The Citizen, 2009-06-11, Page 6Huron East council has decided to
intervene with broken lines of
communication and a dwindling
volunteer base threatening Huron
County’s Farm and Home Safety
Organization.
Deputy-mayor Bernie MacLellan
authorized clerk-administrator Jack
McLachlan to draft a letter on behalf
of council to the Avon Maitland
District School Board to discuss the
Huron County Farm and Home
Safety organization.
After a presentation from president
Mervyn Bauer at council’s June 2
meeting, council learned that
participation in association activities,
such as its annual poster contest to
raise awareness about farm safety,
was at an all-time low, with the
organization only receiving seven
poster submissions this year, as
opposed to 300 and 400, 10 and 15
years ago, said Bauer.
Bauer said the posters aren’t
getting past the school board or the
upper echelons of the schools, and
are never actually reaching students,
suggesting that the few submissions
they did get this year, would have
been from children who found the
posters in their local libraries.
Bauer is also actively searching for
volunteers to help with the
organization. Bauer said that much of
the travelling is done on his time and
money and that very few people have
come forward to volunteer to take the
pressure off of the current volunteers.
Bauer says that he is currently
planning a presentation to children in
Holmesville and also gearing up for
the summer, where several
appearances are planned.
With barely any funds coming in
and a mere $1,000 grant each year
from the province, several projects,
including one currently in the works
for bags with the association’s logo
on them, are on hold due to a lack of
funds and volunteers.
Bauer, however, did not ask council
for any funds.
PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 11, 2009.
HE joins organization’s fight
It began as something to attend if
there was nowhere more pressing to
be.
But Huron County warden Ken
Oke told councillors at the June 3
meeting that attending a recent
Local Health Integration Network
(LHIN) event may have been a
crucial action for the county’s
healthcare system.
Oke said he signed up for the
session on hospital emergency
services and the Huron attendees
were the only ones representing
counties at the Owen Sound
gathering. “And it’s a good thing we
were there because the first thing
they said was that there’s no need for
emergency rooms to stay open 24
hours a day.”
Oke said it mentioned that
Seaforth hospital closing its ER had
saved money. “But that’s when your
treasurer piped up and said that it
may be saving them but it was
costing us to have the ambulances
there. And be proud of our
administrator because when he got
done lambasting them he said
they’ve had a fight before with this,
but if they try to close the ERs here
they will have a war.”
On the second day, Oke said it was
then stated that all hopsitals would
have an ER open 24 hours as long as
they had the personnel available.
Again, Oke said, county
administration stepped in asking
“since when do you have a mission
statement that includes a negative.”
Oke said a doctor then walked up
and erased the part referring to staff.
“It was left that the ER will be open
24 hours a day. It would have
seemed that LHINS have nothing to
do with county business. And for
that reason, I will be honest and say
it was on my calendar as something
to do as long as nothing else came
up. Turns out it was a good thing we
were there.”
Chief administrative officer Larry
Adams was also fired up about the
issue, saying that some local LHINs
are trying to downsize healthcare in
rural areas.
Councillors were encouraged to
attend a session being held in
London. “Their discussions are on
the blueprint for the future of
healthcare. I had debated about
attending too, but it was extremely
important,” said Adams, adding that
he had spoke to the new head of the
local LHINs about his concerns.
“I’m sorry to be on my soapbox
here, but this is such an important
issue it needed to be reitered.”
George Robertson of South Huron
wondered if ERs close if there’s any
way to recoup the ambulance costs
for the county.
“No,” said Oke, prompting
Robertson to respond, “That was
quick.”
“They actually said it was a good
thing,” said Oke. “They are not
looking to help us at all.”
Morris-Turnberry councillor
Dorothy Kelly wondered if there
was any merit in sending a follow-up
letter emphasizing again council’s
view.
Huron East’s Joe Seili said that
closing one ER just helps others stay
open. He spoke of discussions he
had had with the mayor of Fort Erie
where there are being cuts made to
the hospital services. Seili asked if a
letter of support could be sent there
as well.
“This situation is going to come to
us,” he warned.
Council approved both letters.
Huron County councillors will beout to lunch from here on in. At the June 3 meeting after a
recommendation that raised debate
and some tempers, a recorded vote
decided that lunch would no longer
be brought in for councillors and
staff during their two committee-of-
the-whole meetings each month.
The issue was first raised by
Huron East councillor Joe Seili, who
asked what the cost would be for the
year. Chief administrative officerLarry Adams brought back totalfigure of $15,000.Concern was expressed then, thatif council left the building for lunch,they may not return for any
afternoon business and a quorum
couldn’t be formed.
At the June 3 meeting, Seili said,
“I’m not against people having
lunch, but I can’t see why a break is
a problem. I can have lunch and
come back to work. I do it every day.
If others feel less responsible, well,
that’s too bad.”
Councillor Bernie MacLellanwondered if an easy solution wouldbe to order lunches and have thembrought in to be paid by councillors.“There is no reason ratepayers haveto pay.”
Dorothy Kelly, councillor of
Morris-Turnberry said that the cost
could perhaps be deducted from
councillors’ pay.
Bluewater councillor Bill Dowson,
however, felt this was unnecessary.
“We have a break, we go across the
street or bring a lunch.”
This was a feeling shared by
Goderich councillor Deb Shewfelt.“I think we’re making it toocomplex. A break gives us time tolook after other business. It’s simple.I don’t know why we’re beating thisto death.”
There were those, however, who
felt the whole issue had been
unnecessary.
“You wouldn’t believe the calls
I’ve received, saying we’re pound
foolish-penny wise,” said warden
Ken Oke of South Huron. “You have
to act like a business on county
council and what business with a
million dollar budget worries aboutlunch? If you think you’reimpressing the public you’rewrong.”John Grace, Goderich councilloragreed, saying people he spoke with
thought the issue was funny.
A clearly upset Seili, however, felt
otherwise. “I have had a lot of
people call to say thank you for
trying to save a couple of dollars.”
In the recorded vote, 11 were in
favour of purchasing their
own lunch, while eight were
opposed.
County reps fight to keep local ERs open
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LISTOWEL WINGHAM HOSPITALS ALLIANCE
Corporation of the Listowel Memorial Hospital Corporation of the Wingham & District Hospital
Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of the Corporations of Listowel
Memorial Hospital and Wingham & District Hospital will be held jointly for the
SXUSRVHRIUHFHLYLQJWKHÀQDQFLDOUHSRUWVDQGVWDWHPHQWVUHTXLUHGE\WKHPublic Hos-
pitals Act and for the election of Directors; for the appointment of Auditors; for the
amendment of Bylaws; and for the transaction of other such things as may properly
come before the meeting.
Copies of the Annual Report and Financial statements may be obtained at the front
desk of both Hospitals effective June 5, 2009 and at the Annual Meeting. Copies of
the proposed Bylaw amendments may be obtained at the front desk of both Hospitals
effective May 11, 2009.
Memberships granting voting privileges may be purchased at the front desk of the
hospitals for ÀYHGROODUV SULRUWRÀYHR·FORFNSP:HGQHVGD\0D\
2009. No membership sold after that time will entitle the purchaser to vote.
ANNUAL MEETING &
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2009
30
Listowel Kin Station,
555 Binning St. West, Listowel, Ontario
County council will be out to lunch nowBy Bonnie GroppThe Citizen
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen