The Creemore
Echo
Friday, September 17, 2010 Vol. 10 No. 38
News and views in and around Creemore
NO PAY RAISE FOR COUNCIL by Brad Holden Clearview Council’s effort to establish a policy for how it should receive pay increases fell apart at Monday night’s meeting, with some Councillors saying the debate had dragged on too long and that, now that the election campaign has begun, the time has come and gone when such a decision could be made legitimately. The issue first came to light in early June, when Mayor Ken Ferguson expressed hope that a policy could be put in place so that future Councils don’t have to keep dealing with the thorny issue. The last time a pay raise was instituted for members of Council was in 2005, previous to the current term. For the past five years, Councillors have earned an annual salary of $17,748, the Deputy Mayor $22,379 and the Mayor $28,317. One third of these salaries are paid out as expenses, rendering those portions tax free. During the initial debate, Councillor Shawn Davidson proposed that Council’s pay should stay the same for next year, and every year after that it should increase by either the Consumer Price Index or the agreed-upon increase for Township union employees, whichever is lowest. Township CEO Sue McKenzie also reported on a citizen’s study done
in Springwater Township, which determined that the average salaries across 13 municipalities in the County of Simcoe were $31,542 for Mayor, $24,087 for Deputy Mayor and $19,106 for Councillors. The Springwater committee also recommended that the salaries be subject to the same cost-of-living adjustments as those of staff, and that Council be included in the staff benefits package. Those suggestions fell by the wayside however when Councillors Thom Paterson and Doug Measures rallied for the establishment of their own ad-hoc citizen’s committee to come up with a made-in-Clearview policy. The resulting Clearview Council Compensation Committee was made up of four people – Bill Mann, Don McFarlane, John Smart and a Stayner resident who wished to remain anonymous. It’s findings were first presented to Council at its August meeting, and came back to the table on Monday night. On the basis of a comparison with eight other municipalities, the committee recommended that the Mayor should receive a 9.5 per cent raise (to $31,000), the Deputy Mayor a 5 per cent raise (to (See “Council” on page 3)
Echo Briefs
Alzheimer Coffee Break
Election Sign Vandalism
The Creemore Echo received numerous reports of significant election sign vandalism this week, including several signs on Fairgrounds Road that appear to have been driven over. Several Clearview WAIT wind turbine signs have also gone missing. Readers are reminded that defacing, damaging or removing campaign signs is a criminal offense under the Elections Act, not to mention an affront to the democracy that we’re all lucky to take part in at election time.
Affairs Bakery will host its annual Alzheimer Coffee Break on Friday, September 17, with sales of all coffee and cinnamon buns going to the Alzheimer Society of Canada. The events are held all across Canada, and last year $1.32 million was raised for the organization. Affairs always raises the most money in the Georgian Bay area, however last year Norma Panzine’s restaurant was slightly edged out by the Golden Apple Restaurant in Stayner. So the challenge is on this year – be sure to stop by Affairs and help Norma get back on top, as well as do your part to help the one in 11 Canadians over 65 who are affected by Alzheimer’s Disease.
HERE COMES THE PELOTON
Aiken Scherberger, who owns the Maplestone Gallery with his wife Suzanne Steeves, is one of several Creemorites who will challenge themselves in this weekend’s massive Centurion Cycling event. Over 1,000 cyclists are signed up to take part in one of three races: a 25-mile on Saturday, September 18 and a 50mile and a 100-mile on Sunday, September 19. While the 25 and the 50 will take place mostly in the Town of the Blue Mountains and the northwest part of Clearview Township, the 100-mile race will feature about 800 cyclists coming right down Mill Street starting around 9:30 am on Sunday. Residents are encouraged to line the streets, cheering the riders on. Drivers are warned that parking could be a problem in Creemore on Sunday morning and driving around the Georgian Triangle could be disrupted all weekend. For maps of the routes of all three races, visit www.centurioncycling.com.
Inside the Echo
Monarch Migration II
Walk ‘n Wheel-A-Thon
NCPS class hatches their own travellers.
Creedan Valley parades down Mill Street.
SEE page 8
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