would be $39.26 on the median farm property, which is valued at just under $1 million.

Fisher, however, stated that he would really like to see the proposed tax levy increase at three per cent or lower. To achieve that, however, he said he is staunchly against using further reserves.

However, when he proposed that as a motion, to ask staff to reduce the proposed tax levy increase without the use of reserves, council defeated the motion.

Fisher said he had earmarked a few line items in the budget that he felt could be removed or tweaked to inch closer to the necessary savings to reach three per cent. However, several councillors spoke out

NH pulls out of EV project

By Denny Scott The Citizen North Huron Township Council has declined to be part of a countywide zero-emission vehicle infrastructure project after learning it may need to pay $10,000 to install four units within its borders.

North Huron Council previously signed on with the project when costs were going to be handled by a third-party organization, however, that organization was found to be in a conflict of interest with the

project, which is provinciallyfunded.

Lily Morrow, Huron County’s Climate Change and Energy Specialist, explained the situation to council, saying there are possible partnerships that could cover the entire cost of the project, meaning North Huron wouldn’t need to spend tax dollars. However, if those partnerships fell through, the final bill could be as much as $10,000 for the municipality’s portion of the four units. “In order to proceed, we need to identify another funding partner,” she said.

Morrow explained that as much as 75 per cent of the $260,000 project can be provided by different levels of government, and, if 50 per cent funding can’t be secured, the county and local municipalities will need to contribute up to 25 per cent of the project.

Despite the two other municipal partners in the project (Goderich and Huron East) confirming they would contribute, North Huron Township Council decided it didn’t want to be involved at the $10,000 price point and turned down an opportunity to be part of it.

against nitpicking the budget in such a way and proposed asking staff to propose potential cuts, if that was the will of council.

Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Deputy-Mayor Roger Watt said that, with the cost-of-living increase estimated at over five per cent, he was comfortable with the budget as presented, though he did want to see the aforementioned report on the proposed new positions.

RESERVES Several councillors voiced their discomfort with the high amount of money in the county’s various reserve funds.

Blumhagen said the county’s reserves are in a “very healthy” position with approximately $60 million set aside, about $45 million of which is uncommitted.

North Huron Reeve Bernie Bailey said he very clearly understands asset management and the need for reserves, but he also said there are some reserves that are set aside for a rainy day, to which he added, “it’s pouring out there” for some as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He suggested removing some money from the reserves in order to

reduce the tax levy increase and ease the burden on the taxpayers.

Council also discussed the potential for a surplus once the 2021 budget is finally settled.

Blumhagen said there is $900,000 in the budget from a surplus of $3.4 million once the 2020 budget was settled. He said that $2.5 million of the budget had been used to mitigate potential increases in the 2021 budget, but that about $900,000 remained for use in the 2022 budget and had been included.

In addition, he said he was anticipating a surplus from the 2021 budget, but that he couldn’t confirm it until all the numbers had been calculated.

Several councillors suggested a staff report and the creation of a policy to establish a threshold for reserves that ensures asset management, but doesn’t exceed the need in reserve funds. Ginn suggested that the cap could be established, but then reviewed annually, depending on capital projects in any given year.

Council sent staff back to the drawing board on a number of issues relating to the budget, to be considered again at a future meeting of council.

The evidence of genuine piety (John Angell James, “The Christian Professor”) The evidence of genuine piety is to be found in... real humility, reliance on Christ, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, sincere sorrow for sin, and a continual effort to regulate our thoughts, words and conduct by the Word of God. Genuine piety will not thrive and increase without effort—but is of so tender and delicate a nature as to require great, constant and persevering concern, watchfulness and care.

“Work out your salvation with feat and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13 A Grace Gem Submitted by: Immanuel United Reformed Church, Listowel, ON 519-492-1359

Citizen Phone Book Cover

Contest

What does Huron County mean to you in one photo?

The winner will get the coveted cover spot

Grinding it out The Huron Heat U15 BB team posted a 4-2 win over the London Devilettes on Sunday at the Central Huron Community Complex, improving their season record to 12-10-6, thanks to these kinds of successful battles in front of the net. (John Stephenson photo)

on our 2022 phone book (with credit) and a special North Huron Publishing prize package.

Submit your digital photo to: Citizen Phone Book Cover at: info@northhuron.on.ca Deadline is February 25, 2022

PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022.

Editorials & Opinions

Founding Publisher: Keith Roulston Publisher & President: Deb Sholdice Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny Scott Advertising Sales: Brenda Nyveld The Citizen is published 51 times a year in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $45.00/year ($42.86 + $2.14 G.S.T.) in Canada; $190.00/year in U.S.A. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited.

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What’s the point?

While under a ban from officially competing on behalf of Russia due to a previous state-sponsored doping scheme, Russian athletes, representing the Russia Olympic Committee, are once again embroiled in controversy with the World Anti-Doping Committee.

Despite a pre-games positive test for a banned substance, 15-year-old Kamila Valieva was allowed to continue her Olympic competition with the caveat that should she place in the top three of her events, no medal ceremony would occur. Final standings under those circumstances will not be awarded until a full investigation into the positive test of Valieva.

Valieva’s status as a minor has afforded her protection and a perceived leniency and it certainly doesn’t seem fair to the other figure skaters, including the U.S. and Japan women’s team, which won’t receive their silver and bronze medals at an Olympic ceremony from the first event that Valieva competed in and won.

The anti-doping rules and punishment directives have no teeth and the Russian team seems bent on exploiting both the establishment and its own members, including a 15-year-old, regardless of the banner under which they’re competing. – DS

The eyes of the world Since the occupation of Ottawa began, social media has been awash with videos, stories and commentary about the abuse - verbal, physical and otherwise - being hurled at journalists working to cover the events.

Here in Huron County, the Feb. 5 parade of vehicles included signs declaring “the media is lying” and that “media is the real decease”.

(Failure of public education or deeply coded threat? You be the judge.)

The Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) stated that “journalists in the field have frequently been unable to record an interview or news item without being interrupted, threatened or assaulted” while noting an “alarming” rise in threats towards journalists. This is not new. In October, Carleton University and the CAJ held a roundtable on online hate and harassment targeting journalists. The CAJ and the Canadian Journalism Foundation released its findings from the roundtable earlier this month and the professional and psychological impact of online harassment on journalists is clear.

This all before a single vehicle began making its way to Ottawa.

A Tweet from Jeremy Thompson, a reporter for CTV in Edmonton, has garnered plenty of attention and support as he shared the news that his office has instructed its reporters to remove network branding from their vehicles, citing safety reasons. It’s hard to believe it’s come to this, but as people tirelessly seek out alternative news sources that only tell them what they want to hear, their anger towards those telling them otherwise is growing with real people on the other end of that anger.

It’s encouraging to see the House of Commons pass a motion that “reaffirms the vital and essential role of journalists in a democracy and condemns the attempts to intimidate them over the past few days in their coverage of the events in Ottawa.” But actions speak louder than words and journalists need to be safe to do their work. – SL

What have we wrought?

There was a time when signs of Canada brought relief and joy to people the world over, even before we had our current national flag.

During World War II, for example, villages and countries in occupied Europe who saw Canadians approaching knew that peace was on the horizon and, to this day, celebrate what Canada stood for then.

Unfortunately, due to the illegal actions in Ottawa and across the country, the flag has come to mean something different to some, and not necessarily something every Canadian can get behind.

The protestors have made the Canadian flag (among other, less desirable ones) a constant part of the ongoing occupation and, in doing so, made it so other protestors in other countries have adopted the same practices, making dissidence one of our most popular current exports.

The problem here isn’t fighting against a mandate that some feel is unjust, the problem is that these protests aren’t targeting those responsible for making that decision. Politicians in Ottawa aren’t being inconvenienced any more than the thousands of people whose day-today lives have been interrupted by these protests. The companies that were hurt by the actions at border crossings don’t have any control over the mandates. Even our local “slow roll” protests didn’t target any politicians and were more likely to hurt parents trying to get to hockey games or families trying to go shopping.

Canada’s world image is changing because of these protests and it’s not necessarily for the better. While everyone is entitled to speak their truth and call for change, it can’t be done in such a way that it hurts people who have nothing to do with the problem.

As protests inspired by the illegal occupation of downtown Ottawa pop up around the world, Canadians need to take a look at the message being spread and ask, should this be our export to the world? – JDS

Looking Back Through the Years February 18, 1965 In what was reported to be a relatively common occurrence, a letter mailed from Blyth destined for Jack Wheeler of Brussels made its way to the city in Belgium, rather than the village 15 minutes away. After being sent to Belgium, it was redirected to Huron County and eventually was delivered.

The Brussels Bantam hockey team defeated Blyth in the first game of the team’s round-robin championship by a score of 10-7.

They played again a few nights later and Brussels secured the championship with a 10-5 win.

The Brussels team was set to play Zurich next in a best-of-three series, with the first game set to take place on Feb. 17.

Legion Comrade Evelyn Carroll, the Zone Commander of Goderich, was set to make her official visit to the Brussels Legion on March 4.

February 19, 1975 Trustees for the Huron County Board of Education decided to give themselves a pay increase that served to double their existing salary. The trustees increased their monthly pay from $150 to $300, though, under provincial legislation a board with the same number of students could pay its trustees as much as $400 each per month.

Conestoga College announced that its post-secondary secretarial program (years one and two) that had been offered in Clinton would be moving to the Stratford Centre of Conestoga College that fall.

The Auburn Women’s Day of Prayer celebration was set for March 7 and would be held at the Huron Men’s Chapel.

February 19, 1997 The Blyth Festival’s 1997 season

was set to kick off with a Festival classic and one of the most celebrated Canadian plays of the previous 20 years in Anne Chislett’s Quiet in the Land.

The Governor General Awardwinning play premiered at the Blyth Festival in 1981 and told the story of an old-order Amish community being torn apart by the toll of World War I. Booze Days in a Dry County, a Paul Thompson collective, David Scott’s There’s Nothing in the Paper and The Melville Boys by Norm Foster and a remount of the 1996 hit Barndance Live! would round out the season, the Festival’s 23rd.

With the Health Services Restructuring Commission set to visit Wingham later in 1997 or early 1998, the board of governors of the Wingham and District Hospital were considering hiring a consultant to develop a “made-inWingham” plan to keep the hospital viable in the eyes of the provincial government.

The Blyth Atom Rep hockey team advanced to the Western Ontario Athletic Association finals after beating Hensall in three straight games.

In the final game of the series against Hensall, the locals won by a 13-4 score, led by Cole Stewart’s five goals and three assists and Kirk Stewart’s three goals and three assists.

Presbyterian Churches in both Cranbrook and Monkton welcomed a new minister in Rev. Lynn Nichol.

The new minister had recently completed a one-year internship at several local churches and had grown to love the community.

February 16, 2012 Morris-Turnberry Council gave

residents its cost proposals for the creation of a new fire department, breaking away from its partner municipalities, saying full costs were anticipated to be between $1.8 and $1.9 million.

Those costs would be offset slightly by $400,000 the municipality had in a reserve, leaving over $1.4 million left to be raised.

Blyth residents Brock Vodden and Greg Sarachman banded together to create a petition in the hopes of keeping Blyth Public School open. The pair joined groups with similar goals in communities like Niagara, Cobalt, Owen Sound, Welland, Sudbury and Colborne in taking the route of a petition to be presented to the provincial legislature.

The Wingham Ironmen made their way past the Kincardine Bulldogs in their quarterfinal playoff series, defeating Kincardine in the fifth game of the series.

Winning four of the five games played.

The Huron East Fire Department joined in on a donation to the Bird Cove Fire Department in Newfoundland after the Central Huron Fire Department took the lead on sending aid to the small department.

Despite an impassioned plea from Westmoreland Street residents in Blyth, the sidewalks on the street would remain unplowed, according to North Huron Council.

There were concerns about plowing the sidewalk because it was in a state of disrepair, according to Director of Public Works Ralph Campbell, but residents felt it needed to be tended to, as one of the most heavilytravelled streets in the village.

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022. PAGE 5.

Other Views

A little knowledge is dangerous

W

atching the news on TV these days, I can’t help thinking about the wisdom of the proverb, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing”.

Of course I can be accused of wishing for a return to the days when people like me – trained journalists – were the source of most public knowledge, but this day of the internet, when anyone can always find someone somewhere to back up their point of view, is wearing me out.

I can’t imagine, for instance, there was the same sort of backlash against the polio vaccine as there has been against the COVID-19, although I was still very young at the time. I seem to remember a thrill among parents that at last there was an opportunity to protect their children from a feared disease and a rush to get us vaccinated.

Of course the danger, then, was for the future generation. The death toll now has been worst among seniors, and maybe practical people see these as a drain on society anyway.

But the change, too, today compared to when polio ravaged the land, is that people are less respecting of knowledge – even if they have more. My parents had Grade 9 and Grade 8 education in one-room school houses. All of my siblings have some sort of post-secondary education. Even the truckers who shut down Ottawa and various border crossings, probably thought they were well educated compared to the parents of many of the people who lined up to get polio vaccines.

