HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-09-19, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013.
Wingham Public School has been
purchased by the Wingham and
District Hospital through the
Township of North Huron.
The purchase was confirmed
Monday at a special Avon
Maitland District School Board
meeting at the Education Centre in
Seaforth.
North Huron Chief Administrative
Officer Gary Long confirmed in an
e-mail to The Citizen that once the
transaction is complete, North
Huron will not have any ownership
stake in the property. The
municipality plans to formally sell
the school to the hospital soon.
In the e-mail, Long said the
hospital board contacted the
municipality about a possible
transaction after seriously
considering the property.
“North Huron Council views this
as a strategic partnership with the
Wingham Hospital that strengthens
health care in our community,
supports economic development
ensures the redevelopment and
revitalization of this property and
repurposing school properties in our
municipality is part of our
strategic plan,” Long said in his e-
mail.
The school had been scheduled to
go up for auction on Oct. 3.
For further details on the sale,
check back with The Citizen.
Huron County looks to amalgamate health units
Huron County Council is in the
early stages of potentially
amalgamating the Huron and Perth
County Health Units.
After a county strategic planning
session last month, council
instructed county staff to investigate
what would be involved in
amalgamating the two health units.
After receiving correspondence
from the county solicitors, Chief
Administrative Officer Brenda
Orchard told councillors at their
Sept. 11 committee of the whole
meeting that while they can make a
recommendation of direction, the
decision is inevitably up to the
Huron and Perth County Boards of
Health.
The amalgamation had been
considered in the 1990s, Orchard
said, and then again in 2008,
according to Goderich Mayor Deb
Shewfelt, but was shot down both
times for various reasons.
Councillors reminded one another,
however, that any discussion or
decision that took place around the
Huron County Council table would
be meaningless if those in Perth
didn’t agree.
Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh
Reeve Ben Van Diepenbeek said that
before he made a decision on the
future of the Health Unit, he’d like to
see a report from staff outlining the
pros and cons associated with such a
decision.
Orchard then clarified Van
Diepenbeek’s statements, saying that
council can only make a
recommendation to the Huron
County Board of Health, it can’t
make the decision for them.
“You can suggest they take a look
at it,” Orchard said, “but it would be
up to the Board of Health if they
want to pursue it.”
Huron East Mayor Bernie
MacLellan said that the report Van
Diepenbeek was asking for would
come eventually over the course of
the process, but that it would be
premature for it to be compiled now.
He said that if both boards were to
vote in favour of amalgamation, then
the issue would come to council for
its finalizing vote. Before that vote
could take place, MacLellan said,
that would be when a staff report
should come to council.
Huron East’s Joe Steffler said he
supported this issue being revisited,
adding that it had been discussed,
and eventually turned down, in the
1990s, but a lot has changed since
then.
Howick’s Art Versteeg said he
hoped the boards would respond
favorably to the correspondence
being sent by council, saying that
even if they inevitably weren’t in
favour of amalgamating, they should
be in favour of looking into
efficiencies and improving their
services.
Council approved investigating the
issue further and added that letters
detailing the process to amalgamate
the two bodies be circulated to
municipalities throughout both
Huron and Perth Counties.
Township buys
school for hospital
Banner carriers
The Elementary School Fair always starts with a parade from local students and this year,
which marks the 93rd annual iteration of the event, was no exception. Shown leading the way
for Maitland River Elementary are, from left, Jaida Ruff-Robertson, Cory Chadwick, Principal
Alice McDowell, Hayden Robinson and Brett Neilson. (Denny Scott photo)
Auburn Co-op
County Road #25, Auburn
519-526-7262
Huron Bay
CO-OPERATIVE INC.
Special Purchase for Sale!
Beautiful
Patio Sets
$240
Reg. $430
Only
37
ordered Sale Price
Blowout Prices
on Clothing!
eg.Coats Reg. $60 Now $15
No rain checks ~ all sales final!
September 20th &21st
8:00 am - 2:00 pm
HUGE MARKDOWNS!
MORE ITEMS!!
At the former Chamney Sanitation Building, Auburn!
Watch for the signs!
Too Many
Items
To List!
Patio Furniture Greatly Reduced!!! BBQ Specials!!!
Great
Christmas
Ideas!
Complete
Insulated
Overalls &
Jacket Set
$40
Reg. $99
More
Markdowns!
Reduced eve
n
m
o
r
e
!
Something
for
Everyone!
10 WEEKS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
GRIEF...is surrounded by so many myths, like -
• Time heals all wounds
• Replace the loss
• Grieve alone
• Be strong for others
• Hide your feelings
“Sound familiar???...”
Whether your loss results from death, divorce, loss of job or childhood issues,
recent or sometime in the past, recovery IS possible.
Wednesday, October 9th, 2013
to
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Knox Presbyterian Church - 9 Victoria St. N., Goderich, ON
COST: $35.00 For Resource Material
Take this first step in your recovery. Call today!
MUST PRE-REGISTER
SEAFORTH ~ 519-527-0655 WINGHAM ~ 519-357-2720
Pins & Needles
Stitches with a Twist
519-523-9449
Blyth, Ont.
7-Day Weather ForecastElliott Nixon Insurance Brokers Inc.
16°
Monday Tuesday WednesdaySundaySaturdayFriday
22°
Thursday
23°19°17°
Brought to you by Elliott Nixon Insurance Brokers Inc. ~ 519-523-4481 • enib@himginsurance.com
18°17°
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen