Prescott council approves residential tax increase
But town holds the line on municipal spending
By Tim Ruhnke - Journal Editor
PRESCOTT An increase in the residential tax rate does
not mean all homeowners in Prescott will pay that much more in
property taxes this year, according to town officials.
Council approved the 2001 municipal budget Monday night. The
residential tax rate increased by about 14 per cent, although
councillors were quick to note much of that stems from an adjustment
made to offset a significant loss in tax dollars caused by reassessment.
Commercial and industrial tax rates decreased by two and 22
per cent respectively.
When the education tax is factored into the residential tax
equation, the overall increase is approximately nine per cent.
"We wanted to impact taxpayers as little as possible,"
said Jo-Anne Beckstead, chair of the finance and general government
committee.
She went on to state services are being maintained but there
was no room left to cut. There are times in which tax hikes are
necessary, according to Beckstead.
Councillor Garry Dewar noted spending on the operations side
is the same as it was last year. Dewar also pointed out changes
made by the province forced municipalities like Prescott to adjust
tax rates. Many properties were reassessed at lower values, something
that will offset the tax rate increase in many cases.
"There will be some people whose taxes will be less,"
Dewar said.
The overall budget totalled just under $8,350,000. The operating
budget totalled just over $5.5 million, roughly the same as was
noted in the 2000 budget.
Taxation accounts for just under $3 million of the town's
expected revenues this year.
One major shift will be the transfer of sewage taxes to sewage
rates incurred by residential and commercial properties. Although
rates will increase by 30 per cent or an additional $53 per year
for residential users, the transfer reduces taxes by about $73.
A user-pay system for the service was inevitable in order for
the town to comply with provincial regulations. The system will
be in place when a new sewage treatment plant is built; two-thirds
of the estimated $15-million project would have to be funded
on a user-pay basis.
On the capital side, council agreed to call a tender for the
reconstruction of Churchill Road between Edward and Boundary
streets. The project is listed at $600,000 in the capital budget.
Council still has to decide how much of the work will take place
this year, but town officials agree the project is a priority.
Other capital items include an environmental assessment study
of the town's sewage treatment facilities and construction of
an access road to the commercial development planned for the
area east of the OPP station. Tenders for that project close
next Monday.
Also listed in the budget are expenditures of $800,000 for
renovations to the municipal building and $450,000 for renovations
to the library. Proceeds from the merger of the former public
utilities commission are earmarked to cover town hall renovations
and one-third of library work; the remaining two-thirds would
come from a government infrastructure program. Neither project
has received the final green light from council.
The hiring of a new community services director and purchase
of a Zamboni were noted as other positive moves made by the municipality.
Town officials will be on hand next Tuesday morning to provide
more details on the 2001 budget at a breakfast meeting sponsored
by the Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce. The meeting
will be held at the Legion Hall and is open to the public.
The final installment of 2001 property taxes is due Sept.
28.
Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council approves first
amalgamated budget
Lost assessment contributes to municipal tax increase
By Jeff Lee - Journal Staff Writer
SPENCERVILLE Edwardsburgh/Cardinal residents face
a tax increase of 14.6 or 18.6 per cent on the municipal portion
of their tax bill this year.
Spending, meanwhile, for the newly amalgamated municipalities
will be $5.24 million, a decrease in comparison to what each
municipality spent in total last year when capital expenditures
were $6 million. Council approved the budget at a regular meeting
July 4.
Mayor Dave Dobbie said the increase is in large part due to
the loss in assessment and new equipment purchases.
"I guess I say it every year. This was the most difficult
budget that we've passed," he said, "trying to mesh
these budgets together."
Dobbie noted that adding to the difficulties was not being
too familiar with the Cardinal-side, which was compounded by
not having any representation from previous Cardinal councils
in the newly formed council.
For a base-residential Edwardsburgh home assessed at $100,000,
$541 will go towards municipal taxes, up from $472 last year.
The total bill of $1,291 includes both the counties and education
levy.
A Cardinal resident assessed at the same rate taxes rise to
$872 from $735, an increase of 18.6 per cent. The higher rate
includes such services as garbage pickup, water and sewer. The
total bill is $1,622, and includes counties and education levies.
The overall increase is 5.1 per cent over the combined budgets
for the year 2000.