And then, or course, there’s the internet.

Where once trained journalists controlled the sharing of information, now we have a democracy of information in which anyone can express his or her opinion.

When I was young, my poorly educated

Keith Roulston From the cluttered desk parents put great faith in doctors who had far more education than the vast majority of their patients. They admired researchers like Dr. Jonas Salk, the virologist who was among the first to develop a vaccine for polio (and paved the way for the disease to disappear from the North American mindset). They listened to family doctors who were thrilled to finally wipe away the fear of this dreaded disease.

I suspect there were doctors and others back then who disagreed with people like Dr. Salk, but in a world where the exchange of information was controlled by gatekeepers like journalists, their influence was greatly constrained. One can argue that polio disappeared faster because of it.

Today, thanks to the internet, we lived in a world where the transfer of information is much easier. Trained journalists may still control who gets to speak on TV, radio and the newspapers, but these gatekeepers no longer have veto control. It’s easy to argue that the world is a better place when everyone has an equal voice.

It makes life much harder, though.

Look at the U.S. where former-President Donald Trump still dominates the news claiming he is denied his rightful office by election fraud. Though all the hard evidence shows this is untrue, millions of Republicans continue to believe Trump, to the point that Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell

fears his party cannot move on to issues that will help it win this fall’s congressional election.

Thousands of doctors, nurses and other health professionals believe the only escape from the limitations of the current pandemic is for as many people to get vaccinated as possible. Heart and other operations are still being postponed because of people who think they don’t need to be vaccinated, or that all the information about sick people in hospital is a fiction concocted to twist their arm to get vaccinated. Most of the beds in critical care wards are taken up by those unvaccinated – but that’s not what you believe if you think all the COVID-19 news is put out there in the name of giving more power to governments to interfere in our lives.

There’s another quotable statement that dates back to the King James Bible: “The truth will make you free”. Agreeing on what is the truth is the problem.

The vast majority of truckers are vaccinated and believe it is the key to ridding us of the pandemic limitations, yet a handful of people insists it has the right to cripple cities and countries unless the majority lets it have its way. Part of the demands of the organizers of the shutdown of Ottawa was that the federal government be replaced by an unelected group, even though the current government was re-elected last October, though in a minority.

But supporters of this shutdown of the country are sure they are right – even if thousands, even millions, of people are deprived of the use of their cities, even their sleep, and their jobs because their stores, factories and restaurants are shut down by protesters.

A little knowledge is indeed a dangerous thing.

In North Huron, the few outweigh the many

N

orth Huron Township Council (or at least three-sevenths of it) bowed to textbook Not In My Backyardism (NIMBYism) last week, allowing people who were more worried about the view outside their window to dictate the use of a property they had a chance to buy, but decided not to.

Councillors Ric McBurney, Chris Palmer and Paul Heffer decided that a five-storey apartment building wasn’t the right fit for the former Wingham Trailer Park, saying that the developer should, at most, be looking for a four-storey structure (according to Palmer). In the end, however, council decided to deny a zoning amendment that would have allowed the five-storey structure, meaning it was held to a three-storey development.

That means that, if the developers are able to manage to keep the building under various regulations, they may be able to construct a four-storey building, with the first storey being primarily below grade when viewed from the east side of the structure (which is where the neighbours are), while offering walk-out access to said storey on the westfacing side.

However, if they can’t, the developers said they don’t know if the three-storey structure would be financially viable.

If that’s the case, the decision of the three councillors (because Reeve Bernie Bailey and Deputy-Reeve Trevor Seip declared a conflict of interest) will have cost Wingham, a community that Bailey himself has said is in danger of losing industry due to lack of residential space, 73 residential units. The councillors have already cost the municipality between 16 and 32 units.

I’ve written about this before and the simple fact is that, if any of those families that

Denny Scott Denny’s Den had issues with how the property might have been used, they had every opportunity to put their own money and solution forward to council.

While I’m not jumping on the train of people with a belief like “my property, my will, everyone else be damned”, I am saying if you want a property next to you to stay as it is, you’d best be ready to put up or shut up.

Long-time readers may remember I wrote a similar column years ago about a commercial property proposed in Morris-Turnberry. While neighbours wanted the unused land to continue as green space, they didn’t buy it, instead hoping no one would ever develop it.

As a matter of fact, this isn’t Palmer’s first time knocking around the NIMBYism piñata, though last time he wasn’t a councillor, he was a property owner protesting against a multiplex that would border his Morris-Turnberry home. Since then he’s walked back on his stance against the property, saying the development wasn’t as detrimental as he thought it would be.

However, he still stood against this new development.

NIMBYism happens all around us whenever someone says they just don’t want to look at something that could provide a significant benefit to the community.

I’m not a heartless person - if we were talking about a landfill, then I’d understand the

desire not to be near it. We’re not, though.

We’re talking about an apartment building that development professionals feel is a good fit for the area (which is why the Huron County Planning and Development Department suggested approval for the changes which would let the development go forward).

Councillor Anita van Hittersum said it best when she said that, by making this decision, council was more concerned with the aesthetic worries of a handful of residents instead of the 73 individuals or families that could live in the building and support the community. As she said, a councillor’s job is to look at the whole municipality, which is something that Palmer, McBurney and Heffer may have forgotten.

She pointed out that the development and those 73 families would bring far more than just tax dollars to the community. Those people would shop at and frequent local businesses. They would bring economic development and support local community groups.

However, the three-sevenths of council who made this decision felt it would be better to let eight families, as van Hittersum put it, take more priority than between 16 and 32 families.

How does that math work?

North Huron and Huron County need buildings of all types, but, as development in Blyth has proven, these kinds of accommodations provide a chance for locals to downsize, which will ideally open up homes to be bought by families.

To paraphrase Pepper Brooks, Jason Bateman’s sportscaster character in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, the Heffer-McBurney-Palmer decision to limit housing in the middle of a housing crisis months away from a municipal election is a bold strategy. Let’s see if it pays off for them.

Shawn Loughlin Shawn’s Sense

One for the ladies

M

aybe it’s having a daughter that’s made me highly attuned to the world of women’s athletics, but it really does seem like Canada is in the midst of a golden era of female athletic competition.

Then again, I know Jess and I have been long-time supporters of Canadian women in sport. As I wrote in a previous column, we always circle the days the Canadian national women’s soccer team plays its annual exhibition game in Ontario on our calendar, and we do the same for their televised games.

That team won Olympic gold last year, the culmination of years of improvement against powerhouses like the U.S., Brazil, Germany and Sweden, and now there are plans in the works for a Canadian professional women’s soccer league.

At those Olympics, of course, a running narrative was that it was only our women who were winning medals. A few men snuck in some wins later on, but really it was the Canadian women who took centre podium.

With all this success, it was disheartening to read The Toronto Star’s Rosie Dimanno make the case that the time for women’s hockey in the Olympics has come and gone.

Dimanno is a long-time Star columnist and knows sports well. Furthermore, she’s always been a champion for women’s sports and acknowledged the controversy her opinion was bound to stir even as she was making it. Her point in this column is, essentially, that the world has not caught up to Canada and the U.S. in regards to women’s hockey and the Olympics is no place for a tournament for two.

Even if there’s truth to that, I find it tough to agree with her. Jess and I have already talked about taking Tallulah to see the women’s soccer team when it’s safe to do so. We did the same for our niece when the team played Mexico in Toronto in 2019 (a 3-0 win with goals by Jessie Fleming, Christine Sinclair and Adriana Leon). It was great to see a stadium full of young girls and women (and lots of men) witness world-class female athletes playing a sport at the very highest level.

In the weeks that followed the team’s gold medal win last year, many reflected on how far the women’s game has come in Canada; that young players like Fleming, Julia Grosso, Jordyn Huitema and others grew up watching trailblazers like Sinclair, Diana Matheson and Karina LeBlanc, gaining inspiration.

The many think pieces written pointed to a direct cause and effect between those who grew the game here in the 1990s and 2000s and last summer’s success in Tokyo, Japan.

Now, as we watch the Olympics at home, my daughter dances and spins along with the figure skaters and gets all wound up by speed skating, running from one side of the room to another over and over again. She seems to like skiing too, though she hasn’t quite figured out how to play along with that one just yet.

A quote traced back to Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund, is “you can’t be what you can’t see”, which has since been tied to several initiatives to empower women in everything from business to sports to politics.

Tallulah can’t be what she can’t see and if she can’t see Canadian women playing hockey at the highest level possible, it’s unlikely she’ll draw inspiration from that world, because she won’t see herself reflected in it.

What we have now is something that so many women in sport have worked so very hard to accomplish in recent decades. Now is the time to shine the light brighter than ever, not turn it off because others haven’t kept up.

PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022.

At the Branch

Branch committee hosting tribute show

Hitting the trails While the cold, wintery weather may have frustrated some people as they had to clean their laneways and bundle up a little more than normal, for one group of people it was welcome. Snowmobilers could be seen across the county on the weekend enjoying the trails, including those that run into Brussels. Shown above are, from left, Mike and Bennet Bruton from Brigden, Cory Lovell from Corunna, Lawrence Coleman from Petrolia and Aidan Coleman from Strathroy. (John Stephenson photo)

In-person worship returns soon A NOTE FROM BETTY

By Betty Graber Watson Call 887-9231 I’m writing this on Valentine’s Day and so the interruptions have been many. In this house, this is a holiday to be celebrated with joy. It means my brother Clif and I get to have another birthday party. So that means it’s a good day for connections. The 14th is an easy one for folks to remember, so fun phone calls make for a good day.

The Olympics continue this week so lots of amazing viewing on television, as the toned bodies do some pretty amazing things. Some take your breath away as you watch in amazement.

The COVID-19 numbers continue to improve, so the restrictions are beginning to lift. Cautious optimism is the way to go.

The United Church here will begin in-person worship on Feb. 27 with masks and distancing still required at this time. The guidelines of the province and our health unit will remain our guide as they have in the past two years. So keep your patience, not like the visitors to Ottawa and the border bridges.

Head shaking is the reaction when you think of those situations from

everyone’s view, not just the noisy visitors.

I got a very nice new Homecoming bag for my birthday.

Time to think of the support the committee might like. People interested in looking back at the community and the school in reference to the party ask that you take a look at your old photos and perhaps you could share. The United Church intends to have a drop time at the church and if you have any community pictures that folks can smile over, let me know.

School memorabilia could be shared with Mary Douma and Deanna Dolmage. So clean out those drawers and share your finds.

It will make for a fun reunion.

Be kind. Be safe.

Bye now, Betty G.W.

By Jo-Ann McDonald The Brussels Legion Branch has had a very slow week, only hosting an educational meeting held by the Brussels Agromart for their employees.

The entertainment committee now has tickets available for the Dolly Parton and Neil Diamond tribute band show available. You can e-mail the Branch to reserve your tickets and pay by e-transfer at legion218@ezlink.ca. The show is from 8-10:30 p.m. on March 5.

They also have karaoke on the Friday night at the end of the month with Stubby D. Food available that evening will be pizza and this week will be burgers.

A reminder for those who would be interested in having their loved ones who served in World Wars I or II, the Korean War or peacekeeping efforts included in the next issue of the Military Recognition Service Book: please call Jo-Ann to find out what information is needed, which is a photo, enlistment

information such as service number, date, where, date of discharge, where they served, division-army, navy, etc.

NEWS FROM BRUSSELS

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Brussels Legion Branch 218 presents

Dolly Parton and Neil Diamond Tribute Saturday, March 5 8-10:30 pm Tickets $20.00 each Reserve your tickets and pay by e-transfer at legion218@ezlink.ca or call Lisa at 519-531-0573

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Catch the assistance The Brussels Legion “Catch the Ace” fundraiser continues to be a great success not only for Royal Canadian Legion Branch 218 but also for community groups and organizations as the Ace Committee donates after every successful round of the raffle. Above, Jo-Ann McDonald of the Walton Hall, left, accepts a $500 donation from Ace Committee member Kathy Burkholder. The funds were from the second-to-last raffle, with the most recent one ending earlier this year. The next draw is set to start soon. (Photo submitted)

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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022. PAGE 7.

N. Huron Council takes no action on BIA request

By Denny Scott The Citizen

North Huron Councillor Anita van Hittersum is worried about the lack of attendance at local Business Improvement Area (BIA) meetings and hopes the township can aid in some way.

During council’s Feb. 7 meeting, van Hittersum noted that both the Byth and Wingham BIAs were

having relatively low attendance at recent meetings, asking if there was anything council could do to help.

After the differences between BIA boards and BIA memberships were explained, Councillor Kevin Falconer, North Huron’s representative on the Blyth BIA, explained that business owners don’t always have time to attend the meetings and may be more focused on their own affairs. He said that’s a

problem with every committee and community group, not just the BIA. “I don’t know the reason, it’s just always a struggle to get people to take the minutes… do the books and make presentations,” he said.

