The Citizen - Jan. 13, 2022

4 9 13 16

• Editorials • Review • Agriculture • Obituaries

$1.50 GST included

The

THIS WEEK

Citizen

Huron County’s most trusted independent news source

Thursday, January 13, 2022

Volume 38 No. 2

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

Morrison chosen in Brussels

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen

Look out below With the latest round of provincial restrictions connected to the COVID-19 pandemic having schools shuttered and some businesses closed to the public, outdoor activities like toboggan hills have been thriving with the recent dump of snow in Huron County. These

conditions enticed the Pipe family of Brussels to visit the village’s best toboggan hill and have some family fun. Above, Kaitlyn Pipe and her children Parker and Iris all gathered onto one sled for their journey to the bottom of the hill.

(John Stephenson photo)

Eighteen-year-old Justin Morrison from Brussels has been chosen as the newest Huron East Councillor, representing the Brussels Ward and filling the vacancy left by the resignation of John Lowe.

It took two rounds of voting, but Huron East Council made the decision as a special meeting on Jan. 4. The three candidates Morrison, Paul Gowing and Jason Hovius - all addressed council and then councillors were free to ask each candidate two questions before casting their vote.

In the first vote, four councillors each voted for Gowing and Morrison, while one voted for Hovius, which eliminated Hovius and led to a second vote. In that vote, council chose Morrison with a vote of 5-4 with Councillor Larry McGrath absent.

Mayor Bernie MacLellan and Councillors Alvin McLellan, Brenda Dalton and Joe Steffler voted for Gowing in the first vote, while Councillors Dianne Diehl, Gloria Wilbee, Ray Chartrand and Zoellyn Onn voted for Morrison.

Deputy-Mayor Bob Fisher cast the lone vote for Hovius. In the second vote, all votes remained the same with the exception of Fisher, who, after Hovius was eliminated, voted for Morrison, earning him a majority of the votes.

Morrison was chosen randomly to address council first, introducing himself as a lifelong Brussels resident who wanted to make a difference and help his community improve.

After turning 18 late last year, Morrison said he began considering Continued on page 20

County budget process begins with modest increase

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Huron County Council has taken the first steps in its 2022 budget process with a proposed spending increase of 4.51 per cent, equating to a tax rate increase of 3.81 per cent.

Treasurer Michael Blumhagen presented the first draft of the budget to Huron County Council at its Jan. 5 meeting, the first of the year, which was held virtually via Zoom. He welcomed councillors to make comments on the budget, saying they would be noted, but not addressed. Council has a special budget meeting scheduled for

Wednesday, Feb. 9, he said, which would be the time for more pointed questions and fulsome discussion.

The Jan. 5 presentation, he said, represented a high-level version of the first draft.

He told councillors that the county’s assessment has grown by nearly $161 million, which is all through development, as the Municipal Properties Assessment Corporation (MPAC) has not reassessed properties in the province in over five years. As a result, property values remain at their 2016 levels, not reflecting the sharp rise in property values of recent years.

The assessment growth alone, he

said, would support an increase of almost one per cent in spending. As a result, to support the spending increase, the tax rate would have to increase by 3.81 per cent.

Blumhagen also noted that, due to the county’s insurance costs coming in slightly lower than expected, the spending increase would drop slightly from what he had prepared in his report. So, despite presenting the budget with a proposed spending increase of 4.76 per cent, it dropped slightly to 4.51 per cent.

For presentation purposes, however, he left all of the other figures the same, because he had not yet been able to update the budget to reflect the new rate.

He said that the average impact of the draft budget increase on $100,000 of residential assessment would be $17.57 over the previous year. On the median residential property in Huron County, which Blumhagen said is valued at $209,000, the proposed spending increase would result in an annual increase of $36.71 for the county portion of taxes. For farmland, Blumhagen said that the increase per $100,000 of assessment is $4.39 and, with the median farm property valued at $985,300, the annual increase would be $43.27.

Blumhagen told council that nonunion salary increases have been projected in the budget at two per

cent, resulting in a total budget impact of $456,000. He said that staff will aim to have future union settlements to fall within that percentage as well.

The county only has two ongoing grant obligations, Blumhagen said: $66,000 for the Huron County Food Bank Distribution Centre and $150,000 for the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital in Goderich (annually through 2023). Grant obligations to the Wingham and District Hospital and the Regional Equine and Agricultural Centre of Huron (REACH) ended in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

He said the county’s gas Continued on page 2

PAGE 2. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022.

BOOS T UP. Book your boosterr today.

Protect yourself against COVID-19.

Getting some air The freshly-fallen snow in Blyth has been welcomed by many - surely those too young to drive - and has inspired plenty of fun outdoors. Here, Blyth’s Mackenzie Malpass takes some time to frolic in the snow. It’s her second-favourite activity behind playing with bubbles, (Photo but playing in the snow is a close second.

It’s up to alll of us us.

submitted)

Budget session set for Feb. 9 Continued from page 1 tax funding for 2022 includes the year’s contribution of $1,880,613, the one-time top-up payment received in 2021 in the amount of $1,807,887 and a surplus from prior year funding of $430,000.

The county’s Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) allocation in the budget includes $1,830,000 from 2022, $2,417,826 from 2021 and $307,174 from the accumulated fund surplus.

Blumhagen told council that $2,566,180 of the $4,396,180 total will be “parked” and retained for projects in 2023.

He added that, beginning with the 2023 budget, there will be a “strong link” between asset management plans and future OCIF funding, so it will be vital that sufficient staff resources are allocated to support asset management planning in the future.

Blumhagen said that principle and interest payments of $311,000 will be included in the budget to support the $4 million in debenture financing received last year to support two county bridge projects.

Expenses are also being included in the 2022 budget to support the Gallagher Huron County non-union compensation and pay equity review in the amount of $186,500 (in the corporate division of the budget) as a lump sum for what Blumhagen calls the proposed impacts of the review. If the budget is approved, he said, the costs will all be allocated to their respective departmental budgets.

Blumhagen also detailed a number of proposed new employee positions for the county in 2022 that will have an impact across various departments. The new positions include: a communications specialist, four new full-time equivalents due to emergency medical services (EMS) upstaffing at the Goderich base, EMS community care team staff, a

housing supervisor, a homes infection prevention and control (IPAC) position and additional funded positions for the county’s homes for the aged for support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in provincially-mandated direct resident care requirements. He did say, however, that most of the new proposed staff positions are fully funded, but that some will be funded from the county levy in either 2022 or 2023.

As part of his presentation, Blumhagen also detailed a number of ongoing budgetary pressures that will affect the 2022 budget process.

The most significant budget pressure for Huron County is labour costs, with $50.5 million in total labour costs included in the budget for salary and benefits. This includes a two per cent increase for non-union and council per diems, but excludes the newlyamalgamated Huron Perth Public Health.

Salary and benefit increases for 2022 are expected to be just under $3.8 million, Blumhagen said in his report. However, a significant portion of that increase is fullyfunded in respect to the EMS community care team ($773,000) and COVID-19 supports and the required increase in direct resident care at the homes ($1,165,000).

Blumhagen did say that additional pressures persist within the budget with provincial funding falling short of the required increases in collective agreements, particularly within the homes for the aged department.

The budget also included an estimated operating surplus of nearly $2.5 million, in addition to $400,000 in estimated public works surplus.

Council will debate the budget further at its first special budget session, scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 9.

Visit ontario.ca/ /covid19 Paid for by the Governm ment of Ontario

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022. PAGE 3.

Over 1,100 active cases, true number higher: Klassen

By Denny Scott The Citizen The COVID-19 case numbers presented by Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH), for the immediate future, will not be the full story according to Huron Perth Medical Officer of Health Dr. Miriam Klassen.

Even with restrictions on testing, the region has recorded over 800 new cases in the past week, with over 1,100 confirmed cases being considered active.

During an online press conference last week, Klassen said that testing is being limited, per provincial guidelines, to prioritize high-risk individuals who are symptomatic and/or at risk for severe illness, or high-risk settings, such as long-term care facilities.

“The number is much higher than what’s being reported,” Klassen said, adding that the number is a direct result of the Omicron variant, which is much more transmissible than previous variants.

Klassen said anyone who thinks they have or have been exposed to COVID-19 should follow isolation protocols, and anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 should assume they have the virus.

“Omicron transmission is very widespread,” she said.

Those who aren’t isolating should wear a well-fitted mask whenever necessary; limit close contacts and interactions; maintain a physical distance of two metres; wash hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer; screen every day before leaving the house; stay home with any symptoms; follow gathering limits and get vaccinated as soon as possible.

“Unvaccinated patients are being admitted at much higher rates,” she said. “Three [doses] are better than two, two are better than one and one is better than none.”

Klassen said the measures are to protect the healthcare system as much as the patients themselves.

“Omicron appears to be milder,

but people still need to be hospitalized, with some even needing the ICU,” she said. “Even a small percentage [of patients hospitalized] is enough to put our healthcare system at risk.”

Klassen also addressed several questions from local media, including the speed with which the potential “endemic wave” that Omicron represents could end.

“The modelling, and those in other regions, [predicts it will end quickly],” she said. “There will be a quick, rapid uptick in cases and a fairly quick [reduction] in cases.

That will bring us to the point where more of the population has some immunity, which breaks the chain of transmission.”

Klassen also said that, as long as there are animals from which viruses like COVID-19 can spread, diseases of the same ilk will continue to come. She said she had been told COVID-19 has been found in deer, so it could come back again, similar to how the flu is carried by swine or birds.

“As we develop immunity across the population, there will be a lot less [instances of] severe illness,” she said.

Klassen said the new wave will create absenteeism in local businesses and make it more difficult to protect the healthcare system.

She also weighed in on schools turning to remote learning to prevent infections and outbreaks.

“It’s unfortunate that schools are closed again,” she said. “The public health position, which is mine, is that schools are an essential service for children. We should make every effort to keep schools open.”

She said that community rates dictate school rates, so controlling the former will keep schools open.

“We will move to endemicity, and learn to live with COVID,” she said. “It’s not a zero-risk proposition. There will be students and staff who can acquire transmission at the schools.”

She said the best way to keep schools open is with “layers of protection”, adding that Huron and Perth had a relatively small number of school exposures, and that local schools proved to be very safe.

NEW SYSTEM HPPH is set to move to a new vaccine booking system after the previous system was closed due to technical issues, Klassen said during the teleconference.

Currently, individuals can visit www.hpph.ca/vaccinebooking for information or to request an electronic form to book appointments, or call 1-833-7532098, though HPPH is experiencing high call volumes, Klassen said.

“Due to unresolvable issues with

our booking system vendor, HPPH will be moving our online booking to a new system,” she said. “This means that online booking will not reopen this week as we had hoped.

We expect the online system to be available Mid-January.”

Klassen said staff are working to book appointments despite the issues and that clinics are filled to capacity with no unused appointments.

“There are no appointments available for walk-ins,” she said.

Klassen urged people to not leave multiple messages, or call and use the online booking request system, as that slows down the process.

HOSPITAL OUTBREAK The Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the Inpatient Surgery Unit at Stratford General Hospital after two patients tested positive last week.

Outbreaks refer to any two COVID-19 cases within a 14-day period where both could have been acquired in the same location.

HPHA announced, in a press release, that the unit is closed until further notice and that the outbreak only impacts the specified unit, not the operating rooms or surgical ambulatory care clinic.

“Emergency/urgent surgeries at the hospital will continue and those patients will be admitted to another unit for their recovery.”

HPPH is working on contact tracing, and has been notifying patients, families and team members that may have been exposed.

The release also states it is still safe to receive care at the hospital Continued on page 7

Hold me up!

(Henry Law, “Family Prayers”) Almighty Father, Conscious of our own weakness, and trusting only in Your grave and power — we beseech You this day to increase and multiply Your mercy upon us.

We are going forth to tread on slippery ground — may You uphold us.

Our march is through a land of which Satan is the prince — may You protect us.

Snares at each turn await our steps — may You guide us.

Far from a clear day As the white stuff has blanketed Huron County, many area young people have taken the opportunity to get out and enjoy themselves before it melts again. Among them were eight-year-old Axel and six-year-old Revel Beck who took on the local hills. Margie Beck sent in this photo of outdoor fun. If you want to be included in a future issue of The Citizen, e-mail your pictures to reporter Denny Scott at reporter@northhuron.on.ca and they just may be. (Photo submitted)

Neews depends endss on facts. ts. Whe Where are you our facts ts coming com ng from? ro News Media Canada is a passion ssionate advocate for the news industry. We support our mem mber m publications in their pursuit of quality journalism nalism.

Wee believe that when society has factss they can W trust, better decisions will be made.

newsmediacanada.ca

We look around — and fear. We look up to You — and take courage. By Your grace alone can we stand. If your grace should fail us — instantly we fall. Our earnest prayer is, “Hold me up — and I shall be safe!” Psalm 119:17 A Grace Gem Submitted by: Immanuel United Reformed Church, Listowel, ON 519-492-1359

PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 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 $40.00/year ($38.10 + $1.90 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.

Advertising Deadlines: Mon. 2 p.m. - Brussels; Mon. 4 p.m. - Blyth.

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. We acknowledge the financial support PO BOX 152 of the Government of Canada.

BRUSSELS ON N0G 1H0 email: info@northhuron.on.ca

The Citizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. N0M 1H0 N0G 1H0 Ph. 519-523-4792 Phone Fax 519-523-9140 519-887-9114 E-mail info@northhuron.on.ca Website www.huroncitizen.ca Member CCNA

Member of the Ontario Press Council We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright

A challenge to get behind When the world lost beloved celebrity Betty White on New Year’s Eve, just days before what would have been her 100th birthday, people were looking for a way to honour her memory and grieve her loss. They landed on the Betty White Challenge, which asks everyone to donate $5 in her memory to a local animal shelter on her birthday, Jan. 17.

In addition to her longevity on television and in movies, White was a tireless advocate for animals, including serving as a trustee for zoos and ocean mammal conservation groups. The most interesting component of the legacy is the impact that the donations will have on small, local groups that see intakes increase in January and February when donations are traditionally at their lowest. Many local shelters work quietly in the background caring for unwanted animals with little to no funding and running under volunteer power. The boost that can come from such a social media challenge going viral cannot be overstated.

So, despite the fact that White’s 100th birthday celebration will have to go ahead without her, she would be tickled that her name is being used to help so many animals. So don’t forget to donate in her name on Jan. 17 to your favourite animal rescue. – DS

No direction home As cases of COVID-19 surge around the world, largely due to the highly contagious Omicron variant, we know this to be true in Ontario as well. The problem with that information is that it’s largely anecdotal because, frankly, no one has any idea how many active cases we have.

For reasons that are practical and others that the skeptical among us might suspect are political, with a provincial election coming in less than six months, the provincial government has told Ontarians that case counts essentially mean nothing as cases continue to surge. Access to PCR testing is now restricted for many and even rapid tests are hard to come by, so many who are experiencing mild symptoms of the virus are being told to isolate at home, with their cases never being counted.

Even so, case counts continue to be higher than they’ve ever been in the province, but many are left in the dark, assuming that what they’re seeing is just the tip of the iceberg. The government has been clear in saying that case counts, essentially, no longer matter and that hospitalization rates should be our focus going forward. This feels strange after almost two years of focusing on case counts.

For the average Ontarian, this is nothing more than a bit frustrating as we’re left with no concept of the true extent of virus spread in our communities. However, for those in healthcare, without accurate case counts, they have no idea what awaits them each day. And this is at a time when hospitalizations in the province are soaring and many facilities are being overwhelmed. There are even reports of a rising number of children being treated for the virus and, in the past two weeks, two children under the age of 10 with COVID-19 have died.