Dobbie cited the main reasons for the capital expenditure
hike is the purchase of a $340,000 pumper truck for the Cardinal
fire department, which was a Transition Board recommendation
and had not been budgeted for last year.
"That's a pretty hefty amount of money to put into a
one-year budget," he said.
Dobbie said Casco's successful challenge of its assessment
also contributed to the increase in the residential bill.
Overall, assessment for the two municipalities dropped to
$326 million from $324 million. About $4 million of assessment
in large class industrial was transferred to industrial or commercial
classes, resulting in a shift of taxes of about $150,000 to other
classes.
The significant capital projects include the pumper truck
for station 2, a $160,000 tandem truck for the public works department
and $198,000 for paving projects. The paving projects are Ventnor
Road East at $163,000 and East and John streets at $28,000. Partial
funding of the capital expenditures includes $146,000 in restructuring
grants and drawing down of $259,000 from reserves.
Topping the list of budgets, in the various department, includes
public works at $1.298 million, policing at $955,360 and the
fire department at $626,800.
Take a look back at Forwarders' Museum
PRESCOTT The history of the Fort Town comes alive at
the Forwarders' Museum.
The museum, which also serves as Prescott's tourist information
centre, is located at the corner of Water and Centre streets.
The building dates back to the early 19th century and has served
as a trading post and post office.
Curator Laura Parrott and Assistant Curator Dianne McCrea
are being assisted by Missy Glock, Prescott's tourism ambassador
this summer; all three will be entering Grade 12 this fall at
South Grenville District High School.
The museum features a number of displays which chronicle the
town's rich and varied history. The mandate of the museum is
to preserve, collect and exhibit the history of transportation
and trade by river, road and rail.
"There's a lot more to Prescott than people realize,"
Parrott said.
Museum staff are working on a new display. Admission is still
free; donations are accepted.
The museum is open in July and August on Mondays to Thursdays
from 11 am to 5 pm, Fridays from 11 am to 6 pm, Saturdays from
10 am to 6 pm and Sundays from noon until 4 pm.
In addition to her duties at the tourist information centre
and museum, Glock greets passengers of cruise ships that dock
at Prescott. Glock also works at Sunday concerts at the amphitheatre
and attends special events such as the poker run set for the
end of August.
She said many people ask her where they can go to enjoy a
good sit-down meal. There are also the usual requests for directions
and maps as well as sightseeing information, she added.
Although she just started as tourism ambassador earlier this
month, Glock said she is enjoying the job.
Free parking in downtown
Prescott goes into effect as meters to be removed
PRESCOTT Time has finally run out on parking meters
in downtown Prescott.
Changes to municipal parking regulations were approved by
town council Monday. Paid parking on King, Water, Centre, George
and Edward streets will be replaced by free two-hour parking.
Councillor Jo-Anne Beckstead said council supports the philosophy
of the Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA), the group which
asked town council several months ago to have the meters removed.
The BIA indicated the intent was to increase business in the
downtown area.
Beckstead and other council members hope that goal will be
achieved. However, town officials are also hoping merchants and
their employees will leave those parking spaces for customers.
The town is proposing a one-year trial run for the new system.
The heads of the meters are to be removed this week. Until
that happens, drivers are being asked to continue to use the
meters. However, the bylaw approved by council Monday was to
take effect as soon as it was passed.
"No reparking within five hours of the initial parking
shall be permitted in the free time limited area," the bylaw
states.
Mayor Robert Lawn noted at the meeting the bylaw should not
be interpreted as an indication people can only go downtown once
a day. Enforcement officers are to be given a protocol developed
by town officials to deal with motorists who make repeat trips
to the free parking area during the course of a day, according
to the mayor.
The bylaw was amended to include provisions for designated
spaces for taxis. Designated spaces will be established in front
of 189 and 222 King St. W. and will be in effect around the clock.
The town will also proceed with plans to re-establish paid
parking in a portion of the municipal lot at the corner of King
and Centre streets. Permits will be required to park in the back
row. Permits will sell for $20 or $25 per month. Rate information
will be available at the municipal building at the corner of
Edward and Churchill.
The starting date for the permit system was not indicated
at Monday's council meeting. Parking permits will not be required
by market vendors who use the lot on Tuesdays, Thursday and Saturdays.
Unlimited free parking will remain in effect at the waterfront
parking lot at the base of Centre Street.