“It’s quite a commitment.”

Reeve Bernie Bailey said the lack of communication between local BIAs and council should improve with recent staffing changes, saying the BIA now has a direct line to

council by way of a newly-created position.

He said there were also issues with the economic development committee as well, saying that all these groups need new blood to continue.

While van Hittersum wanted to try and help the BIA with attendance issues, later in the meeting she voiced her opposition to a change the Blyth BIA requested to make its meetings more accessible.

Responding to a letter in which the Blyth BIA asked North Huron to follow Huron County’s rulings on online meetings going forward, van Hittersum said the Blyth BIA should just follow North Huron’s rules, recommending council not follow the BIA’s request. She went on to say she felt everyone was “dying to get back to in-person meetings.”

The letter asked North Huron Council to align its decisions regarding online meetings with Huron County Council, which had, since the first COVID-19 lockdown, moved all council and committee meetings online.

During the BIA meeting which led to the request, several board

NEWS FROM BLYTH members espoused the benefits of online meetings, saying they made it easier to make sure quorum was met and allowed business owners to participate without travel.

While van Hittersum suggested a motion declining the request, council decided instead to file the letter, resulting in the same outcome.

Snowmobilers enjoy cold winter weather From Marilyn’s Desk

Split games The Blyth Brussels U11 Rep Crusaders posted a 3-1 victory over the BCH Ice Dogs on Saturday, shown above, before losing 6-1 to the Goderich Sailors on Sunday. The squad next takes to the ice against the BCH Ice Dogs once again on Monday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. in Hensall. (John Stephenson photo)

NH to investigate parking issues

By Denny Scott The Citizen

A request for a property severance in Blyth has led North Huron Council to task staff with investigating parking problems on Mill and Drummond Streets.

The severance, which will see an existing multiplex on Mill Street severed from an attached green space, is being opposed by neighbours due to existing parking problems with the multiplex.

Parking issues included residents and visitors to the multiplex parking on neighbours’ lawns, damaging vehicles or blocking existing driveways.

The severance would allow another multiple-unit dwelling to be constructed on the severed space, which fronts on Drummond Street, with each property being under a special R2, or mediumdensity residential, property zoning. The special zoning will recognize reduced setbacks from interior property lines as well as a reduction in the minimum parking ratio of one space to each unit.

Huron County Planner Hanna

Holman said the new building would be just over 1,100 square feet, but would still meet all other requirements. She said the complaints are a good reminder for tenants to use their provided parking instead of parking elsewhere.

Prior to council approving the request, Councillor Kevin Falconer said that staff need to look at the parking policy for those streets and seek solutions therein.

He said he wasn’t worried about the newly-created lot because the structure there will have a driveway and garage, but complaints about parking, not just from the multiplex residents, but also during Blyth Festival shows and the annual reunion of the Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association, should be handled.

“I’d like staff to have a look at parking on [the two streets],” he said. “There has to be some way of alleviating those problems with vehicles being damaged and driveways parked in front of. It can be done through policy, and isn’t a concern of this severance.”

Councillor Chris Palmer didn’t

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necessarily agree, saying parking should be better marked on the retained property, which includes the existing multiplex. He was also surprised that staff was supportive of the plan.

The rest of council didn’t agree, however, voting to approve the recommendation and then approving a motion to have staff investigate the parking issue at Mill and Drummond Streets.

By Marilyn Craig Call 523-9318

There are lots of birthdays to celebrate this week. Dave Button celebrated on Feb. 10; I (Marilyn Craig) will be another year younger on Feb. 18; Christine Hoba and Vaughan Toll, Feb. 19; Bruce Siertsema, Agnes Wharton, Tom Hallahan, Bryce Toll and Scott Armstrong, Feb. 21 and Sharon Jackson, Robbie Lawrie, Bayfield, Joan Caldwell and Shirley Giilck, Kitchener (former Blyth resident), will all celebrate Feb. 22. Happy

birthday everyone and enjoy your special day I know I will.

If you didn’t order a beef dinner from Blyth United Church on Saturday night, you really missed out on a delicious meal.

On Monday, the sun was shining brightly. It looked so nice, but when you went out the temperature was 15˚C, feeling like -20˚C and the night temperatures were even lower. The snowmobile riders have had some good weather this past week for sledding and enjoying our Huron County weather.

Stay safe everyone and give someone a phone call to let them know you are thinking of them.

Broken Dryer?

Blyth Laundromat 191 Westmoreland St., Blyth 519-523-9687

PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022.

You can’t get there from here Glimpses of the Past with Karen Webster The river that is known today as the Maitland was once called Menesetung/Mennesetung.

In Chippewa language, “menne” means “small berries”, referring to the very small fruit found along the riverbanks when the heat of summer had mostly dried up the river and “tung” means “heard before seen”, which is descriptive of the sound of rapids that are found in places along the river. When settlers came to the area, they adopted a name that was easier to say, honouring Sir Penegrine Maitland, who was the Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada from 1813 until 1828.

The mighty Maitland provided transport by canoe and raft. Its powerful flow turned the wheels of countless saw and grist mills, as well as power plants. As well, this river presented a physical barrier.

While the coastal areas and lands along the Huron Road from Guelph to Goderich were opened up for settlement in the 1840s, portions of Huron County that now make up East Wawanosh and Morris Townships were opened up later.

One of the reasons for that was the lack of usable crossings of the Maitland.

In 1848, Eneas Elkin was the first settler in Manchester, which is present day Auburn. He built a crude shanty on the east bank of the Maitland River and ran a ferry service there until a wooden bridge was built around 1866 by the County of Huron. The Huron Signal of Sept. 9, 1866 reported that there are “serious complaints in regard to the Manchester bridge which was to have been completed by the 15th of August. ….There are only three to four men working, while farmers

are deprived of availing themselves of the splendid prices being paid for grain in Goderich.”

Unfortunately this wooden bridge was built too low and it was washed out by a spring flood. This was also the fate of a second bridge that replaced it. This 1875 bridge was built by the firm of Gibson, Black and Wanless. The cost was $1,984 for the superstructure and $9.95 per cubic yard of stonework. While this bridge was under construction, the county surveyor observed that the stonework was of subpar quality, but the workers did not heed his advice and, indeed, it was the central pier that gave way in a spring flood. A subsequent bridge, made partly of steel, lasted for a longer time.

Proximity to a river was an impetus for many early settlements, as was the case of the village of

UC Relief Fund tops $750,000

Henry Ward Beecher offers this bit of advice: “Speak approving cheering words while their ears can hear them and while their hearts can be thrilled by them.”

I am having trouble understanding the siege in Ottawa and the so-called “freedom” blockades and parades elsewhere across our province and country.

These are not the actions I expect from Canadians. If they would just consider the “freedoms” our country enjoys as compared to third-world countries, perhaps they would be grateful. Like those so opposed and vocal about the vaccine, there seems to be no reasoning with these people. My heart goes out to the poor folk of Ottawa who are prisoners in their own homes for reasons other than the virus.

What are these truckers and their supporters thinking keeping the city and its people hostage? What has happened to their compassion for others?

Don't they have responsibilities in other aspects of their lives which are on hold, like keeping their children in school not a sleeper cab? Who do they think

will be paying for the cost of all this? I resent it being added to my tax bills or the cost of purchases.

They will likely be the first to complain when the cost is loaded on them.

In the words of John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” I don’t think parking an 18-wheeler on the parliament grounds is helping our country.

While a war between the Ukraine and Russia is threatening, our politicians have more to consider than keeping traffic and goods on the move at home. Let’s put this into perspective, folks.

This situation is in sharp contrast to the efforts by athletes from around the world who are competing to the point of exhaustion to bring glory to their respective countries. Which would you choose as your legacy?

Sue Barnett, Licensed Lay Worship Leader at Londesborough United Church on Sunday, Feb. 13, encouraged everyone to share (Valentine) love through our actions and gifts every day of the year.

Define your life through hope, love and blessings she suggested. Her reflection was based on The Beatitudes as found in Luke 6: 1726.

Coffee hour is expected to return to the Londesborough United Church basement on Feb. 23.

Annual reports for 2021 are now available online. If you wish a hard

copy, please notify Marg Bakker in the church office.

Jesus said the second greatest commandment is: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” This is what contributors to the mission and service funds of churches do.

Contributions to the United Church Mission and Service Fund since the start of the pandemic have totalled $750,000 in relief funds.

One third enabled the United Church to give more than 8,000 vaccinations around the world, while the rest provided programs to stop the spread of the virus. Thank you for loving your neighbour!

Bandon in Hullett Township. Two mills were located there, but when a flood took out the dam there, the livelihoods of many people were lost and the small settlement soon ceased to exist.

In Ainleyville, now Brussels, residents were also facing problems with the Maitland. The first bridge was built in 1857 and it had to be replaced in 1886. Apparently, the old bridge was removed before the new one was complete and again, folks, especially farmers with crops to market, were quite upset about the inconveniences they suffered as a result.

Long stretches of the Maitland were without bridges. Sometimes a canoe would be left on the bank for use by whomever needed it. Often the canoe would be on the wrong side to be of any use. This situation was presented to Nathaniel Wellwood (1850-1933), who was raised on Lot 26, Concession 11 of West Wawanosh. He became a school teacher while still in his teens and his first school was across the Maitland River. One spring, when the river was fairly high, he wanted to return to his parents’ home. He used an ax to cut down trees to make a crude raft and used a long pole to propel himself to the other side. Unfortunately, the current took hold of the raft and he was worried he would either drown in some rapids or be carried all the way to Goderich. When he came to a small island, he grabbed onto a low branch of a willow tree and the raft continued off without him. A cold swim to the shore was his only option. Nathaniel was fortunate in

this outcome. Many are the stories of people who lost their lives when challenging the power of the Maitland, either for their work or for pleasure.

One of the first sources of income for the early settlers was the making of potash from the ashes of the trees that were cut to clear their land. As well, lumbermen from Lower Canada (Quebec) would come to make square timber of the trees.

The Wingham Advance-Times, in 1934, published a memoir of Albert Snell, whose family settled in Wingham in 1864. He recalled that in the winter, logs would be brought to the area that today forms the intersection of Josephine and Scott Streets. When the spring floods came, these logs would be formed into rafts to be floated downstream to Goderich where a large sawmill was located at the mouth of the Maitland River. Log rafts would fill “every corner and crevice of the Goderich harbour”.

Another former Wingham resident, Mr. C. Plaxton, added a footnote to the log rafting story. At one time, the logmen cut away part of the Fisher bridge in Lower Town Wingham to allow their log rafts to proceed down the Maitland.

In the present time, the Maitland still continues its flow from small streams toward Lake Huron. Every day many vehicles pass from one bank of the river to the other bank, travelling on high concrete bridges with an ease that would be the envy of early settlers.

With appreciation to Windings; A history of the Lower Maitland River by Margaret Stapleton. 1984

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SUDOKU Fun By The Numbers Like puzzles?

Then you’ll love sudoku. This mindbending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test!

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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022. PAGE 9.

Sports Barbour, team earn bronze synchronized award

By Denny Scott The Citizen Allyson Barbour, daughter of Marc and Tricia Barbour of Brussels, recently competed at the Skate Ontario Regional Synchronized Skating Championship in Oakville and brought home a bronze medal.

Earlier this month, Barbour, as part of Tavistock Team Unity, competed at the event. The team includes 16 skaters from age 13 to 19 and took third place out of eight competing teams, which earned it a spot to compete at the Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships in Calgary, Alberta, held Feb. 25-27.

The team is back on the ice training under coach Tara Wilkins, who coaches

eight other teams under the same banner.

In an e-mail to The Citizen, Tricia explained that the team is open to sponsorship opportunities to help offset the cost of participating in the championships.

Barbour started skating with the Brussels Figure Skating Club when she was seven years old and has been with the Tavistock-based synchronized skating club for eight years. She started at the beginner level, making her way up to intermediate, which is where she has skated for the last three years, with the COVID-19 pandemic making it difficult to practice and compete.

Despite that, Tricia said, the team has persevered and Barbour and her teammates are anxious to compete in Alberta.

Heading to Calgary Brussels’ Allyson Barbour, seventh from left, and the rest of her synchronized skating team, called Tavistock Team Unity, are heading to Calgary later this month after placing bronze at a competition in Oakville. (Photo courtesy of Sean MacKinnon)

Ironmen set season record with 72 penalty minutes two-minute tripping penalty.

Just past the five-minute mark, an incident saw Wingham assessed five penalties, including two to Josh Pham (roughing, two minutes, and inciting an opponent for 10 minutes), two to Ben Wyatt (head contact gross misconduct and a head contact five-minute penalty) and Kyle Smeltzer (inciting an opponent, 10 minutes).

Mount Forest’s Caswell was also assessed a 10-minute inciting penalty as part of the incident.

Mount Forest’s Michael Brassor was served a two-minute interference penalty, followed by Wingham’s Klee being assessed a two-minute hooking penalty.

