SERVING MAPLETON AND MINTO
THE
COMMUNITY NEWS VOLUME 51 ISSUE 39
MINTO – Municipal officials are making contingency plans in the event of a postal strike or lockout prior to the Oct. 22 municipal election. Minto and most other Wellington County municipalities will be using a vote by mail system, at least in part for the election. On Sept. 18, CAO Bill White recommended council respond to correspondence from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) by contacting both the union and Canada Post, asking them to defer strike or lockout action until after the election. The letter from CUPW notes both the union’s Urban Postal Operations unit and the Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) unit have voted in favour of strike action. Strike votes were held across the country between Aug. 7 and Sept. 9, and provisional numbers show 93.8 per cent of urban workers and 95.9% of rural workers support their bargaining committee and are ready to take
action if necessary. CUPW will be in a legal strike position as of Sept. 26 if the parties cannot reach an agreement. White advised council Sept. 26 has been set as a potential strike or lockout date. “I would ask council to consider a motion that they receive the correspondence and ask the two parties that they defer any lockout or strike until after the municipal election Oct. 22,� said White. “I don’t want to ever lead you to believe that is likely to happen, but we might as well add our voice to the discussion.� White also suggested sending a copy of the request to Perth-Wellington MP John Nater. “I know he has been contacted by those in Wellington County and others that are doing vote by mail,� White added. “Mr. Nater has advised that he doesn’t think they will go out on the 26th, that it might be some time before that.� White pointed out that “Obviously if they all head
out on strike on Sept. 26 and our ballots are to come in then we could be at an issue.â€? White explained, “We’re making efforts to move our ballot mail-out earlier so we do at least get the ballots out to the public and then, if they do go on strike while ballots are coming in, we would make it clear to the public how and when they can bring their ballots to us. “We already have expanded voting options. People can drop ballots off at our community centres and so forth and at our seniors centres. We would be publicizing that even greater if they happen to go out.â€? Council approved the recommendation to send a resolution to the union and Canada Post (and a copy to Nater) asking that any strike or lockout action be deferred until after Oct. 22. Mapleton preparations Mapleton clerk Barb Schellenberger said that township is also preparing for the possibility of a mail strike and planning for an early mail out of ballots. SEE POSTAL Âť 3
Minto CAO set to retire Dec.14 White’s replacement to be chosen by new council By Patrick Raftis MINTO – Town CAO Bill White announced at the Sept. 18 council meeting he will retire before the end of the year. White said Dec. 14 will be his last day on the job. He noted he had earlier advised council of his plans in closed session meetings. “I filed my retirement letter with the mayor and council today ‌ we’ve been talking about it for a long time,â€? he said. “It’s time for the many bright young minds here
at all levels of our staff to take on greater a shaprole ing Minto’s future. “ T h e y ’ ve had a big role MINTO CAO all along and BILL WHITE I know they can do more.� White told council, “Your succession plan provided for preparing staff for enhanced responsibilities so they’re ready to replace people in senior positions as they retire.
Daily Interest 1.40%
638-3328
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2018
Municipalities planning in case postal disruption impacts election By Patrick Raftis
1 Year GIC - 2.80% 3 Year GIC - 3.25% 5 Year GIC - 3.35%
“This allows the town to backfill with younger qualified talent and will help council control costs.â€? White said council has been “very creativeâ€? managing staff “while responding to provincial mandates that never seem to stop, the record development pressure we’ve faced, implementing a busy capital program and reconstructing two downtowns in four years.â€? White has been involved in municipal administration for nearly 35 years, including stints in Owen Sound SEE CAO Âť 2
www.jackfinancial.ca
Tate Driscoll named IPM Princess of the Furrow PAIN COURT - Mapleton Township’s Tate Driscoll, 17, was crowned 2018-19 Princess of the Furrow during the 2018 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM), held Sept. 18 to 22 in Pain Court (Chatham-Kent). “I’m really excited for the year ahead, to represent not only Wellington but the Ontario Plowmen’s Association as well,� said the Grade 12 student at Norwell District Secondary School, moments after being crowned last Saturday. “I’ve grown up with our plowmen’s association, so it was the next step to be the Princess of the Furrow for Wellington.� Princess of the Furrow contestants, each selected to represent their region of the province, were evaluated by a panel of three judges. Points were assigned based on their performance during an interview with judges and a speech delivered on stage in front of a crowd of IPM visitors. The top five contestants were then asked to respond to an impromptu question to help determine a winner. “She’s friendly, she’s outgoing and she knows her stuff – and always willing to learn. I think she’ll do a great job,� said Emma Butler of Driscoll. Butler is a member of the Queen of the Furrow committee, which oversees the Princess of the Furrow program. “I thought she handled it with class and grace,� Butler said. “They’re so poised and they’re so put together, they’re well spoken. They’re just such good representatives of their hometowns and their counties.� As Ontario Princess of the Furrow, Tate will act as an ambassador for Ontario agriculture, promoting the IPM and Ontario Plowmen’s Association at events throughout the year.