THIS WEEK
Budget details on menu at breakfast
PRESCOTT The Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce
will be sponsoring a breakfast meeting at the Legion Hall on
Henry Street next Tuesday morning, July 17, at which Mayor Robert
Lawn will outline some of the highlights of Prescott's 2001 municipal
budget.
The meeting will start at 7:30 am, and free coffee, muffins
and danish will be provided by the Chamber. An invitation is
extended to all citizens of Prescott to attend.
Lunch to be served at Spencerville Legion
SPENCERVILLE Branch 604 of the Royal Canadian Legion
will be serving lunch each Sunday in July and August.
Nutritious food will be served from 11 am to 3 pm. Take-out
orders will be available. Call the branch at 658-2031
Seasonal fall in jobless rate continues
KINGSTON The normal summer upswing in employment continued
in Leeds-Grenville last month, according to statistics released
by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC).
The Prescott HRDC office reported a decrease in the number
of persons receiving Employment Insurance (EI) benefits. There
were 857 active claims at the end of June compared to 977 in
May, a decrease of 12.3 per cent.
The regional unemployment rate was 5.7 per cent in June, down
from 6.5 per cent in May. The region includes the counties of
Leeds, Grenville, Lanark, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry.
"The labour market outside of Ottawa is now performing
better than the Eastern Ontario metro centres at the start of
summer," an HRDC news release stated.
The regional jobless rate in June 2000 was eight per cent.
Employment levels are up by nearly 5,000 over last year.
United Way campaign events take shape
PRESCOTT Prescott will be the site of one of several
events being planned for the first month of the United Way's
2001 campaign.
The Leeds and Grenville campaign kicks off Sept. 12 with a
breakfast in Brockville. Proceeds from an art gala Sept. 19 in
Brockville and a colours of autumn boat cruise Sept. 23 in Gananoque
will be given to the fall fundraising campaign which has a goal
of $650,000.
A golf tournament hosted by SCI will be held Sept. 29 at the
Prescott Golf Club. Call Janice Kingston at 498-3508 for more
information or to register for the local tournament.
The theme of this year's campaign is "Big Community,
Bigger Heart." The United Way resource centre is located
at 42 George St. in Brockville (342-8889).
Council decides
it does not require representation in fire department
SPENCERVILLE Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council decided the
fire department can operate fine without its members overseeing
the department's operations.
Representation in the fire department was rejected by council
July 3, following the tabling of a bylaw to approve the departments
and appoint former Edwardsburgh fire chief Jim Purcell as new
chief and former fire chief Graham Van Camp as deputy chief.
Councillor Peggy Taylor sparked the discussion over the need
to have council represented in a capacity with the department,
like that of other municipal departments.
Council, however, decided the current system was working fine,
and didn't need to be involved directly in the process.
Mayor Dave Dobbie said perhaps the department can talk more
freely when council isn't part of its discussion, adding issues
council needs to know about will be brought forward.
Dobbie said there was never any council representation in
the department of the former Township of Edwardsburgh. The department
ran and administered its own budget, he said. This differed from
Cardinal, he noted, where council administered the department's
budget.
"Let the fire department run the fire department,"
Dobbie said.
Taylor said there council should liaise with the department.
Council is involved in all other departments except the fire
department.
"In every other committee - environment services, the
rec committee, administration - you know council's got a handle
on it," she said. "But we don't have anyone on the
fire department."
Despite Councillor Bill Sloan's involvement as is a firefighter
in the department, Taylor said he only represented council in
ward.
"I really strongly believe that we should have three
members of council on a committee," Taylor said.
"Because of the nature the fire department, and the safety
of the citizens, the buck stops at this table," she said.
"We should know what's going on."
Dobbie seemed to make a distinction between the fire department
and other departments when he said there has to be a level of
trust between council and other muncipial employees that they
are performing their duties correctly.
Taylor asked why then have any councillor representation on
other committees if, as Dobbie suggested, their has to be element
of trust the job is getting done.
"I'm not saying the fire department isn't doing a good
job," adding the other departments also do "good jobs."
"But we have council representation on the other committees,"
she said.
Councillor Dan McDonald said we should "stay out of their
way."
However, Taylor disagreed because then council should stay
out of the way of the other committees.
Deputy Mayor Marie Thomson suggested, while a council liaison
is not needed, the department could meet twice a year with council.