Wingham’s Logan Bromley was called for tripping, resulting in a

two-minute penalty. During the same stoppage, Mount Forest’s Coulter was assessed a two-minute unsportsmanlike penalty.

Wingham’s Tolton served a twominute slashing penalty, followed Continued on page 10

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Making moves The Wingham Ironmen, shown above taking on the Kincardine Bulldogs, whom they beat 3-2 in overtime, have moved into third place in the PJHL thanks to two victories over the weekend. (John Stephenson photo) Continued from page 1 Cribbin scoring a powerplay goal in the third, assisted by Darcy Winkler and Christopher Prucha. Tenhag then scored another for Mount Forest, assisted by Hayden Coulter and Riley Torrie.

Wingham’s Dawson Fahrer gave his team the insurance goal it needed, scoring an unassisted marker with less than two minutes left in the third.

Mount Forest’s Jared Rowe responded with a goal assisted by Kirk Gibson and Jordan Leitch.

Wingham’s Garrett Golley stopped 33 of 37 shots in net while Mount Forest’s Michael Brassor stopped 42 of 46.

The Wingham Ironmen were assessed a season-high 72 penalty

minutes over 19 infractions while Mount Forest served 32 minutes on 12 infractions.

Wingham’s Chris Adlys served the first penalty of the game, a twominute tripping call, followed by Calan Tanzi-Foshay of Mount Forest, who served a two-minute slashing penalty.

Both teams then had a twominute roughing call levied against them, served by Wingham’s Jonah Burley and Mount Forest’s Torrie.

Wingham’s Dana Smith was assessed a two-minute penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

At the 11:45 mark in the first, Mount Forest’s Reid Caswell was assessed a four-minute roughing call. During the same play, Wingham’s Tanner Reid was

assessed a two-minute roughing penalty.

The first penalty of the second period went to Tenhag, who was assessed a four-minute tripping penalty. He was followed by teammate Aaron McGuirk, who was assessed a two-minute slashing penalty.

Wingham’s Josh Lorenz served a two-minute interference penalty before teammate Matt Tolton was assessed two head contact penalties, one two-minute and one 10-minute.

The final period of the second period was assessed to Mount Forest’s Tenhag, who served a twominute too many men penalty.

Wingham’s David Kozak served the first penalty of the third with a

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PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022.

Central Huron remuneration under budget in 2021

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Central Huron Council has released its remuneration report for 2021, a year in which the municipality’s government cost ratepayers just over $125,000.

Staff included the report in the package for council’s Feb. 7 meeting, which was held virtually via Zoom. Just $869.28 was spent on mileage and expenses

over the year, with many meetings and conferences being held virtually.

Mayor Jim Ginn received $24,751.88 in his honorarium and meeting payments, while DeputyMayor Dave Jewitt was paid $17,163.94 over the course of the year.

Councillors Alison Lobb and Marg Anderson were among the few councillors who attended conventions in 2021. Lobb received

$15,282.07 in her honorarium and meeting payments, in addition to $2,551.71 in convention costs and $836.05 in mileage and expenses.

Anderson was paid $13,991.74 in her honorarium and meeting payments,in addition to $2,405.69 used in convention expenses.

Councillor Alex Westerhout was paid $12,018.91 in his honorarium and expenses, while Councillor Michael Russo received $13,033.75 in his honorarium and meeting

expenses, in addition to $452 in convention costs and $33.23 in mileage and expenses.

Councillor Dan Colquhoun received $11,779.77 in his honorarium and meeting payments, while Councillor Adam Robinson was paid $10,160.87 for his honorarium and meeting payments.

Tim Collyer, the municipality’s Police Services Board appointee, was paid $783.84 in 2021 for his work at meetings and $407.04 for

convention expenses.

Total honorarium and meeting costs for the year came in just under $119,000, with $869.28 in mileage and expenses. The municipality paid out $5,816.55 in convention expenses for the year as well for a total government cost of $125,652.49 for the year.

The actual costs for the year came in well under budget, with over $177,000 budgeted for general government in 2021.

Ironmen down Kincardine Bulldogs 3-2 in overtime

Big win The Wingham Ironmen, shown above celebrating a first-period goal in their 3-2 win over the Kincardine Bulldogs, are in third place thanks to victories over Kincardine and Mount Forest this past weekend. (John Stephenson photo) Continued from page 9

by Mount Forest’s Coulter serving a two-minute boarding penalty.

The final penalties of the game went to Wingham’s Burley at the 20-minute mark, with a five-minute cross-checking penalty and a five-

minute cross-checking gross misconduct.

WINGHAM 3 KINCARDINE 2 Despite outshooting the Bulldogs 33-23, the Ironmen needed an overtime period to claim a 3-2 victory over the Kincardine

Bulldogs on Feb. 11 in Wingham.

Kincardine’s Gavin Downs opened the scoring in the game, marking the only goal of the first

period, assisted by Wilson Shipp.

Less than one minute into the second, Wingham’s Visser scored his 10th goal of the season, evening the score. The marker was assisted

by Klee and Burley.

With less than a minute left in the second, Kincardine’s Carter Servais gave the Bulldogs the lead with a powerplay goal, assisted by Gavin Downs and Austin Waite.

Visser marked his second of the game in the third, assisted by Adlys, driving the match into overtime.

Burley scored the game-winning goal for the Ironmen over three minutes into the overtime period, assisted by Tolton.

Golley was in net for the Ironmen, stopping 21 of 23 shots, while Tanner Ryan was in net for the Bulldogs, stopping 30 of 33 shots.

Kincardine had trouble with penalties throughout the match, serving 26 minutes over nine infractions. Wingham had 10 infractions totalling 18 minutes.

Wingham’s Smeltzer had the first penalty of the game, a two-minute roughing minor.

At the 17:57 mark in the first, Joseph Pringle served Kincardine’s first penalty, a two-minute roughing call. As part of the same play, Wingham’s Adlys was assessed a two-minute tripping penalty.

Just over three minutes into the second period, Wingham’s Payten

Have We Got Your Number?

Wheeler was assessed three penalties after a single incident: two two-minute penalties for roughing and cross-checking, respectively, and a gross misconduct for removing a helmet and/or chinstrap.

As part of the same play, Kincardine’s Jerrid Fossold was assessed a two-minute roughing penalty.

Kincardin’s Ryan Litt was assessed a two-minute slashing penalty prior to teammate Pringle being assessed two head contact penalties, one for two minutes and one for 10. Litt then served a twominute hooking penalty.

In the last three minutes of the period, Wingham was assessed three penalties: Dana Smith served a two-minute slashing penalty, Coleson Fischer a two-minute hooking penalty and Chris Adlys a two-minute high-sticking penalty.

Kincardin’s Jason Taylor served the first penalty of the third on a two-minute slashing call, followed

by Pringle being called for high sticking, resulting in a two-minute penalty.

Wingham’s Fahrer was called for tripping, resulting in a two-minute penalty, before Kincardine’s Pringle was assessed another penalty with a two-minute cross-checking call.

The final penalty of the game, a two-minute too many men call, was served by Wingham’s Austin McKeachnie.

The Citizen is now planning its 2022 Telephone Book.

Is your number correct in the recently delivered Bell Canada phone book?

Do you have a new listing since that book was compiled?

‘Who’ you lookin’ at?

Angela Coneybeare of the Maitland Valley Camera Club recently captured this snow-white wildlife photo and shared it with The Citizen. You can do the same by emailing your shots to reporter@northhuron.on.ca. (Photo courtesy of Angela Coneybeare of the Maitland Valley Camera Club)

If so, please let us know so we can make our phone book as complete and useful as possible.

Call 519-523-4792.

WANT TO ADD YOUR CELL PHONE LISTING INSTEAD? JUST PROVIDE US WITH THE CORRECT INFO.

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 25

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022. PAGE 11.

Central Huron budget process continues

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Central Huron Council held its second meeting to consider the 2022 budget last week, with councillors digging into several departmental budgets.

Council met to hear more about the budget on Feb. 8. This is the second special budget meeting for the consideration of the 2022 document, both of which were held virtually via Zoom.

Director of Finance Jeff Boyes, alongside several department heads,

presented draft budgets to council, highlighting some major projects and purchases proposed as well.

In 2022, the Central Huron Fire Department has proposed a 0.95 per cent increase in expenses to its budget before amortization.

Central Huron Fire Chief Dave

Well, hello there This blue jay must have thought it died and went to culinary heaven when it happened upon these cobs of corn at the home of Liz Allan, a member of the Maitland Valley Camera Club. (Photo courtesy of Liz Allan of the Maitland Valley Camera Club)

Lass presents BR&E results

By Denny Scott The Citizen Huron County Director of Economic Development Vicki Lass congratulated Morris-Turnberry Council on the significant response rate for a recent county-wide business retention and expansion survey.

Lass explained that, overall, 723 businesses responded to the survey, a response rate of 21 per cent, which she said was astounding.

“We did not have expectations of getting that kind of response rate in the middle of the pandemic with an electronic survey,” she said.

Of those 723 responses, approximately 200 sought support from the Huron County Economic Development Department following the survey, which Lass said was encouraging.

She said there was some interesting information through the overall responses, including the fact that many businesses have been around for 30 years or longer and that the majority have fewer than 20 employees, with a high percentage having four or fewer. She also noted that most businesses have been around for at least 11 years.

Morris-Turnberry’s response rate was at 20 per cent, she said, which was also a welcome surprise.

“Fifty-four businesses responded in Morris-Turnberry,” she said, adding that, even if it was below the county average, it was still a remarkable response rate.

Lass said she is encouraged to see there had been no change in attitude towards businesses operating in Huron County, saying owners felt it is still a good place to be. She said there is also a high level of satisfaction with community and local government services.

While the survey results listed addressing workforce shortages and lowering taxes, those weren't high priorities for Morris-Turnberry employers, she said, noting they wanted to see improved access to attainable housing and improved internet options.

Early indicators from the overall results showed a need to address business life cycle issues (including succession planning), workforce issues, infrastructure improvements and business support in the county, Lass said.

Themes around support requests included funding programs, business planning opportunities, succession planning activities, digital marketing assistance and assistance with hiring and retaining staff.

After reviewing the information late last year, Lass said she and other economic development professionals met with stakeholders to set priorities and establish both a five-year strategic plan and a oneyear action plan, with the latter being necessary due to the pandemic. The next steps include meeting with sector stakeholders, meeting with the Sustainable Huron Steering Committee later this month and hosting community roundtables through March, Lass said.

After outlining the future of the project, Lass welcomed questions from council. Mayor Jamie Heffer asked if there was any kind of report as to the assistance provided to the 200 businesses that sought it.

“Is there further follow-ups to benchmark that, or a road map to look at those issues?” he asked.

Lass said there were some plans, but many were individual concerns, so benchmarking those kinds of requests is difficult.

Heffer then asked Lass if there were options for succession planning in place, since it was identified as a concern by business owners. Lass said the issue is recognized by those behind the survey and future work and was also part of the planning process for the document.

Councillor Jim Nelemans asked if there were plans to help business owners attract and retain youth, saying that, in his experience, young people can’t get jobs due to needing experience, but apprenticeships are untenable for business owners since the apprentices leave for better opportunities once they are trained.

Lass said that was a noted problem in the research, adding that very few businesses who use apprentices or interns.

“They are concerned about [apprentices] leaving, but they are also concerned about the amount of effort needed for a program like that to work,” she said.

She then said that apprenticeships need to be the focus of a television program to drum up interest for them, saying the boom of early2000s shows focused on forensic sciences did wonders for that industry’s numbers. She said she recently connected with someone who works at Netflix and had floated the idea to them.

Nelemans said something is needed, saying in his own family he had two boys, one who went into a trade out of high school while the other went to university to become a teacher. He said the two are making similar amounts of money, but the one that went to university had significant bills to pay that the one who entered the trades did not.

Council received the report from Lass.

Renner said that volunteer firefighter pay will increase by 4.7 per cent and there has also been a general insurance increase for the department.

He also told council that, while the Goderich fire agreement costs are set to increase by $7,914 in 2022, North Huron agreement costs will drop by $13,553.

In addition, he told council that while call volume increased in 2021, firefighters didn’t have to spend as much time at the calls.

Engineering Co-ordinator Ian Koetsier presented the water and sewer budgets for the coming year, saying he is projecting a 2.77 per cent decrease, not including amortization.

The increase in revenue for 2022, he said, is largely due to the sewer rate increase of four per cent that is scheduled to go into effect on July 1 as part of the municipality’s new water and sewer financial plan, created last year.

He added that the department is facing a “significant” increase in insurance costs and that inflation continues to increase the cost of materials and supplies.

The department will also provide a 1.5 per cent increase to salaries and benefits for employees and there are also ongoing legal costs related to the sewage treatment plant filter.

Koetsier also detailed the year’s water budget, which includes a projected increase of 10.6 per cent in operating expenses, not including amortization. He said that the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation have both drastically increased material costs in this department as well, citing specifically a 60 per cent increase in the cost of pipe for water mains.

