Councillor Josie Wintersinger still wants to know if there is any resolution regarding last month’s questions if Erin is within one or two tourist designated zones.
The RT04 tourism region is comprised of Huron, Perth and Wellington Counties and the Region of Waterloo. The RT06 is comprised of York, Durham and Hills of the Headwaters.
Erin, it seems, lies smack in the middle.
The town is still involved with Hills of the Headwaters and represented there by Wintersinger.
Councillor Barb Tocher, acting as mayor for the July 12 council meeting, said there was some correspondence by email to the mayor with regard to that – “because of the article that was in the Newspaper last Friday. There’s been some comment made to that.”
Tocher asked that the question be asked later on, during another part of the council meeting.
At that time, Town Manager Lisa Hass said representatives from RT04 will be coming to council to make a presentation.
Tocher explained “RT04 is the one we are supposed to be in.”
“That’s right,” Hass agreed.
She thought the representatives might have made a presentation earlier, “but they will be coming to council.”
She added there is a new chairman, but she hopes they would be coming to the August council meeting.
Tocher asked if anyone had contacted the ministry to find out what the rules are.
Hass responded, “Everything I’ve been told is that we are in RT04 now. When you look at the map, we are along with the rest of Wellington County.”
She added, “No one at this time has been successful in having their boundaries changed.”
She added it did not rule out councillors sending a letter asking for a change “if that is what they want.”
The question was then asked if Erin is in RT04 and working out of RT06.
“We are actually in RT04,” Tocher said.
She added the funding is through RT04.
“However, the Hills of the Headwaters is in RT06, and it has included Erin in the Hills of the Headwaters region,” Tocher said.
“They are not receiving any RT06 funding for Erin. RT04 is receiving the funding for Erin.”
Hass added, “Since Erin had been affiliated with Hills of the Headwaters previously, they would like to keep that relationship.”
“That is why they want us to officially change,” Tocher added. “So that they would receive the funding on our portion. That’s what it boils down to.”
