John Grace, the deputy mayor of Goderich, explains the gazebo designed for the town’s downtown park during a public meeting recently.

HEATHER BOA Bullet News GODERICH – The redesign of Goderich’s downtown park is “going to blow you away,” says John Grace, the town’s deputy mayor.

Display panels with conceptual drawings of a gazebo with a compass rose at its centre, a water feature with basalt columns stretching 15 feet high, 24-hour accessible washrooms, a performance stage at the site of the former gazebo, a blast of colourful plantings in the commemorative garden and outdoor park benches, picnic tables and trash cans lined the hallways of town hall for a public meeting this week. People began to trickle in before the scheduled start time, with a steady flow of pedestrian traffic until the meeting’s end as the curious inspecting the display panels and asking questions.

“I think the community’s going to embrace this,” Grace said.

The park, which is the focal point of the octagonal downtown business district, was devastated during the tornado that ripped through Goderich and area on Aug. 21, 2011. Shortly after, The Planning Partnership of Toronto, led the community through a series of visioning sessions to develop a master plan for the park. A volunteer committee has worked to carry that plan forward.

A $1.6-million tender for civil works, landscaping and electrical was awarded to Lavis Contracting Co. Ltd. in August 2012. The commemorative garden planting has been removed from the contract and the town’s park department will do the work instead.

The total project was expected to cost more than $3 million.

The town has accepted contracts for the gazebo by local blacksmith James Wallace, which will be built on the west lawn, just off intersecting pathways. It will be wheelchair accessible, with entrances at its front and back, and will have flower planters on its outside.

The committee is considering a switch from a fabric canopy to a more traditional roof because it’s been unable to settle on design and colour issues, Grace said. Instead, it will call from expressions of interest from a few architects, with advice from the Planning Partnership and B.M. Ross and Associates, for a permanent roof and an open front to give the audience full view.

A washroom committee has worked with local architect Adolfo Spaleta to design an octagonal-shaped washroom that will be visible from the local OPP station.

Grace said the diamond pattern roof on the gazebo, performance stage and washroom will be consistent with dark grey panels below the windows of the courthouse, which is at the centre of the downtown park.

Huron – Perth

Today…A few flurries ending late this afternoon then cloudy with 40 per cent chance of flurries. Local amount 2 cm. Wind northwest 20 km/h. High minus 1.

Tonight…Cloudy with 40 per cent chance of flurries. Wind northwest 20 km/h becoming light this evening. Low minus 4.

Saturday…Cloudy. 40 per cent chance of flurries in the morning. Clearing late in the afternoon. Wind becoming northwest 20 km/h in the afternoon. High plus 2.

STRATFORD – Twenty people who volunteer time in their Huron County communities were honoured in an awards ceremony in Stratford last night.

It was the first of 52 ceremonies planned across the province to celebrate the Ontario Volunteer Service Awards, recognizing more than 10,000 volunteers for continuous service to an organization. Certificates and trillium pins were awarded for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50 and 60 or more years of service. Youth will also be recognized for two or more years of volunteer service.

The recipients were nominated by the organizations they serve.

“Ontario’s volunteers are one of our province’s greatest assets. They are role models for all of us. I’m delighted to celebrate their dedication, hard work and outstanding leadership with Volunteer Service Awards,” said Michael Coteau, the minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Local recipients include:

Clarice Dalton of Auburn, for 25 years of volunteer service with Maitland Manor Long-term Care Home;

Laurine Madge, of Goderich, for 30 years of volunteer service with Maitland Manor Long-term Care Home;

Dale Baechler, of Goderich, for 30 years of volunteer service with the Goderich Fire Department;

Don Procter, of Belgrave, for 20 years of volunteer service with Huron Hospice Volunteer Service;

Yvonne Kitchen, of Brussels, for 20 years of volunteer service with Huron Hospice Volunteer Service;

June MacEwen, of Gorrie, for 20 years of volunteer service with Huron Hospice Volunteer Service;

Cathy Semple, of Clinton, for 15 years of volunteer service with Huron Hospice Volunteer Service;

Ted Turner, of Goderich, for 15 years of volunteer service with Huron County Museum and Historic Gaol;

Shirley Staffen, of Seaforth, for 15 years of volunteer service with Huron Hospice Volunteer Service;

Joan Stewart, of Seaforth, for 15 years of volunteer service with Huron Hospice Volunteer Service;

Merle Underwood, of Wingham, for 10 years of volunteer service with Alzheimer Society of Huron County;

Dianne Loerchner, of Bayfield, for 10 years of volunteer service with Alzheimer Society of Huron County;

Mariette Bilcke, of Hensall, for 10 years of volunteer service with VON – Perth-Huron Services;

Marion Snow, of Hensall, for 10 years of volunteer service with VON – Perth-Huron Services;

Brenda Burkholder, of Blyth, for five years of volunteer service with Victim Services of Huron County;

Sharon Gibson, of Centralia, for five years of volunteer service with Alzheimer Society of Huron County;

Heidi Grant, of Goderich, for five years of volunteer service with Alzheimer Society of Huron County;

Colin Stanway, of Goderich, for five years of volunteer service with Victim Services of Huron County;

Joyce Scotchmer, of Goderich, for five years of volunteer service with Alzheimer Society of Huron County;

Janice Hayter-Oak, of Grand Bend, for five years of volunteer service with Alzheimer Society of Huron County.