Similar to the sewer budget, Koetsier said the department faces a significant increase in insurance costs and a 1.5 per cent increase to salary and benefits. The department is also required to conduct an external Ontario Drinking Water Quality Management Standard (DWQMS) audit this year.

Koetsier also noted that the McClinchey well water main extension recovery funds will be carried over into 2022 as a result of the project being put on hold last year due to supply shortages.

Roads Manager Angie Turczyn

told council that her department’s budget is projected to decrease by 0.58 per cent in 2022.

“The majority of staff and equipment resources this year will be spent on Fish and Game Line, Dutch Line (Hullett-McKillop Road to Blyth Road) and Tower Line (Highway 21 to Orchard Line) for base construction,” Turczyn said in her report. The estimated cost for those three capital projects is approximately $250,000, which includes the municipality’s own resources, such as gravel, staff time and equipment.

She also noted that the culvert replacement for the Holmes Street structure is set to be tendered by the end of March.

In the roads shed budget, Turczyn projected an increase of 1.94 per cent in 2022 for operating expenses, though she said it’s expected to be smaller than in years past because no major maintenance is necessary this year.

This year’s Central Huron fleet budget is set to barely increase by just 0.088 per cent, with Boyes saying that the municipality’s automotive insurance has not increased at the same rate as its liability and property coverage.

Boyes said the contribution to the equipment reserve will match the amount of revenue generated and the use of equipment is traditionally charged out to various departments based on usage.

The municipality’s environmental budget is set to increase by just under 11 per cent in expenses. A portion of the costs will be covered by other municipal grants, including costs recovered from North Huron as per the landfill agreement between the two municipalities (50.48 per cent Central Huron share and 49.52 per cent covered by North Huron).

While the municipality’s garbage collection system is user-pay, any surplus is transferred to the reserve at the end of the year to aid in future cost increases. The 2021 surplus came in just under $85,000.

At the next budget meeting, council will review budgets for recreation and facilities, general government, health and safety, protective inspection, cemeteries, street lights and planning, community and economic development.

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PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022.

Ford says re-opening proceeds despite protests Toronto police were able to successfully contain protests on the weekend.

As far as Ottawa, he said all three levels of government were working together to “end the illegal occupation.”

He said those in Ottawa that are aiming to cause disruptions or chaos will face “serious

consequences for this lawless activity” and that they are holding millions of people hostage.

Ford also pointed out that personal vehicles used to protest or to “cause chaos” will be seized.

“If you choose to use your vehicles to create chaos, you will lose that vehicle and your licence,” he said.

The driving force Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced reopening steps that would see most of the restrictions, including the requirement for proof of vaccination, removed by the beginning of March. He said those changes are directly related to the people who have worked towards the reopening through following rules and getting vaccinated. In Huron and Perth Counties, vaccination rates, shown in percentages, are highest among those 60 and over, as shown above, with other demographics slowly catching up. (Citizen image) Continued from page 2 locations will be capped at 25 per cent.

Ford said social gatherings will be allowed to have as many as 25 people indoors and 100 outdoors, while organized public events can have 50 people indoors with no limit set for outdoor events.

Come March 1, Ford said that all capacities for indoor settings will be lifted and proof-of-vaccination requirements will be lifted for all settings.

Ford went on to say that masking will continue to be

necessary, however, to control COVID-19.

“This is an important layer of protection to allow us to re-open safely,” he said.

When asked what kind of milestones needed to be hit to remove mask mandates, Ontario Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kieran Moore didn’t provide a direct answer, instead saying COVID-19 statistics would continue to be monitored.

He said that, two weeks after the March 1 easing of restrictions, the COVID-19 data will be reviewed

to help make future decisions.

Ford said the changes were as a result of most Ontarians following the rules and getting vaccinated and had nothing to do with the protests in Ottawa and at border crossings.

He went on to say these changes aren’t happening as a result of the protests, but despite them.

Ford said declaring a state of emergency gave police every tool and resource they needed to bring the illegal occupations to an end, and said that was proven by the fact that the blockade at the border in Windsor had been ended and that

Bad weather cancels buses PEOPLE AROUND WALTON

By Jo-Ann McDonald Call 887-6570

It wasn’t a bad week of weather until Friday, and then it got nasty.

Buses were cancelled because the early morning had heavy snow falling. The plows were having a hard time keeping up with it and many roads were maybe plowed once, and in late morning, some had not been plowed at all. Visibility came and went and there was lots of drifting across the roads. I was bucking snowdrifts on the east/west roads, so they were not nice. The mild temperatures made the snow heavy and slippery and could pull you into the drifts. Not a great driving day at all.

Congratulations to the Brussels Optimist Club as their auction was sold out almost within a day.

Hopefully with the restrictions possibly being lifted they can accommodate a few more people.

The snowmobile folks out there are enjoying the added snow. There have been lots out on the trails enjoying the winter sport. When out driving, I meet trucks and trailers loaded with machines heading to go snowmobiling somewhere. The north has lots more snow so I am told.

Thanks to the kind person who is keeping the parking lot at the Guelph-to-Goderich Rail Trail and the Walton Ball Park open for parking. They both have vehicles there everyday.

The older generation of long-time Walton residents may remember the Jackson family of Walton. We have been told of the passing of Mae Jackson King, formerly of Walton/Seaforth. She was the sister of Ken Jackson. She was the aunt of Charles and Shirley (Jackson) Shobbrook, Graham Jackson, Sharon Jackson and Wayne Jackson. Our sympathies are extended to them and their families.

Celebrating birthdays this past week include Weldon Black, Maleah Taylor, Brady Dalton, Joyce Tipple, Christine Lee, Marg Rogerson, Mary Baan, John McCall MacBain, Barry Skinner, Betty Glanville, Val Pethick, Krista Fraser, Gary McNichol, Betty

Graber Watson and Hayden Lee. Happy birthday to all.

The breakdown In Huron and Perth Counties, the vast majority of hospitalized COVID-19 cases have been in unvaccinated (green), parially-vaccinated (yellow) or vaccinated but not active yet (red) patients. Over 80 per cent of the local population is fully vaccinated (at least two shots and at least two weeks since the second shot) and only 22 per cent of hospitalized cases are in that group (blue), refered to as “breakthrough” cases.

(Citizen image)

DONATION FUND The Municipality of Central Huron is pleased to announce their annual Central Huron Donation Fund. The Municipality will again set aside funds to assist and promote community-based non-profit organizations. Funding is also available for national and international non-profit organizations provided that they have a local branch or affiliate and whose programs demonstrate a direct benefit for the residents of our Municipality. Organizations and/or community groups whose primary focus is not within the Municipality are eligible to apply for donations, however preference will be given to organizations and/or charities whose primary focus is within the Municipality.

To Qualify Organizations must be non-profit. Proposed programs or events must clearly demonstrate a direct social or economic benefit for residents of Central Huron. Successful organizations will be required to submit a post project report identifying the use of the funds.

Further information can be found on our w e b s i t e : h t t p s : / / w w w. c e n t r a l h u r o n . c a / e n / b u s i n e s s - a n d development/donation-fund.aspx

NEWS FROM WALTON

SELL IT IN THE CLASSIFIEDS! Turn those unwanted items into quick cash with a single phone call or email.

CALL 519-523-4792 or 519887-9114 info@northhuron.on.ca To place your classified ad in

The Citizen

Application Applications for funding should include: • Description of program or event • Date of program or event • Organization budget for proposed program or event • Targeted resident group, if appropriate • Supporting information including statistics for previous similar projects • Amount of funding requested, specifying whether a cash or inkind donation is required.

If your organization has questions or comments they should be directed to the undersigned at 519-482-3997 Ext. 1230 or email records@centralhuron.com.

Applications clearly marked Central Huron Donation Fund are to be received by the undersigned no later than 4:30 p.m.

Thursday March 31, 2022: Nicole Lowe, Records Clerk Municipality of Central Huron 23 Albert Street, Clinton, Ontario N0M 1L0 records@centralhuron.com

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022. PAGE 13.

519-523-4311

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Agriculture

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Brussels Livestock report

Fed steers, heifers sell actively at steady prices Total receipts for Brussels Livestock for the week ending Feb. 11 were 1,260 cattle and 748 lambs and goats.

On Tuesday, fed steers and heifers sold actively at steady prices. Choice steers and heifers sold $168 to $174 with sales to $175. Second-cut cattle sold $158 to $167. Aged and medium-fed

steers and heifers sold $135 to $159.50. Holstein steers and heifers sold $87.50 to $133 with sales to $144. Bulls sold $90 to $126.50.

Cows sold actively on a higher market.

On Thursday, veal sold easier than last week’s higher market.

Lambs sold lower. Sheep and goats sold steady.

On Friday, calves and yearlings sold actively on a steady market.

Matthew Bros. Farms of Durham, consigned 12 head. Two black white-face steers averaged 1,693 lbs. and sold for an average price of $174.

There were 275 cows on offer.

Beef sold $86 to $116 with sales to $120; good holstein cows, $78 to

To the backhand The Wingham Ironmen were back on home ice this past weekend, securing two wins in two games, needing overtime to beat the Kincardine Bulldogs on Friday night in Wingham at the North Huron Wescast Community Centre. The home team came out on top of the extra period for a final score of 3-2. (John Stephenson photo)

WI marks 125th anniversary One of the longest standing sisterhoods in the world, founded in Ontario and now worldwide, is celebrating a major milestone.

From the first meeting in Stoney Creek, Ontario on Feb. 19, 1897 to today’s global network of branches, Women’s Institute (WI) has continued to provide a social connection, education source, and community service opportunity for women. Since founding, the mission and vision of the organization rapidly spread, as women everywhere embraced the movement for a better future for their family, their communities, and themselves.

Now, in the era of social media and particularly during the pandemic, women are feeling isolated in a different way. WI answers this need.

Over the years, the WI has been at the forefront of multiple causes.

The original goal of WI was to teach women how to keep their families healthy and well fed.

Naturally, these educational gatherings also offered a muchneeded social connection.

By hosting community dances and card parties, they began to raise money and support community work, then later the war effort. Most recently, WI has embarked on education campaigns around such topics as gender, Indigeneity, and Black history, and have undertaken campaigns to eradicate Lyme Disease and advocate for victims of human trafficking. WIs are

members of the Associated Country Women of the World (ACWW), which holds consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Local branches meet monthly, often with a guest speaker or group activity. Meetings include social time and a short business session to plan ongoing community involvement, support, and advocacy. Women are looking for a break. The regular meeting is time they can take for themselves to

connect with friends and get to know new people. Women of every age and stage gather to support each other and their communities.

New branches are being formed by women who are interested in supporting and inspiring other women in their communities.

Online options also are happening.

If you’d like to start or find a branch near you, please go to fwio.on.ca or contact the Majestic WI in Brussels or other local branches.

$102.50 with sales to $104; medium holstein cows, $68 to $77.

There were 200 head of veal on offer. Beef veal sold $180 to $213 with sales to $220; good holsteins, $155 to $169 with sales to $174; SL heavy holsteins, $145 to $155; heavy holsteins, $120 to $140; medium holsteins, $130 to $150; plain holsteins, $75 to $112.

Murray Burkhart of Wallenstein, consigned 14 head. One grey heifer weighed 965 lbs. and sold for a price of $220.

Lambs under 50 lbs. sold $435 to $460; 50 - 64 lbs., $453 to $477.50; 65 - 79 lbs., $422 to $445; 80 - 94 lbs. $354.50 to $385; 95 - 109 lbs., $325.50 to $338; 110 lbs. and over, $289.50 to $323.

Sheep sold $100 to $285.

Goats: billies sold $300 to $400; nannies, $100 to $250; kids: dairy, $250 to $497.50; meat, $450 to $500.

Lars Steunebrink of Kirkton, consigned 24 head. Seven kid goats averaged 55 lbs. and sold for an average price of $497.50.

Jerry Wilder of Zurich, consigned eight head. Three kid goats averaged 58 lbs. and sold for an average price of $500.

Top quality stocker steers, 400 499 lbs. sold $209 to $235; 500 599 lbs., $223 to $239; 600 - 699 lbs., $217 to $233; 700 - 799 lbs., $205 to $217; 800 - 899 lbs., $200 to $209; 900 - 999 lbs., $205.50 to $214; 1,000 lbs. and over, $189 to $209.

Top quality stocker heifers, 400 499 lbs. sold $181.75 to $214; 500 - 599 lbs., $160.50 to $177.50; 600

- 699 lbs., $178 to $184; 700 - 799 lbs., $189.50 to $198; 800 - 899 lbs., $191.50 to $198.25; 900 lbs. and over, $185 to $197.75.

Allan Aitchison of New Liskeard, consigned 69 head. Eight red heifers averaged 802 lbs. and sold for an average price of $198.25.

Joseph Sherk of Wellesley, consigned 12 head. Eight charolais heifers averaged 909 lbs. and sold for an average price of $197.75.