IPM royalty - Mapleton Township’s Tate Driscoll, 17, is crowned the 2018/19 Princess of the Furrow during the 2018 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo, held Sept. 18 to 22 in Chatham-Kent. Outgoing Princess of the Furrow, Lucknow’s Brooklyn Hendricks, did the honours. Submitted photo The Princess of the Furrow program is designed to act as a stepping stone for the Queen of the Furrow program, allowing the queen to act as a mentor to the princess and, hopefully, spark an interest in competing for the Queen of the Furrow title, organizers note. Princess contestants are between the ages of 12 and 17. Driscoll will serve as Ontario Princess of the
Furrow until the 2019 IPM, which will take place in West Nipissing Sept. 17 to 21. The IPM is organized by the Ontario Plowmen’s Association (OPA), in conjunction with a local committee. It is held in a different community every year, offering five days of competitions, live entertainment, hundreds of vendors and exhibitors, children’s activities, antique and historical displays, and more.
EDC calls for CIP program to continue in next term of council MINTO – The town’s economic development committee (EDC) considers Minto’s Community Improvement Plan (CIP), particularly its structural grant component, a resounding success and is calling for the program’s continuation.
Business and economic manager Belinda WickGraham advised council on Sept. 18 the committee approved a resolution calling on the next Minto council to maintain funding for the program in 2019. Wick-Graham noted renovations have begun on another downtown Palmerston
NOW SHOWING
CRAZY RICH ASIANS
Friday and Saturday 8pm & Sunday 7pm RATED PG & 120 MINUTES
LADIES NIGHT: October 18 @ 7pm featuring “ Say Anything�, *Licenced event!
MAIN ST. W. PALMERSTON 519.343.3640 www.norgantheatre.com
property. Brent Lavallee has started renovating his building at the corner of Main and James Streets. “He’s totally gutting the building. He’s spending over $200,000 to do so, adding an addition which will create four single apartments as well as an office space and
a commercial space,� WickGraham explained. The owner submitted an application for a structural grant, which the committee recommended and approved. However the grant was limited to $2,500, which was all that remained in the program’s budget for 2018. Wick-Graham advised
WEEKLY WAG
‘‘
By Patrick Raftis
“After all is said and done, more is said than done.� - Aesop
council she informed Lavallee that due to an election year, she could not guarantee any funds would be available for the program in 2019 and he expressed disappointment “as it was a huge incentive and benefit� for owners to revitalize buildings. “I don’t think anybody
can deny the impact that the structural grant has had on our downtowns,â€? WickGraham stated. “A block-full of buildings in Palmerston are under construction and it’s going to create affordable apartments and commercial units for businesses and with the population growing we’re SEE COMMITTEE Âť 2
'5$<7216725$*( FRP ,QGLYLGXDO 6WRUDJH 8QLWV Individual Storage Units [ [ [ [ 5x10 10x10 10x15 10x20 6HDVRQDO ERDWV FDUV 59V ODZQ WUDFWRUV Seasonal VXPPHU ZLQWHU WLUH VWRUDJH boats, cars, RVs, lawn tractors, summer/winter tire storage