HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-02-09, Page 23THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012. PAGE 23. Blyth service groups may be doing
some fundraising to cover Blyth
Public School’s year-end, school-
end celebration.
A letter written by Blyth Public
School Principal Alice McDowell to
North Huron Council was discussed
at council’s Feb. 6 meeting at length.
The letter requests waiving fees
for the rental of various municipal
buildings. Some of these rentals are
covered by a reciprocal agreement
that the Avon-Maitland District
School Board has with the township
while other requests aren’t covered
under the agreement. The latter
caused intense debate by council.
Blyth Ward Councillor Brock
Vodden initially suggested that they
waive the fee for four of the seven
requested rentals for several reasons.
One of the requests, which related
to the usage of Blyth Memorial Hall
on July 24 for a community
breakfast, did not fall under the
township’s authority as that building
is controlled by the Blyth Festival
during that time period.
Vodden also said he would not
support waiving the fees for the
school to rent the ice surface area of
the Blyth and District CommunityCentre on Saturday, June 23 for acelebration of the school’s history orthe rental of the Bainton Art Gallery
and Memorial Hall on April 26 for
the school’s annual Grade 8
fundraiser.
The decision for the celebration
was two-fold for Vodden.
“It’s not appropriate for council to
be waiving this fee,” he said. “I’ve
been told that it’s possible that
alcohol will be served at this event...
it’s an adult event, not one for the
students.
“The word celebration is wrong.
The Village of Blyth isn’t looking to
celebrate the closing of the school,”
he said. “That’s like putting lipstick
on a pig and saying it’s not a pig.”
McDowell, in an interview with
The Citizen on Tuesday morning,
said that the school’s closure wasn’t
what was being celebrated but the
history of education in Blyth.
She stated that, in hindsight, it
may have been better to make the
request in person and to have
separated the issues into two
requests: student events and the
celebration.
“We thought it would be easier to
request everything at once,” she said.
While council had no definitive
proof that liquor would be served atthe event, other councillors agreedwith Vodden’s reasoning.Councillor Alma Conn stated that
if there was liquour the event
shouldn’t be supported as did
Councillor Ray Hallahan.
Director of Recreation and
Facilities for the township Pat
Newson stated that she didn’t know
if liquour would be served.
She stated that, as far as she knew,
the celebration would consist of
events at the public school and
would be followed by a dinner
hosted by the Blyth Lions Club at
the Blyth and District Community
Centre.
Newson said she wasn’t aware of
any plans for alcohol to be served
and that the decision could be
defered until that information was
found out, however council pushed
forward with the decision.
McDowell, again, after the fact
said that she had yet to confirm if
alcohol would be present.
“I’m assuming there will be, but
I’ll have to confirm that with the
Lions,” she said. “We’ve been
working very closely with the Lions
and they are actually responsible for
the event so, if a rental has to be
paid, it would probably have to come
from them. I’m not sure if theywould be prepared for that.”Newson estimated the cost of therental at $456.20 plus HST.
The only member of council to
dissent (with Councillor James
Campbell absent from the meeting)
was Wingham Ward Councillor
Bernie Bailey who said that
councillors should be ashamed of
the decision they were making. He
moved that council support the
school for each listed event.
“It’s shameful that this is what’s
happening to the last graduating
class of the school,” he said. “It’s
shameful we’re doing the children
and families out of the fun of the
event. It’s a shame that, 20 years
from now, there won’t be memories
of the last closing of the school. It’s
a shame that we’re picking on
children here. I will get behind this
and help them work it out however
possible.”
Bailey likened the closure of the
school to his own experiences when
the school he attended in Wingham
was replaced.
During a recorded vote on whether
or not to support the school on all the
dates they requested councillors
Conn, Hallahan and Vodden and
Reeve Neil Vincent and Deputy-
Reeve David Riach stated they
would not support Bailey’s motion.
Campbell’s absence was not a
favourable situation according to
McDowell. She stated that he had
worked very closely with the school
and the service groups and that he
would have been able to address
many of the issues that came up.
“He’s an extremely importantperson in the process,” she said.Vincent then suggested that theyparcel out specific instances and deal
with them separately which council
did.
Vodden motioned that they
approve waiving the rental fees for
the school’s public speaking contest
at the Blyth Memorial Hall on Feb.