Joedy Aitchison of New Liskeard, consigned eight head. Eight charolais steers averaged 756 lbs. and sold for an average price of $215.

Steve Pastoor of Kerwood, consigned 13 head. Eleven charolais steers averaged 951 lbs. and sold for an average price of $211.50.

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PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022.

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Card of thanks ARMSTRONG. Tom’s family would like to acknowledge the many gestures of kindness and expressions of sympathy shown to them during the difficult time of their dad’s passing. We offer our heartfelt thanks to the many familly, friends and neighbours who made phone calls, visited our homes, brought food, sent flowers, cards and messages of condolences. Also a huge thank you to all those who donated to the Alzheimer Society and Huron Hospice (Clinton) in memory of Dad. Thank you Dayna at McBurney Funeral Home for your compassion and guidance. And thank you to Dr. Moores, nurses and staff of Braemar Nursing Home for the care given to Dad over the sixplus years and Mom (Joan), fiveplus years in your care. – Sincerely, Marion, Marlene, Noreen, Terry, Jeff and their families.

07-1 -------------------------------------------GOLLEY/CRAIG (née Nelson).

Dave Golley and family wish to acknowledge the kindness and expressions of sympathy shown to us from friends and neighbours with the loss of Patti. To all involved with all the kind acts, we feel truly blessed. Thank you especially to Dayna and McBurney Funeral Home for helping us through this difficult time.

Also, special thanks to Rev. Jeff Hawkins for his wonderful service and kindness and to the help and service from Care Partners. To anyone that knew Patti, they know she will live on forever! – Dave and family.

07-1p --------------------------------------------

Card of thanks Help wanted Help wanted Help wanted HOONAARD. As a family we would like to express our heartfelt thank you to each of the many of you for all your kind support to us during John’s year-long illness. Our thanks to Dr. Uniac, One Care, Care Partners, Huron Hospice and Rotary Hospice for all your good care. To all our wonderful neighbours for the flowers and donations to the G2G Rail Trail. To all of you for your visits, the cards, the flowers, the food brought over, your calls and condolences to us in memory of John. A special thank you to Diane Ferguson, to the pallbearers, to Zoey at Riverside Funeral Home and to Pastor Gary van Leeuwen for your friendship and service to us.

Wherever there was a need, whether keeping our grass cut or the driveway free of snow or all your other acts of kindness, you were there for us. A sincere thank you!

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6. – Jenny Hoonaard and family.

07-1p -------------------------------------------NIXON. Our sincere thank you to everyone for the numerous expressions of sympathy: cards, calls, food, flowers, plants, messages and visits. We are especially thankful for the support from Corrie and Ralph, John D., Rhonda, Marg and Ron, family, friends, neighbours and community during the last few months and past years. The help given from the Alzheimer Society, One Care PSWs, Care Partner nurses and Dr. Borrie’s, Dr. Shuffield’s and Dr. Peel’s advice was appreciated. Dayna’s guidance at McBurney Funeral Home was excellent. We were pleased with everything, the service tribute from Bruce Whitmore and the music by Don Vair. Most of all we are grateful for the importance of John/Dad being at home. – Sheila and family.

07-1p

PLANNING CO-ORDINATOR 35 Hours Per Week Salary Range $43,000 to $53,700 The Municipality of Central Huron is a friendly, vibrant community of over 7,100 with a unique mix of urban, agriculture and lakeshore. We offer diverse opportunities to live, work and play. We are currently seeking qualified applicants for the full-time permanent position of Planning Co-ordinator.

As part of the Planning team and reporting to the Clerk, the municipality is seeking a Planning Coordinator who will serve as the key point of contact on all matters relating to planning and development. The Planning Coordinator will accept, review, distribute and process all Planning Applications received under the Planning Act and liaise with County Planning Department, appropriate Central Huron staff, engineering & legal consultants, developers, agencies, residents and other relevant parties to ensure development occurs within municipal policy and relevant legislation. This role is responsible for keeping various Planning Applications on track internally which requires coordinating and sharing comments from external agencies in a timely manner and revisiting files regularly for status updates to keep the planning process moving forward.

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As the successful incumbent, and working closely with the County Planner and relevant Senior Managers, you will provide recommendations and advice to Council, ensure compliance with all necessary Provincial legislation, regulations, and policies and respond to inquiries/input from the public and public agencies in a timely manner.

As a highly organized and process-oriented person, you will competently and effectively administer all internal Planning related matters.

The ideal candidate will have/be:

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Call the Arthritis Information Line at 1.800.321.1433 or visit our website at www.arthritis.ca to get the support and information you need.

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Help wanted Help wanted Help shape your Council’s Future!

The Municipality of Huron East is accepting applications from interested citizens of Huron East to serve on a short term Public Advisory Committee to review and provide Council with recommendations on the 2026 Term of Council composition and compensation.

This is a short term appointment running until June of 2022. The expectation will be that the Public Advisory Committee provide a summary of recommendations to be presented at the June 22, 2022 Council meeting.

The Committee will consist of five (5) public members which will receive support from the CAO and Clerk of Huron East.

Applicants must be a resident of Huron East and at least 18 years of age.

Applications, containing name, address, and reason for interest and expressing the value you believe you bring to the role in the Committee should be submitted by February 25, 2022 to Jessica Rudy, AMP, Municipality of Huron East, Box 610, Seaforth, Ontario N0K 1W0 or by e-mail to clerk@huroneast.com

• Post-Secondary education in Urban & Regional Planning or related field such as Public Administration, Community Development etc.

• Primer on Planning Course through Ontario Association of Committee ofAdjustment Consent Authorities • AMCTO Municipal Administration Program (MAP) considered an asset • Minimum two year’s experience in Planning related role • Self-reliant, highly organized, efficient and task-oriented A job description for the position and information about the Municipality of Central Huron is available at www.centralhuron.ca Please submit your application by March 4, 2022 at 3:30 PM preferably by email to: Human Resources – Municipality of Central Huron Box 400, 23 Albert Street, Clinton, Ontario N0M 1L0 humanresources@centralhuron.com Terms and conditions of employment as per collective agreement, Local Union 636 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and all Human Resources policies and procedures of the Municipality of Central Huron. The Municipality of Central Huron is an equal opportunity employer. We are an equal opportunity employer and support applicants with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request throughout the recruitment process. Please email your request or call (519) 606-1223. We thank all applicants for their interest and advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Personal information being collected will be used in accordance with The Municipal Act and The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and shall only be used in the selection of a suitable candidate.

See more “Help Wanted” on Page 15

Thinking about quitting?

All word ads in The Citizen classifieds are put on our webpage at

www.huroncitizen.ca

TOLL-FREE

1-877-513-5333

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022. PAGE 15.

Classified Advertisements Help wanted Help wanted Help wanted Help wanted In memoriam Roads Manager 35 Hours Per Week The Municipality of Central Huron is a friendly, vibrant community of over 7,100 with a unique mix of urban, agriculture and lakeshore. We offer diverse opportunities to live, work and play. We are currently seeking qualified applicants for the full-time permanent position of Roads Manager.

As part of the Senior Management Team and reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer, the municipality is seeking a Roads Manager who will be responsible to direct, monitor and oversee the activities of the Public Works Department; directly supervise 10 full-time unionized employees, plan, prioritize and ensure the successful implementation of Public Works maintenance, Capital and Operation programs; oversee waste management and landfill issues; and effectively prepare and monitor departmental and project budgets. There are 327 km of rural road as well as 19 km of Lake front roads and 33 km or Urban road with sidewalk and storm system, 39 bridges, ditching and catch basins along with winter maintenance. As the successful incumbent, you will provide recommendations and advice to Council, ensure compliance with all necessary Provincial legislation, regulations, and policies, respond to inquiries, and investigate complaints from the public and public agencies in a timely manner. A proven leader, you will competently and effectively manage staff.

The ideal candidate will have/be: • Diploma in Engineering Technology or related field of study; • Certification through Association of Ontario Road Supervisors (AORS) or OntarioAssociation of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT)and all the courses that lead to gaining certification through O.G.R.A and AORS; • 5 years of management experience and multiple years of field and equipmentexperience; • A well rounded knowledge in all road related maintenance both summer and winter, as well both asphalt and gravel, storm water management and tree maintenance; • Surface Miner Courses in all modules; • Valid Ontario driver’s licence and access to a reliable vehicle Driver’s Abstract in goodstanding to operate Corporate vehicles; • DZ licence and heavy equipment operation experience is considered an asset..

A job description for the position and information about the Municipality of Central Huron is available at www.centralhuron.ca Please submit your application by March 4, 2022 at 3:30 PM preferably by email to: Human Resources – Municipality of Central Huron Box 400, 23 Albert Street, Clinton, Ontario N0M 1L0 humanresources@centralhuron.com Terms and Conditions of employment as per all Human Resources policies and procedures of the Municipality of Central Huron. We are an equal opportunity employer and support applicants with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request throughout the recruitment process. Please email your request or call (519) 606-1223. We thank all applicants for their interest and advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Personal information being collected will be used in accordance with The Municipal Act and The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and shall only be used in the selection of a suitable candidate.

Manager of IT Services 35 Hours Per Week Salary Range $76,000 - $101,000 The Municipality of Central Huron is a friendly, vibrant community of over 7,100 with a unique mix of urban, agriculture and lakeshore. We offer diverse opportunities to live, work and play. We are currently seeking qualified applicants for the full-time permanent position of Manager of IT Services.

Reporting to the Chief Administrative Officer this role will focus on the coordination of IT activities between the business units, vendors and service providers. Through collaboration with municipal staff, the position will be responsible for understanding business requirements and coordinating business solutions improvements and integration to meet these requirements. The role will also develop and manage projects to implement business solutions improvements and integrations. The role will be responsible for IT finances, governance and security.

The ideal candidate will have/be: • Post-Secondary education – degree or diploma – preferably in Computer Science or Information Technology or related field; • Project Management Certification such as PMP, CAPM or a Recognized Solutions Analyst Certification such as Associate Computing Professional (ACP) is considered an asset; • 3-5 years’ experience in an IT position; • 2 years experience in a Supervisory role; • Knowledge of MFIPPA and other relevant legislation as they relate to data storage / access; • Microsoft Office, Outlook, Excel, Word, Power Point; • Good written and oral communication skills are important to effectively achieve goals, policies and procedures to provide the services of the municipality; • Valid Ontario driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle.

A job description for the position and information about the Municipality of Central Huron is available at www.centralhuron.ca Please submit your application by February 21, 2022 at 3:30 PM preferably by email to: Human Resources, Municipality of Central Huron Box 400, 23 Albert Street, Clinton, Ontario N0M 1L0 humanresources@centralhuron.com Terms and Conditions of employment as per all Human Resources policies and procedures of the Municipality of Central Huron. We are an equal opportunity employer and support applicants with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request throughout the recruitment process. Please email your request or call (519) 606-1223. We thank all applicants for their interest and advise that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Personal information being collected will be used in accordance with The Municipal Act and The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and shall only be used in the selection of a suitable candidate.

All word ads in The Citizen classifieds are put on our webpage at

www.huroncitizen.ca

COOK. In loving memory of a son, brother and uncle, George Cook who passed away February 18, 2011.

Your life was a blessing, Your memory a treasure, You are loved beyond words, And missed beyond measure.

– Loved and remembered every day by your family.

07-1p

Services INCOME TAX PREPARATION – farm, business, personal. Stephen Thompson, 519-482-3244.

07-10

CitizenTo-Citizen FREE “SWAP SHOP” ad Let us help you turn that junk into $$ • Free ad up to 25 words, person to person only (no businesses), items valued at $1,000 or less. Your ad will run three times unless it sells faster!

• The Citizen reserves the right to limit the number of items or ads per person.

Call 519-523-4792 or email: info@northhuron.on.ca FOR SALE - four eight-foot fluorescent lights, $100. 519-8876009.

07-3 -----------------------------------------FOR SALE - heavy duty winchdriven by Orbit motor, $700; 6" grain augers on wheels, various lengths; Massey Ferguson 35 tractor rear-end and tranny and steering box, $500; various Massey Harris parts. 519-3952225.

07-3 -----------------------------------------WANTED - flywheel and clutch parts for 5000 Ford tractor. Call 519-395-2225.

07-3 -----------------------------------------FOR SALE - used snow shoes Yanes, aluminum, 30" long, $45.

Call Cranbrook 519-887-8273.

06-3 -----------------------------------------FOR SALE - Twelve non-fiction books, as one lot, Paul Bernardo, Nicole Brown-Simpson, Max Haines, Ted Bundy, etc. Best offer.

519-357-9467.

06-3 -----------------------------------------WANTED - Royal Doultons – I will give your Royal Doultons a good home. 1-519-641-2452. 06-3 -----------------------------------------FOR SALE - Samsung colour LCD video camcorder 220X zoom, 8mmwith leather bag and camera strap (like new), $75. Phone: cell, 519-357-7240 or home, 519-3573608.

