3 • Wilderness 4 • Editorials 10 • 4-H 15 • Obituaries
The
THIS WEEK
Citizen
Huron County’s most trusted independent news source Volume 39 No. 44
Friday, November 3, 2023
$1.50 GST included
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Citizens ask for help to honour Disney By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen
Fright Night A young reveler dons a luminous skeleton mask at The Festival of Lanterns in Wingham on Oct. 27. The annual community event is dedicated to uniting volunteers, residents, businesses and organizations for a fun and frightening celebration. The festival's goals include
fostering volunteerism, creating a multigenerational experience and adorning the town with Halloween-themed decorations from Thanksgiving to the end of October. Friday night’s festivities included lanterns, music, games, spirit walks, stories and treats. (John Stephenson photo)
HE approves strategy to attract workers By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Facing recruitment challenges, which are being felt across the municipal sector and much of the country, Huron East is working to make itself a more attractive employer to potential new recruits. Chief Administrative Officer Brad McRoberts presented a number of recommendations, which are all part of a years-long workforce strategy, at Huron East Council’s Oct. 17 meeting. He brought forward six proposed changes to be made next year, all of which would not cost the municipality any money, while pitching several others to be considered ahead of the 2025 budget process which, if implemented, would have financial implications. He recommended that council approve a flexible work week, paid time off to volunteer, a monthly employee recognition and appreciation program, teambuilding exercises, an enhanced vacation policy and a subsidized wellness and fitness plan.
McRoberts presented the strategy to council as an effort to not only attract new staff members, making the municipality an attractive option for people looking for a job, but as a way of retaining current staff members as well. He reminded council that the development of a workforce plan was identified as a high priority in the municipality’s service delivery review due to recurring turnover of staff, pending staff retirements and difficulty in recruitment of qualified staff in sectors such as daycare, fitness, engineering, development and planning, and emergency services. He told council that Huron East is not alone in facing these challenges, which are exacerbated by a high percentage of municipal staff looking to retire, a lack of municipal opportunities marketed to young people, prolonged low unemployment and volatility in the municipal sector due to political and organizational instability. The first recommendation for next year was the implementation of a flexible work week, meaning that staff could work from home one day a week, if appropriate in
the department; the option of four, 10-hour work days in a week; or nine, nine-hour work days in two weeks; or a staff member may elect to remain status quo. McRoberts said that operational hours and service levels would not be affected and coverage would be maintained at the discretion of department heads with no cost to the municipality. He also recommended a subsidized wellness or fitness plan that would offer a free annual membership to employees at the Vanastra Recreation Centre, which would have no actual cost to the municipality. Paid time off to volunteer was another option being recommended by McRoberts, which would allow staff to volunteer for a Huron Eastbased charity or a regional group that supports Huron East for one day per year, while maintaining payment from the municipality. Due to employees being on salary, McRoberts said there is technically no cost to the municipality for this. He also recommended a monthly employee recognition or appreciation program, offering up
nominal gifts on a monthly basis to employees who have “stepped up” or gone above and beyond. He estimated that the annual cost to the municipality would be between $600 and $1,000 per year. He also recommended further research on the potential for teambuilding exercises, but McRoberts suggested that staff report back on it in a separate report. The enhanced vacation policy Continued on page 6
A group of historically-minded citizens is asking for Central Huron Council’s help on a number of initiatives that will help memorialize the area’s connection to one of North America’s great creators: Walt Disney. The Huron County Project Group - consisting of Mac Campbell, Graham Booth, Gloria Palmer Gerig, Reg Thompson and Nancy Michie - spoke to council at its Oct. 23 meeting with a number of requests. The group has volunteered its time to restoring and continuing the legacy of Disney’s roots in both the Holmesville and Bluevale areas. First, the group was asking for a clean-up, improvements and signage at the Holmes’ Hill pioneer cemetery in the village of Holmesville, where two of Disney’s great-grandfathers - Elias Disney and Robert Richardson - are buried. The group states that, when Disney visited the area in 1947, he donated a substantial amount of money to keep the grass cut and repair any stones needing attention at the cemetery, which has since fallen into disrepair. The second request involved renaming two roads to honour Disney and his familial roots. “I would so like to see recognition to Walt Disney’s Canadian ancestors, his greatgrandfather, Elias, and older brother, Robert. They chose four farm lots in 1834, lots 36, 37, 38 and 39 from the Holmesville intersection to Forester’s Bridge. Continued on page 3
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