The Citizen, 2010-03-11, Page 21ARC minority report calls for big changesTHE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2010. PAGE 21. in the accommodation review, theproposal called for them to continueto be monitored and perhapsfeatured in a future review, but thatno immediate action be taken.
However, when a further review
was called for, the representatives
asked they be involved in the
discussion in some capacity.
It was pointed out that North Perth
has experienced growth throughout
the global economic downturn and
that there have been advances in the
area’s infrastructure, planning and
development.
In addition to the growth that has
already occurred, presenters said
closure of any of the area’s schools
would make attracting new
development and sustaining future
growth difficult.
THE MINORITY REPORT
The minority report was presented
by Huron East deputy-mayor Bernie
MacLellan and proposed two
different options. The first was
called the “five-for-two option” and
the second was the “close Wallace
Public School option.”
MacLellan said that either option
was acceptable to the group and that
each proposal was weighted equally
in the group’s mind.
The five-for-two option would see
Brussels and Grey Central Public
Schools close in favour of a new
school built within Huron East and
Listowel Eastdale, Listowel Central
and Wallace Public Schools closed
in favour of a new school being built
in the Listowel area to accommodate
those students.
While the five-for-two option
would take a significant capital
investment from the Ministry ofEducation, MacLellan said, it wouldbe a beneficial option for the futureof the area’s education.MacLellan said the five for twooption would ensure increased spacefor the now-mandated all-day
kindergarten classes that will start in
the coming years and ensure
prolonged use of Grey Central’s
Environmental Learning Grounds
for years to come.
With centralized locations for the
two new schools, MacLellan said,
transportation costs will be greatly
reduced, many students will be able
to walk to the new locations and
custodial and teaching staff costs
will be able to be reduced because of
the consolidation of services.
One educational benefit of the
five-for-two proposal would be
reduced teaching time for principals,
MacLellan said, which will give
principals more time to concentrate
on overseeing the school, which
should be their primary concern.
Fire departments and other
emergency services will be close by
in the five-for-two scenario, which
will provide peace of mind when it
comes to the safety of area students.
MacLellan called his group’s
solution a long-term plan, in contrast
to the majority report, which he said
wasn’t forward-thinking.
Consolidating two schools and
waiting to see how the future goes
for the ARC’s remaining schools is
not a long-term solution, he said.
He said that leaving Huron East
without a school would leave a
gaping hole in the north of one of the
biggest municipalities in Huron
County
The close-Wallace-Public-School
option would result in the closure ofWallace Public School and thedispersion of its students among fourdifferent schools, filling vacant seatsand solving several of the ARC’sother declining enrollment
problems.
In addition to the enrollment
issues highlighted by MacLellan,
which have indicated that Wallace
Public School’s enrollment will dip
beneath 45 per cent in the board’s
future projections, the roof was
mentioned as a significant capital
expenditure. Wallace Public
School’s roof, which has just
become a point of discussion in the
accommodation review in recent
weeks, will need to be repaired
substantially, if not, completelyreplaced, MacLellan said, in thecoming years.While the issue of Wallace PublicSchool’s roof was contested by itsrepresentatives, one Brussels Public
School representative said the math
he had done from the board’s figures
stated that a complete replacement
of the school’s roof, which was a
strong possibility, could cost as
much as $300,000 based on current
figures, which he said he considered
substantial.
Both groups now have until March
26 to submit their official proposals
to Ash. After hearing both
recommendations, the groups will
have time to alter their proposals to
fill holes or answer questions thatwere posed by the other group’sproposal.The Avon Maitland staff willsubmit their recommendation to thetrustees at the April 13 meeting in
Seaforth.
There will be a regular board
meeting on April 27 at Elma
Township Public School where
community groups can bring
delegations to speak to the trustees
as well as the staff.
Finally, the board trustees will
take their final vote on the future of
the schools involved in this
accommodation review on June 22
at the Education Centre in Seaforth.
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Continued from page 1
Morris-Turnberry councillors will
consider a bylaw to control exotic
pets, following a report from their
animal control officer.
Bob Trick referred to the problem
of exotic animals and reptiles and
brought a sample bylaw from
Goderich. He told of a case in that
town where an owner of a python
lost track of his snake and several
days later it appeared in a
neighbour’s toilet.
Trick said the biggest problem is
in urban areas where neighbours are
close, but he also referred to the
London-area death of a man who
was mauled by one of his own wild
cats.
But Councillor Mark Beaven
worried about the rights of
individuals to keep pets. “If
someone can prove they’re
responsible and have control over
the pet who am I to tell them they
can’t keep a python,” he said. “Who
are we to say that all snakes are
bad.”
But Deputy-Mayor Jim Nelemans
wondered how council could be sure
owners were responsible. “Are we
going to send someone to inspect to
see if the cage is good enough?” he
wondered.
Mayor Dorothy Kelly suggested
council ask Nancy Michie,
administrator, clerk-treasurer to
prepare a draft bylaw for it to
consider at a future meeting.
Trick also reported neighbours in
one of the municipality’s urban
areas were concerned about a
property owner who kept 10
colonies of domestic rats, with nine
females and one male in each. The
property owner feeds the rats to a
python, a falcon and some hawks,
Trick said.
“The neighbour is petrified,” Trick
said, pointing out that the rats have
the ability to multiply in a short
length of time.
Steve Fortier, chief building
official, said he had been called in
on this situation and spoke with the
Ministry of Natural Resources and
was told the person had a licence for
the falcon and all the other birds
weren’t domestic so MNR had no
control over them.
The problem for council, said
Michie, is that you can’t pass a
bylaw to control this kind of
situation retroactively.
On a more gentle note, Trick
suggested council might want to
consider waiving the dog licence fee
for owners who needed guide dogs.
Morris-Turnberry considers exotic pet ban