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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-12-03, Page 1Merry Christmas Despite the rainy conditions Santa Claus rode through Brussels on Saturday night with Mrs. Claus by his side, making his anticipated appearance at the Santa Claus parade. After, he and Mrs. Claus spent time at the Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Centre visiting with children and finding out what they want for Christmas. (Shawn Loughlin photo) Elma Public School held its Accommodation Review Committee meeting last Monday, Nov. 23 with many parents expressing frustration at being stuck in the middle. The gym at Elma was filled with residents concerned over how the current ARC negotiations would affect the school, offering their suggestions and feelings. ARC representative Bev Nichol opened the discussion, stating that she has a stake in the school as she has had five kids go through Elma, and 13 grandchildren who potentially could go through Elma. As a member of the committee, Nichol said there hasn’t been enough information given. “I’ve been very frustrated and disappointed that we’re not given all of the ARC material that we need to make a decision,” she said. Nichol said that if the preferred options from the Avon-Maitland District School Board of closing Brussels and Grey schools are followed, over 500 children will be affected. “Our leaders may have to make the hard decisions, but it is you and I who will have to live with the outcome,” she said. Opening the floor to questions, many stated that they are not in favour of having children from a rural school in Elma moved to a school in Listowel. Kim Hutchings- Hahn said that she moved from Listowel to Trowbridge with the intent of her kids attending a rural school, not a town school. Hutchings-Hahn said it puts kids in danger of being rejected by a different community. “I think we’re putting our children at risk of being picked on and putting them under stress that they don’t need,” she said. Rather than have students directed from Elma to Listowel, parents said they would prefer if they attended Wallace Public School instead. Elma school council chair Nancy Rothwell questioned if more kids are sent to Wallace, how much room would be available until Wallace would be subject to another accommodation review in a couple years. “How many times do you want to move your child to a new school?” Rothwell asked. Bernice Weber-Passchier, an alternative on the Wallace ARC committee, said Wallace has the most potential for kids to be moved, as well as the lowest enrollment in the schools being reviewed. Wallace is currently at 66 per cent capacity, with Grey and Eastdale at 74 and 72 per cent respectively. Listowel Central follows with 81 per cent capacity, Elma at 81 per cent and Brussels tops the list at 98 per cent. Susan Alexander, a representative of Grey Public School, wondered how the school fits into the picture with Elma. Just as rural as Wallace and the same distance, Alexander said Grey had room for 70 kids and has recently been given a large investment. “Three years ago there was about $3 million put into our school,” she said. “Why we would turn around and close the school, I can’t understand.” Janny Elg made a comment on the rising costs of gas needed for transportation if more bus routes are added, saying she’d rather see it put into schools to keep them open. “It does not make any sense to me at all, infrastructure lasts and gas doesn’t,” she said. On the topic of Elma’s expansion, Jackie McCourt said that the new sewer system has been halting any progress, but with an end in sight it allows more room to grow. “There’s a lot of land that’s going to come into play in the next few years,” she said. Referring back to a comment made at the start of the meeting, Natalie Cook-Nichol said she was stunned that the ARC committee doesn’t have all the info needed to make a decision and is asked to determine the future of their children. “No offense to the ARC committee, but you don’t know anything,” she said. “Who of us would buy a house without knowing all of the information, and these are our kids.” Cook-Nichol called for a moratorium on any decision until the ARC was supplied with more information. Getting 20 people to agree on something isn’t always easy. But when it came to Huron East councillor Joe Seili’s motion about the accommodation review process county councillors were wholeheartedly behind him. At the meeting, Nov. 25, Seili made a motion asking the Avon Maitland District School Board to stop the current accommodation review process in Huron and Perth Counties until a review of the funding formula in 2010. “The last time funding formula was reviewed was 1997,” he said. The motion, said Seili, was from a 2009 People for Education report. Seili explained that of the eight schools slated for closure between 2008 and 2012, seven are in Huron. If this continues, he added, “there would be no Maitland school board left.” He also faulted a process that “pits community against community.” Bluewater councillor Bill Dowson said he had tried to keep an open mind. “I’m not opposed to changing things around if that’s for the best. But the feeling I’m getting at the (accommodation review committee) meetings is that we are not getting all the answers.” Huron East councillor Bernie MacLellan agreed. The municipal representative on the Huron East/North Perth ARC said, “The board has even acknowledged the report that was given to the trustees is incorrect. There are improvements that have been done that are still showing as work they have to do.” He explained that the board is hoping to have a new report to present in January. “Which makes no sense when we have to make a recommendation in January.” Goderich councillor Deb Shewfelt wondered if this motion would overlap with a previous motion supporting a smart moratorium on school closures. However, North Huron reeve Neil Vincent felt the motions addressed different things. “The first was in support of the Community Schools Alliance which is provincial. We are dealing with something we want done in Huron.” Seili questioned why elementary schools were being used to fill secondary schools. “Let’s look at our neighbours in Lambeth where they are returning Grades 7and 8s to the elementary schools. Why do we keep funding secondary schools when most of the empty spaces are there.” CitizenTh e $1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009 Volume 25 No. 47COMMUNITY- Pg. 10Santa Claus paradehighlights SPECIAL - Pg. 15Christmas carol sheetsbeginCHARITY- Pg. 710-year-old finds a way topay it forwardPublications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 PAP Registration No. 09244 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0INSIDE THIS WEEK: County wants board to stop ARC process By Bonnie Gropp The Citizen The Council of the Twp. of North Huron wishes to announce the appointment of Gary Long as the new chief administrative officer/clerk. Long is graduate of the University of Western Ontario and University of Windsor and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Degree and Master of Arts Degree in political science. He has 13 years of experience in federal and provincial governments. He was the senior advisor/executive assistant for MP Gary Schellenberger from 2003-2009 and Bert Johnson, MPP from 2000-2003. He has also held assistant positions with the Hon. David Turnbull, Minister of Transportation, Doug Galt MPP and Assistant to the Minister of the Environment and John Hastings, MPP. Long commenced his employment with North Huron on Nov. 30. Long was born in Wiarton and raised in Cobourg and now resides with his wife Lianne and daughter in Stratford. GARY LONG Duties commenced Nov. 30 Elma wonders how it fits in accommodation review By Andrew Smith Listowel Banner Stratford resident new N. Huron CAO