The bylaw for setting up the structure of the new department,
including appointing Purcell as chief and Van Camp as deputy
chief passed. The resolution to get council representation as
part of the structure did not pass.
Township supports safety improvements proposed
by Algonquin residents
MAYNARD A request by Algonquin residents that would
see improved safety for pedestrians and vehicles in the village
was supported by Augusta Township council at it meeting Monday
night.
Algonquin Road resident Laurie Young presented council with
a petition with 48 signatures, asking support to have a four-way
stop installed at the intersection of Algonquin Road and County
Road 15.
Young noted visibility for drivers at the intersection is
limited, and east and west-bound motorists are forced to pull
out almost to the centre line of the highway to check for oncoming
traffic. The dangerous situation of trying to cross over County
Road 15 is frustrating, she said. As well, vehicles are often
parked close to the Algonquin General Store at the intersection,
further decreasing visibility.
Residents are also looking for support for the installation
of a sidewalk along the west side of County Road 15 from the
general store to the Augusta Public Library. Young said this
is a frequently-travelled section by pedestrians from the village
and by students attending Algonquin Public School. Teachers from
the school also supported the sidewalk plan for students, who
often walk to the library.
"We're not looking for anything fancy," Young said.
"Just something a little more level, a little more safe
for the children to give them a boundary of where they can walk."
Reeve George Vail said he had already spoken to a representative
of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, which is responsible
for changes to the county road. Vail indicated the county was
also supportive of the plans, and the township and county could
work together on the improvements. "I think it's a worthwhile
venture," Vail said.
Vail suggested a public meeting be arranged to discuss the
four-way stop. A large number of trucks use the county road,
and a stop would result in increased noise and exhaust from the
trucks gearing down and breaking, Vail said. "I just don't
want to get into the position where after you put in the four-way
stop, then six months down the road people will be coming to
council saying we want these fumes and (noise) stopped."
Deputy Reeve Morris Stark said there are many accidents at
the intersection, and noted one boy had been killed near the
intersection a few years ago. Stark, who travels the road daily,
said many vehicles drive between 80 and 100 kilometres an hour
through the intersection. It is a 50-kilometre-an-hour area.
The township's own trucks have difficulty crossing County Road
15, Stark said.
Steel band to perform
Sunday
PRESCOTT The Brockville Lions Steel Band will perform
this Sunday, July 15 at 7 pm at the Kinsmen outdoor theatre on
the waterfront.
This will be the third in a series of Sunday concerts being
presented in July and August. Previous concerts featured the
Brockville Concert Band and the Riverside Singers.
Admission is free; however, donations will be accepted.
CORRECTION
An article in last week's paper incorrectly identified the
last names of the owners of AJ's Taxi. The name Horsley should
have appeared in the article.
The Journal regrets the error.
Retired teacher
says he is going to miss the children
By Jeff Lee - Journal Staff Writer
PRESCOTT In 33 years of teaching at one school, David
Hall has seen a lot change.
From his first days at South Edwardsburg Public School in
Johnstown when he was a19-year-old teacher teaching some students
three years his junior to Grade 3 students taking standardized
tests, Hall's experience as an elementary school teacher has
run the gamut.
But through it all, one thing remained constant: his enjoyment
of working with children.
"I've always liked working with children," he said.
In fact, his life outside of school often revolved around
working with children. He was involved with cubs and scouts,
and shortly after beginning his teaching career in 1968, when
he earned his one-year teacher's certificate, he was asked to
teach Sunday school at St. Paul's United Church, where he taught
for 13 years. (Hall completed his bachelor of arts from Queen's
University in 1981.)
Although he had the "old type of certificate" allowing
him to teach up to Grade 10, he never had any desire to teach
at that level. Instead, he taught Kindergarten through Grade
8, with the majority of it spent at the primary/junior level,
Kindergarten to Grade 6.
"I find they listen a bit better to you at those ages,"
he said, "that they don't think they know more than you
do."
Just starting out, Hall found himself in the difficult situation
of teaching students in Grade 8 who "think they know more
than the teacher does," a teacher only three years their
senior.
"It was interesting," he said. "I started when
I was 19 years of age, and some of the Grade 8 students were
16 at that time. There were three boys that age in the class,
because they still kept them in elementary school until they
passed."