The provincial government has its hands full and limiting testing as cases multiply makes logistical sense, but to have absolutely no clarity on the severity of spread in our communities really has left many Ontarians feeling like we’re on our own at this point. – SL

Doing more with less The pandemic has brought many lessons, including that, if people had the chance to avoid a thankless minimum wage job, they would.

That likely doesn’t surprise anyone, but the implication is that people want to feel respected for the work they do, and they want to be paid a fair wage. For years, capitalism has driven things in the opposite direction, though. Corporations would try to cut back on high-paid skilled labour by laying off workers and increasing the responsibilities of those who remain, leading to bad products and even worse morale.

The lesson that emergency funding for employees taught us is that they need to be respected (and paid a fair wage for what they’re doing) but there will always be people who try to get more out of less.

The issue recently came up at a Huron East Council meeting where council, for the umpteenth time, debated reducing its own size. During the debate, long-time councillor Larry McGrath pointed out that reducing the number of councillors wouldn’t directly translate to savings. Reducing the number of people on council will inevitably lead to fewer stipends being paid out, but each remaining member of council will need to attend more committee meetings and events to balance it out. Reducing the number of council members would also result in making the job even less appealing than it already is for younger candidates and would increase the burden on those who do want the job, likely leading to an increase in compensation, wiping out any savings.

We’ve all seen it across Huron County and the end result is a product that isn’t as good as it used to be, because, how could it be? McGrath has a good point, and councillors should remember it when discussing council composition: having more varied voices, with less pressure on each, will create better discussions and better decisions. – JDS

Looking Back Through the Years January 14, 1965 The Brussels Lions Club decided to move forward with a new public speaking competition and Ralph Pearson was named the chair of a committee to organize the event.

The Brussels Midget hockey team defeated their opponents from Ripley by a score of 9-4. Larry Duncan and Dale Machan each scored two goals, while Neil Gowing, Jim Duncan, John Rock, Brian Huether and David Huether all contributed single goals.

The Brussels Legion Ladies Auxiliary installed its new slate of officers for the coming year, choosing Mrs. William Dobson of Ethel as the president. Mrs. Frank Rutledge and Mrs. Leonard Lamont were named vice-presidents, while Mrs. Jack Lowe would be the secretary and Mrs. Ross Duncan was named the treasurer.

January 15, 1975 Stanley Township Reeve Anson McKinley was elected as the next Huron County Warden, defeating Clinton Reeve Harold Lobb by a vote of 34-22 on the second ballot.

This came after McKillop Township Reeve Allan Campbell was eliminated after the first vote.

McKinley’s election to the position came exactly 60 years after his grandfather, John McKinley, was elected as Stanley Township Reeve.

Cliff Shewfelt of the Agricultural Department of the Royal Bank of Canada spoke at the monthly meeting of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture, telling those in attendance that inflation continued to be a problem in the industry.

Speaking at the meeting, which was held at Turnberry Central School near Wingham, Shewfelt said the expected growth rate of

three per cent in the next year would be a major problem.

January 15, 1997 In a co-operative effort among the boards of eight Huron and Perth County hospitals, cost-saving options had been proposed that would result in the retention of all current facilities.

The proposal came after a series of meetings over the course of the previous two weeks. As a result, if implemented, the plan would save 13.4 per cent of ministry funding, which included a 17 per cent reduction in administrative and support spending.

Linda Subject of RR1, Monkton was the grand prize winner of the Brussels Lions Club’s snowmobile draw.

For “Weedless Wednesday”, an initiative spearheaded by the Huron County Smoke-free Coalition, several restaurants in Huron County planned to offer smoke-free dining for patrons to “clear the air” and reduce the potential for exposure to second-hand smoke.

Local restaurants taking part included BJ’s Café in Blyth, the Walton Inn, the Brussels Country Inn and Hillcrest Restaurant in Londesborough, among others.

After initially voting to the contrary, the Huron County Board of Education decided to offer Junior Kindergarten to the students of the county for the 1997/1998 school year. The vote passed by the slim count of 9-7.

January 12, 2012 The fight over Huron County’s composition bylaw continued, as a date of Jan. 31 was set to hear the appeal of Central Huron and Huron East. Both municipalities lost a representative at Huron County Council as a result of the decision

and had appealed the bylaw as a result.

At its Jan. 4 meeting, Huron County Council decided that it would defend its bylaw in court, funding a defence for the appeal.

This decision came despite several councillors voicing their opposition to the whole situation, saying they were already uncomfortable with how much taxpayer money had been spent on the appeal process.

Furthermore, the winners of the initial court challenge (Bluewater, Goderich, Howick, AshfieldColborne-Wawanosh and MorrisTurnberry) had requested that their legal fees be paid by the losing side.

The Wingham Ironmen took on the first- and second-place teams in the league, the Hanover Barons and the Walkerton Hawks, and returned with victories against both.

With the departure of Chief Administrative Officer Kevin McLlwain in Central Huron, recently retired Huron East Chief Administrative Officer Jack McLachlan took over the position for the interim until the municipality could find a new top employee.

While details were scant at the time of the decision, Huron East Council expressed the municipality’s interest in purchasing the former Brussels Public School property from the Avon Maitland District School Board.

Mayor Bernie MacLellan said that, while no final decisions had been made, councillors had thrown around a few ideas for the property, including a small business incubator for those looking to start a business, but without the funds to rent an entire office or main street storefront.

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022. PAGE 5.

Other Views

The rich are different than us

T

he famous novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote: “Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me.” Thank heaven.

This thought comes to mind after reading Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty, by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe. I have no doubt that it was Cooper’s name that attracted my wife Jill to the book back when she was choosing a title for her birthday gift from me. Since we seldom read the same books, I was surprised that I wanted to read her selection, too.

Cooper, in case you don’t know, is the primary anchor of the CNN news broadcast show Anderson Cooper 360° and a correspondent for 60 Minutes on CBS News.

He is also the younger son of author, screenwriter, and actor Wyatt Emory Cooper and, more famously, the artist, fashion designer, writer, and heiress Gloria Vanderbilt – and, more ‘greats’ than I can print, a descendent of business magnate Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, who founded the onceprominent Vanderbilt shipping and railroad fortune.

It’s his own fame, and his direct connection to the Vanderbilt family that caused the book’s publisher to print Cooper’s name at least four times larger than Katherine Howe’s. Still. reading the book, it’s hard not to think she probably contributed more than he did.

The Commodore left an estate of $200 million when he died in 1877, the equivalent of $5.4 billion today. He had been born into poverty in 1794, his family having farmed on Staten Island, off New York, for most of a century. His father had few ambitions, content to farm and fish. Cornelius, even at age 11, was far more ambitious, using his father’s boat to transport vegetables and passengers the five

Keith Roulston From the cluttered desk miles between Staten Island and Manhattan.

By the time he was 16, Cornelius, with a loan from his mother, had purchased his own boat, running a ferry to Manhattan. Later, when the British stopped American trade with France during the War of 1812-1814, he made a deal with the British to bring them supplies and brought produce from the Hudson River to hungry New Yorkers.

It was just the beginning. He would go on to build a shipping empire and nearly monopolize the railway business. Cooper and Howe describe his attitude: “As master manipulator, disseminator, and inventor of his own legend, Cornelius Vanderbilt revelled in attention, in being feared by men in business with him and, certainly, by men in business against him. He was feared also by his children, whose lives he dominated with judgement and control.”

Perhaps a more loving father would have been rewarded with offspring who contributed more, but Cornelius’s children and grandchildren seemed most interested in spending the fortune he had left. People seemed to compete to see who could build the largest, most expensive homes, both in the city and on neighbouring islands for summer homes in those days before air-conditioning.

Of note is the ridiculous 1883 ball thrown

by Alva Vanderbilt, the wife of William Henry “Billy” Vanderbilt, grandson of the Commodore. Wanting to outdo her sister-in-

law Alice, Alva invited 1,200 to her dinner and dance, a costume ball which had two orchestras. The cost of this alone was $11,000 (about $280,000 today), at a time when a maid earned $350 a year. When you take in the total cost, including the prices of costumes and preparations of the guests, the party is estimated to cost the equivalent of $6.4 million in today’s money.

Alva is an interesting character, if seldom admirable. She wouldn’t let her daughter Consuelo marry New York socialite Winthrop Rutherford. Instead Alva forced her to marry Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, the ninth Duke of Marlborough in 1894, when she was only 18. He had a title, but little money.

She was the opposite. It was not a marriage made in heaven, and eventually they divorced.

By 1912, Alva, by now divorced herself from Billy, had become a feminist leader.

Also of interest in the book is Cooper’s mother, the famous Gloria Vanderbilt. He was her son by her fourth husband, Wyatt Cooper.

Gloria had become famous as a designer of blue jeans, and earned her own fortune to replace the last of the Vanderbilt money she had inherited.

She had famously come under threat of being kidnapped in the 1930s and was the subject of a highly-publicized custody battle that saw “little” Gloria separated from her mother.

There are fascinating elements in Vanderbilt that make it worth reading. Then there are long, tedious chapters (for me at least) like the detailed description of Harold Sterling Vanderbilt captaining the America’s Cup defender in 1934. All told, this isn’t a book I’d recommend, yet it remains a startling introduction to a very different world than the one in which you and I reside.

Hey 2022, we’re keeping an eye on you

W

hile many people (maybe most) faced 2022 with the hope that the year would be better than 2021 and (most of) 2020, so far, like the rest of the fledgling decade, this year kind of sucks, if you’ll forgive the crass parlance.

From the broad problems still being faced by those of us who haven’t had our heads in the sand, like the COVID-19 virus that has now evolved to an even more virulent strain to the death of beloved film and television stars, 2022 sucks.

And it’s impacting everyone, and I mean everyone. Let’s look at those celebrity deaths, for example.

Of course we know that Betty White passed away (and while we lost her incomparable talent in 2021, she was just short of her 100th birthday this month). White has decades of credits to her name from radio work to her own self-titled television show to staples of classic television like The Golden Girls. She was also famous just for being herself up until her passing late last year.

I was aware of White’s fame and, of course, watched a rerun or a few dozen of The Golden Girls, however, she wasn’t an actress I went out of my way to see. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy her work, just that unlike, say, Ryan Reynolds, with whom she co-starred in The Proposal, I didn’t seek out her work because I wasn’t a big fan.

Then, earlier this month, the world lost the incomparable Sidney Poitier, star of the silver screen known for tackling issues of race both on- and off-screen.

Now, I’m not going to sit here and say I was a fan of Poitier’s work, nor was I not, since most of it preceded my time on this earth and I’ll admit that, despite him winning a Grammy for it, I had no idea he produced a spoken word album in 2001.

Regardless of whether or not I am to be

Denny Scott Denny’s Den considered a fan of Poitier’s or White’s work, I understand the impact both have had and the importance of their work both on- and offscreen.

Over the weekend, however, Danny Tanner himself, Bob Saget, passed away and that’s when I was able to fully jump on the “2022 Sucks” bandwagon.

Saget, who was 65 years old, was found deceased in a hotel room at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando in Florida. He was in the Sunshine State for his comedy tour.

While Saget is likely best known as Tanner, the best single dad ever from Full House (and its recent continuation, Fuller House), he is also well-known thanks to hosting America’s Funniest Home Videos for years.

Both of those are incredibly wholesome shows that rely on, at worst, low-brow physical comedy for a laugh or two. Growing up, I always figured that Mr. Saget was likely as wholesome as they come.

However, as I grew up, Saget (or at least his entertainment) kind of grew up with me as I discovered his decidedly more blue comedy stylings in his stand-up routine.

I’ll be honest, it was out of my comfort zone.

I’ve never really been in for that kind of shock comedy, but it was interesting to know that this actor who had been one of the role model fathers on ABC’s Thank Goodness It’s Friday (TGIF) line-up for four years had this decidedly raunchy streak.

Heck, even Saget’s roast (a show in which

comedians and other celebrities make fun of the guest of honour, as well as each other, in case you’re unfamiliar with the time-honoured tradition) was a comedic gem. It featured another great comedian we lost recently, Norm Macdonald, not following the tradition of the roast and instead telling what some might consider “Dad” jokes about Saget because he didn’t want to say mean things about his friend.

Regardless, Saget was an entertainer of note who has been around all my life and when he passed I certainly did feel a pang of nostalgic pain for someone who had been part of laughter in my life for so long, and a big part of family television in my youth.

So I guess there are two ways to look at this rash of celebrity deaths, the mutation of COVID into an even-easier-to-spread strain and the rest of the bad news of the day: look at it as a low point that we can only go up from or consider it as setting the tone for the year.

I’m going to try the former, but, given how the last two years have played out, it will be difficult to not consider the latter and just say that, like the fledgling decade of the 2020s, the fledgling year of 2022 sucks.

Letters Policy The Citizen welcomes letters to the editor.

Letters must be signed and should include a daytime telephone number for verification only. Unsigned letters will not be printed.

Submissions may be edited for length, clarity and content, using fair comment as our guideline. The Citizen reserves the right to refuse any letter on the basis of unfair bias, prejudice or inaccurate information.

Shawn Loughlin Shawn’s Sense

Cleaning up our act

W

hen I think of environmental initiatives, my mind always goes to the ordinary people and, of course, the kids. It’s the people who recycle and have compost piles and do trash clean-ups on beaches and in school yards or people cooking at home who use a dish cloth instead of paper towel or a towel instead of plastic wrap.

We’re making a difference - or at least we’d like to think we are. Certainly anything we can do to make the world around us a better place is a good thing - I’m not saying it isn’t - but as the days come and go, there will be stories that make me think I’ll never not use enough paper towel to make the kind of impact others do.

This is a debate that has raged for a while now. Why should I, people complain, root through my garbage, drive less, walk more, pay a carbon tax to help the environment when other countries, corporations, etc. are doing exponentially worse things to the world? It’s a reasonable argument (when it doesn’t get into a lot of borderline racist talk about China, etc.) that can make you wonder why your kids spend an afternoon at school picking up someone else’s garbage or why you can’t enjoy a cocktail without constantly reminding yourself not to bite down on the metal straw.

Two recent news items have really weighed down my enthusiasm for this kind of stuff.

The first comes from Europe, where airlines are saying they’ll have to fly thousands of unneccessary, near-empty flights in order to keep valuable take-off and landing time slots guaranteed for the region’s biggest airlines.

Apparently this isn’t necessarily new, but the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has caused a severe drop in travel and recent rule changes have meant that the number of flights needed to retain spots at airports has increased. In an article on the subject, Brussels Airlines was found to have run as many as 3,000 empty or near-empty flights to retain its spots, while Lufthansa, the German flight giant, said in order retain its spots, it would have to greenlight 18,000 unneccessary flights. We’ll need to use an awful lot of cardboard straws to offset that amount of wasted jet fuel.

Another has been the shipping container debacle on the west coast, which saw some materials sit in containers off the shore for months. As a result, for profit-driven reasons, empty shipping containers were being sent from North America back to China, where they could be filled with profitable Chinese exports. So, to avoid the delay of filling these containers with something, they’re just sent west because it means more money.

So, while we sit here, agonizing over just how clean a peanut butter jar needs to be in order for it to be recycled, companies are sending empty planes and shipping containers halfway around the world in the name of the almighty dollar. Again, we should absolutely be cleaning out those peanut butter jars and tending to those compost piles, but you can’t help but feel like you’re relieving yourself in the wind while you care so much to do so little and others care so little that they do so much.

