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The Citizen, 2012-06-14, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 2012. Cards held in Cranbrook Colborne, Holmesville PublicSchools to close in 2013 Kicking up some dirt The motocross season kicked off in Walton over the weekend with a double-header of action. Racing was rained out on Saturday, which fortunately resulted in excellent course conditions for Sunday’s action. (Jim Brown photo) Barn blues Blues legend Michael Pickett performed at Blues in the Barn over the weekend at Jim Lee’s farm. It was the final “Poor Boy Blues” show of the season. (Jim Brown photo) With only one trustee opposed, the Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB) voted at its June 5 meeting to close Colborne Central and Holmesville Public Schools effective June 30, 2013. Trustees first looked at AMDSB staff’s recommendation to shut down the schools and redistribute the students to Goderich Public School, Goderich District Collegiate Institute – Elementary, Clinton Public School and Brookside Public School. The Colborne/Holmesville Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) had presented two options. The first was to send Colborne Central students to Holmesville. The second was to build a new school in the country in several years to house the combined student populations of Colborne Central, Holmesville and Brookside. But AMDSB chair Jenny Versteeg announced at the beginning of the meeting that the “new school” option would not make it to the table. “The appropriate people at the ministry have told us that it isn’t going to happen,” she said about the possibility of a new school. After vice-chair Randy Wagler introduced the board’s recommendation as a motion, northwest Huron trustee Al Sygrove noted that the Colborne and Holmesville communities had been “devastated” by last year’s tornado and the years of job losses. He added that he empathized with Colborne/Holmesville ARC’s “local perspective” and would vote against the staff recommendation. But Sygrove was outnumbered as trustee after trustee noted cost savings of $250,000 a year and the increased educational opportunities that the closures would bring. Central East Huron trustee Robert Hunking sat on the ARC which saw the closure of Wingham, Turnberry Central, East Wawanosh and Blyth Public Schools. As a trustee he voted on the Huron East/North Perth accommodation review which saw the closure of Brussels Public School. “I was asked would I ever close a school again,” he said slowly, “and my reply was, ‘If I believe it’s the right decision, I would’.” Hunking then he said he would support the staff’s recommendation to close Colborne Central and Holmesville. With northeast Huron trustee Colleen Schenk in Italy at her daughter’s wedding, the vote between the eight remaining trustees was 7-1 for closure. The Seaforth Public School gym, filled with about 80 people there to see the vote, emptied quickly after. After the vote, Central Huron councillor Brian Barnim and Central Huron mayor Jim Ginn said they were disappointed with the outcome. Barnim was skeptical about the proposed savings of $250,000 from the move, comparing it to the projected savings that amalgamating municipalities was supposed to bring. Barnim also said that several families on his street specifically chose the area so that their kids could attend a rural school. The ability of a rural school to draw new families to an area struggling with dwindling population was repeatedly brought up during the review process. “I think they really missed the point,” said Barnim, who also sat on the ARC. “I don’t think they heard us at all.” Ginn said that as elected officials, trustees had the opportunity to do the right thing, not the cheapest thing. “You have an opportunity to make the right decision and I’m not sure that happened tonight,” he said. Ginn gave credit for board staff for doing a good job of presenting their case and acknowledged that trustees had a difficult decision. But his last words of the evening were for the school communities of Colborne Central and Holmesville. “I’m very, very proud of the members of my community and disappointed that they weren’t successful,” he said. Back at the meeting, AMDSB trustees had a different take. “I think we are doing what’s right for our community,” AMDSB chair Jenny Versteeg told trustees at the end of the meeting. “They just don’t know it yet.” A card party was held at the Cranbrook Hall on June 1. Winners were: share the wealth, Allan Martin and Allan Edgar; travelling lone hand, Betty Wilken; high lady, Delphine Dewar; low lady, Joan Jacobs; most lone hands, Viola Adams, Margaret Peebles, Allan Martin, John Subject and Helen Cullen; high man, Allan Edgar; low man, Mary Davidson. A number of tally prizes were given out. The next card party will be on June 15. SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2012 AT 4:30 PM DUNGANNON FAIRGROUNDS 0/.-,+*/)('&%$+/(#(%"(!" / /(,"//0/)*%". $///0/& / . VOTED #1 PULL OF THE YEAR FOR 2011 FROM SWOTPA VOTED #1 PULL OF THE YEAR FOR 2010 FROM SWOTPA, GLTPA & OMR -./'-. /%$ -/)-$()/ # /      /-./(# /  &.-. /%  "/.,)'-% % / (.'/,& ./ (.'($)%-$ / (.'/-) -& $/&.--)/.()-.!"-$////.,)%$+" //',"%/ $+%$ '%$%/.- .%(/,$ /// /&'/%"//(' ,$+($$-$/,& ./&,""/&.  $/)-,$./!($/ SNAKEBITE AGE OF MAJORITY 0/ -./%$ -.'(%-$/-./%) /)-$()/-% /  www.dungannontractorpull.ca New FOR 2012 come out and watch the excitement with Twin Tracks! // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / .% ,$+ // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / (,(((( ($$-$, // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / ,$  ,& .&," // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / /  & "&.  $ // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / &'%"&& $)-,$ // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / (' .!($.. // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / /  // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / ,$((++ SN // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / ($$-$, AANN // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / ,& .&," AAK // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / ""&.  $ KKEEB // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / $)-,$ BITIT // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / (($!!.... TETE // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / /  E // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / watch the come out and FOR 2012 // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / New watch the come out and FOR 2012 // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / Twin Tracks! excitement watch the // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / Twin Tracks! with excitement watch the // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / wwwwwww // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / w.w.d.dunngagaan // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / nonontnttraracacctoto // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / oorprppull.l.c.cca // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / // / / / / // / / // / /// / / /// // /// // // //// /// / //////// /// / // // // / / / By Rita Marshall Special to The Citizen