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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-09-17, Page 10PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2009.North Huron’s fire chiefJohn Black made arecommendation to council at the Sept. 8 meeting regarding hiring for the new department. Currently, Black explained, the Wingham and Blyth Fire Departments don’t have a policy for hiring firefighters. The positions, he said, have typically been filled “by word of mouth among friends and business acquaintances.” In some cases they were “voted in” or brought on by the fire chief. The departments also lack apromotional policy for fillingthe positions of officers,adding that in some an examor training was required,while others were filled by vote. Black said in setting up a new department the most qualified and capable people should be assigned for each position. “This is of extreme importance to the health and safety of the firefighters and for the municipality’s protection from liability,” Black said in his report. Competent supervision is also a requirement under the Ministry of Labour’sOccupational Health andSafety Act, he added. That competency isdetermined by training,education and experience. The person should be familiar with the Act and the regulations, as well as having the knowledge of any potential or existing danger at work. Job descriptions have been created with the job postings for each position, and current members of both departments have been invited to apply. Black said that two Ontario fire chiefs from other areas will participate in apromotional review boardwith North Huron clerk-administrator Kriss Snell forthe deputy-chief positions.Candidates will be interviewed and will make recommendations to Black regarding who should be hired. The names will be presented to council for final decision. The successful applicants will then sit in on the review board of the alternate station, with two outside chiefs to fill the positions of captain, said Black. The recommendation will be made to the chief for hiring. Black will be present at the review boards, he said, but would not be involved in the interview. Firefighters will be interviewed by the fire chief and deputy chief. Their qualifications, said Black, will be based on their membership with the departments now. They must provide a criminal record check. The cost for current members will be paid by the township. In the future, Black’s report recommended, it should be the responsibility of the applicant. The cost of the review board should be minimal said Black, adding that it isprobable he will return theservice in-kind to otherdepartments who require it. The cost for the criminalrecord checks is just over $200. Funds are available from the account set up for the new department. Following a brief discussion, council approved the hiring procedure and agreed to cover the costs for the criminal record checks. Deputy-reeve Murray Scott, who chaired the committee working on the amalgamation of fire service, said the details presented were pretty much what he expected. “The recommendation will help us get caught up withsome regulations regardinghealth and safety that we’vebeen lacking,” said Scott. There are still things toconsider, however, he said. “I haven’t, nor I suspect have other councillors, really thought about where we go forward. I think some of the things in John’s report may not happen until we fit the budget to go with it.” “No doubt the changes were needed,” said Scott, adding that he had been concerned that the two departments were not on the same plan. “I hope that as a result we can offer even better service in the future.” NH fire chief recommends new hiring policy WANTED 7 HOMES THAT NEED ROOFING 7 homes in your area will be given the opportunity of having an INTERLOCK metal roofing system installed on their home at a reasonable cost. This lifetime product is capturing the interest of homeowners across the country who want to know this will be the last time they will have to re-roof their home. Our product is environmentally friendly and comes with a transferable Lifetime Limited Warranty with an excellent choice of colours to complement your home and is going to be introduced to your local market. Your home can be a show place in your neighbourhood and we will make it worth your while if we can use your home. Please call Angelo: 1-888-696-0548 Toll-Free 24 hours 7 Days a week A former CEO of the Ontario College of Teachers, who has already conducted reviews of school board decisions on behalf of the Ministry of Education, will look into the Avon Maitland District School Board’s recently-completed accommodation review in northeast and north-central Huron County. In late August, the office of Education Minister Kathleen Wynne named Margaret Wilson to conduct an administrative review of the board’s June, 2009 decision to close Blyth Public School, Turnberry Central Public School, East Wawanosh Public School and Wingham Public School. A new school is planned to accommodate the students from three schools and a part of the student body from Blyth; the rest of Blyth’s pupils would be sent to Hullett Central Public School in Londesboro. The review was granted in response to a petition to the minister’s office, initiated by supporters of Blyth Public School. The exact wording of the petition was as follows: “Specifically, we feel compliance with the board’s policy was significantly compromised in