We’re always told that, no matter how small a gesture or how remote a community, you can make a difference and I do believe that to be true, but it’s easy to get pretty jaded when it comes to this stuff. Protecting the environment should literally be the least controversial topic there is - we all use it and need it to thrive in order to, you know, live. But we all know it hasn’t turned out that way. Doing the right thing can feel hollow when others think it’s beneath them and their selfishness and inaction jeopardizes life for us all.

PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022.

Acknowledge the many emotions of a pandemic A NOTE FROM BETTY

By Betty Graber Watson Call 887-9231 If there is ever a time to acknowledge the many emotions that flow through us, this is it. We have been subject to fear, anxiety and anger on many days since COVID-19 became the news. We knew about sadness and joy before, and quite accepted life as it came along. Now feelings come to the surface that surprise us. We feel listless, depressed, melancholy or despondent; new feelings in this new time. We are not used to talking about how we truly feel;

someone asks and automatically we say fine.

So as you chat with people on the phone, in this restricted time, be open to true feelings and share the thoughts. Be honest with yourself and have a small pity party, but then move along, see the reality of today, and be thankful for where we live.

Keeping in touch is one of the biggest changes in our lifetime. No longer do we send film away to be processed (and wait many days) and get the pictures back in the mail, no longer do we wait until after supper to call someone or drive miles to see their face. My Grandma Jenkins and Mom wrote weekly letters, and had infrequent visits. The bright spot for me is watching Hark and Weston eat breakfast in Edmonton and tell me their thoughts. A faceto-face chat, – OK, an iPad – lets me share the anxiety of a teen, the giggles of a girl or the future plans

of another. That is enough to make the pandemic disappear for a bit, bring me a smile and celebrate this improvement in communication.

The advertisement for Brussels Homecoming in The Citizen last week made me realize once again, how fast time flies. It’s time to get serious about thoughts and plans for that summer weekend. Who do you have coming? What events can you help with? Where will they sleep?, and the list goes on. Relax, it’s not time to fuss yet, but you can help now by offering a little seed money to the planners. Check the advertisement, all the details are included for you to voice your support now.

It looks like we have some more restricted time ahead, so just keep doing all the right things: mask, distance yourself from others, wash your hands and, even more, with Omicron, keep another’s breath as far away as possible. Oh yes, stay

home when you can. New details are coming fast and furious but you need to stay sensible and safe, use your mental skills to keep you positive as we move through this tough time. Look for the hope, it’s there.

Don’t you love to hear of a surprise that really worked. Mary Ann Thompson got a birthday call from her Kali last month who asked her to look in the garage for her present. Well surprise, there stood Kali from B.C. Lots of fun details were then shared of how she and Jeff got it right. Good start to year 60!

Annual reports are coming in or are now due for many organizations. There is not near as much pressure this month as many meetings are postponed. Zoom meetings are a big help to keep business going but we need more practice to get the community feel for doing the business.

Be kind. Be safe.

Bye now, Betty G.W.

NEWS FROM BRUSSELS

Restrictions close local facilities North Huron Township and a number of other municipalities in Huron County issued press releases last week detailing how the province’s modified “Step Two” situation would impact municipal facilities.

North Huron’s municipal office will remain closed to the public until, at the earliest, Jan. 26, unless otherwise noted. According to the press release, staff will still be available for ratepayers to contact by phone or e-mail during regular business hours. Essential meetings with staff can also be arranged, according to the release, though by appointment only. Residents are also encouraged to use the drop box located at the front doors of the municipal office for correspondence.

North Huron Council meetings, as well as all committees of councils and affiliated boards, will

At the Branch

be held virtually until further notice.

North Huron Indoor sports and recreational facilities, including the municipality’s indoor pool, fitness centre and sports courts will remain closed until further notice. While the facilities are closed, the ice surfaces at the Wescast Community Complex in Wingham and the Blyth and District Community Centre will remain installed.

North Huron Outdoor facilities including parks, sports fields and courts, trails and municipallyowned playground sites are open, provided those who utilize said facilities maintain a physical distance of at least two metres.

The Wingham Town Hall Theatre is closed until further notice.

North Huron Daycare and early learning services for preschool children and younger will remain Continued on page 7

Keeping active Toboganning was on the agenda for many over the weekend as the snow fell and many places are closed due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. In Brussels, the Lions Park hill was definitely busy with families racing to the bottom. (John Stephenson photo)

Govier wins nearly $7,700 as Ace draw ends

Doing some good While the current Catch the Ace draw just concluded at the Brussels Legion, members recently handed out some of the proceeds from the previous draw to lucky community groups like St. Ambrose Catholic Church, which received $500. Lori Pipe, left, received the donation from Kathy Burkholder of the Legion. (Photo submitted)

By Jo-Ann McDonald And in a flash, we were open and now we are not. The Monday announcement from the government closed down many restaurants, arenas, and, yes, the Legion. All events have had to be cancelled at this time but hopefully the province will reopen on Jan. 17, as they have stated. We will all keep our fingers crossed until then.

The Catch the Ace draw was held on Friday evening as usual, but with no public allowed to attend. The draw was witnessed and, as usual, livestreamed according to the guidelines. It was going to be the last draw until after reopening, but as fate would have it, it was the last draw for this licence anyways. We have a

winner of the jackpot! The lucky winner was Donna Govier and she chose envelope number 17. The ace of spades was revealed and she won the $7,695 jackpot. Congratulations

to Donna. Now the Brussels Legion Branch will do the paperwork and apply for a new licence. Keep watching for the details for when the next draw starts.

Brussels Legion 218 Catch the Ace Jackpot Winner!

Congratulations Donna Govier Envelope #17 found the Ace of Spades She won the jackpot of $7,695.

Municipality of Huron East

2022 Budget Notice is hereby given that the 2022 Huron East Budget will be considered by Council on

January 18, 2022 at 7 p.m.

A brief budget synopsis is available on the Huron East website: www.huroneast.com Complete copies of the budget document will be available at the Municipal Office.

Paula Michiels, Finance Manager-Treasurer

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022. PAGE 7.

Hospital, care homes in outbreak as Omicron surges Continued from page 3 which remains open for all other scheduled clinics, procedures and emergency visits.

LOCAL COUNTS Case counts continue a sharp, upward increase in Huron and Perth Counties despite the fact that, according to Klassen, many cases will go unreported. More than 800 new cases have been reported between Jan. 3 and Jan. 10, with 1,165 active cases across the area.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 4,248 cumulative cases of COVID-19 have been reported

by HPPH. Over the past week, there have been four individuals hospitalized as a result of COVID-19 with one considered an active case. There have also been two additional COVID-19-related deaths, bringing the cumulative total to 76.

There are currently 10 identified and eight unidentified outbreaks in Huron and Perth Counties.

In addition to the outbreak at Stratford General Hospital, there are four outbreaks in long-term care facilities and five in retirement homes. The eight unidentified cases are all in congregate living settings.

The four long-term care outbreaks include: • Wildwood Care Centre in St. Marys - Declared Dec. 27 with four staff members testing positive for COVID-19.

• Hillside Manor in Perth East Declared Dec. 31, 2021 with two staff members testing positive.

• Kingsway Lodge in St. Marys Declared Jan. 3 with two residents and six staff members testing positive.

• Queensway Nursing Home in Bluewater - Declared Dec. 31, 2021

with one resident and one staff member testing positive.

The five retirement home outbreaks include: • Caressant Care Retirement Home in North Perth - Declared on Jan. 2 with two staff members testing positive.

• Exeter Villa - Declared on Jan. 2 with four residents and six staff members testing positive.

• Goderich Place - Declared on Jan. 8 with one resident and one staff member testing positive.

• Maplewood Manor Retirement Home in Huron East - Declared Dec. 30, 2021 with one resident and one staff testing positive.

• Seaforth Manor Retirement Home - Declared Jan. 2 with two residents and one staff member testing positive.

Huron and Perth Counties incidence rate (the number of cases per 100,000 people) increased from 375.7 last week to 627.5 this week, while the positivity per cent, the percentage of cases returning a positive COVID-19 result, dropped from 13.05 per cent to 11.49 per cent. Both values remain in the “red” zone of the province’s former colour-coded reopening plan.

VACCINATION Vaccination numbers continue to climb in Huron-Perth, with more than 1,000 people receiving their first vaccination over the past week.

The number of individuals with one COVID-19 vaccination increased from 114,568 to 115,755 between Jan. 3 and Jan. 10, representing an increase from 82.5 per cent of eligible recipients to 83.3.

Increases in demographic information for those with at least one dose is as follows:

• 5-11: 4,946 (41.7 per cent of eligible residents) from 4,417 (37.3) • 12-17:7,663 (77.2) from 7,726 (76.9) • 18-24: 8,794 (72.6) from 8,717 (71.9) • 25-29: 7,028 (82.2) from 6,918 (80.9) • 30-39: 13,553 (82.6) from 13,425 (81.8) • 40-49: 13,326 (83.2) from 13,250 (82.7) • 50-59: 17,151 (85.8) from 17,060 (85.4) • 60-69: 20,589 (98.4) from 20,481 (97.9) • 70-79: 14,531 (99.7) from 14,504 (99.7) • 80+: 8,074 (93.3) from 8,069 (93.6) Fully-vaccinated residents account for 78.4 per cent of eligible residents, up from 77.6, or 108,776 people, up from 107,644.

• 5-11: 609 (5.1 per cent of eligible residents) from 249 (2.1) • 12-17: 7,453 (74.1) from 7,420 (73.8) • 18-24: 8,426 (69.5) from 8,325 (68.7) • 25-29: 6,696 (78.3) from 6,576 (76.9) • 30-39: 13,065 (79.6) from 12,923 (78.8) • 40-49: 13,000 (81.2) 12,897 (80.5) • 50-59: 16,637 (83.3) from 16,526 (82.7) • 60-69: 20,299 (97.1) from 20,182 (96.6) • 70-79: 14,437 (99.7) from 14,389 (99.7) • 80+: 8,154 (95.4) from 8,149 (95.7)

Fireworks enjoyed From Marilyn’s Desk

By Marilyn Craig Call 523-9318

Watching in wonder Sarah and Mackenzie Malpass of Blyth, captured here by husband and father Mark, were among the many who took in the New Year’s Eve fireworks in Blyth, carried out by Blyth Community Betterment. The Malpasses, however, did so from the comfort of their own home. (Photo submitted)

Happy birthday to Grant Sparling, who will celebrate Jan. 13, and Elizabeth Phillips, Goderich, Jan. 18. Happy birthday to both of you and enjoy your special day.

Results of the first euchre of 2022 are: first, Brenda Brooks, 72 and Grant Little, 70; second, Pat Bernard, 62 and Bob McMichael, 69; lone hands, Edna McLellan, three and Jewel Plunkett, four and share the wealth, Brenda Brooks and Paulene McMichael.

This past week Mother Nature has been showing us a taste of winter. Temperatures went all the way from 0˚C to -12˚C with snow appearing at least every other day if not every day. I was texting with my grandson, who was up in Grand Prairie, Alberta for the holidays and the temperature there came with a windchill of -51˚C. I think I will take our temperatures compared to theirs.

This week I have heard a lot of good comments on the fireworks on Dec. 31. Everyone you talked to who was there really enjoyed the event, so congratulations again for a job well done.

Stay well and safe this next week and give someone a call.

There are 53,295 fully-vaccinated individuals in the two counties who have received a third “booster” shot of the vaccine, or 38.6 per cent of eligible residents, up from 29,535 individuals or 21.4 per cent.

• 12-17: 105 (one per cent of eligible residents) from 44 (0.4) • 18-24: 2,144 (17.7) from 566 (4.7) • 25-29: 1,647 (19.3) from 558 (6.5) • 30-39: 3,858 (23.5) from 1,372 (8.4) • 40-49: 4,656 (29.1) from 1,649 (10.3) • 50-59: 8,599 (43.1) from 4,057 (20.3) • 60-69: 13,671 (65.6) from 6,873 (33) • 70-79: 11,686 (65.6) from 8,764 (62.2) • 80+: 6,929 (84.8) from 5,652 (69.3) For the most up-to-date statistics

or more information on booking a vaccination, visit hpph.ca.

NEWS FROM BLYTH

Daycares remain open Continued from page 6 open with restrictions remaining in place. Before and after school programs will resume when schools reopen, the press release stated, following guidelines set forward by the Ministry of Education.

“I appreciate the challenges being faced by businesses, individuals, families and institutions during this unprecedented pandemic as we return to the modified version of ‘Step Two’ of the Roadmap to Reopen, but the rapid rise of Omicron cases and its increased pressure on our healthcare system is very concerning,” says North Huron Reeve Bernie Bailey. “I would like to thank all North Huron residents and businesses for following all Provincial and public health and workplace safety measures. I appreciate these are difficult times but we will get through this together as a community.”

In Huron East, the municipal

office is temporarily closed to the public through Jan. 27.

Appointments and services can be accessed remotely or by making appointments with staff.

Huron East recreation facilities will be closed for the same time period, including the Vanastra Recreation Centre, the Seaforth and District Community Centre and the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre.

Huron East Council and committees will continue meeting virtually throughout the remainder of the winter months and will revisit that decision in March.

For more information on local facilities and practices, contact your host municipality.

It All Comes Out In The Wash Blyth Laundromat 191 Westmoreland St., Blyth 519-523-9687

The Citizen

519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114

Advertise your business here!

One of the most read areas of the paper

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!

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022.

Londesborough United services continue in-person

We are nearing the two-year anniversary of the beginning of the

COVID-19 pandemic with no true end in sight. How naive we were in the beginning about how long it would last and the far-reaching effects we would all be encountering.

Those of us in more rural areas, at least in the early days, would not have known anyone who caught the virus. Every day now, someone, a neighbour, friend or loved one, is reporting an infection – scary stuff.

Last week we received one of

those calls warning us to limit our contacts for the next 10 days.

Uncanny as it sounds, one of us was in contact with someone carrying the virus while in hospital. Triplevaxxed and always observing protocols, we can only pray neither of us will be dealing with illness.

And for two years it seems there is little else to talk about.

As many parents were expecting, or dreading, children did not go back to the classroom last week. It is also suspect whether they will

return even next Monday. However, there is no such thing anymore as a “snow day”.

Since the implementation of virtual learning, on a bad weather day going forward, children will be learning from home. We have had a couple of nasty weather days since Jan. 3, so parents will be realizing the kids would have been learning from home anyway.

Just a note to remind members of Londesborough United Church: services continue to be held inperson. All safety protocols are in place to ensure everyone’s comfort.

Knox United in Auburn has cancelled services for January.

Londesborough’s Wednesday morning “coffee and conversation” has been discontinued for now as well.

This next item is one I neglected to add last week. Every January the question is what to do with the Christmas tree? Actually it is something I heard on TV. Just as people found places on pig farms for their pumpkins, gourds, etc., it seems real Christmas trees are being added to goat paddocks.

We have all seen pictures of goats climbing on piles to have a higher look at the world. So Christmas trees, minus all the tinsel and decorations, have found a home.

Actually the goats eat the trees as well and get nutrients.

A hauling company in a nearby city was collecting trees for $10 and donating the money to charity.

Amazing what people can come up with to help others.

Although we have been in our new home for six months now, every week I come across something that hasn’t found a place here or that is a surprise. One piece

of advice given when we started packing was, “If you are unsure about taking it, pack it. You can always get rid of it later.” So, at this point, some things are still needing a home or, as I open a box or drawer, it comes as a surprise.