05-3 -----------------------------------------FOR SALE - Garmin GPS navigation for vehicles, like new, $65. Phone: cell, 519-357-7240 or home, 519-357-3608.

05-3

PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022.

Obituaries appreciated by the family.

Arrangements were entrusted to Brenneman Funeral Home, Atwood. For more information, visit the funeral home’s website at www.brennemanfuneralhome.ca.

Jessica’s House in Exeter would be appreciated.

Messages of condolences are welcome at www.haskettfh.com When you think of Ana, celebrate the good memories you have of her.

Remember that life is fragile and short and should be lived to the fullest.

ANA PAULA XAVIER- LAMMERANT It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Ana Paula Xavier-Lammerant, of Seaforth, our loving wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend to all whose lives she touched, on Feb. 9, 2022 after a short battle with cancer.

Ana was the beloved wife of Randy for over eight years. Ana was the twinkle in his eye and the beat of his heart and as Ana would say – the pain in his butt. She was the cherished mother of Chris Silva (Nikita), Jessica DaSilva, and Melissa DaSilva; the loving stepmom of Logan Lammerant, and Wade Lammerant and the proud grandma of Elliena DaSilva.

Ana is survived by her mother Maria Peixoto Xavier, parents-inlaw Andre and Joyce Lammerant; sisters Claudia Xavier (Fernando) and Sonia Xavier (Mike). She will be missed by many friends and extended family. Ana was predeceased by her father, Olavo Xavier and mother-in-law Agnes Lammerant.

Despite Ana being taken too soon, she lived an extraordinary life and left a mark on all our lives with her kindness. Her smile lit up the room and she had a special way with words to bring laughter in our lives. With that said she was genuine to a fault, a pussy cat (or lion) at heart and yet she sugarcoated nothing.

Ana loved the water and ensured that vacations were along the beach or ocean. She had a knack for making a house a home, inside with her artistic decorating and outside as she enjoyed working in her gardens, with the help of her precious fur babies – Duke and Duchess, who enjoyed helping her work up the soil.

A private family funeral service will be held at Haskett Funeral Home, Seaforth. Donations to

DOROTHY (HALLAM) SCHNEIDER Oct. 9, 1955 - Jan. 18, 2022 Dorothy (Hallam) Schneider passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, on Jan. 18, 2022. She was in her 78th year.

Dorothy was the loving wife and best friend of James (2019) for almost 54 years and the cherished and devoted mother of Dennis (Lorelee) Schneider, Angela (Tony) Lawrence, Michael (Leanne) Schneider and Pamela (Jeremiah) Sommer. She was the loving grandma of Amanda, Jason, Katherine, Heather, Logan, Joshua, Isaiah, Kathryn, Alexandra, Ethan and Paige.

Dorothy was predeceased by her parents Charles and Viola Hallam and brothers Tom, Fred, Les, Cecil and Jim. Dorothy will be fondly remembered by her sister Beth and brothers Ross and Roy, as well as Jim’s siblings, many nieces and nephews and friends and by the many children who were welcomed into her home and heart in her cherished role as a babysitter.

A family service of remembrance was held on Friday, Jan. 28 at St. George’s Anglican, Goderich.

Donations made to St George’s Church or the Arthritis Society of Canada would be appreciated by the family. Interment will take place in the summer.

ROSE SMITH Rose Smith, formerly of RR 2, Listowel, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family, at her residence in Listowel, on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. She was 92.

Rose was born in England and worked as a seamstress and also at the railway office, where she met David. After coming to Canada, David and Rose made a life farming together. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, sewing, quilting, reading and spending time with her family.

She was the beloved wife of the late David Smith, who predeceased her in 1990. She was the loving mother of Mary Ellen (Harry) Jacklin, Jim (Sandra), Sally (Scott) Andrews, Sandra (Don) Harrison and the cherished grandmother of 10 grandchildren, 24 greatgrandchildren and 12 great-greatgrandchildren. Rose will be fondly remembered by her brother Harold and his wife Pearl Norman and many nieces and nephews.

Rose was predeceased by her parents Herbert and Mary (Tazzymen) Norman, brothers Tom (Irene), David (Loretta), Herbert “Tommy” (Mae), and sisters Joyce, Marion and Mabel.

A private family funeral service was held at the Elma Memorial Community Centre, Atwood on Saturday, Feb. 12. Ruth Long officiated. The service was recorded and the link is available in Rose’s obituary on the funeral home website. Spring interment will be held at Elma Centre Cemetery, Atwood.

As expressions of sympathy, memorial donations to Calvary United Church, North Perth Community Hospice or the Canadian Cancer Society would be

Wilbee speaks on power of love PEOPLE AROUND BELGRAVE

By Linda Campbell Call 357-2188

Guest speaker Gloria Wilbee led Knox United Church in worship on Sunday, Feb. 13, the sixth Sunday after Epiphany.

On a beautiful morning before Valentine’s Day, Gloria spoke on the power of love for mankind.

Love is from the heart, as Jesus showed in His ministry. Love all those in every walk of life with all your heart and soul. Love is not just for one day of the year but every day of the year.

The congregation was entertained

by the musical talents of Paul, Lila, Gloria and Keith and their musical instruments. Their music was so inspirational and loved by everyone.

Happy Valentine’s Day and continue to show you care.

The guest speaker for Feb. 20 is Murray Scanlon.

The annual reports are on the table with the Sunday bulletins.

The Community Coffee Break is Tuesday, Feb. 22, 9:30 a.m to 11 a.m. at the Belgrave Community Centre. Everyone is welcome.

Proof of vaccine is required. Bring a mask.

Sincere sympathy is extended to Marion and Roy Taylor, Marlene and Merv Baker, Noreen Walker, Terry and Sheila Armstrong, and Jeff and Donna Armstrong in the loss of their father, Tom Armstrong.

He will be missed by his grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren and

brother-in-law Hiseler.

Stan

and

THOMAS “TOM” FRANKEN Nov. 23, 1963 - Jan. 26, 2022 It is with great sadness and broken hearts that we announce the passing of Tom Franken, Goderich, on Jan. 26, 2022. He was in his 59th year.

Tom was an amazing and loving husband of Susan Franken and a very proud and caring dad of Cassidy Franken, Robbie Franken and Danielle Dale. He was the adored “Bampa” of Charlotte Franken. Tom is survived by his mother Emma (VanLammeren) Franken. He was predeceased by his father John Franken.

Tom is survived by brothers and sisters Harry and Charlene Franken, Ingersoll; Marg Miller and Denis Medd, Egmondville; Ed and Bonnie Franken, Teeswater: John Franken, Teeswater; Paul and Lorraine Franken, Clinton; Mike Franken and Sara Wood, Dungannon; Dave and Lisa Franken, Blyth, and Mary Anne Franken-Millian, Petrolia. He was the brother-in-law of Micheal Chisholm and Tabatha Darrell. Tom is also survived by many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Tom was predeceased by his mother-in-law Patricia Chisholm and brother-in-law Dave Miller.

Tom was a one-of-a-kind man. He had a great sense of humour and loved to laugh. He was a friend to

BE A

FACE

all and would help anyone who needed it. Tom loved to sit on the front porch and have friends and family stop by for a visit and stay for a tea.

A celebration of life will be held on March 5 from 2 - 6 p.m. at Dungannon Hall.

Cremation has taken place.

“There are no words to take away the sadness when you lose someone you love.”

ALEX HANSEN Alex Hansen of Seaforth, passed away peacefully at his home with family by his side on Feb. 10, 2022.

He was 54.

He was the very beloved husband of Anita Hansen - “I could have missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance. Dance on my love”.

Alex will be terribly missed by son Christopher (Kassie) Lammerant, daughter Stephanie (Marcel) Hansen, sister Lonni (Steen) Guldbech and grandchildren Cohen, Ali, Brooklyn and Everleigh, and too many others to mention.

He was special to everyone he met. Not one would have missed knowing him to save themselves, the pain of his loss.

In keeping with Alex’s wishes, cremation has taken place.

Arrangements were entrusted to Haskett Funeral Home, Seaforth. Donations to the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated.

Condolences may be forwarded through www.haskettfh.com.

Wingham Memorials Distinctive memorials of lasting satisfaction produced by us to your specifications.

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519-357-1910 E-mail: andgranite@bellnet.ca After hours appointments available 89 North Street W., Wingham www.winghammemorials.com

Remembering your loved one Honour your loved one by placing their obituary in

NEWS FROM BELGRAVE

The Citizen.

This is a free service provided by The Citizen. We encourage you to share the story of your loved one in a special remembrance of their life.

Cards of thanks can be placed in our classified section, starting at just $7.00.

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022. PAGE 17.

From the Minister’s Study

Remarkable love draws plenty of attention

By Pastor Ernest Dow, Huron Chapel EMC, Auburn Recently it was St. Valentine’s Day, which has become associated with celebrating love. Yet, “love” Biblically understood, is quite different from romantic love, in which you become “smitten” or “twitterpated” frequently due to attraction based on rather superficial features such as physical beauty and rampaging hormones.

Love values the other, it treasures them, cherishes them. In a passage giving instruction about marriage in Ephesians 5, Paul writes: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy... In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church...” (Eph 5:25f,28f) Usually we protect and look after our bodies pretty well because we depend on them and want to live a long time. The New American Standard Bible translates “feeds and cares” as “nourishes and cherishes” – the second verb means “to cherish with tender love, to foster with tender care”.

Real love treasures. A wealthy old man had just recently married a lovely young lady and was beginning to wonder whether she might have married him just for his money. He asked her, “If I lost all my money, would you still love me?” She said reassuringly, “Oh honey, don’t be silly. Of course I would still love you. And I would miss you terribly.”

Next, love communicates, it gives expression to its thoughts, it articulates meaningfully with the other person. Jesus is God’s supreme self-revelation, God’s ‘making known’ of God’s very being. “The Word became flesh...

God the One and Only... has made him known.” (John 1:14,18) Jesus prayed at the end of His earthly ministry, “I have revealed You to those whom You gave me out of the world... I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

(John 17:6,26) Love expresses itself, love communicates, it shares itself verbally and opens up to the other person.

Sometimes the simplest things we say convey the strongest messages to loved ones, says Boston marriage

and family therapist Ellen Dunn, Ph.D. Some of these powerful words and phrases are: “Nice going! Terrific! I’m proud of you!

Wow! Way to go! I really appreciate your help! You’re the best!

Awesome! Great job! I know you can do it! Most excellent! Couldn’t have done it better myself!” Let’s try some of those on for size this week, shall we? And communicate our love to the other person. Not be like the stiff-lipped old Englishman who at long last confided to his wife, “Darling, sometimes I love you so much, it’s all I can do to keep from telling you.”

Next, love not only communicates by venturing to share words out loud in speech, love also listens, it heeds what the other person is trying to convey. We have two ears and one mouth for a reason. “He who answers before listening— that is his folly and his shame.” (Proverbs 18:13) And, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry...” (James 1:19) It’s all too easy when in conversation with someone to be trying to think up what you’re going to say next instead of actually listening to what the other person is saying! How be we first respond in a way that lets them know we really heard what they said? Love listens.

It’s also true that love forgives. In scripture, God’s love is associated with His forgiveness, not requiring payment from us for sins committed insofar as they are shouldered by Christ instead. “You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to

you.” (Psalm 86:5) Or as Nehemiah confessed, “But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” (Neh. 9:17) Peter wrote, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8) Parenting requires a lot of love, because our children mess up and tax us in many ways, requiring patience and forgiveness. One night a two-month-old baby kept his mother and father awake with his fussing and crying. The father was at wit’s end and had lost all patience. The mother, though, in her deep maternal love, picked up her son and, cuddling him, said, “That’s all right. I’m sorry you don’t feel better!” What an object lesson in self-giving love.

Love is also truthful, it doesn’t ignore what needs to be said. If someone won’t be up-front and truthful with us, if they dance around the bush and won’t let us know what they’re really thinking, or worse still if they’re using flattery towards us and are being deceptive about what they really feel – that’s not loving. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15) Likewise, Paul emphasizes elsewhere, “Love must be sincere.”

(Romans 12:9a) Finally, love builds the other person up, lifts them up, so they feel strengthened and supported rather than constantly criticized or cut down. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth concerning a topic about

Brussels Mennonite Fellowship In­person services closed until further notice

Sunday Feb. 20, 10:30 a.m.

Pastor Ernest Dow - Amos 9: “Shaken in God’s Sieve, to be Restored”

250 Princess St., Brussels • 519­887­6388 • Pastor Ken Gazley

MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS There will be no in-person worship for February.

Search “Rev. Ireland” or “St. Andrew’s and Melville Sermon” on Youtube.com for a virtual service.

Thurs. Feb. 17 - Annual Meeting of Members, 7:00 p.m.

119 John’s Ave., Auburn 519-526-1131

The Regional Ministry of Hope Churches are now open for in-person worship.

Weekly service live-streamed at 10:30 a.m. on our facebook page or on youtube @St. Paul’s-Trinity Anglican Church Wingham.

