The Citizen, 2017-01-26, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2017.
The great melt
Warmer temperatures meant melting snow last week in Huron County, but Ava Haak, left, and
Leah Kuntz were still able to find a small patch of snow to shape and form into something on
Monday at Hullett Central Public School in Londesborough. (Denny Scott photo)
'Big decisions' remain
for ESTC: Chambers
Continued from page 1
someone to lead it.
"I think you have some big
decisions with respect to the ESTC,"
she said. "I don't think those
decisions are going to happen in
short order."
Chambers said the township had
received a report "some time ago"
from KPMG, a consulting firm,
focused on operation of the ESTC.
The report was in draft format and
included three different options for
council to consider.
"One of those options is the status
quo which David, [Director of
Finance Donna White] and myself
agree isn't viable," she said. "There
are two options left, but those
options have not been explored in
detail by KPMG."
Chambers said whatever council
decides in regards to the ESTC,
there will need to be research done
before any action can be taken.
In an interview with The Citizen
after the meeting, Chambers
elaborated on the two options,
saying one was to invest in the
centre to make it a viable business
entity and the other was to consider
more conservative operations for the
centre. She also said the report was
in draft form because comments
from the township were being
considered to be sent back to KPMG
for the final document.
Councillor Trevor Seip said that,
based on the timeline and the fact
that the KPMG report wouldn't be
presented until February, he felt the
timeline might be too tight to find a
person to fill both positions.
Vodden continued to push for
Mintoff, saying his input into the
previous selection processes was
invaluable, to which Seip replied
using the same person for a job over
and over precludes making new
relationships.
Knott made a motion to have a
request for proposals sent out for the
consulting position, however, he was
told that would extend the timeline
to the point that the municipality
may not have a chief in place by the
time Sparling left. He amended his
motion to have quotes sought by
staff after a hiring process had been
finalized, which is a less time-
consuming practice.
Council passed the motion with
Vodden in opposition. More
information on the process will be
made available once the quotes are
received.
Sparling hopes for reorganization of department
Continued from page 9
said. "That includes cancer
prevention initiatives and making
sure personnel are properly looked
after."
Aside from big-ticket items like
machines to wash cancer-causing
agents out of bunker gear, Sparling
said the changes also meant having
safety officers on the department,
having portable toilets at emergency
sites and making sure suitable food
and beverage is available for
firefighters during prolonged
incidents.
Sparling also said that a lot of
actions had been taken to improve
safety of people in the municipalities
he covers, pointing to 911 number
and street address improvements.
The ESTC has seen ups and
downs during the past several years,
Sparling said, pointing to
advancements like the marine safety
Central Huron supportive in
principle of hospice location
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
While Central Huron is supportive
of a hospice location in the
municipality, councillors are
ensuring that they don't get ahead of
themselves.
This comes after the long-awaited
Huron Hospice Palliative Care
Steering Committee report
recommended a location within
Central Huron.
The study sought to distribute
hospice beds throughout Huron and
Perth Counties and decided upon
placing Huron County's beds in
Central Huron. The study also
acknowledges, however, that
hospice care is largely dependent on
public support and not funded
wholly by the government. This
means that whichever community is
chosen to host the beds will be
expected to generate sustained
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fundraising for years to come to
ensure the hospice's success.
Several different groups had been
in the running for the hospice
location, including the Jessica's
House group in Exeter. However, the
study found that Central Huron
made the most sense as a central
location within the county with
access to multiple hospitals
throughout Huron County and
beyond.
At the Jan. 16 meeting, however,
Central Huron Council passed a
motion that supported the
recommendation in principle, but
made it clear that the municipality
would not be made responsible for
costs associated with any hospice or
palliative care development.
The motion reads, "that the
Council of the Municipality of
Central Huron forward a letter of
support 'in principle' to the Huron
Hospice Palliative Care Steering
Committee to support the concept of
a residential hospice being in Huron
County and ideally being centrally
located within Central Huron; and,
further that, the letter of support
indicate that this is not a
commitment of funding dollars from
Central Huron at this time or in the
future."
Council passed the motion.
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training programs the site is
launching this spring and the long-
term pursuit of having the ESTC
named an official college campus.
"That possibility is there and it's
exciting," he said.
While Sparling is getting ready to
leave the department and centre, he
still hopes that North Huron can find
what's needed to have both the
FDNH and the ESTC operating at
their best.
"I hope that my departure can
allow a reorganization," he said. I'm
a huge advocate for shared services.
The best service will cost and
if the price is sharing, it's what
we need to do. I'm just not sure
there is the political will behind
it. "
In an interview with The Citizen
prior to North Huron Council's Jan.
23 meeting when the issue would be
first addressed by council, North
Huron Chief Administrative Officer
Sharon Chambers said a report
was being prepared for council
to consider recruitment options.
She also said last summer's
consultant's report about how to run
the ESTC more effectively, which
includes a number of
recommendations, would be brought
before council in February.
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