HURON EAST – Police and firefighters were on the scene of a two-vehicle crash after a woman lost control while slowing for a snowplow on Brussels Line, just north of Brussels this morning.

Preliminary investigation has revealed the driver a Ford Escape was southbound on Brussels Line when she encountered a snowplow also travelling southbound.  The driver attempted to slow down for the plow however she lost control and entered the oncoming lane and collided with a northbound Volkswagen Jetta. The collision took place on Brussels Line 400 meters north of Brandon Road.

The driver of the Volkswagen, Lois Cafik, 83, from Wroxeter was transported to Wingham and District Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The driver of the Ford Escape, Rebecca De Kleer, 28, also from Wroxeter was transported to Seaforth Community Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  Two children in her vehicle, ages 4 and 2 were uninjured.

The roadway is now open for travel.

HEATHER BOA Bullet News GODERICH – Huron County councillors are establishing standards for ethics and conduct, based on a recommendation from the Cuff report on county governance delivered last May.

They have referred a code of conduct drafted by their chief administrative officer, Brenda Orchard, to a committee set up to work through the 64 recommendations in Cuff’s report. The draft melds pieces from five best practices, with review by acting deputy CAO Scott Tousaw and county solicitor Greg Stewart, to provide guidelines on issues that range from conduct at meetings to use of public property, from gifts and benefits to conflict of interest.

Orchard told the committee of the whole Day 2 yesterday that the draft was meant to give council a sense of what is typically included in a code of conduct and suggested council tailor it to become its own document.

“You have to determine for yourselves the code that you want to hold yourselves to, so there may be some tweaking on some of the items,” she said.

“This is a really good starting point and maybe even an ending point,” said Jim Ginn, a county councillor and mayor of Central Huron.

“The major ingredients are in here and I just don’t see the need to have that extensive of a discussion,” he said.

Art Versteeg, who is a county councillor and reeve of Howick, said the informal and formal complaint process outlined in the draft code of conduct were good inclusions.

“I think most of us understand what our conduct should be but having a clear complaint process is helpful if we ever have issues,” he said.

Submitted photo

HEATHER BOA Bullet News ASHFIELD-COLBORNE-WAWANOSH – Amiera Black is covered in crazy socks today.

The seven-year-old has ankle socks designed to look like animal faces with black eyes on the shoulders of a t-shirt that reads: Shower me in love. Every colour of the rainbow is in the slew of socks that hang from her waist in a clash of Argyle, stripes, and circles. Each has a bright flower sewn at its base. And on her feet is a pair of yellow knee socks with a bootlace pattern, topped by ankle socks.

Goderich’s deputy reeve, John Grace, is ready to help celebrate International Down Syndrome Day today.

Amiera is ready to celebrate International Down Syndrome Day today, March 21. Down syndrome is a genetic disease in which a person has 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. In Down syndrome, the most common single cause of birth defects, a person has an extra 21th chromosome, which affects development of the body and brain.

Amiera’s mother, Jennifer, has delivered crazy socks to Goderich’s town hall in the hopes that councillors will help to raise awareness.

“March 21 is a day for us to celebrate Amiera – and all that her diagnosis has added to our lives – in a very public way. As well, it’s a chance for us to educate the general public about Down syndrome and let the world see that individuals with Down syndrome are worth celebrating,” she said.

Amiera’s schoolmates at St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary School will help celebrate by wearing crazy socks too. As an added bonus, Amiera will receive a Great Gains award during a school assembly.

���We’re also going to visit some of the businesses in town that are participating and thank them for their support,” Black said.

Black said crazy socks were picked for today because they’re fun and unique and because they are conversation starters.

“We should all embrace our uniqueness and be free to have fun with it. I like to think the crazy socks represent that freedom.
 Be ourselves and accept others for who they are without stereotypes and fear,” she said.

Amiera’s sister, Sadie, brother, Gracin, and father, Wayne, will also help to celebrate today.

Huron – Perth

Today…Flurries. Amount 2 to 4 cm. Wind becoming northwest 20 km/h late this morning. High minus 1.

Tonight…Flurries. Amount 2 cm. Wind northwest 30 km/h gusting to 50 becoming light after midnight. Low minus 5.

