Downtown Wingham (BlackburnNews.com photo)Downtown Wingham (BlackburnNews.com photo)
Midwestern

North Huron Budget Approval Expected May 1

North Huron Council is moving forward in principle with its draft of a 2017 budget.

The 2017 budget includes a slight property tax increase across the board, which council previously stated is simply to keep in line with rising land values throughout the municipality.

Council was able to come to agreement during their April 24 session, with May 1 viewed as the date for official adoption of the document.

North Huron Director of Finance Donna White says the remaining balance for 2016 is $37,247.54, and was transferred to the tax stabilization reserve established in 2012 to "minimize changes in property tax rates and smooth out fluctuations arising from unforeseen, or extraordinary, events."

One of the portions council had to deal with during Monday night's meeting was the topic of donations. Council's originally-proposed amount was a total of $113,402.20, which includes a $50,000 donation to the Wingham and District Hospital via prior agreement.

After two defeated motions, council agreed to honour the full hospital donation, as well as $3,335 in additional donations to bring the total donations in the 2017 budget to $53,335.

The main benefactors in those additional donations is the Wingham & District Horticultural Society, which sent a letter on April 17 voicing their opposition to council's proposal to completely remove their grant.

The letter, which was signed by President Ann Inglis & Past President Verna Steffler, pointed out how the society devotes over 1,000 member hours each year to a variety of gardening projects, not including the raising of over $2,000 each year to beautify Wingham.  The group says they have plans to use a portion of the donation for Canada's 150th celebration this summer, which will include red and white plantings in Cruickshank Park, as well as new plants to the Mary Lloyd Trail and both signs at the North and South ends of towns.

Several members of council pointed out the hard work of the Horticultural Society, and decided to honour their amount, which includes a $400 raise from the donation received in 2016.

Accepted donations for 2017 include... -Yearly donation to Wingham Hospital ($50,000) -Wingham & District Horticultural Society ($1,150) -Dutch-Canadians - Remember as One ($760) -Wingham Firefighters Association ($500) -United Way ($500, dropped from originally-proposed $2,442) -Elementary School Fair ($300) -Huron County Plowmen's Association ($125)

Denied donations for 2017 include... -South Huron Hospice Steering Committee ($50,000) -Huron Women's Shelter Second Stage ($3,000) -North Huron Community Food Bank ($500) -Huron County Farm & Sales Home Safety Association ($125).

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