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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-02-21, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2013. North Huron Children’s Programs Before and After School Viability Check Deadline March 14, 2013 Do you have a child who will be attending Maitland River Elemetary School JK/SK in September 2013? Will your child require Before or After School Care? Please pick up forms at: North Huron Children’s Centre 239 William Street, Wingham, ON N0G 2W0 or download them from www.northhuron.ca 519-357-2424 Continued from page 3 gym competition have given their speeches and the rest of the class will continue to present their speeches this week. The Grade 7 and 7/8 classes are also experimenting with blended learning. Blended learning combines e-learning with traditional lessons. The nice thing about this approach is the routine inclusion of text with embedded video, threaded discussion and a host of hyperlinks which makes things more interesting and more appealing to students. Working out all the bugs and increasing the comfort level with the new tools and enhanced vocabulary is a work in progress. In the Grade 5/6 class, everyone enjoyed their time at their Valentine’s Day party, where they shared a variety of treats and listened to some music. The class continues its study of space as they consider information about the sun, stars and the planets. The Grade 5/6 class has completed all class speeches. Excellent job folks. A wide variety of speech topics were heard, including topics such as the NHL lockout, My Life as a dog, and stories of personal family members, pets and hunting. It has been a good week at Hullett Central PS and I hope that all students enjoyed Valentine’s Day! Students experiment with blended learning Continued from page 1 Tousaw told councillors, and the one change that he heard suggested most often was that each municipality would like to move towards having its own planner, in its municipal office, five days a week. Tousaw said that while the planning department is currently understaffed, he would be happy to look into such a proposal. He had told councillors in the past that the current staff of the planning department can sufficiently take care of the influx of applications over the course of the year, but because of the staffing levels, planners have been unable to get to any long-term items, such as five-year plan reviews and future projections for municipalities. Huron East Mayor Bernie MacLellan, however, had concerns with the idea that each municipality would have its own planner on the premises. He said that planners often have need to use programs and resources at the Goderich office, such as GIS mapping. He said it would not be feasible for every lower tier municipality to purchase this kind of equipment. Tousaw said that MacLellan was wrong and that concerns like his could be addressed through technology. Bluewater’s Tyler Hessel, who represents the county with the Huron Manufacturing Association, said that one of the county’s planners spends a portion of her time serving as the association’s administrator. He asked if that was a suitable practice, or if someone else could be found to take on that portion of the job so the planner could spend her full work week with the planning department. Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn agreed with Hessel, saying that it seems that while planners are both highly educated and highly paid, some of their “side jobs” could be done by employees with less education that would demand a smaller paycheque. Tousaw said this was an issue that, in a round-about way, had been raised by the CAOs themselves, saying that anytime any kind of report is required, it is referred to the planning department, which is overrun with work already. CAOs were concerned that council was overworking the planning department and keeping them from planning work. Morris-Turnberry Mayor Paul Gowing said that in his municipality, he has been waiting since amalgamation to consolidate planning bylaws from the former Morris and Turnberry Townships and that the wait has caused problems over the years. Those are the types of long-term projects, Tousaw said, that planners can’t get to due to current staffing levels. Tousaw said that bylaw consolidation was one of eight long- term projects on the agenda in Morris-Turnberry alone. “I can assure you we’ll do it,” Tousaw told Gowing to a chorus of chuckles from councillors, “but we have to see where it falls on the county list.” Council then suggested that Tousaw continue on the planning department’s current budget course for the year, but prepare a report on the feasibility of placing a planner in every lower tier municipality. Long-term county plans delayed Dolmage breaks armin sledding accident Snowmobilers have been eagerly hitting the trails whenever we get a fresh fall of snow. Conditions on the trails are definitely not ideal but riders are keen to be out. Derek Dolmage was one of those riders recently but his snowmobiling is done for this year regardless of conditions on the trails. His machine found a tree in its path recently. Derek is bruised and sore and will be needing surgery to repair a badly broken arm. Londesborough United Church will be holding its 2012 annual meeting on Sunday, Feb. 24. Congregants are encouraged to bring along potluck for a light lunch following the service. The meeting will convene following lunch. Your input at this meeting will determine the future activities of the congregation. The senior choir will gather for practice at 10 a.m. on Feb. 24. Mark your calendars now for an evening of music at Londesborough United. Songfest will be held on April 7. The cancer benefit book sale at Radford’s Farm Equipment/post office continues daily until Saturday, Feb. 23. There will be a bag sale that day from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. NEWS FROM LONDESBORO By BRENDA RADFORD Call 523-4296 PEOPLE AROUND LONDESBORO Nine years strong For the ninth consecutive year, North Huron Snowarama for Easter Seals was held, beginning in Londesborough and then branching throughout the community’s snowmobile trails. While weather had been a factor in previous years, on Saturday that wasn’t the case, as snowmobilers said the day’s weather was perfect for a ride. The morning began with a hearty breakfast prepared by the Londesborough Lions Club and then a snowmobile ride hosted by the North Huron Trail Groomers and the Wingham and District Snowmobile Club. Shown here welcoming riders is organizer Adrian Salverda, left. (Shawn Loughlin photo) Read Rhea Hamilton Seeger’s Gardening column on the Huron Home and Garden Guide section of our website www.northhuron.on.ca Central Huron Council is preparing to invite three short-listed applicants to make 45-minute presentations at a special meeting March 7, in order to outline their pitches for tackling solar panel installation projects at the Central Huron Community Complex and the Regional Equine and Agricultural Centre of Huron (REACH). At Council’s Feb. 12 Committee- of-the-Whole meeting Central Huron CAO Peggy Van Mierlo-West reported the three shortlisted companies, chosen by a subcommittee including municipal staff and Councillor Brian Barnim, proved to be the ones submitting the lowest bids for the project, which is anticipated to cost about $2 million. Barnim suggested that the possibility of cost overruns is “pretty non-existent” given the subject matter at hand is not “rocket science.” Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn said given the scope of the project, he preferred to bring in an expert to provide an independent opinion during the special session, which is an idea that won favour among councillors. The short-listed companies are Fritz Construction, Solarize Energy and Panasonic. By Cheryl Heath Special to The Citizen Solar providers to meet council At Central Huron Council Feb. 12 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting Councillor Alex Westerhout said he favoured the idea of giving free admission to events that are attended by support workers given their necessity to the person with accessibility issues that already pays a fee, which is an opinion he shared while reviewing the 2013 Accessibility Standards Compliance report. Genny Smith, community improvement co-ordinator for the Clinton/Central Huron BIA, says while it is a great idea, it could cause some logistical problems in Central Huron’s bid for the Parasport Games given support workers in that realm are mandated to pay registration fees. Smith also reports Central Huron is in the running to host the games with only one other contender seeking the bid. “So we have a 50 per cent chance,” she says, noting Parasport officials recently toured Central Huron’s facilities, along with a local welcoming committee that included the mayor and local businessman Mike Russo. That tour included a visit to St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School to see the facility’s new track and gym. “We got really positive feedback,” noted Smith. “It’s all positive. It’s all good.” Councillors agreed to seek out more public input on accessibility- related issues. By Cheryl Heath Special to The Citizen CH considers support person costs