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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-06-01, Page 1INSIDE THIS WEEK: REUNION - Pg. 6 East Wawanosh 150th Reunion committee crowns ambassadors SPORTS - Pg. 8 F.E. Madill athletes turn heads at regional meet RECOVERY - Pg. 11 Blyth's Julie Sawchuk makes recovery progress Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON NOG 1 H0 4Cittiz n Volume 33 No. 22 WELCOME TO ESTABLISHED 1877 $1 .25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, June 1, 2017 With the band The annual Barn Dance Jamboree was held in Blyth last week and weekend and, through special shows on Saturday and Sunday, country tunes were brought back to the Blyth Community Centre and Campground. Long-time jamboree planner Bill Simmermaker took to the stage on Saturday night with his son Chris. The entire weekend featured a number of fantastic performances, whether it was the bluegrass show on Friday night, the Gospel show on Sunday morning or Saturday night's main show, there was plenty to see, do and hear at the Jamboree over the weekend. (Denny Scott photo) Hullett students may face CHSS move By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Due to current and projected enrolment at Hullett Central and Clinton Public School, Grade 7-8 students may find themselves attending Central Huron Secondary School in the coming years. According to Janet Baird -Jackson, the Avon Maitland District School Board's superintendent of corporate services, the board's enrolment forecast shows enrolment pressures at both Hullett Central and Clinton Public Schools, which matches up with unused space at Central Huron Secondary School. In addition, she said, the daycare at Clinton Public School has expressed an interest in expanding its services. According to the report, 282 students went to school at Hullett Central in 2015/2016, which is an increase of 81.9 per cent from the 2009/2010 school year when 155 students attended the school. Similarly, Clinton Public School's enrolment sat at 297 students in 2015/2016, up 25.3 per cent from the 237 students who attended in 2009/2010. Enrolment projections predict that, barring any changes, student population at the two schools will remain steady until at least the 2024/2025 school year. Over that same time period, the enrolment at Central Huron Secondary School has declined 13.7 per cent. In addition, the school's 2015/2016 enrolment of 530 is projected to decline drastically in the coming years to 450 students in 2025/2026. The report makes note of the dramatic increase in Hullett Central's enrolment and the role the closure of Blyth Public School played in it. Currently, she said, all of Hullett Central's spots are full and the on- site portable is also full. Baird -Jackson said that Grade 7-8 students have been integrated into secondary school settings in seven of the school board's nine communities in which there is a secondary school. Aside from Clinton, where integration has yet to take place, the other is Listowel, where Baird -Jackson says students couldn't be accommodated in the high school because it's nearing capacity. In those seven aforementioned communities, Baird -Jackson says, the integration has been going well, with no major reported issues among Grade 7-8 and high school students. The issue has yet to be officially discussed this year, but the enrolment report and forecast certainly paints the move as a logical possibility. Baird -Jackson says that it's unlikely that the issue will be Continued on page 10 `Citizen' nominations wanted The Citizen is looking for some of the community's best and brightest citizens to honour with its annual Citizen of the Year awards. Every year, The Citizen hands out its Citizen of the Year awards, one in Blyth and area and one in Brussels and area, honouring those who make a difference and make their communities a better place. However, more nominations are needed to hand out that award again. Last year, Ernie Phillips was named Citizen of the Year for the Blyth area for his extensive work with the Blyth Lions Club and with many organizations like Blyth Minor Hockey and Blyth Public School, while Jean Davidson won the award in Brussels. Davidson was recognized for her countless hours of work with the Brussels Lions Club and her work within a number of programs throughout the community. To nominate a worthwhile citizen from either Blyth and its surrounding communities or Brussels and its surrounding communities, e-mail the name of the nominee, your name and a brief description of why you think that person should be our Citizen of the Year to Editor Shawn Loughlin at editor@northhuron.on.ca or you can fill out the nomination form on page six of this week's issue of The Citizen and bring it into either of the newspaper's offices. County defers review By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Huron County Council has pressed the pause button on a government service system delivery review proposed by the Huron County Economic Development Board. The proposed review, which comes with a $60,000 price tag for a consultant, has come under fire from several lower -tier municipal councils. Not only has the high cost been criticized, but some councillors have felt the review is yet another step towards single -tier government for Huron County. Economic Development Officer Andrew Kemp spoke to the issue at council's May 24 committee of the whole meeting. He said that a number of issues had been identified by the board that could be improved to help streamline certain processes within the county. He said that the process stemmed from a review of several processes based around the development of the Four Winds Barn in Brussels and Cowbell Brewing Company in Blyth. After those reviews, the board felt there were a number of ways that the development process could be improved and the county could be deemed more development -friendly. Warden Jim Ginn said he spoke against the review as a member of the board, saying that it has the potential to be quite controversial. He added that the review could have implications at the lower -tier level, so he felt that the motion should be tabled until councillors had an opportunity to bring the issue back to their lower -tier councils for comment before going forward. Ginn also added that with something like this review, that could have implications far beyond governance, it is important that councillors keep in mind that it's not all about what councillors want to put forward, but what the public wants as well. Chief Administrative Officer Brenda Orchard said that the motion didn't need to be voted on at the May 24 meeting, and that it could be moved to the following month to allow councillors to further digest the material and confer with their lower -tier councillors before voting on the issue. Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan said that there was a lot of animosity towards the subject at the Huron East Council table, much Continued on page 9