Friday…A few flurries ending in the evening then partly cloudy. Amount 2 cm. Wind northwest 20 km/h becoming light in the afternoon. High zero.

HEATHER BOA Bullet News CENTRAL HURON – Despite a quorum, the Municipality of Central Huron’s council asked its finance director to explain five scenarios for its 2013 budget last night.

The councillors who were at the information meeting decided to hold off until its April 2 council meeting to give direction to Terri Taylor to proceed further with any one of the scenarios ranging from no increase to a 7.92 per cent increase to raise the money required to run the municipality’s services and programs and maintain its assets.

“It’s difficult when we have three away to kind of get a feel of where council is,” said Jim Ginn, who is the mayor of Central Huron. The meeting was scheduled to start at 5 p.m., but by 5:30 p.m., four out of eight council members were absent. One more councillor arrived later into the meeting.

Taylor explained that the difference between the five scenarios was the amount set aside for tax stabilization reserve and for roads and bridges reserve. Reserves are like savings accounts, which are used to fund expenses anticipated in the coming years.

She said the consolidated tax bill sent to ratepayers will also be affected by an increased assessment and taxes required by Huron County and the school boards.

At the low end, the first scenario maintains the 2012 budget spending of $5.087 million. However, the increased assessment and taxes set by the county and school boards would result in a total 3.43 decrease on the consolidated tax bill. It puts aside $56,996 to the tax stabilization reserve.

At the high end, the fifth scenario calls for 7.92 per cent increase in spending, bringing it to $5,489,800. However, the increased assessment and taxes set by the county and school boards would result in no increase on the consolidated tax bill. It puts aside $56,996 to the tax stabilization reserve and $402,800 to roads and bridges reserve.

Alison Lobb, who is a councillor, said she would support a 7.92 per cent increase because it could build the reserves for future needs or be used to pay down debt, which would save interest payments in the future.

“I would speak to the one at the other end,” said Coun. Alex Westerhout, supporting a hold on spending by Central Huron.

“We’ve already increased our spending from $4 million to $5 million in the last two years, as far as raising tax dollars. That’s a 25 per cent increase and you want to increase it another 10,” he said. “Just because the assessment goes up doesn’t mean you have to spend money.”

 CENTRAL HURON - Huron County OPP officers have charged three people stemming from a traffic stop on March 17, 2013.  At 9:19 p.m. a green Chevrolet Cobalt entered a RIDE checkpoint set up at the intersection of Telephone Road and Bayfield Road.

Upon speaking with the occupants of the vehicle, officers determined a male passenger was failing to abide by a condition of his court release.  Officers arrested the male for failing to comply and a search incident to arrest led to the discovery of illegal drugs inside the vehicle.  A female passenger and a female driver were also arrested for possession of drugs for the purposes of trafficking.

As a result, a man, 38, from Central Huron has been charged with two counts of possession for the purposes of trafficking. He remains in custody.

The driver, 28, from Goderich, has been charged with two counts of possession for the purposes of trafficking.  She was released from custody and has a first appearance court date scheduled for April 29, 2013 at the Ontario Court of Justice – Goderich.

Also charged was a woman, 24, from Goderich.  She has been charged with two counts of possession for the purposes of trafficking.  She was released from custody and has a court date scheduled for March 25, 2013 at the Ontario Court of Justice - Goderich.

DRIVER FACING OVER 80 CHARGE

HOWICK – On March 19, 2013 at 9:12 p.m., an officer with the OPP Mount Forest Traffic Management Unit stopped a white Jeep on Harriston Road at Toll Gate Line.

Upon speaking with the female driver, the officer noted the driver had been drinking alcohol.  A roadside test was completed and the driver registered a fail.  The driver was arrested and transported to the Palmerston OPP detachment where she provided two samples of her breath.  Both samples were over the legal limit.

The woman, 41, from Howick has been charged with driving a motor vehicle with over 80 mg of alcohol and driving a motor vehicle with liquor readily available. A court date is scheduled for April 18, 2013 at the Ontario Court of Justice - Wingham.  Her driver’s licence has been suspended for an automatic 90 days.

HURON EAST – The body of Doris Chambers, 90, was found near Vanastra last evening, police have confirmed.

The body was found off Front Street, near the Bayfield River, just north of Vanastra, shortly after 7 p.m., according to a press release from Huron County OPP.

A post-mortem examination has been scheduled to be completed today at London Health Sciences Centre. Foul play is not suspected.

A concerned friend reported the woman missing from her residence in Vanastra at about 4:30 p.m. yesterday.

Officers from the Huron County OPP detachment, West Region Emergency Response Team (ERT) and West Region Canine Unit searched for the woman.

Front Road between Huron Road (Highway 8) and 5^th Avenue in Vanastra has reopened today.  Huron County OPP continues to investigate.