Port Hope’s 2010 budget may have increased compared to last year, but according to Liz Araujo, Port Hope’s finance chief, it took a lot of hard work to get the budget down to a 5.9 percent, or $792,100 increase.

In a meeting held just recently, Araujo brought council members up to speed and asked for suggestions on how to improve the budget.

She notes that the increases for each department aren’t really significant or “damaging” so to speak. It’s the departments where revenues were low last year that are really applying pressure on the budget.

Council members deliberated in shutting down some items that were being funded by the municipality to reduce the budget. However, some councilors pointed out that removing these services would deal a big blow to Port Hope.

For example, a few councilors suggested taking down the flashing beacon at Port Hope’s Lakeshore & Wesleyville Roads in order to save $9000. But Council member Bob Fudge said taking it down would affect community members in the area who rely on it for safety purposes.

There were plenty of suggestions during the meeting and ideas went back and forth among the town’s councilors. Araujo said she had noted all recommendations and will be presenting an updated proposal on the next council meeting taking place on the 26th.

While the holidays may be over, the provincial government still gave special late gifts to six organizations and groups in Port Hope that consistently encourage the public to live healthy and active lifestyles.

Just last week, Ontario’s Healthy Communities Fund subsidized close to $20,000 for the Port Hope Parks, Recreation and Culture’s ‘Opening Access Across the Ages’ initiative, which is headed by the program’s director Brenda Whitehead.

Northumberland-Quinte West Master of Public Policy Lou Rinaldi, announced the news to a group of representatives who gathered for a meeting. According to her, Port Hope is one of the few communities in the region that consistently promote the importance of health and wellness. She hopes that the grants encourage the groups to continue the great work their doing.

One of Port Hope’s notable community projects was the construction of a fully accessible playground which is presently a haven for families and those engaging in outdoor activities.

Port Hope Mayor Linda Thompson comments that the money will be a great help for groups who provide these services and to the community. The grant will have a profound effect on those who work tirelessly to help the public, she adds.

Indeed, $20,000 will go a long way in sustaining existing health and wellness programs, as well as in creating new ones for the initiative.

In an effort to provide milk to Port Hope families that need it, staffs from the local Health Unit are raising funds for the Milk for Moms health and nutrition program based in Northumberland County.

The program, which was created in 2000, provides vouchers that can be exchanged for a free bag of milk to expecting mothers and less fortunate families with kids less than 12 years of age. Other agencies in Northlumberland have lent a hand by helping raise funds and the like. Each month, vouchers are distributed to families in the region, which can be redeemed at pre-selected stores in the area.

So far, Health Unit employees have collected over $500, which they raised through donation campaigns and fundraiser draws they held in the last few weeks of 2009. According to one of the program’s organizers, providing milk keeps in line with the Health Unit’s goal of spreading the importance of good nutrition. Raising funds for Milk for Moms is an avenue for them to lead by example, she added.

The Milk for Moms program is a service under the wing of the Northumberland Child Development Centre, which receives funding from the Northlumberland County and communities under it like Port Hope.

After being closed for a number of hours, Port Hope’s eastbound lanes on Highway 401 are back in business and ready for the passage of motorists.

On Wednesday last week, a flatbed trucked flipped over on Highway 401 at around 5 in the evening. The transport was hauling pipes to Montreal, which scattered all over the surrounding areas after the flatbed flipped over.

The result was an ugly mess of metal tubes scattered all over the place. Each tube weighed around 2,000 pounds, and those that rolled off the road destroyed dozens of trees in their path. All eastbound lanes on Highway 401 were immediately closed following the accident.

Making things more complicated, the flatbed spilled over 300 liters of fuel, prompting Port Hope officials to call the Ministry of Environment for immediate clean-up measures. Fortunately, Port Hope firefighters were quick to arrive at the scene to contain the fuel and make sure it would not cause further damage.

As for the driver, he was lucky to walk away without any injuries after such a big accident.

Authorities on the site were amazed and thankful that no other motorists were killed or seriously hurt in the accident. They suspect that the flatbed’s cargo shifted, causing the mishap.

One of Port Hope’s biggest newsmakers for 2009 was the long overdue clean-up of its low-level radioactive waste in the community. The long years of waiting seemed all worth it as government officials finally acted on the problem.

After receiving approval from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), waste management group Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) began work on the Port Hope project – creating designs for an efficient and cost-effective waste management facility in the region. The ambitious project is planned to hold 1.2 million cubic meters of waste materials and is expected to last for half a century.

And while the actual clean-up process is still a few years off (2011 to be exact), Port Hope’s mayor notes that it’s a very major step forward in cleaning up Port Hope of its literally radioactive past. Even after a decade of advanced planning, AECL still has to finish its final designs – making sure that each penny allotted for the project is well spent.

He points out that problem used to be ‘Is work going to be ever done’. Now it’s ‘Where is it going to be’.

In the end, he hopes that green areas take over Port Hope’s radioactive legacy.

Staffs in Port Hope are working double-time to present the 2010 budget and have it approved as early as possible. On a meeting that took place on Tuesday, the topic of community grants came was discussed.

Grant applications received that meet the criteria set by policy have totaled at about $160,900. However, officials want to make some changes and have presented a few recommendations.

• Here’s a list of grant applications from different groups in the region.
• Capitol Theatre Heritage Foundation has requested the amount of $48,500
• The Heritage Business Improvement Area has sent in a request for $20,000
• The All Canadian Jazz Festival committee, which received a grant of $5,000 last year, was denied its request of $10,000
• The Northumberland Plowmen’s Association  sent in q request of $400, which was immediately approved
• The Physician Recruitment Committee’s request for $50,000 was put on hold until a presentation by a representative was made.
• The area’s Lawn Bowling Club has requested the amount of $20,000 for renovation costs. Council however has sent a counter-proposal for them to find other ways to get funds

Another budget meeting is schedule to take place next week on December 12, Tuesday.

The cut-off time for nominations for the Port Hope Civic Awards is almost up and yet only a few people have sent in their picks.

For committee chairman Bill Hubbs, this development is a little worrisome, especially after doing everything in his power to promote Port Hope’s 2009 Civic Awards. Over the past weeks, Hubbs has been busy sending letters to various groups, churches, and schools to raise awareness. He’s also held a luncheon attended by previous Outstanding Citizens and Outstanding Youth of the town.

They even went for a media roadblock by doing an interview for a local TV station, plugging the event on radio, and buying ad spaces from the local papers.

The month of December was even declared as a special Civic Awards Month to focus attention at the awards ceremony. The town went as far as erecting a big banner on Walton Street to encourage residents in the area to submit their nominations.

And yet despite all the hype to pique the interest of Port Hope’s townspeople, only 14 nominations have been passed as of Tuesday, with none for Outstanding Youth.

The annual Civic Awards is the town’s way of recognizing the contributions made for the community by Port Hope’s youth and citizens.

Hubbs remains positive however, as he expects nominations to pour in on the last few hours of January 8 – the deadline for submissions. The Awards night will be on January 11.