So, when the books were packed, in went two of those perpetual calendars I had been given at some point. Both are daily quotes intended to encourage, uplift and inspire. I thought I would choose one each week for this space which might help us get through this pandemic. This week’s is: “The uncertainties of the present always give way to the enchanted possibilities of the future.”

Wash your hands often, wear your mask, stay physically distanced and remain hopeful. Actually, wearing your mask in the winter outside truly keeps your face warm.

NEWS FROM LONDESBORO

Keeping the blood flowing The Toll children, Avery and Sadie, have been keeping active outside by cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on local trails whenever they have a chance. With the snowfall in the past week, there should be a good foundation for them for weeks to come. Tanya Toll submitted this picture of winter fun to The Citizen over the weekend - if you’d like to see your pictures in print, e-mail them to reporter Denny Scott at reporter@northhuron.on.ca and they may be included in a future issue. (Photo submitted)

Provincial government offers supports for small businesses Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson has announced a new $10,000 grant for eligible businesses that are subject to closures under the modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen.

She also announced that the Ontario government will provide additional electricity-rate relief for businesses, as well as workers and families spending more time at home.

“I am well aware of the sacrifices and hardships businesses, workers, and families have endured during these unprecedented times,” Thompson said. “That is why we will continue to support them in unprecedented ways.”

As part of a comprehensive plan to support workers and businesses, the government is announcing an Ontario COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant for small businesses that are subject to closure under the modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen. It will provide eligible small businesses with a grant payment of $10,000.

Eligible small businesses include: • Restaurants and bars • Facilities for indoor sports and recreational fitness activities (including fitness centres and gyms) • Performing arts and cinemas • Museums, galleries, aquariums, zoos, science centres, landmarks, historic sites, botanical gardens and similar attractions • Meeting or event spaces • Tour and guide services • Conference centres and convention centres • Driving instruction for individuals • Before- and after- school programs.

Eligible businesses that qualified for the Ontario Small Business Support Grant and that are subject to closure under modified Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen will be pre-screened to verify eligibility and will not need to apply to the new program. Newly-established and newly-eligible small businesses

will need to apply once the application portal opens in the coming weeks. Small businesses that qualify can expect to receive their payment in February.

“Small businesses, job creators and the entrepreneurial spirit are the backbone of Ontario’s economy.

Unfortunately, these businesses have been some of the most impacted by COVID-19, and many continue to struggle,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Since the start of the pandemic, we have provided unprecedented supports for businesses in every region of the province. With the new Ontario COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant, our government will provide relief for thousands of small businesses that create jobs for hard working Ontarians.”

The Ontario government is also providing electricity rate relief to support small businesses, as well as Continued on page 10

FAÇADE GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED The Municipality of Central Huron is pleased to announce their annual 2022 Central Huron Façade Grant Program. The Program includes Façade improvements for properties in Central Huron that are assessed as Commercial. The Municipality has set aside funds to help assist property owners in the expansion or improvement of the building Façade or signage. The goal of the program is to enhance the appearance of commercial businesses and by doing so refresh the sense of pride within the community.

Deadline Applications must be received by the undersigned by February 22, 2022 by 4:30 p.m.

Program details and Application Forms are available at www.centralhuron.ca.

Please note that the program has made some changes to what qualifies under the Façade Grant program which is new from 2020/2021.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact Nicole Lowe at 519 482 3997 Ext. 1230.

“Central Huron Façade Grant Program” Attention: Nicole Lowe, Records Clerk Municipality of Central Huron 23 Albert Street Clinton, Ontario N0M 1L0 Tel: 519-482-3997 Fax: 519-482-9183 info@centralhuron.com

The Municipality reserves the right to fund projects as deemed appropriate. www.centralhuron.ca

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022. PAGE 9.

Shock, suprise, delight for Sawchuk as review chair

The start of something great In late 2019, Blyth’s Julie Sawchuk released a book on home design with an eye towards accessibility in a number of areas largely ignored by many contractors at the time. She wrote after encountering a number of barriers when designing her own house and hoped it would help others in the future. At the book launch, above, at her home, Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson connected with Sawchuk and that discussion led directly to Sawchuk’s most recent appointment, announced late last year, as the chair of the provincial government’s Standards Development Committee. (File photo)

By Denny Scott The Citizen

Accessibility expert Julie Sawchuk was “shocked, surprised and delighted” when she found out she had been named chair of the Standards Development Committee to review Design of Public Spaces Accessibility Standards.

Sawchuk, who lives just outside of Blyth, was struck by a motor vehicle while cycling several years ago, resulting in paralysis from the chest down. The change, she said, led to her using a wheelchair and realizing how inaccessible parts of her own community can be, which led to her becoming an activist for accessibility.

As part of that journey, Sawchuk has published several books detailing her own experiences with accessibility, including her personal challenges and the building of her own home.

“When I had the open house here about residential accessible design and my book launch, [HuronBruce] MPP Lisa Thompson had come, and bought several copies, including one for [Raymond Cho] the Minister of Seniors and Accessibility,” she said.

Cho called Sawchuk, thanking her for writing the book, and then, six months ago, a staff member in Cho’s ministry asked her to make a presentation to a working group about discussing accessibility in rural Ontario.

“That was when I started talking to his staff about [the Design of Public Spaces Accessibility Standards],” Sawchuk said.

She wasn’t contacted by anyone in the ministry for six months after that first discussion, however.

“I didn’t hear anything, until they got in touch with me about a month ago and asked if I would be interested in being the chair of the review,” she said. “I was shocked,

surprised and delighted with the offer.”

Sawchuk said the committee’s work is important because people with disabilities are the only minority group where integration into all aspects of society comes with a price tag.

“All other minority groups are able to be integrated into every aspect of society by changing attitudes,” she said. “With people with disabilities, not only do we have to change attitudes and minds about disability, we have to physically change the built and natural spaces.”

She said that, throughout history, humanity has built for aesthetics or for function without thinking about minority populations, pointing to stairs as an example.

“They allow us to stack buildings, which is just how we do things, without thinking about the fact that stairs don’t work for everyone,” she said.

“Really, it comes down to money and that’s where I don’t like to start,” she said.

As an accessibility consultant, she said when she discusses issues with people, one of their first concerns is cost, which is understandable.

“You don’t want to pay more if you don’t have to,” she said. “But in not including people with disabilities, you are segregating, discriminating against potentially 20 or more per cent of the population. People with disabilities are the largest minority group on the planet.”

Sawchuk said that number is likely to grow with the world’s aging population.

Currently, Sawchuk said the hunt is on for committee members, and that the committee will include 23 to 25 people being selected by herself and ministry staff.

“They will be selected from

across the province and from a variety of interest groups in terms of industry, municipality representation and disability organizations,” Sawchuk said.

“More than half of the committee will be people with disabilities.”

She said she is very excited about the first meeting because, as a storyteller herself, she is looking forward to seeing people share their experiences because that will lead to a better understanding of the responsibility of the committee.

The review had initially been identified as a year-long process, but due to the provincial election, she anticipates it will take a year and a half. At the review’s conclusion, the committee will put forward a list of suggestions for public input. The suggestions will then be revised and forwarded to Cho (or whoever is in his position when the review is complete).

Sawchuk believes the committee will have many suggestions, but that’s all they are, because the minister, after receiving input from ministries that will be impacted like those responsible for municipal affairs, housing and commercial affairs, will decide what to put forward.

“As much as I’d like to say everything we suggest should happen, that’s not likely the case,” Sawchuk said.

“I’ve got big plans,” she said. “I will do my damndest to make everything happen that we can.”

Sawchuk said there is a lot of work to do with the review, but, based on her research, much of it has to do with enforcement of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

“It’s not the regulations themselves that need to be modified to any great extent,” she said. “The size of parking stalls, the slopes of sidewalks, the widths of paths of travel in a public park are all where

we need to be. It’s not the numbers or the specifications that need to be overhauled, what needs to be overhauled are the requirements for implementation. That is where the biggest amount of work and discussion is going to happen.”

Sawchuk said that “grandfather clauses” on structures and spaces built prior to the most recent updates to the AODA mean changes don’t need to happen, even though the sites may not be up to code.

“What it means is a building can not be accessible, and there are no laws that say they have to be,” she said.

When asked if she ever saw herself in such a position in the early days following her injury, Sawchuk said she had no idea.

“In my early days, after the accident, I maybe had dreams about participating in a sport with a disability,” she said, “likely some kind of parasport. I wasn’t looking at accessibility. It really was part of coming back to my community and feeling what inaccessible spaces felt like and knowing how ridiculous it can be that set me on this path. I thought, ‘Somebody’s got to do something about it.’”

Sawchuk says she has a different view on accessibility from even other individuals who have been disabled most, if not all their lives.

“I lived 41 years of my life

without a disability and, in the blink of an eye, everything changed,” she said. “I was thrown into the world that I thought I knew about, but I now realize I knew absolutely nothing about. I am living in a disabled body, but with all the privilege that came with me being an educated, white woman who was employed and has benefits. I was hit by a car, which is an insurable accident which meant I had money to help with my recovery.”

She said many people with disabilities don’t have the advantages she did when she started her recovery, so she wants to leverage that influence to foster change.

“I feel privileged that people are listening and honoured that people are listening and I feel the need to keep doing what I’m doing because it is working,” she said. “It is slow and painful, but one person at a time, we can make a difference.”

She said when she discusses these issues with people, she can see when their minds change.

She also said that she has the energy to pursue these kinds of changes because others who face disabilities may not.

“Living with a disability sucks energy out of your life,” she said.

“Some of the privileges I have may restore some of that, giving me the chance to make this difference.”

N Do you k RI

WKHLU R 2 DULR

DEADL

AN NTED! en the ages e U H ZLWKLQ H WK IRU DQ ZDUG RGD\

RY Y 11, 2022

1RPLQDW

DY LO EOH IURP WKLV QHZVSDSHU

RFQD RUJ MMXQLRUFLWL]HQ (PDLO MU FLWL]H ] FQ UJ IRU PRUH LQIRUPDWLRQ

%URXJKW WR \RX E\

PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022.

County extends shelter hours The Huron Out of the Cold: Heart to Home emergency cold weather shelter is extending its hours. By extending shelter hours, staff is able to continue offering guests overnight accommodation, plus add a day-use centre. Shelter guests also receive wrap-around supports, including meals.

“Extended shelter hours is welcome news, particularly in response to the current provincial restrictions that have required many businesses to close to the public,” said Director of Social and Property Services Barbara Hall. “Day-use

hours ensure washrooms and warm spaces are available to those who may otherwise be forced to face the winter elements.”

The shelter is staffed by the Heart to Home Stability Team. These individuals have been specially trained in trauma informed care, substance use and mental health services. Since the opening of the shelter in 2020, 16 individuals have been successfully, permanently homed with assistance from the team. This team will continue its work in 2022.

“I extend my heartfelt thanks to

the staff and partners involved in this project.” said Huron County Warden Glen McNeil. “The pandemic has required all of us to shift and pivot many times, often with little or no notice. The team responsible for the Out of the Cold shelter have again worked swiftly to ensure the safety of our community. Thank you to the entire team.”

For more information on Huron Out of the Cold: Heart to Home and the topic of homelessness in Huron, visit the county’s website at huroncounty.ca/housing.

Unemployment rate rises to three per cent in December

Quite the view Eighteen-month-old Emmalee Riley took this opportunity at the Brussels toboggan hill over the weekend to see things from a different point of view, thanks in part to her mother. (John Stephenson photo)

In December, the unemployment rate for the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula economic region increased by 0.2 percentage points to three per cent. At the same time, the provincial unemployment rate decreased by 0.6 percentage points to 5.8 per cent, both unadjusted for seasonality.

The annual adjusted unemployment rate for 2021 was 4.2 per cent, 3.1 percentage points lower than that for 2020, which was 7.3 per cent. The 2021 annual rate is comparable to pre-pandemic levels which was 4.4 per cent in 2019.

Overall net employment in the region decreased by 3,000, with full-time losses (-4,100) and parttime gains (1,000). This full-time

loss was the largest in 2021.

The number of goods-producing sector employees decreased by net 700. The main driving force came from losses in utilities (-500) and agriculture (-400).

Employment in the servicesproducing sector also decreased by net 2,300. The most losses came from wholesale and retail trade (2,000) and transportation and warehousing (-1,500). Though accommodation and food services experienced increases in employment (+1,100), it could not offset the losses, which resulted in net losses of 2,300.

“With a chronically low unemployment rate, and a shrinking labour pool (-2,800), expanding our

workforce to fill job vacancies and meet employers’ worker needs, continues to be a top priority,” says Gemma Mendez-Smith, Executive Director of the Four County Labour Market Planning Board. “Even with the positive gains in accommodation and food services, with each lockdown and new virus strain, the services-producing sector continues to be the hardest hit throughout the pandemic.”

Current job postings for the Bruce, Grey, Huron, Perth region have increased over time since the pandemic and can be found at www.connect2JOBS.ca. This is updated regularly so visit often and create your account to track the job opportunities.

Electricity rates to stay at off-peak for three weeks Continued from page 8 workers and families spending more time at home while the province is in Modified Step Two. For 21 days starting at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 18, electricity prices will be set 24 hours a day at the current off-peak rate of 8.2 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is less than half the cost of the current on-peak rate.

The off-peak rate will apply automatically to residential, small businesses and farms who pay regulated rates set by the Ontario Energy Board and get a bill from a utility and will benefit customers on both time-of-use and tiered rate plans.

“We know that spending more time at home means using more electricity during the day when prices are higher, that’s why we are moving to off-peak electricity rates 24 hours per day, seven days a week,” said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy. “The off-peak rate will provide immediate savings for families, small businesses and farms as all Ontarians work together to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.”

Further, online applications for the previously-announced Ontario Business Costs Rebate Program will open on Jan. 18. This program will provide eligible businesses that are required to close or reduce capacity with rebate payments for up to 100 per cent of the property tax and energy costs they incur while subject to public health measures in response to the Omicron variant.

Eligible businesses required to close for indoor activities, such as restaurants and gyms, will receive a rebate payment

equivalent to 100 per cent of their costs.

Those required to reduce capacity to 50 per cent, such as smaller retail stores, will receive a rebate payment equivalent to 50 per cent of their costs. A complete list of eligible businesses will be provided prior to the launch of the application portal.

The government is also

improving cash flows for Ontario businesses by providing up to $7.5 billion through a six-month interest- and penalty-free period starting Jan. 1, for Ontario businesses to make payments for most provincially administered taxes. This supports businesses now and provides the flexibility they will need for long-term planning.

Building on Ontario’s efforts to

Remember Last Winter?

improve cash flows for businesses, the province continues to call on the federal government to match provincial tax deferral efforts by allowing small businesses impacted by public health restrictions to defer their HST remittances for a period of six months.

“Ontario’s heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries have been hit first, hardest, and are

expected to take the longest to recover from the pandemic,” said Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.

“These new supports are critical to protect sectors that contribute more than $76 billion and hundreds of thousands of jobs in communities across the province.”

No Need To Go Out In That!

The Citizen now accepts Visa & MasterCard at our Blyth location

Order from the comfort of your own home • advertise • subscribe • buy books Call our Blyth office 405 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022. PAGE 11.

Ironmen back in action on Jan. 28

By Denny Scott The Citizen

The Wingham Ironmen, alongside the rest of the Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL), have put their season on hold as recreation facilities are closed across the province.