25, the rental fee for the ice surface
at the Blyth and District Community
Centre on March 8 for skating, the
Bainton Gallery for the Grade 8
auction on April 26 and the upstairs
hall of the Blyth and District
Community Centre on June 25 for
Grade 8 graduation.
Conn pointed out that one of the
events, a community supper on April
26, was to be held in concert with
the auction as a fundraiser and
Vodden eventually agreed to include
it on the list.
Council agreed with Vodden’s list
and he said he wasn’t stating that the
school could not run the events they
wanted to, just that council would
not be waiving the fee.
“If they want to run their
celebration, that’s fine, but if they
want to use township facilities for it
they can rent it and pay for it,” he
said.
McDowell stated she would be
sending a clarifying letter to council
to explain all the variables.
The rental of the facilities at
Memorial Hall on June 24 could not
be discussed by General Manager
Deb Sholdice as the issue had not
been taken to the Blyth Festival’s
board for consideration.
Continued from page 19
going.”
Twelve of the 16 team slots have
been filled at the cost of $20 per per
competitor.
McKague-Weishar said that while
the $20 fee helps to raise money and
off-set costs, the real fundraising is
done by each team’s members.
“We like to see a minimum of $50
in pledges from each curler,” she
said.
The committee hopes to raise at
least $1,000 from the event.
Prizes will be available at the
event and donated by local
businesses like Green’s Meat
Market.
THE EDITOR,
It’s time to respond to the loss of
jobs in Canada. Why should our tax
dollars go to foreign corporate
raiders?
Municipalities are some of the
largest purchasers of heavy
equipment and companies such as
Caterpillar and Volvo need to know
that they will lose sales as we lose
jobs.
All Canadian municipalities,
including those in Huron County,
should declare that they will
no longer purchase Caterpillar
products. If the U.S. can have
a “Buy American” policy, surely
we can respond in kind with
our own policy.
Jim Barnes,
RR 5, Brussels.
Continued from page 10
stop this madness which has
overtaken many Ontario school
boards like ours.
Please ensure that you, your
friends, your neighbours sign the
petition which is available in many
main street businesses this
week. Similar action is taking place
in many communities across
Ontario. We are not alone. We
cannot afford to lose our only
school.
Brock Vodden, Blyth.
Melville Guild holds meeting
Healthcare bonspiel resurrected
Vodden leads charge as council denies school
Writer wants new policy
Vodden wants ‘the
madness’ to stop
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Featuring
“thatotherchoir” (Clinton area)
John DeJager (tenor)
Sponsored by
ABC Women’s Ministry
By Denny ScottThe Citizen
The January meeting of the
Melville Presbyterian Church Guild
and Women’s Missionary Society
was held at the home of Jean Bewley
on Tuesday evening, Jan. 17 with 10
members present.
A delicious potluck supper was
enjoyed by all to start off the new
year.
Mary Douma opened the meeting
with a reading, “For the New Year”
and the WMS Purpose was read in
unison. The hymn “Standing at the
Portal” was sung and Mary Douma
read a story, “The Big Prize”. Jean
Bewley gave the topic, “The Praying
Hands” and everyone read small
parts. Mrs. Bewley led in prayer and
the hymn “Blest be the tie that
binds” was sung. The Mizpah
Benediction was repeated in
unison to close this part of the
meeting.
Mary Douma presided over the
business. Mrs. Douma read, “The
History of the Tartan” and thanked
Jean Bewley for hosting the
meeting. The minutes of the
December meeting were read by the
secretary, Dona Knight and it was
moved by Mary Douma, seconded
by Jeanne Kirkby to adopt the
minutes as read. Mrs. Douma gave a
report on the annual meeting of the
Maitland Presbyterial that was held
in Wingham on Jan. 16. Marg Work,
Leona Armstrong, Elaine
Armstrong, Mary Douma, Alice
Marks and Margaret Siertsema
attended the meeting.
Leona Armstrong read the
itinerary of the WMS Synodical to
be held in London. Leona
Armstrong moved to send Elaine
Armstrong as our delegate,
seconded by Marg Work. Jeanne
Kirkby gave the treasurer’s
report.
The date was set for the
springtime supper. The supper will
be on April 29 with the price staying
the same at $13.
The February meeting will be in
charge of Leona Armstrong and
Marg Work. It was moved by Mary
Douma, seconded by Leona
Armstrong that the group purchase
25 copies of the book, “Prayer
Partnership”. The meeting was
closed with prayer.
Letters to the Editor
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