When asked what is was like teaching students three years
his junior, Hall said, chuckling, "they didn't know how
old I was likely. It was quite funny."
Hall was born and raised in Prescott. His parents were Fred
and Lillian Hall. He went to Boundary Street Public School, then
attended South Grenville District High School. He has a sister,
Dorothy Olson. Hall is married to Barbara and has two children:
Scott, who will be starting Grade 8 at Central Public School,
and Lori, who starts Grade 11 at South Grenville District High
School in the fall.
Although elementary students generally were better behaved
than high school students, according to Hall, he did see changes
in the students at his school over the years.
When Hall first started teaching, the students had far more
respect, he said. Hall sees the decrease in levels of respect
as a resulted of the changes in society.
"It seems as the years progressed there was less and
less respect. But again society had an awful lot of an affect
on that because there were a lot more single parent homes."
When Hall started, he rotated through Grades 6 to 8, teaching
the English component for three years. Then the principal asked
Hall if he could go down to the junior level. This change was
made in 1974, when more homes were being run by a single mother,
he said. Hall was then requested to teach Grade 2 for seven years,
because the principal thought those grades needed a male influence.
Having a male influence seemed to give more stability at home,
he said. Mothers would tell him of the positive affect he was
having on their children: "I glad you're teaching them manners.
They watch what I say. They are politer to me at home."
To help maintain control in a classroom, despite the changes
from one year to the next, Hall had a strategy: "You have
be friendly, but you have to be firm (when interacting with students),"
he said.
The students may be showing less respect nowadays, but they
are also under more stress, according to Hall, due to the new
curriculum and testing.
"I find they are making the younger students do more
and more...Math and reading as examples became more complicated,"
he said.
When Hall first started, the expectations were at the higher
levels, but in more recent years, these higher expectations are
being applied to the younger students with negative affects,
he said.
"This were where some of the frustration levels came
from," he said, "and more learning problems, because
the younger ones were being forced to do more than they are capable
of (doing)."
While they find it a lot more challenging, they can cope throughout
the year. But for Grade 3 students, when they have to write their
tests, Hall said, it just seems they become stressed.
"They are worried about performing and doing so well
compared to everybody else," he said. "I've had children
come to school in tears, just because of the hype over the testing
that has been put on it."
Hall said he is still going to keep one foot in the teaching
profession. He has signed onto three supply lists. He also belongs
to the Odd Fellow organization, where he will volunteer as district
deputy warden, then will move up to district deputy grand master
next year. He also plans to help out at the computer lab at South
Edwardsburg.
He said he'll miss the children and their stories they would
tell each morning, but the politics he'll be happy to do without.
Town will contribute to physician recruitment
program
PRESCOTT The town will cough up some money to help attract
doctors to the Brockville area.
Prescott council agreed at its final budget meeting last Wednesday
to contribute $4,000 to the physician recruitment program based
at Brockville General Hospital. Council had been asked for $6,000
per year for five years. However, councillors were reluctant
to make a long-term funding commitment.
In suggesting a compromise, Councillor Jo-Anne Beckstead said
five years would be too long; funding could be reassessed depending
on the success of the program, she noted.
"I don't think we should turn them down flat," Beckstead
said.
A proposal to contribute $4,000 this year and reconsider the
matter next year received the support of most councillors.
"I could buy it on an annual basis," Councillor
Garry Dewar said.
Council also agreed last week to give $500 to the House of
Lazarus, a support centre located in the Mountain area of Dundas
county.
Twenty-five per cent of people who were using the facility's
food bank as of earlier this year were living in Prescott, council
was told.
"This should be an easy one," Beckstead said.
Some members of council were once again reluctant to make
a long-term funding commitment. However, a majority voted in
favour of a five-year commitment.
Other grant requests accepted by the town include:
* Prescott Figure Skating Club, $8,400
* South Grenville Minor Hockey, $8,400
* Youth for Life, $3,000
* Amphitheatre Concerts, $1,500
* Minor Soccer, $1,250
* Little League Baseball, $1,250
* Sandy Hill Cemetery, $1,000
* Fort Town Concert Association, $500
* St. Mark's Cemetery, $300
Graduation section to appear next week
The Prescott Journal will publish its 2001 graduation
supplement next week.
The supplement would normally have appeared in the first or
second edition of July. However, computer problems experienced
at South Grenville District High School have prevented the school
from submitting information on local Ontario Scholars.