Rev. JoAnn Todd, Rector 519-357-7781 email: revjoann@hurontel.on.ca The­Regional­Ministry­of­ Hope

Trinity

St. John’s

BLYTH 9:00 AM

BRUSSELS 12 NOON

St. Paul’s Trinity

WINGHAM 10:30 AM

COME WORSHIP WITH US!

BRUSSELS

United Church Sunday, February 20 Worship via YouTube Zoom Devotion & Fellowship Wednesdays, 10:30-11:30 Global Covid Vaccine Project Help for countries unable to vaccinate their people Send/give donations to Church treasurer Contact Alex at minister.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.com Website: brusselsandblythuc.ca P.O. Box 359, Brussels ~ 519-887-6259

Services are live-streamed and can be found by searching “Blyth Christian Reformed Church”

BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Hwy. 4, Blyth 519-523-4743 www.blythcrc.ca

THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH

OUR CHURCHES HAVE RE-OPENED. WELCOME BACK.

Brussels Soup and More 2 is cancelled until further notice.

519-357-5273

Blyth United Church Global Covid Vaccine Project Help for countries unable to vaccinate their people Send/give donations to Church treasurer

In-person and online! live.huronchapel.com

BUY? SELL? TRY CLASSIFIED

Social distancing and masks required

No in-person worship until further notice.

Please join us online

Sunday School during Worship

drawn to that kind of fellowship and community.

Tertullian was an early Christian apologist who lived about 155-220 A.D. He wrote, “It is our care for the helpless, our practice of lovingkindness, that brands us in the eyes of many of our opponents.

‘Look!’ they say, ‘How they love one another! Look how they are prepared to die for one another.’”

Such remarkable love draws attention, because so many are longing for a deep caring bond like that!

Join us for our 10:00 am and 7:30 pm services

May the love of Christ be with you.

Evangelical Missionary Church

which there was some variance of opinion (and don’t you know our world is rife with “disputable matters” these days!) “Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge.

Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” (1Cor 8:1) The Greek verb means literally to build a house or erect a building. If someone feels more torn down after we’ve interacted with them rather than built up, even if it’s a matter of correction, somehow there’s love missing.

Our love for each other as Christians should be lifting each other up and helping others in such a positive way that outsiders are

"Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together.” (Isaiah 40:5) Contact Alex at: minister.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.com

Facebook: Blyth and Brussels United Churches blythunited@tcc.on.ca ~ 519-523-4224

Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday ~ 6:00 p.m.

17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday ~ 9:00 a.m.

220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph’s Sunday ~ 11:00 a.m.

1025 Wallace Avenue N. Facebook: Search for St. Joseph/Sacred Heart/St. Ambrose Live Sunday Mass, Sundays at 10:00 a.m.

PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022.

NH recreation requests mostly declined, ignored

By Denny Scott The Citizen Councillor Chris Palmer feels that North Huron staff acted outside their purview when sending letters to neighbouring municipalities requesting recreation funding based on non-resident user numbers.

North Huron Council previously requested that letters be sent to the neighbouring municipalities asking for help, however Palmer felt the letters that went out, which included dollar amounts based on recreation deficits and the number of non-resident users from each municipality, went further than council had authorized.

“I [am] concerned we gave direction to send out letters to different municipalities to ask for help,” he said. “All of a sudden there are dollar signs included.”

He said it was nice to get the data that showed how many nonresident users are using the

facilities, but was upset the letters closely resembled bills.

“Where did that shift come from?” he asked, referring to the financial information being included. “I know what council directed, and all of a sudden it’s something different. We can’t have that.”

Palmer also said he was upset to read about the requests in local newspapers before he was aware of what the letters entailed.

Reeve Bernie Bailey defended staff, saying that he felt they had done what council had asked.

Palmer disagreed, saying it wasn’t the right course of action for staff.

Deputy-Reeve Trevor Seip said the financial information was necessary because, otherwise, it would be a non-starter as far as discussions go.

“The idea was [we present] the deficit of the facility… split out by users, and here’s your municipality’s share,” he said.

RESPONSE As for the municipalities’ responses to the letter, most either declined or filed the request, with some not officially responding, which didn’t surprise members of council.

Bailey said he spoke to other mayors and reeves who said they were all spending money on their own recreation facilities, so they couldn’t afford to help North Huron.

“This is the conversation I had with them: we have ours and you have yours,” he said.

Bailey said that makes sense: most municipalities have reciprocal situations where their own residents use other municipalities' facilities while their facilities are used by neighbours.

“Some communities have nothing,” Bailey said. “They don’t even have a trail.”

While not initially naming the municipality he was referring to, Bailey did eventually point at

Morris-Turnberry, saying its residents use Huron East, Howick and North Huron’s facilities, adding wear and tear without offering any kind of services or facilities to its neighbours.

“The question should be asked: when we built the [North Huron Wescast Community Centre] in Wingham did Morris-Turnberry help pay for it? If so, they should be obligated to pay to keep it up,” he said.

Bailey went on to say that North Huron used to receive $110,000 annually from Morris-Turnberry to

help with those kinds of costs, and recent calculations show that was nowhere near enough.

“When we did the true numbers, it came out and instead of $110,000, the true [number], with their people signaling what they want to use, was $248,000. He said. “That true number should be paid, but no one is expecting it.”

Bailey went on to say that Morris-Turnberry surrounds Wingham, so its residential users are benefitting from what happens in Wingham without paying any kind of support.

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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022. PAGE 19.

Bailey not concerned over threat of legal action

By Denny Scott The Citizen

Despite concerns regarding potential legal complications with a

group of concerned citizens, North Huron Township Council has named Councillor Paul Heffer as its representative to the North Huron Museum fundraising committee.

The committee is tasked with raising money to relocate the North Huron Museum from 273 Josephine Street in Wingham to the former Wingham rail station, which was

Crowding the net The Huron Heat U15 BB squad took to the ice in Clinton on Sunday to face off against the London Devilettes. The Heat came away with a 4-2 win after keeping the pressure on in front of the net. (John Stephenson photo)

offered to the municipality for $1 provided the site is used as a museum/information booth and remains in operation for a decade.

During its Feb. 7 meeting, council decided to name Heffer to the committee. He will be there to relay messages between council and the committee, but not participate in fundraising. Before the decision was made, however, Councillor Kevin Falconer said he had concerns about setting a precedent with the decision.

Falconer said there was an issue council needed to address in a closed-to-the-public meeting regarding another committee and that he wanted to deal with it before council named a member to the museum fundraising committee.

Clerk Carson Lamb told Falconer he would need to provide a reason for both the closed-to-the-public discussion and a reason for deferring it.

Falconer said there was an e-mail provided to council from an organization that was not given the same opportunity of having a council member participate and that legal action was being threatened.

While the other committee was never identified, The Citizen was contacted by an individual that’s part of the Howson Dam and Pond Citizens Committee and said the committee had sought legal advice and had a lawyer contact North Huron. That correspondence, according to the individual, was to be discussed during a closed-to-thepublic session.

The Howson Dam and Pond Citizens Committee is not a committee of council, as the museum fundraising committee is.

The Citizen

While Huron East staff have pledged to keep their counterparts at Morris-Turnberry apprised of changes to the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre, Councillor Jim Nelemans is still wary of recent staffing changes.

During Morris-Turnberry Council’s Feb. 1 meeting, Chief Administrative Officer Trevor Hallam told Morris-Turnberry Council it would receive updates from Huron East staff regarding the renovations at the community centre more often. Earlier this year, Morris-Turnberry Council bemoaned the fact that Huron East Council had hired a fundraising firm without consulting its partner municipality on the issue. The

reason the hiring went forward, however, was that it would not impact Morris-Turnberry as the fundraising firm was to be paid out of money raised for the project.

While council was happy to hear it would be apprised of any upcoming issues, Nelemans still wasn’t convinced the hiring was the right way forward, asking if there were benchmarks for the firm’s performance. Hallam said he wasn’t aware of any, but noted he didn’t have all the information to back that statement up.

“That would put some incentive in there,” he said, adding the firm could just “send a letter” seeking donations and consider its work done.

“Someone will still have to pay that $90,000,” he said. “They should have benchmarks.”

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Hallam said the firm’s pay is part of the fundraising goal, and that the need for such a firm has been deemed to fit the project by the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Recreation Committee and Huron East Council and that Morris-Turnberry Council just has to put faith in them.

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In response to Falconer’s concern, Lamb said council deciding to support the museum committee wouldn’t set a precedent.

“The two issues are independent of each other and council can make and strike committees as they see fit,” he said.

Falconer said the issue was confusing and he was “put back” by the letter.

Deputy-Reeve Trevor Seip said Lamb was correct and that council doesn’t need to give a reason to set committees and representatives.

“Regardless of what people believe, [we have] jurisdiction in the municipality and we can pick and choose what we want to do and don’t want to do,” he said.

Reeve Bernie Bailey agreed, saying the issues were “apples and oranges” and added he doesn’t “take kindly” to threats.

Falconer said he was fine moving ahead if staff was confident council wouldn’t have further issues as a result of the decision.

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PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2022.

NH to work on payment plan for Columbus Centre

By Denny Scott The Citizen

North Huron Township Council has directed staff to work on a repayment plan with the board behind the Wingham Knights of Columbus Centre for past-due contributions to the facility.

While the board asked for a fiveyear repayment plan, some council members weren’t comfortable setting up a plan that would completely bypass the next session of council, and instead stated that two years should be the maximum.

While most council members were in favour of establishing some kind of agreement, Councillor Kevin Falconer, who has been opposed to offering the board any kind of relief (as council doesn’t offer similar opportunities to other community groups) once again said he felt council shouldn’t make exceptions for the board.

Director of Recreation and Facilities Vicky Luttenberger explained that, annually, the Wingham Knights of Columbus Centre board contributes $29,000 to the North Huron Wescast Community Centre ($19,000 for utilities and $10,000 towards the annual deficit of the complex) on top of a $12,500 pledge tied to the construction of the facility.

Luttenberger previously said the request doesn’t involve the $12,500 pledge, instead focusing on the utilities and the deficit costs.

In a letter to council, the board requested council drop the semiannual $5,000 deficit payments and $150 alarm payments for five years, while the board would pay $5,000 for utilities.

Due to COVID-19, the board contributed less than normal over the past two years, including $16,554.20 in 2020 and $8,440.87 in 2021. The reduced payments resulted in in a shortfall of $40,544.63 according to Luttenberger.

Going forward, the request would result in an annual $19,500 cost to the municipality, or $95,000 plus HST over the requested five-year period.

Falconer was against the move, saying the group could have requested emergency funding as many other organizations had. He said the board has a lease like many other community groups do, and he can’t see why taxpayers should have to pay for the board’s shortfall.

“They signed a contract the same as anyone else,” he said.

Luttenberger said the board had sought out funding and gave it to North Huron.

Councillor Chris Palmer said it

was a difficult decision because he doesn’t want the group to leave, but couldn’t support a five-year agreement. He said he thinks that situations will change quickly this year, so the group could rebound sooner.

Reeve Bernie Bailey pointed out there were proposed renovations to the hall and asked if they were being deferred. Luttenberger said the funding had already been put aside by the group and that council has to decide how to proceed with that project.

Councillor Ric McBurney said he was in favour of a shortened term, and, at the request of fellow councillors, explained how the Blyth Legion, of which he is a member, has weathered the pandemic. He explained the branch has received two rounds of funding and is currently applying for a third.

Falconer said that the Legion, which runs on memberships and dues and fundraisers, is no different than the board, and that the only difference is that the board rents from North Huron instead of owning its own facility or renting from a private organization.

“We’re not doing this to any other organization,” he said, adding the group should look for more duespaying members or rent a smaller building.

Reeve Bernie Bailey said he understood Falconer’s concerns, but said the group’s history has to be considered, saying the Knights of Columbus (which, during previous discussions, Luttenberger said was not directly involved with the board or the centre) had helped raise funds for the centre for 25 years.

Palmer disagreed with Falconer’s assessment, saying the board is a business that raises money through dances and fish fry dinners, and he felt council should give them more consideration.

Councillor Anita van Hittersum said she was having trouble spending tax money on one organization, however she did eventually vote in favour of having staff work with the group to establish a payment plan.

Deputy-Reeve Trevor Seip said he wanted to see some kind of reopening plan before he would agree to any kind of support.

Falconer said if council did support this group and use tax dollars to do so, it would be opening the door for other organizations to make the same request, and council couldn’t justify saying no just because those groups aren’t renting space from the township. Bailey responded by saying he hopes other groups

wouldn’t come forward, to which Falconer said this wasn’t a tax dollar issue, and that, if the group needs support, taxpayers should get

to choose whether they help them or not.

Despite Falconer’s concerns, council directed staff to work with

A noble effort The Huron Heat U13 BB squad weren’t able to put enough rubber in the back of the net on Sunday when they faced off against the Kincardine Kinucks in Clinton. The Kinucks captured a 3-1 win. (John Stephenson photo)

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