the following areas: • The director of education shall provide the local ARC with any alternative accommodation plans previously developed by staff for the school(s) under review; • a minimum of 60 days notice will be given to the public prior to the meeting where the trustees will vote on the recommendations; • the local ARC is to ensure that a wide range of consultation occurs with the school(s) and community(ies) under review; • this consultation is to be based on the local accommodation review committee’s (ARC) customized valuation framework, and include input from a wide range of school and community groups. These groups may include the school council(s), parents, guardians, students, teachers, the local community, and other interested parties.” Organizers of the petition argued the board failed to provide alternative plans at the beginning of the ARC process; voted on the final recommendation less than 60 days after it was distributed in its final form; and prevented teachers from being one of the stakeholder groups involved in the public review process. Wilson has no authority to reverse last June’s decision. She is charged, however, with informing Wynne whether or not the board complied with its accommodation review policy in reaching its decision. If she determines that policy or Education Ministry school closure guidelines have been contravened, it will then be up to the minister’s office to decide the next step. Most recently, Wilson conducted an Education Ministry-mandated administrative review of a Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board decision to close an elementary school. In a January, 2009 report, she sided with the board. According to Avon Maitland education superintendent Mike Ash, Wilson will likely be in the area speaking with stakeholders within the next few weeks, with a ruling expected later this fall. “Past practice shows that the process takes about 90 days,” Ash told reporters last week. A former president of the Huron County branch of the Federated Women’s Teachers Associations of Ontario union (now the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario) is the newest member of the Avon Maitland District School Board. On Tuesday, Sept. 8, Wilhelmina Laurie experienced her first meeting as a trustee representing Central Huron and Huron East. She was selected by her fellow trustees following an application and interview process, to replace two-term predecessor Shelley Kaastra. Kaastra resigned effective June 30 to concentrate more efforts on a youth shelter and youth support program in Clinton. “We looked at the people who applied and we decided that (Laurie) would be the best mix with the current trustees, and the best fit for what the community needed,” board chair Jenny Versteeg told reporters, following the Sept. 8 meeting. A native of St. Marys now living in Varna, Laurie spent her career as a teacher and principal in the former Huron County board of education. She was active in teachers’ union activities, and also has strong links with the New Democratic Party. Following her retirement, she worked on the fundraising campaign to bring a CT scanner to Huron County. “I’ve had a lot of experience in the past in education,” Laurie told reporters, adding this lessens “the learning curve” compared to someone without education experience coming into a trustee position in the middle of a term. She hopes, however, that filling out Kaastra’s term will not mark the end of her involvement with the board. That term runs until November, 2010, and Laurie says she expects to seek re- election at that time. Contact this newspaper or the Ontario Community Newspapers Association at www.ocna.org or 905.639.8720 Ifyou know a young person, aged 6 to 17, who is involved in worthwhile community service; a special person who is contributing while living with a limitation; a youth who has performed an act of heroism; or a ‘good kid’ who shows a commitment to making life better for others, doing more than is normally expected of someone their age –HELP US RECOGNIZE THEIR CONTRIBUTION – NOMINATETHEM TODAY! Nominations will be accepted until November 30th ONTARIO JUNIOR CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY!NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY! THERE’S ONE I N EVERY CROW D Sponsored by:Coordinated by: By Bonnie GroppThe Citizen By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen Former College of Teachers CEO examines ARC process Wilhelmina Laurie new A-M trustee The government’s proposal to clean up has been enthusiastically greeted by North Huron residents. Ontario’s Used Tires Stewardship Program was launched Sept. 1 and North Huron signed on and residents no longer had to pay to drop tires off at the landfill. “The response has been positive,” said Snell, “Too much so,” he laughed, adding that over the course of nine days they had received well over the 50 required for pickup. “From that aspect I guess we’d have to say that the program is working.” Scrap tires will be directed for recycling first. The intent is to assist with the growth of the Ontario-based tire recycling industry, which will drive investment in green industries and markets for these products. With two landfills currently in the township, Snell said they are asking anyone with a truckload of tires to take them to the Reid Road site located just outside Wingham. By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen Tire recycling catches on