The special section will include Grade 8 class pictures and
lists of award winners from schools throughout South Grenville.
Augusta council
dumps city's idea for a 'Greater Brockville Area'
MAYNARD Augusta Township will not be assisting Brockville
in its attempt to improve its image as a commercial trading centre.
The township turned down at its Monday night meeting a request
by the City of Brockville that would allow the city to change
its Highway 401 signage to reflect the larger population in the
surrounding area.
The city was endeavouring to include its area trading population
on eastbound and westbound highway signs. The signs would have
made reference to the Greater Brockville Area - Population 55,000.
"The awareness of a larger population base would undoubtedly
improve our image as a commercial trading centre," Mayor
Ben TeKamp stated in a letter to Augusta Reeve George Vail.
"These impacts would ultimately generate economic benefits
to all of our municipalities in the 1000 Islands area, including
Brockville," TeKamp stated.
Deputy Reeve Morris Stark said including Augusta's population
in with Brockville's would cause the township to lose its identity.
"We don't encompass Brockville," he said. "Basically,
we're around Prescott."
Councillor Jane Fullarton noted Augusta's eastern boundary
is at Prescott, and it would not be appropriate to have a Brockville
population sign in that area. At no point does Augusta border
Brockville.
The mayor noted the approach was successfully completed by
the Greater Kingston Area in 1995 with the support of the neighbouring
townships of Pittsburgh and Kingston.
Brockville had made a similar request in June to Elizabethtown-Kitley
Township to lump its population in with the city's. That township
did not support the request either, although it had made a suggestion
a sign could read Greater South Leeds Economic Area, reported
Elizabethtown-Kitley Administrative Clerk Yvonne Robert.
Crime Stoppers and
police hope to generate some tips
EDWARDSBURGH Crime Stoppers and the Grenville detachment
of the Ontario Provincial Police are seeking assistance in solving
a break-in and theft that occurred in the Township of Edwardsburgh-Cardinal.
The garage of a Pitt Road residence was entered sometime between
4 am and 4:30 pm April 26. Taken was a Coleman "Powermate"
generator on a homemade steel frame with wheels. The generator's
serial number is 77071226.
Police are also looking for a dark blue pick-up truck with
white cap seen leaving the scene of the theft.
Anyone with information about this incident or any criminal
activity is asked to contact Crime Stoppers. Caller do not have
to identify themselves, and their information could result in
cash rewards. Crime Stoppers does not subscribe to call display
or any other form of caller identification.
The number to call is 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
Sun shines on outdoor
centre
DOMVILLE An alternative energy source will help fuel
development of the South Grenville Outdoor Education Centre
A grant of $4,000 from the Shell Environmental Fund has been
secured. A solar energy unit will be purchased for the centre
located on Barton Road south of Domville. The unit will be used
to provide power for lights and electrical outlets at the centre.
The Grenville Land Stewardship Council operates the centre
in partnership with South Grenville District High School and
other groups and companies. Jack Henry of the stewardship council
welcomes Shell Canada as a community partner in the centre project.
The centre is being developed as an educational and recreational
destination for community groups.
"The goal of the fund is to support projects committed
to environmental action and include a strong volunteer component,"
stated Linda Sharp, a spokesperson for the fund. "The outdoor
centre in south Grenville county certainly meets this criteria
and also includes a fabulous educational component for local
students as well."
The environmental fund is a national program that has distributed
grants totalling more than $8 million since the fund's inception
in 1990.
Limerick Forest lights
up
MAYNARD Forests and fires don't mix, Augusta Reeve George
Vail warned at a council meeting Monday night.
The reeve indicated the Augusta Fire Department was called
twice during the past weekend to fight fires at Limerick Forest
caused by the burning of old mattresses and couches. A car has
also been burned in the forest, he said. Areas of the forest
have been used as a dumping ground, he said.
"It was a serious enough fire that it actually singed
the top of some of those big pines," Vail said. "You
have no means of getting a fire truck in some of those roads
that are closed in. They can fight the fire from the main road,
but if it gets back in there, there's going to be a lot of lost
acreage.
"It is a concern because it is a very beautiful area
back there and there could be a lot of damage, especially in
this hot, dry weather."
Vail asked everyone to be aware of burning in Limerick, and
report any incidents.
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