The Ironmen were originally set to take to the ice on Friday, Jan. 7 against Walkerton in Wingham after a Christmas break. However, that game was postponed, as was the team’s Jan. 9 competition against Hanover.

Going forward, the Ironmen’s next four games are postponed, including Kincardine at Wingham on Jan. 14, Wingham at Mount Forest on Jan. 15, Goderich at

Wingham on Jan. 21 and Wingham at Kincardine on Jan. 22.

When action resumes, the Ironmen will be looking to break a tie in points with the Mount Forest Patriots. Both teams have posted 28 points, Wingham with 14 wins and Mount Forest with 13 wins, one overtime loss and one tie. The two teams are fighting for third place behind the Mitchell Hawks in second (40 points) and the firstplace Hanover Barons (42 points).

The next scheduled game that isn’t postponed will see the Wingham Ironmen take on the Mount Forest Patriots in Wingham on Jan. 28 at 8 p.m.

For more information visit winghamironmen.pjhlon. hockeytech.com.

Thompson citizenship celebration postponed In the lines Mary Jane Scott of Blyth is one of millions of children who has been working through online learning in the early days of 2022 due to the province-wide school shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been difficult for some, while others have thrived with the online model. (Photo submitted)

HC welcomes budget engagement The County of Huron believes engagement with residents is important as it prepares the 2022 budget. Huron residents can learn more about the county’s annual budget process by visiting huroncounty.ca/treasury/budget.

“County Council and staff remain committed to providing quality services to residents and making Huron a safe, welcoming and affordable community,” said Warden Glen McNeil.

“I wholeheartedly encourage residents to visit Huron County Connects and

learn more about Huron’s budget process.”

As part of the annual budgeting process, all county departments draft and review their annual budget estimates under the strategic priorities set by Huron County Council. At council’s initial review of the budget, the draft budget is also made available to members of the community, who are encouraged to stay informed. After the public has had a chance to engage, council again reviews and debates, before final

approval of the budget is made.

Huron County Council’s virtual budget session is scheduled for Feb. 9. Council meeting agendas and livestream video access information is available online.

Please note that council meetings can only be viewed live and video recordings are not cached, as per county policy.

Stay informed on the County of Huron’s 2022 Budget process by visiting the county website at huroncountyconnects.ca/ budget-2022.

The rapidly spreading Omicron variant has forced Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson to postpone her annual Remarkable Citizens recognition night for a second consecutive year.

“This program has a long history of celebrating individuals who inspire a united sense of community,” Thompson said. “But, unfortunately, we must also acknowledge that it would be unsafe to do so at this time.”

The MPP added that the event, along with her annual New Year’s Levee originally scheduled for Jan. 12, have been postponed until further notice.

“Nominees who will be recognized for their 2021 efforts will be notified accordingly.

Special consideration will be given to individuals who have gone

beyond the call of duty to help their community manage the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Thompson said the tough decision to invoke further restrictions and return to online learning was not an easy one to make, but there is general concern for the province’s health care system as a result of Omicron.

“We all need to do our part to help curb this latest spread,” she said, noting that between Dec. 15 and Dec. 30, the province saw a 533 per cent increase in hospitalizations driven by Omicron. “Even if only one per cent of cases are hospitalized, Ontario’s health care system is likely to become overwhelmed in the near future,” Thompson said, adding that she encourages everyone to get the vaccine and booster shots.

Your Local News Just the way you like it!

Your Community…

Your Family…

Your Interests…

Your Home…

Your World…

It’s All a Part of Your Local Newspaper!

One year subscription to

The Citizen

only

Add the E-edition for only

$

$

4500

1000 more

Enclosed is $45.00 for a 1-year subscription Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Postal Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Email address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A quick outing Eighteen-month-old Tallulah Loughlin of Blyth recently went for a quick sled in her new toboggan after snow covered Huron County in the first days of January. It took a little getting used to, however, and the trip was a bit of a short one. (Photo submitted)

Start your subscription today by phoning 519-523-4792 or online at huroncitizen.ca or mail cheque made payable to

NORTH HURON PUBLISHING INC. to: P.O. Box 429, Blyth, ON N0M 1H0

PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022.

Morrison said walks in Brussels opened his eyes

He’s come a long way Lifelong Brussels resident Justin Morrison says that long walks throughout Brussels and a growing interest in municipal politics led him to consult with friends and family about filling a vacant position on Huron East Council. Having just turned 18 last year, Morrison is sure to be one of the youngest, if not the youngest, councillors in the province. Well known for his work with the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority as a weather reporter, as well as the two-term president of the Brussels Leo Club, Morrison’s first council meeting is set for Jan. 18. Morrison is seen above as an 11-year-old weather reporter in 2015 when The Citizen profiled him as the Authority’s youngest volunteer.

(File photo)

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen After being chosen to replace John Lowe last week, 18-year-old Justin Morrison is now one of the youngest municipal councillors in the province, if not the absolute youngest.

Morrison turned 18 late last year, just in time to put his name forward for Lowe’s position, which he resigned in 2021, effective at the end of the year. Morrison said that, over the course of 2021, it was as simple as walking around his home village of Brussels that piqued his interest in local affairs and,

ultimately, municipal politics.

He would pound the pavement at all times of the day or night and, during that time, he said he would notice little areas of the community that need work and it got him thinking seriously about getting involved. Morrison had already volunteered extensively with the Brussels Leo Club, serving two terms as its president, but he said he began considering stepping up that involvement, especially since he would technically age out of Leo Club eligibility when he turned 18.

So, when Lowe announced that he would be resigning his council seat at the end of the year, just over 10 months before the 2022 municipal election, Morrison said

he thought it was a perfect opportunity to learn a bit more about municipal politics without necessarily committing to an election and a four-year term as a councillor.

He did a bit of research and spoke with some friends, family members and neighbours and, by the end of it, they were encouraging him to put his name forward.

Before the special meeting to choose a new councillor, Morrison said he did some research on the kind of questions he could expect.

Another local council in neighbouring Bruce County recently went through the process of filling a vacant seat this way, so he watched a video of that meeting as a means of preparing for his meeting.

As for the actual meeting itself, Morrison said that while he might have been a little nervous just before it began, he was relatively calm throughout it and felt at ease when presenting himself and his qualifications to council and answering councillors’ questions.

In an interview with The Citizen, Morrison reiterated his position that he felt it was important for a councillor chosen to represent the Brussels Ward to live in Brussels.

While he didn’t doubt that the other two candidates who put their names forward had the best intentions, he just felt that is the way the community should be represented.

He said he wouldn’t consider putting his name forward in the Seaforth Ward, for example, because he doesn’t know anything about the community. In Brussels, however, he knows the community and its layout (especially after that year of daily walks around town) and its people. Not only that, but the people of Brussels know him, as a lifelong resident and long-time volunteer, so he felt, if chosen as

the next Huron East Councillor, residents wouldn’t have any trouble knowing who he is, where to find him and that they would feel comfortable talking to him about issues pertaining to Brussels.

Morrison says he’s taking a realistic approach to his council term, saying he won’t be able to change the world in just 10 months, some of which may be during a lame duck period ahead of the election, but he hopes to learn and represent the village at the Huron East Council table alongside Councillor Zoellyn Onn. He says he isn’t 100 per cent sure that he will run again later this year, but he hopes the appointment will be a positive experience and, if it is, he could certainly see himself putting his name forward in the next municipal election.

In addition to the condition of some of the infrastructure in Brussels, Morrison said the economic vitality of the downtown core is certainly a concern for him.

As he said, however, that would be a big change and a situation that cannot be turned around in 10 months, but it’s a process of which he said he’d be proud to be a part.

When asked what he feels he’ll bring to the position, Morrison said not only a new perspective as a teenager, but a passion for his community. As someone who’s passionate about software design and technology, studying online with Athabasca University, Morrison said he could also bring that knowledge to council when it comes to technology-heavy contracts or improving the municipality’s website, another topic he has already researched.

Morrison’s first meeting as a Huron East councillor will be on Tuesday, Jan. 18 when the final draft of the 2022 budget will be considered.

Brighten Their Day with our Celebration Special During this time of social distancing don’t forget your loved one’s special day with our limited time special price for celebration ads (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.)

2" wide x 3" high 4" wide x 3" high

$30 + tax

includes colour

A race to the bottom Over the holidays, Charlotte and Georgia Mutter were in Brussels and made a point to hit the local toboggan hill for some outdoor fun at the Lions’ Park hill, captured by Barb Mutter. (Photo submitted)

The Citizen

Call or email today 519-523-4792 info@northhuron.on.ca

$60 + tax

includes colour

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022. PAGE 13.

Agriculture

519-523-4311

www.ruralvoice.ca

BLYTH 519-523-4244

www.hurontractor.com

Brussels Livestock report

Fed steers, heifers sell at higher prices at sale Total receipts for Brussels Livestock for the week ending Jan. 7 were 1,155 cattle and 483 lambs and goats.

On Tuesday, fed steers and heifers sold actively at prices $5 to $10 higher. Choice steers and heifers sold $168 to $174 with sales

to $178. Second-cut cattle sold $158 to $167. Aged and mediumfed steers and heifers sold $144 to $157. Holstein steers and heifers sold $80 to $125. Cows sold on a strong active trade at fully steady prices.

On Thursday, veal sold actively at

prices slightly higher than last week. Lambs sold steady. Sheep and goats sold higher.

On Friday, calves sold fully steady. Yearlings sold actively at prices $5 to $8 higher.

There were 300 cows on offer.

Beef sold $63 to $94; good holstein

In the wild Darlene Greydanus of the Maitland Valley Camera Club shared this winter wildlife image with The Citizen of a hawk during a quick game of peekaboo. (Photo courtesy of Darlene Greydanus of the Maitland Valley Camera Club)

Letter to the Editor

Raid equals Nazism says writer THE EDITOR, Rex Murphy once wrote that Canada was regressing. I believe that to be true. We have regressed so far as to put Canada into the 1940s. The Nazi-style raids on farmsteads is extreme overreach. I am referring to the police raid that took place on a Perth family wild boar farm last year; 12 police cruisers valued at $100,000 a piece, three different ministry vehicles, and personnel, all I suspect on the sunshine list. This is not the way that I want my tax dollars spent. An armed drug camp might require this extreme measure, but not a farmstead family that is trying to make a living by producing a product desired for health and wellness. There are far more products on the shelf that are actually hazardous, and yet only carry a warning label.

Now, before the ink is dry, they are expecting business farms to close and go out of business, to accept a small payout in a short period, or get nothing; no further option, no time to research or negotiate; no time to establish added security measures such as a third fence, or electronic tagging.

And, yet no evidence of any kind has suggested that this farm operation is of harm to the public.

The only seemingly viable option is for them to relocate at their expense; sell their property, move their herd, their family and their livelihood across the border and find a way to deliver their product to those counting on it, all at the expense of the farmer, not to

mention the environment.

Is this to serve a special interest group? If so, our diets are being regulated by fat farms. Payment for a meat product increases by weight and fat is produced faster than meat.

The almighty dollar seems to be the determining factor.

They tell us this extreme measure of demanding a farm to close is for African Swine Fever (ASF) control.

But, this disease is crossing vast oceans without the help of a host pig. The government has taken responsibility for our borders by

controlling what comes in and goes out. They can shirk this responsibility by blaming someone else.

It has been written that every regulation carries a cost (to the taxpayers). As it stands in Canada, we are regulating ourselves out of business and using Draconian legislation to do so. It pushes Canada back to the middle ages. It also shows cowardice on the part of the government and police, attacking one small farmstead at a time.

Gary Schultz, Blyth.

cows, $68 to $98 with sales to $111; medium holstein cows, $52 to $65.

There were 185 head of veal on offer. Beef veal sold $194 to $223 with sales to $229; good holsteins, $160 to $180 with sales to $190; Sl heavy holsteins, $145 to $170; medium holsteins, $135 to $150.

Rueben S. Martin of Wallenstein, consigned 10 head. One gold steer weighed 835 lbs. and sold for a price of $229.

Grant Bergsma of Londesborough, consigned two head. One holstein steer weighed 705 lbs. and sold for a price of $187.

Lambs, 50 - 64 lbs. sold $452.75 to $457.50; 65 - 79 lbs., $425 to $450; 80 - 94 lbs., $350 to $427.50; 95 - 109 lbs., $317.50- to $332; 110 lbs. and over, $308.75 to $310.

Sheep sold $150 to $345.

Goats: billies sold $300 to $420; nannies, $100 to $275; kids: meat, $350 to $420; dairy, $300 to $360.

Ger Miedema of Brucefield, consigned 20 head. Ten lambs averaged 78 lbs. and sold for an average price of $446.

Brian and Craig Salverda of Londesborough, consigned 35 head. Ten lambs averaged 62 lbs. and sold for an average price of $457.50.

Top quality stocker steers 400 499 lbs. sold $221.75 to $247; 500 - 599 lbs., $225.50 to $249; 600 699 lbs., $223 to $243; 700 - 799 lbs., $226.75 to $230; 800 - 899 lbs., $201 to $227; 900 - 999 lbs., $212 to $226; 1,000 lbs. and over, $211.75 to $220.50.

Top quality stocker heifers, 400 -

499 lbs. sold $158.50 to $224; 500 - 599 lbs., $185 to $210; 600 - 699 lbs., $190 to $203; 700 - 799 lbs., $170.75 to $184; 800 - 899 lbs., $192.50 to $199; 900 lbs. and over, $179.50 to $202.75.

Luke Frey of Clifford, consigned 14 head. Seven gold heifers averaged 904 lbs. and sold for an average price of $202.75.

Craig Simpson of Glencoe, consigned 12 head. Ten charolais heifers averaged 1,024 lbs. and sold for an average price of $188.50.

Abram G. Martin of Wroxeter, consigned 16 head. Eight charolais steers averaged 909 lbs. and sold for an average price of $226.

Martarp of Dundalk, consigned 19 head. Thirteen charolais steers averaged 1,021 lbs. and sold for an average price of $220.50.

BRUSSELS LIVESTOCK Division of Gamble & Rogers Ltd.

UPCOMING SALES TUESDAYS 10:00 a.m.

Fed Cattle, Bulls & Cows

THURSDAYS

9:00 a.m. Drop Calves 10:00 a.m.Veal 11:30 a.m. Lambs, Goats & Sheep

FRIDAYS

10:00 a.m. Stockers Visit our webpage at: www.brusselslivestock.ca email us at: info@brusselslivestock.ca

Call us 519-887-6461

Keep up with the latest agri-businesses and the best of rural living! $25 for 12 issues

$45 for 24 issues Please make cheques payable to North Huron Publishing Inc.

The magazine of Agricultural Life

News Media Canada is a passion ssionate ad dvocate for the news industry. We support our mem mber m publications in their pursuit of quality jo ournalism nalism.

We believe that when society has facts they can trust, better decisions will be made.

Subscribe Today

www.ruralvoice.ca The Rural Voice 405 Queen St., P.O. Box 429 Blyth, ON N0M 1H0 newsmediacanada.ca

PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022.

Classified Advertisements – RATES – 20 words or less only $7.00 + HST. Additional words 20¢ each + HST. 50¢ will be deducted if ad is paid in advance

Help wanted Help wanted Help wanted Help wanted

DEADLINE 2 p.m. Monday in Brussels 4 p.m. Monday in Blyth Phone 519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114 e-mail: info@northhuron.on.ca

Articles for sale GERBERS FIREWOOD SERVING you for over 10 years. Your number one source of quality slabwood and bodywood. Delivery available. No Sunday calls. 519-656-2057, 519441-2085.

01-50p -------------------------------------------REPRINTS OF PHOTOS taken by Citizen photographers are available to purchase. All are in colour. 4x6 – $5.00, 5x7 – $6.00, 8x10 – $10.00. Phone to order 519523-4792 or 519-887-9114. tfn -------------------------------------------THE CITIZEN IS AVAILABLE TO purchase at these locations – Auburn Co-op, Auburn Esso, Belgrave Variety, Blyth Variety, Blyth Food Market, Blyth Ultramar, Brussels Foodland, Brussels Variety, Clinton Convenience, Clinton Foodland, Dean’s Valu-Mart in Wingham, Wingham Mini Mart, Seaforth Foodland, GT Mini Mart in Seaforth, Fincher’s in Goderich, Goderich Victoria St. Shell and The Citizen Blyth.

Card of thanks THE BLYTH COMMUNITY Betterment would like to give a big thank you to all our volunteers, sponsors and contributors of the Santa Claus Parade. Your kindness and support is the reason that this event continues to be a wonderful part of the holiday season in our village. This year’s sponsors include Blyth Legion, Blyth Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Blyth Lions Club, Paul Cook Electric, Gary Caldwell Construction, Howson Mills, Huron Tractor, Jim Johnston Carpentry, Orr Insurance, Parkland/Sparling’s Propane, Rutling Holding, Townsend Tire, Diane Ferguson, Anne Elliott and Leslie Cook, The Citizen. We would like to thank all who participated in the parade; a big shout out goes to Huron County OPP, EMS, The Fire Department of North Huron and North Huron staff.

As always, we commend the community for its continued support and enthusiasm. – Blyth Community Betterment.

02-1

Coming events BRUSSELS AGRICULTURAL Society Annual General meeting, Sunday, Jan. 16 at 4 p.m. via Zoom.

New members always welcome!

Guest speaker: Janelle Cardiff with Farm & Food Care Ontario.

Questions or to receive meeting link contact John Lowe lowe17@bell.net 519-887-9799 or Crystal McCallum brusselsagsociety@gmail.com.

01-2p

Full-Time Farm Workers

Full-Time Farm Workers

8-month position

24-month position

Brussels Livestock, Div. of Gamble & Rogers Limited has two positions available for full-time farm workers for an 8-month period.

Brussels Livestock, Div. of Gamble & Rogers Limited has two positions available for full-time farm workers for a 24-month period.

Job Start Date: on or about February 1, 2022 End Date: on or about September 30, 2022 Rate of Pay: $15/hour Hours: 40-80 Hours / Week. (Working hours are variable due to position being dependent upon weather conditions) Number of Vacancies: 2 Terms of Employment: 8 months, full-time Job Location: Brussels, Ontario

Job Start Date: on or about February 1, 2022 End Date: on or about January 31, 2024 Rate of Pay: $15/hour Hours: 40-80 Hours / Week. (Working hours are variable due to position being dependent upon weather conditions) Number of Vacancies: 2 Terms of Employment: 24 months, full-time Job Location: Brussels, Ontario

Job • • • •

Job • • • •

Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities: • Inside and outdoors • Fast-paced environment • Work under pressure • Tight deadlines • Repetitive tasks • Handling heavy loads and physically demanding • Attention to detail • Combination of sitting, walking, or standing for extended periods of time • Work any shift: days or evenings; including weekends and holidays

Work Conditions and Physical Capabilities: • Inside and outdoors • Fast-paced environment • Work under pressure • Tight deadlines • Repetitive tasks • Handling heavy loads and physically demanding • Attention to detail • Combination of sitting, walking, or standing for extended periods of time • Work any shift: days or evenings; including weekends and holidays

Personal Suitability: Flexible, organized, team player, effective interpersonal skills, works well with others, but also should be able to be independent and take initiative.

Personal Suitability: Flexible, organized, team player, effective interpersonal skills, works well with others, but also should be able to be independent and take initiative.

Skills Required: • Fluent English speaker • Tending to livestock • Planting, hoeing/weeding, grading/sorting, harvesting crops • Property/farm maintenance • Ability to safely operate farm equipment

Skills Required: • Fluent English speaker • Tending to livestock • Planting, hoeing/weeding, grading/sorting, harvesting crops • Property/farm maintenance • Ability to safely operate farm equipment

Education: None required.

Experience: Experience is an asset; but willing to train.

Work Eligibility: Only applicants legally eligible to work in Canada will be considered.

Education: None required.

Experience: Experience is an asset; but willing to train.

Work Eligibility: Only applicants legally eligible to work in Canada will be considered.

Equal opportunity Employer: Brussels Livestock is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

Equal opportunity Employer: Brussels Livestock is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

Applications can be emailed to: Cindy Ferraro: cindyf@brusselslivestock.ca P.O. Box 59, Brussels, ON N0G 1H0 Canada

Applications can be emailed to: Cindy Ferraro: cindyf@brusselslivestock.ca P.O. Box 59, Brussels, ON N0G 1H0 Canada

Description: Feed and tend livestock Plant, fertilize, cultivate, spray, irrigate and harvest crops Operate and maintain farm machinery and equipment Follow food safety and security and animal bio-security procedures • Detect disease and health problems in crops, livestock and poultry • Set and monitor water lines, air flow and temperature in barns, and pens • Maintain or assist in the maintenance of facilities and farm infrastructure including cleaning stables, barns, barnyards and pens

Description: Feed and tend livestock Plant, fertilize, cultivate, spray, irrigate and harvest crops Operate and maintain farm machinery and equipment Follow food safety and security and animal bio-security procedures • Detect disease and health problems in crops, livestock and poultry • Set and monitor water lines, air flow and temperature in barns, and pens • Maintain or assist in the maintenance of facilities and farm infrastructure including cleaning stables, barns, barnyards and pens

In memoriam In memoriam In memoriam In memoriam

SCOTT In loving memory of our parents – Don who left us one year ago January 13, 2021, and Brenda

who left us five years ago January 14, 2017.

We miss you both so much but are

happy that you are once again on a grand adventure together.

Feel no guilt in laughter, they know how much you care.

Feel no sorrow in a smile that they’re not here to share, You cannot grieve forever, they would not want you to.

They’d hope that you can carry on, the way you always do, So talk about the good times and the ways you showed you cared.

The days you spent together, all the happiness you shared,

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

www.huroncitizen.ca

Let memories surround you.

A word someone may say, Will suddenly recapture a time, an hour, a day, That brings them back as clearly as though they were still here, And fills you with the feelings that they are always near.

For if you keep these moments, you will never be apart, And they will live forever, locked safe within your heart. – Love, Deb, Kim and Jon and families.

02-1p

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022. PAGE 15.

Classified Advertisements In memoriam Notice CALDWELL. In loving memory of a dear mom, grandma, greatgrandma and great-great grandma Gladys Caldwell who passed away January 11, 2014.

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

– Dearly loved and missed by your family.

02-1 -------------------------------------------JOHNSTON. In loving memory of our dear son David Keith, who passed away seven years ago on January 15, 2015. His grin will always be remembered.

– Love, Mom and Dad. 02-1p

Notice

NOTICE TO DOG OWNERS Renewal invoices for the 2022 licensing year will be mailed at the beginning of January to all dog owners who had previously registered their dog(s) with the Township.

As a reminder, all dog tags sold in 2020 were issued on a three­year basis and are valid form 2020­2022. However, the renewal fees for this tag must be paid annually in order to be renewed and valid. If you are a new dog owner in the municipality or have recently acquired a dog who has not been registered previously, please do so on the North Huron website or by contacting the Municipal Office at (519) 357­3550.

Please note that the Municipal Office is currently closed to the public until further notice due to the provincially­imposed COVID­19 regulations. During this time, payment may be made by placing a cheque/cash and the renewal invoice in the mail box located at the front doors of the Municipal Office, or by mailing a cheque/cash and the renewal notice to: Township of North Huron PO Box 90 274 Josephine Street, Wingham, ON N0G 2W0

Citizen-To-Citizen “SWAP SHOP” ad “One person’s junk is another’s treasure”

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 - 4 - 16" snow tires, 225/60R16, $225 (have traded vehicles); one composter free. Call 519-357-3518, Wingham area.02-3 ------------------------------------------FOR SALE - 40 ft. hay elevator, $150; Allis Chalmers 5-furrow semi-mount plow, $450; New Idea hay mowers, need work, $100 each; New Holland haybine, $700; have parts for New Holland 56 rake. 519395-2225.

01-3 -------------------------------------------

FOR SALE - 10L air fryer, dehydrator with rotisserie, used once. Please call 519-335-3382.

01-3 ------------------------------------------FOR SALE - 5000W electric heater, plugs into 220 amp., $50; used electric motors, single phase, $25 to $50; half-inch steel cable with hooks 60 feet plus, $50. 519526-1012.

51-3 -------------------------------------------

Personals

Wanted

POST ABORTION HEALING. ARE you suffering from the emotional aftermath of an abortion?

For support and healing please call Project Rachel at their confidential number 1-888-355-1110. e6w --------------------------------------------

CASH CROP LAND WANTED TO rent or share crop. Contact Peter Rastorfer, 519-276-9405. Email: rastorferfarms @gmail.com 50-6p

Emergency county child care available On Jan. 3, the Province of Ontario made an announcement that all publicly funded and private schools will move to remote learning starting Jan. 5 until at least Jan. 17, subject to public health trends and operational considerations.

During this remote learning period, the County of Huron Children’s Services Division and partner agencies are providing free Emergency Licensed Child Care for school-aged children of health care and other eligible frontline workers starting Jan. 10. Licensed child care programs for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and centre-based kindergarten programs will remain open.

Emergency Licensed Child Care services are reserved exclusively for children of essential workers identified in the Province of Ontario’s List of Workers Eligible for Emergency Child Care, who have exhausted all other alternatives. Both parents are required to submit verification of employment and at least one parent is required to be on the eligibility list from the Province. Child care will only be available for the dates that both parents are required to be working outside of the home.

Child Care Centres currently providing Emergency Child Care are: London Bridge: Exeter Elementary School, 93 Victoria St

E, Exeter; Clinton Co-operative Childcare Centre: Clinton Elementary School, 27 Percival St. Clinton; Clinton Co-operative Childcare Centre: Goderich Public School, 125 Blake St. Goderich; Walton Little School Inc.: 42659 Walton.

The County of Huron will be approving applications for emergency licensed child care spaces for eligible families on a first-come, first-served basis.

Eligible workers seeking to access emergency licensed child care for their school-aged children are required to complete and submit the online application. Spaces are limited.

More information and applications forms can be found at: w w w. h u r o n c o u n t y. c a / s o c i a l services/childrens-services/ The County of Huron has worked closely with Huron-Perth Public Health to develop procedures that are required in the operation of emergency licensed child care services to help limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The County’s children’s services team and partner agencies remain committed to providing necessary and essential community services to Huron residents.

The County of Huron thanks local child care providers, and all essential workers, for their continued response to the COVID19 pandemic.

HE exploring Seaforth splash pad options

By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Huron East Council is further investigating its options regarding the development of a splash pad in Seaforth, an initiative being spearheaded by the Seaforth Lions Club at its park, which already includes a wading pool.

Bryan Vincent of the Lions Club and Dean Wood of Envira-North Systems Limited spoke to the proposal at council’s Dec. 21 meeting, which was held virtually via Zoom. The pair presented a number of options, which varied greatly in quality, scale and cost.

Various options would require assistance from the municipality, including increased water capacity, water usage and even a staff member for between three and four hours per day, depending on the option.

Wood told council that the team has already investigated its capital and operational costs and has secured over $100,000 in pledges from local businesses. The fundraising goal for the project,

however, would be $350,000, Wood said, which he felt is achievable.

What the group needs from Huron East, he said, is, first, to permit the construction of a splash pad at the park, which the Lions maintain but the municipality owns, a second two-inch water line run into the park from the nearby river and for the municipality to absorb the added water usage costs. Chief Administrative Officer Brad McRoberts also said that he understood that the municipality would then be responsible for repairs, maintenance and capital replacement costs.

In addition, McRoberts said the group is forming a five-person committee to support the project, which would include a municipal government representative.

Construction would begin in the spring of 2022, with the splash pad being operational by the summer.

He also explained to council that there are two systems that can be used: a flow-through system or a recirculation system. Flow-through systems are most common, he said,

because they are the easiest to maintain. The flow-through system requires almost no maintenance, McRoberts said in his report, whereas the recirculation system would require daily maintenance of between two and three hours.

He did offer a third option, however, which is a flow-through system, but with a large holding tank, equipped with an overflow discharge. Water collected in the tank could then be used for municipal purposes, such as watering municipal plants, fire suppression or dust control.

Director of Public Works Barry Mills said that he has to run a new two-inch water line into the park after an earlier attempt failed. This would be for the park’s existing needs, so a second line would be needed if a splash pad were to be constructed there.

He estimated that a second line would cost the municipality as much as $350,000, while the increased water usage would come in just under $7,000 annually, so the municipality would be looking at an operating cost of approximately

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

www.huroncitizen.ca

$43,000 for the first year (which is above and beyond the cost to build the splash pad for which the group is fundraising) and increased water consumption costs going forward.

Mills suggested that he prepare a report on the splash pad proposal and potential implications for a meeting in the new year.

Councillor Joe Steffler was all for the splash pad, saying that the support from local businesses, even this early in the process, was substantial and that council should do what it can to help the project.

Some councillors, however, were worried that if the Lions Club walked away from the park, the municipality would be left paying for the splash pad moving forward.

However, Vincent assured council that, as long as there are Lions Club members in the village, they will remain committed to maintaining the park. Others, such as Councillor Dianne Diehl, were concerned about the wasted water.

Council directed Mills to prepare a report to be presented to council in early 2022.

PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022.

Rail Trail traffic persists despite snowfall PEOPLE AROUND WALTON

By Jo-Ann McDonald Call 887-6570

The winter weather hit hard one day last week and left the roads less than desirable. Road crews were hard at it, but on Thursday the roads had not been winged back, so they were tricky for mail delivery. A reminder to the rural folks out there to clean the approach and the departure from the mailbox, not just three feet in front of the box.

Another reminder is not to place your recycling bins in front of the box. You can never be sure when the mail will be arriving and if the pathway to the box is blocked, delivery cannot be made. Just a few reminders for all.

The bad news of last week was the closure of the arena and dining in at restaurants. Take-out is the option to help keep our local

businesses in operation. Hopefully it will only be for a couple of weeks. Children did not go back to school but are scheduled to go on Monday, Jan. 17. Parents will be happy if that happens. Hopefully all the new safety measures will be in place at the schools.

Good news for Dave and Karen Smith, as they have become firsttime grandparents. Daughter Kelsey and partner Drew Hutchison have welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Lily Mae. The family lives in Australia and Karen hopes to go visit as soon as the country allows entry. Congratulations to the Smith and McCutcheon families on the newest family member.

We were able to celebrate a couple of Christmases on the weekend. We went to New Hamburg to our daughter Kelly’s home on Saturday and had a visit and the family opened their Christmas gifts. Kelly quite often works nights on the weekends and she had some sleep, had a visit with us and then would have a nap after we left. A very different Christmas for all.

We had a second Christmas with Scott and his family on Sunday.

They came down and opened gifts and then we had Sunday brunch. We had a nice visit, the kids played with a couple of big cardboard boxes, rather than their new toys.

Sunday was a nice day when they were here and they were going home to play outside. The weather changed quite quickly around 4

NEWS FROM WALTON

Development concerns writer sidewalks available for pedestrians • Overflow of cars onto what is typically a quiet section of town • Overshadowing of the yards of those people backing onto the site, having a profound effect on the quality of life for local residents • The disruption of a beautiful and well used and appreciated park and walking trail • The changing of by-laws to accommodate this project The story has summarized these concerns by abbreviating Karen Dekker’s very clear and extensive presentation to only the lack of transparency, Michael Woodman’s by saying there was a lack of research (and pointing out, unnecessarily, that they share a residence). He also chooses to quote one resident who feels that “tenants are all-around crazier people”. While rental units do come with their own set of issues this was not one of the main areas of concern and yet by highlighting only a select few comments and ignoring others this article effectively manages to paint a very different picture from the meeting that I attended and the true concerns of this group of citizens.

Yes, we have been told that the trail will be relocated but there is no indication of how this is to be accomplished. We were told that the concerns brought up by MorrisTurnberry Public Works Department, asking about traffic impacts, weren’t an issue because the structure proposed would not cause a significant impact compared to its previous use. While no data has been provided and no traffic studies done, the new building would be 73 units and house up to 146 people, as opposed to a much smaller number of trailers and residents, with all vehicles parked on their individual sites. Additionally, this area was used seasonally and not occupied during the winter months when overflow onto town streets will present an even greater problem. If this proposal continues to be

outdoors on the wonderful trail.

Celebrating birthdays this past week were Mark Coleman, Sal Curreri, David Huether, Ryan Marls, Jaxson Bromley, Brian Marks, Rick Pethick, BJ DeJong, Joan Bernard, Hugh Nichol, Danica Zwep Janmaat, Kelly McDonald Jarosz, Sarah McDonald Young, Lucas Mader, Brad Pryce, Hailey Steinman, Ron Stevenson and George Zwep. Happy birthday to all.

Obituaries

Letter to the Editor THE EDITOR, As someone who was in attendance at the Dec. 20, 2021 council meeting for the Township of North Huron, I would like to share with you my perspective on the article published on Dec. 23.

As pointed out by Karen Dekker, there was a significant problem with a lack of transparency by the township. The site in question does not only affect those residents living close by, but anyone who makes use of the beautiful park and walking trail, anyone who takes their children to the park and the splash pad, attends the Jack Reavie Centre or takes their children to the daycare, yet we were told only 30 notices about the proposed development were required to be sent. It fell then to neighbours, talking to neighbours, to try and share the information (that had only been received by a couple of homes in the area), not only about the proposed development but the deadline and required format for registering your concerns with the council. This was made even more difficult by the sudden moving of the proposed January council meeting to Dec. 20. As a result, very few of those affected by this proposal knew what it was or that, by missing the given deadlines, they were forfeiting their right to object to the plans.

Despite these difficulties, many people made the time to write letters; nine were submitted to council prior to the meeting and many attended, several of whom went to the microphone to express their concerns, which included: • Construction of an unprecedented five-storey building in an environmentally sensitive parkland setting • The lack of proper traffic studies to assess the impact of a 73unit building, with potentially over 100 cars and insufficient parking • The safety concerns for those using the children’s playground, the Jack Reavie Centre and the daycare, where there are not even

p.m. and the snow flurries moved in. Two Christmases down and one to go.

We send our get-well wishes to Anne Ryan, who has suffered a health issue. She is home and we hope she is improving everyday.

The Goderich-to-Guelph Rail Trail has been busy on the many nice days we have had with walking, cross-country skiing, biking – yes, biking – and even snowshoeing. Get out and enjoy the

quickly pushed through without the thoughtful consideration of what is going to be sacrificed and what will be gained, this beautiful space will be permanently altered.

As I walk the trail with my dogs and approach the site, it currently is quite lovely, with trees and a path alongside the river. I did not choose to live in or near the high-density area which is being proposed for this little 2.85-acre parcel of land.

The attraction was the peace and quiet of the area. I see the fourstorey buildings that have gone up in Listowel, not in anyone’s backyard but in an open and more developed part of town, and I try to imagine adding yet another storey to one of those and cramming it into this little green space and I am honestly shocked that it is even being considered. Perhaps those who haven’t visited the site should do so before this building goes up and just try to picture this change.

This is, in my opinion, a very bad decision, being made for the wrong reasons and one that will not be able to be undone.

Our elected officials have an obligation to act in the best interests of all of the residents. Decisions should not be made without the transparency that The Township of North Huron professes to hold dear.

It takes considerable time for people to try and track down information on their own that could be readily supplied by their municipal officials and, as such, is discouraging. Additionally holding meetings, without telling people, five days before Christmas and during a global pandemic is a pretty good way to dodge public opinion until it is too late for anything to be done about it. No wonder many think there is no point and that council will just do what they want.

As a community media source, sharing of information and asking the right questions would be most helpful and I’m afraid the story did not accomplish this.

Sincerely, Jackie Cribb.

OLAVE IRENE LITTLE Olave Irene of Seaforth, passed away peacefully with her family by her side at Stratford Hospital on Jan. 5, 2022. She was 97.

Olave was the beloved wife of the late Bill Little for over 50 years and the mother of Gary Little, Mississauga; Faye Elliott (John), Amaranth; Dyke Little, Kirkland Lake and Neil Little (Ginny), Brantford. Olave was the proud grandma of Ida (Ken), Reid

(Melanie), Ryan (Rebecca), Shawn (Erin), Sandra, and Jeff and greatgrandmother of Alice, Lyla, Rowen, Owen, Eli, Sage and Xavier. She was the dear sister of Edna Stinson, London. Olave was predeceased by nine siblings.

Olave was a life-loving gutsy lady, who was always happy and smiling. She enjoyed golf, dancing and travelling. Olave was truly an inspiration to everyone and had a great ride in this world, where she took advantage of many opportunities.

In keeping with Olave’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. Interment will be held at Maitlandbank Cemetery, Seaforth.

Arrangements were entrusted to Haskett Funeral Homes, Seaforth.

Donations to the Cavan United Church or the Seaforth Community Hospital Foundation would be appreciated. Condolences may be forwarded through the funeral home’s website at haskettfh.com.

Citizen-To-Citizen “SWAP SHOP” ad “One person’s junk is another’s treasure”

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

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

From the Minister’s Study

Mark of the beast? CRC’s van Leeuwen thinks not

By Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Blyth Christian Reformed Church Recently I heard someone say that the COVID-19 vaccine is “the mark of the beast.” I had not heard this before, and I thought it might warrant a little study and investigation. “The mark of the beast” is a phrase found in the book of Revelation (13:16ff) and refers to the economic exclusion of those who follow Jesus Christ. I can understand why some might draw the conclusion that the vaccine is the mark of the beast because those who do not receive the vaccine are prohibited from certain activities like eating in a restaurant or continuing to hold certain jobs. The prohibitions seem to change fairly regularly, so it is difficult to determine what those who are unvaccinated can and cannot do.

There does seem to be a certain economic exclusion placed on those who do not receive the vaccine. But the question must be asked: can the COVID-19 vaccine be equated with the mark of the beast as it is described in Revelation 13?

When reading any part of the Bible, it is important to understand the context, and that is very true in this case. The idea of people being marked in some way appears earlier in Revelation (7:3ff.) where we see 144,000 sealed with a mark on their foreheads. The number, 144,000 (12x12x1000) indicates fullness or completeness.

Although the immediate context refers to Jewish people (probably men) only, the larger context seems to indicate that those who are sealed by God with a mark on their forehead are those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, God has identified them as his own, and, as we read through Revelation, we discover that God promises to protect those who are his. In other words, those who have faith in Jesus Christ can be confident that God will be with them now and protect them for eternity. We have nothing to fear if we are found in Jesus Christ, says the author of Revelation.

The beast, who stands as a certain kind of representative of God’s enemy, the devil, is not creative in any sense. Rather, he copies what God has done, and in Revelation 13 he provides a mark for those who have chosen to distance themselves from Jesus. The purpose of his mark is to limit those who believe in Jesus Christ from participating in the social and economic activities and ensure the well-being of those who don’t.

At the time Revelation was written (probably around 90 AD), Christians had been experiencing significant persecution in the Roman Empire. Christians had made the commitment to worship their God only, and that had serious economic repercussions.

In particular, those who had a trade (carpenter, plumber, tailor), in order to practise their trade, had to belong to a guild. Those who belonged to the guild were expected and even required to worship the Roman gods of that guild. Christians refused to go to the temples and altars of the Roman gods, and, thus, they were prohibited from belonging to the guild, and, as a consequence, could not practise their trade. Poverty resulted for many who were committed to following Jesus Christ. We cannot doubt that this was very difficult, and those who read the book of Revelation for the first time would have understood what the mark of the beast really meant. They were suffering for what they believed.

The book of Revelation was not written to scare Christians but, rather, to comfort them. Thus, John the apostle, the author of the book, speaks of a vision in which he saw those who believed in Jesus suffering, but they did not suffer without hope. They were marked by God, and God would not abandon them. In fact, as Revelation unfolds, it becomes evident that Jesus Christ is victorious over the devil, and all the devil’s work will face destruction. Those who believe in Jesus will receive a place in eternal life, where everything will be made good again.

So, how should we think of the

mark of the beast? The way the story is told in Revelation is that the mark of the beast is a deficient knockoff of God’s mark and seal.

(If God’s mark is a finely crafted Rolex watch, the mark of the beast is a $20 fake.) All the devil can do, the apostle John is saying, is prevent followers of Jesus Christ from participating in the economic life of the world in which they live.

True, that causes suffering, but consider what God has to offer in Jesus Christ: life in abundance that lasts for eternity.

Even the number of the beast (representing the devil) tells us something about the reality of things. His number is 666, and although much has been written about who might be represented by this number, we know from the way numbers are used in the Bible that while seven, the number of God, is the number of completeness and wholeness, six, the number of humanity, is a number of insufficiency. A triple six, thus, mocks the efforts of God’s enemy to control the lives of those to believe in Jesus Christ and tells us how fruitless his efforts will be.

The book of Revelation is asking us to consider if we would be willing to risk the eternal life God offers us in Jesus Christ for the benefit of gaining a few years of economic prosperity and social acceptability. If following Jesus Christ involves sacrifice – and sometimes it does – do not the benefits far outweigh that sacrifice?

It seems to me that some Christians are far too worried about the mark of the beast. This knock off mark is nothing more than a futile attempt to turn those who

Brussels Mennonite Fellowship We’re Back!!!

Worshipping Jesus Together All Are Welcome Sundays @ 10 am ­­ Face masks & social distancing in effect 250 Princess St., Brussels • 519­887­6388 • Pastor Ken Gazley

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

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

May the love of Christ be with you.

Evangelical Missionary Church

Sunday Jan. 16, 10:30 a.m.

Pastor Ernest Dow, “Amos: God holds ALL to Account” (Amos 1-2)

Brussels Soup and More 2 is cancelled until further notice.

519-357-5273

Blyth United Church No in-person worship until further notice.

Please join us online Stay safe and healthy "Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together.” (Isaiah 40:5) Sunday School during Worship

In-person and online! live.huronchapel.com 119 John’s Ave., Auburn 519-526-1131

Contact Alex at: minister.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.com

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

trust in Jesus Christ from the assurance that God will care for them to becoming panicky that they might experience some hardship.

Talking about the mark of the beast without first mentioning God’s seal and sign of assurance is to ignore the almighty power of God who has shown his love to us in his Son, Jesus Christ.

So, is the COVID-19 vaccine a mark of the beast? You can probably tell by what I’ve written that I don’t think so.

Along with millions of others who put their trust in Jesus Christ, I have received the vaccine. I don’t trust in the vaccine to make my life perfect, and I didn’t get it so that I can go to restaurants. I am vaccinated because my research has

shown that it does a pretty decent job of minimizing the impact of the virus. That being said, I am fully confident that because of God’s grace, I believe in Jesus Christ, and I know that because of that, I have a mark on my forehead, invisible to me, but highly visible to my God and Father, and because of that, I am assured of His constant and abiding care in this life, even when things might get rough, and I am confident of the sure hope of eternal life, where things will not be rough.

I encourage us all, if the topic of the mark of the beast comes up and someone wants to engage us in conversation, to first remind them that through Jesus Christ we have the eternal protection and grace of our heavenly Father.

The Regional Ministry of Hope Churches currently closed 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

Weekly Worship January 16 via YouTube “Brussels and Blyth United Churches” Zoom Devotion & Fellowship January 12, 10:30-11:30 Get link by email or phone office Global Covid Vaccine Project - joint mission outreach Help for countries unable to vaccinate their people Send/give donations to Church treasurer more info at brusselsandblyth.ca Contact Alex at minister.brusselsandblythuc@gmail.com Website: brusselsandblythuc.ca P.O. Box 359, Brussels ~ 519-887-6259

Join us for our 10:00 am and 7:30 pm services Social distancing and masks required 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: 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, JANUARY 13, 2022.

NH considers asset retirement obligation plan

By Denny Scott The Citizen North Huron Township Council, in order to keep tabs on upcoming municipal expenses, will be considering an asset retirement obligation (ARO) plan going forward.

The plan, according to North Huron Director of Finance Darcy Chapman, keeps track of municipal requirements that will cost money in the future, including contractual obligations to remediate land or retire assets. Chapman briefed council on the issue during its Dec. 20 regular council meeting.

He said the plan applies to anything the municipality owns or leases that is in “productive use” or those that will no longer be in such a state. He provided a number of examples, including landfills, which will need to be cared for after closure; buildings with asbestos, which will need to be addressed;

lands with fuel tanks; machine shops; wastewater treatment plants or lagoons; firewater holding tanks and gravel pits, among others.

After identifying an asset that may need to be part of the ARO, Chapman said the municipality needs to review whether the asset meets the requirements to be on the ARO, questioning whether there are legal obligations (such as environmental issues or returning leased property in appropriate condition), obligations through past transactions or expected future economic benefits lost on the asset, to name a few.

Finally, the last step is to come up with the estimated retirement cost by calculating how much will be spent on post-retirement operation, maintenance or monitoring of an asset and any costs acquired through the retirement of an asset.

He said that would likely need to be through a third-party assessment.

The plan would need to be

revisited annually, he said, to adjust for any asset expense changes that had been discovered.

Chapman said such a plan would help eliminate or reduce unforeseen or sudden costs with retirement of an asset, pointing to the Wingham Armories building as an example.

“This may have helped… when the Armories was torn down,” he said, noting there was a significant, unexpected cost for asbestos removal. “Following the ARO standard would have shown the asbestos in the building.”

He also pointed to the landfill, saying every year the landfill costs the municipality $20,000, but that doesn’t include the current liability of $1.3 million assessed to the asset.

“We have eight or nine facilities that need detailed analysis,” Chapman said.

He said his predecessor, Donna White, did a significant amount of

work to help establish the ARO plan, but that a “last push” over the next two years is necessary to finalize it.

Councillor Kevin Falconer asked how the plan would relate to infrastructure the municipality has, but shares with its neighbours, like water and wastewater infrastructure.

“Is there legislation we can pass to [assess some of the cost to them]?” Falconer asked. “Do we integrate them into this process or does this lead us to segregation?”

Reeve Bernie Bailey also questioned the issue, explaining that North Huron provides water and wastewater services to neighbouring municipalities in the north and south of the municipality, but those neighbouring municipalities don’t help cover costs, relying on a user-pay system.

“We have a legal obligation to

make sure a legal standard is met,” Bailey said. “We do charge 1.5 times to the end-user [in neighbouring municipalities] but when you look at the financials, that’s just not going to cut it.”

