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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-12-24, Page 1While all things may look good for those dreaming of a white Christmas, at the beginning of the week Environment Canada metereologists weren’t making any guarantees. Geoff Coulsen said the challenge was going to be a system approaching from Colorado that could bring a shift of mild weather with it. “It’s expected to start moving in Christmas Eve and through Christmas Day and it may put a dent in the snow you have on the ground now.” The weak system that came through the area on Monday helped to freshen things for Christmas, but the influx of warm air that was expected could change things considerably. “We could see temperatures as high as plus 3 or 4°C if that warm air makes it up here,” said Coulsen, which could mean anything from snow to freezing rain or rain. However, by the end of Dec. 25, Coulsen said indications are a return to cold weather. And from there Coulsen’s predictions are staying the same as they were in November for the winter months. “The temperature in December was on average milder than normal by about two degrees. There was not a lot in the way of cold, cold weather. And there is no indication of a deep freeze to end out December either.” Despite the squalls that blew through, Coulsen said precipation has been relatively where it should be. The nasty weather that was experienced could be linked to the excellent weather in November. “The intensity of the lake effect events in December are directly related to November’s warm, sunny days.” The resulting warmer lake temperatures, mixed with cold Arctic air moving in means greater snow amounts. “We have managed to avoid the worst of the Arctic air, however,” he reminds, adding that it’s an indication of the influence the Great Lakes have on southern Ontario’s weather. “Snow is one part of the equation, but temperature-wise we are not dealing with the same things that other areas are.” For example, he added, an area in the Prairies last week was colder than the North Pole. Looking to the early part of 2010 Coulsen predicts the Snowbelt residents can expect a fairly typical winter. “At least until the Great Lakes freeze over I would expect seasonal snow amounts for Huron and Perth.” Temperatures are expected to be a little colder than normal for the first three months of the year, but in general precipitation will be about normal. “There seems to be a bit of confidence in that as we go forward,” he said of the early indications. What this means, he said, is that El Nino is not going to have a major impact in southern Ontario. “Otherwise the temperatures would have been warmer. This is not going to preclude a January thaw or a biting Arctic air mass coming in, but on average over the three months things should be relatively normal.” Santa’s elves Santa’s elves had a tough time with Santa’s decision to take Christmas off and try his hand at professional hockey at Brussels Public School’s production of Slapshot Santa. From left: Teddy Jacklin, Camden Hamilton and John Nesbit. (Shawn Loughlin photo) While Huron East council is making its voice heard in the current accommodation review involving Brussels and Grey Central Public Schools, some councillors felt further reach on the issue was necessary. Deputy-mayor Bernie MacLellan and Brussels councillor David Blaney drafted a motion that was passed by council at its Dec. 15 meeting that would ask for the Ministry of Education to not increase the Avon Maitland District School Board’s grant allocation for the Wingham site school to include Brussels Public School students. The motion reads, “that the Ministry of Education be requested to not increase the grant allocation to the Avon Maitland Board of Education for the construction of additional spaces at the proposed North Huron school to accommodate additional students that would be generated from the closure of the Brussels elementary school as the Brussels school was not included in the original recommendation of the review committee.” While some councillors felt the motion went over the head of the Avon Maitland District School Board, and that such a letter being drafted might offend the Minister of Education, others said the motion simply asks that a school not be included for space that wasn’t included in the initial review. In addition to those points, MacLellan said that councillors hadn’t dug out any additional information in preparing the motion and that all that was used was the information provided to members of the Accommodation Review Committee (ARC). “We’re not trying to go over anyone’s head here,” MacLellan also said. “We just think this will have a domino effect that will be good for Huron East overall.” Mayor Joe Seili agreed with MacLellan, saying the simple direction of the motion is to ask the Ministry of Education to not fund the closing of yet another school in Huron County. “We’re just asking them not to give the board extra money to close our school,” he said. Mother Nature may rain on white Christmas Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009 $1.25 GST included Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 PAP Registration No. 09244 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0 CitizenTh e Volume 25 No. 50 HE asks province to hold funding By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen By Bonnie Gropp The Citizen With the third Huron East/North Perth Accommodation Review Committee (ARC) meeting just less than a month away, two Brussels representatives have received a letter of apology. The letter, addressed to Charlie Hoy and Jim Prior, from superintendent of education for the Avon Maitland District School Board Mike Ash states there was incorrect information on the chart shared with trustees in September, the month they made their decision on which schools to include in a review. “When the spreadsheet creating the ‘cost per square foot chart’ was inspected it was discovered that one cell of information from another school was inadvertently linked to the Priority 3 data for the Brussels Public School,” Ash wrote. The error has been corrected, he added, and the revised chart was included with the letter. Other documents with the Facilities Review 2008 have been checked and veriied for accuracy, said Ash. “The two charts related to the data were the only charts (cost per square foot and cost per OTG (on the ground capacity)) which had errors. We apologize for the error.” To Hoy the issue is significant as rather than showing Brussels as the white elephant of the board, it has “now gone to one of the most economical schools.” Ash thanked ARC members, who had questioned the capital requirements document, for their diligence in reviewing the information, saying this is an important part of the process. He also complimented them for their “keen observations.” Reps get apology By Bonnie Gropp The Citizen