Chapman said the question is a good one, and the answer depends on the asset. For water and wastewater systems, he said legislation requires full cost recovery, so any additional costs will need to be passed on to end users. For other projects, like a landfill, the costs would be based on prior agreements.

He went on to say the municipality has until the end of 2023 to establish an audit process for the plan, and it will likely take the rest of 2022 and some of next year to have the plan ready for prebudget approval for the 2024 budget.

Council received Chapman’s report for information.

Business Directory Bernard Enterprises Authorized dealer for

COME IN AND VISIT YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD PHARMASAVE

BROWN’S PHARMASAVE

Central Boiler 37452 Glen’s Hill Road R.R. #2, Auburn, Ont. N0M 1E0

198 Josephine St., Wingham, Ont. 519-357-1629

Ph: 519-529-7212 Fax: 519-529-3277

Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9 - 6 Sat. 9 - 4 Rear Parking Available

Snowblowers, Land Rollers, Stone Windrowers, Sweepers, Crimper Rollers, Quick Attach Buckets & Woodsplitters.

Full Machine Shop & Repair Services

Easy Prescription Transfer

PAUL COOK ELECTRIC Home, Farm & Commercial Wiring BELGRAVE

519-357-1537

Free delivery in Wingham & surrounding area

Email: info@smythwelding.com

www.smythwelding.com

Introduce Yourself to Hundreds of Local Customers

Here’s my

CARD Call Brenda at 519-887-9114 to reserve this spot today!

LOCAL CLEANING services

Residential, staging, moving and decluttering

519 743 3249 Affordable CAR AND TRUCK RENTALS

Large & Small Trucks fridge carts - piano dollysmoving blankets

NEW CONSTRUCTION AGRICULTURAL RENOVATIONS RESIDENTIAL

Call

- COMPLETE MECHANICAL SERVICE COMPUTERIZED TUNE-UPS - TIRES - BRAKES MUFFLERS - VEHICLE INSPECTION STATION

DAN'S AUTO REPAIR Owned and Operated by Dan & Heather Snell

RR 3, Blyth, Ont. N0M 1H0 (on the Westfield Rd.)

DAN SNELL,

519-523-4356 Warm Warm Up Up Your Your Winter Winter Sales!

Sales!

Advertise Advertise today today in in

4:30 pm to 6:30 pm

226-532-9500 Easy prescription transfers Monday to Friday 9 am - 6 pm

519-524-9381 1-800-338-1134

Hidden Gems of Huron County 519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114

Lakeside

SHELVING & RACKING

Large instock selection of pallet racking, store shelving, display cases and more for Industrial, Residential, Farm & Retail

Talk to us instead.

TO L L - F R E E

1-877-513-5333

Blyth Walk-In Clinic ONTARIO MEDICAL DRIVERS NO APPOINTMENT REQUIRED. $150 Open Monday & Thursday

BLYTH PHARMACY

344 Huron Rd. GODERICH

For All Your Concrete Needs!

Automotive Technician

Our rates qualify for insurance replacement

GODERICH TOYOTA

COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL • Foundations • Floor Finishing • Circular Tanks • Sandwich Walls FREE ESTIMATES RR#3 Blyth ~ Fax 519-523-9604 519-523-9971

RR #4 Brussels centralboiler.com

Complete Selection of Cars

full size or mini

CONCRETE FORMING

519-887-6405

519-524-0253

Passenger Vans

Dave Franken

Classic Outdoor Wood Furnaces, Edge Outdoor Wood Furnaces & Maxim Wood Pellet and Corn Burners Gasification units available Inquire about our new edges Carman Bernard

www.lakesideshelving.com lakesidemarket@gmail.com 33842 Market Rd., North of Goderich, off Hwy. 21

519-524-1740

Call 519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114 to book your spot today!

Free Delivery Ph: 226-256-8383 Fax: 226-256-8503

442 Queen St., Blyth, ON

Take time to check out our great selection of books.

Perfect for all ages and all occasions.

The Citizen 405 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792

541 Turnberry St., Brussels 519-887-9114

THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022. PAGE 19.

Bluevale-area boy joins Team Thor-Kawasaki

Eleven-year-old Caleb Vankoughnett, seen above with his family, has been riding motocross since he was just three-and-a-half years old and now he’s a member of the prestigious Team Thor-Kawasaki. According to Chris, Caleb’s father, Caleb was able to thrive in motocross, despite growing up in an area where motocross isn’t a big part of the culture, and now he has the opportunity to tour Canada through the sport. (Courtesy photo)

By Denny Scott The Citizen Bluevale-area youth Caleb Vankoughnett recently inked a deal with Kawasaki that will see the 11year-old traveling across Canada next year to race for motocross Team Thor-Kawasaki.

Vankoughnett has been riding since he was just three-and-a-half years old, he says, and was in his first race when he was four.

Last Thursday, just hours before he and his family headed down to Georgia for training, Caleb told The Citizen that when he first found out

about the contract, which is for one year, he didn’t really process it.

“My dad spoke to Chad Goodwin, who is the team manager of Kawasaki,” he said. “They talked back and forth and one day, we got an official offer and my dad told me. I couldn’t wrap my head around it at first, I was absolutely dumbfounded.”

It was a natural fit, Caleb’s father Chris said, as Caleb had already been riding Kawasaki bikes for two years and the team wanted to get him signed early.

“This contract is for one year, but with the intention that Caleb will

stay with Kawasaki when he goes from [his current] 65cc class to pro rank, or 450 maybe in another five years,” he said. “It’s a one-year contract because this is his last year on a 65cc before he moves up to the bigger bikes, and Kawasaki wants him long-term.”

Being part of the Thor-Kawasaki team will mean moving around the country more, Caleb said. While he has participated in races all over Ontario and parts of Quebec, with the new contract and new team, he will be travelling across Canada.

“It’s a big investment, timewise,” Caleb said, with Chris adding that,

Babies of the Year

The golden ticket

because of how much time and effort is involved, the entire family had to weigh in on the decision.

Caleb’s Kawasaki career will begin with a race in Kamloops, British Columbia, on June 5, Chris said.

The contract and the opportunity are a big deal, Chris said, likening Caleb’s situation to players being signed to minor league affiliate teams in the National Hockey League.

“Motocross may not be a really widely known sport around this area,” Chris said. “There’s a lot of hockey, and a lot of people ride dirt bikes, buty they don’t know about the racing and the competitiveness of it. Anyone able to get a sponsorship like this, it’s a huge thing, a once in a lifetime type of deal.”

He went on to say that Kawasaki considers this a mentorship program and that the team’s management said the positions are in high demand.

Caleb said he is glad to be a part of it, adding he couldn’t have done it without the help of his family.

While racing is a big part of his life, practising twice a week and now building a home track to get even more track time in, Caleb said he also plays soccer at school and pick-up hockey with friends on Friday nights. He also, alongside his family, often goes fishing, sometimes on their way to or from his races.

Caleb also said being signed by Kawasaki is funny, in his opinion, because when he was young he contracted the relatively-rare Kawasaki’s disease, an illness that

traditionally presents in people younger than five years old and causes inflammation of the blood vessels. Chris said Caleb contracted the disease right around the time he started riding dirt bikes.

While his father Chris did ride in his youth, Caleb said the real family connection he has with racing is that he and his family now spend time together at the track whenever they can.

“We all like to hang out together at the races,” Caleb said. “I’m the one that’s always in the races, but we all hang out.”

Chris agreed, saying that Caleb’s racing had begun as a family weekend.

“It was good, and really casual,” Chris said. “We’d go to a track for the weekend, hang out, slow down and relax.”

Chris said his entire family was involved at the races, from Caleb’s racing to other members finding jobs at the site.

Sudoku Solution

2021

Don’t miss your chance for an authentic newspaper clipping for your child’s scrapbook

Join the gallery of new faces in The Citizen's baby photo display January 20, 2022 Email a jpeg of your little one born in 2021 along with a writeup which includes full name, birth date and parents' names and then call us, stop in or mail a cheque (payable to North Huron Publishing) to prepay.

ONLY $25.00 (must be prepaid)

Please Complete Baby's Full Name _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Birth Date _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Part of the process One-and-a-half-year-old Sam, left, and four-year-old Lucy McDowell were able to chip in with the Christmas cookie baking over the holidays. The cookies turned out and it made for good pictures and even sweeter memories, despite the pair’s relative lack of baking experience. (Photo submitted)

Parents' Names _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _



$25.00 Enclosed

DEADLINE - January 14 at 4:00 pm Email: info@northhuron.on.ca 519-523-4792

PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 13, 2022.

Morrison chosen to fill HE vacancy Continued from page 1 putting his name forward for the position. Though he is attending university full-time, he is studying completely online with Athabasca University, based in Alberta, because he didn’t want to leave Brussels.

He also detailed his involvement with the Brussels Leo Club, which he technically aged out of when he turned 18, the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority and website design for the Brussels Agricultural Society and Brussels 150th Homecoming. He also detailed his aspirations of creating a technology-based business of his own in Brussels after he graduates.

Morrison told councillors that, when news broke of Lowe’s resignation, he really felt that Lowe’s replacement in the Brussels Ward should live in Brussels.

During the question-and-answer portion of the meeting, Chartrand asked Morrison if he planned on running for the position again in the municipal election later this year and Morrison said he could see himself running.

Regardless, Morrison said that, now that he had turned 18 he was looking forward to becoming more involved in the community.

Fisher asked Morrison what he would do in a hypothetical situation involving his mother-in-law violating a municipal bylaw and Morrison said he would report her immediately, adding that he felt no one should be exempt from following the laws and rules of society.

He also asked Morrison how he would envision representing the community, whether he would think of himself as a Huron East Councillor or a Brussels Councillor.

Morrison said he would think of himself as a Huron East Councillor who represents Brussels. The entire municipality has to thrive for Brussels to thrive, he added.

When asked about specific committee involvement in the municipality, Morrison said he would take council’s direction, but said that the Brussels recreation committee seemed like a place where he could do some good, adding that Lowe had also sat on that committee prior to his resignation.

Second, Gowing introduced himself to council, saying that he knew most of them from his years as a Morris-Turnberry Councillor, Mayor and Huron County Warden.

He cited a council conversation, covered in The Citizen, regarding concerns that someone with ill intentions for the community might step forward to fill the councillor position and, if that was the only candidate, council would be forced to choose the person. Gowing said he didn’t want to see that happen and put his name forward as a viable, experienced option for council to reach the 2022 municipal election. He said that, while things could always change, he didn’t envision running in the election later this year, but was instead offering his services to council for the next 10 months.

Gowing said that, living on a farm just outside of Brussels, the community has served as his hub for commerce, services and recreation, so he has always felt a connection to Brussels and he knows it well.

Gowing addressed the population decrease in Huron East over the last 20 years and said that housing options needed to be considered to bring more people into the municipality. He cited his own experience with such a situation, pushing forward affordable housing options in Belgrave during his time on Morris-Turnberry Council.

He said he received a lot of negative feedback on that proposed development, but he knew it was the right thing to do. Now, years later, Gowing says he’ll speak with people who were among the most vocal opponents of the development at the time who have, over time, come to realize that the decision at the time was the right one.

Hovius introduced himself as being relatively new to the community and lacking specific municipal political experience, so he said he still had a lot to learn, but was willing to do so. Furthermore, since two of his first years in Huron East have been during the COVID19 pandemic, his assimilation into the community has been stunted as a result.

He also resides in the Grey Ward, but Hovius said he does all of his business in Brussels, including shopping and going to church.

Hovius told council that he wasn’t sure if he was cut out for the job and didn’t know if he’d consider running in this year’s municipal election. He said, however, that the opportunity before him seemed like the perfect chance to try doing the job for 10 months before making that decision. If he were to run in the fall, he said, he was unsure if he would choose to represent the Brussels Ward or his home in the Grey Ward.

Hovius spoke about the need for revitalization in downtown Brussels and said he has had some ideas he felt could help, though he didn’t know how many were feasible. He did say, however, that the need for affordable housing options in Brussels and beyond is certainly evident.

Fisher posed a similar hypothetical scenario to Hovius, asking how he would handle a neighbour with a barking dog.

Hovius said he wouldn’t immediately report any kind of disruption, but rather seek to speak to the neighbour and remedy the situation face-to-face before involving any third party.

Council then went to the vote and opted to bring in Morrison as the next Brussels Ward representative.

Council officially approved Morrison’s appointment by way of a bylaw and his first meeting will be on Tuesday, Jan. 18, the day the final draft of the 2022 municipal budget for Huron East will be considered.

Correction In an article in the Dec. 23, 2021 issue of The Citizen about a proposed development in Wingham, the Huron County planner responsible for reviewing the application was misidentified as Kelly Vader. Vader was the applicant for the project on behalf of B.M. Ross and Associates while the planner was Hanna Homan.

The Citizen apologizes for any confusion caused by the error.

Not ‘Wonderwall’ again!

It was a proud day at the Noble home for Nicole and her children when nine-year-old Beckett strummed his guitar for the playing of “O Canada” for his class during online learning last week. It was his idea, but his teacher was enthusiastic about the idea and his fellow students were impressed with his skills. (Photo submitted)

January Reads 300 BEST POTATO RECIPES Our most common vegetable can also be the most versatile.

Information on potato history and varieties and recipes for everything from appetizers, snacks, salads, soups, main courses, breads and desserts. $27.95

THE BEAUTY AND BOUNTY OF HURON COUNTY Stunning photographs by 3 Huron County photographers, including Brussels’ David Bishop, show Huron County as you’ve never seen it with aerial shots, wildlife, landscapes, nature. $40.00

A DOG TO GIVE AWAY Dr. Dave has become acquainted with many animals throughout the years, but not one has had as much impact on his practice, and his life, as Lug, the stray he invited to stay. This book will warm the hearts of anyone who has ever loved a dog. $12.95

THE TIME OF OUR LIVES Stories of Huron County in the Post-War Years The post-war years in Huron County have been the times of our lives. David Yates shares stories about a time of dynamic change when Huron County was at the crossroads of an older, rural way of life and a modern, affluent, technologically advanced society. $25.00

ALFALFABET A TO Z Help a youngster learn the alphabet and learn about food and agriculture at the same time with this colourfully illustrated picture book. As well as learning the ABCs youngsters will learn of everything from farm animals to fruits and the bees that pollinate them. (softcover) $12.95

Prices subject to change with increases in wholesale prices, postage, taxes, etc. Please refer to current issue for correct figures.

Incorrect payment will delay delivery.

The Citizen

Total

Qty.

300 BEST POTATO RECIPES A DOG TO GIVE AWAY THE BEAUTY AND BOUNTY OF HURON COUNTY THE TIME OF OUR LIVES ALFALFABET A-Z THE LITTLE BOOK OF BACKYARD BIRD SONGS

The Little Book of BACKYARD BIRD SONGS Keep this enchanting introduction to backyard birds on your windowsill for the whole family to enjoy and see who becomes the bird-song expert first. $19.95

$27.95 $12.95 $40.00 $25.00 $12.95 $19.95

Total for Books Shipping & Handling $9.00 Add 5% GST on subtotal Order Total

Send cheque or money order for full amount to: Books: North Huron Publishing P.O. Box 429, Blyth, ON N0M 1H0 or call and pay by credit card 519-523-4792

MAIL BOOKS TO: Name: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Address: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _________________________ Code _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Phone:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Visit huroncitizen.ca for more rural living books and local authors.

New titles being added as we build the site.

Mail order or curbside pick up available.