HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-02-19, Page 1Big winners
North Huron was the big winner last weekend with its first-ever Luge-a-thon. Events included
toilet races, which were won by the North Huron staff as celebrated by Kim Scholl, left, and
Denise Lockie. In total just under $1,000 and 14 loaded carts of groceries were raised for the
local food share. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
With a debt creeping up around
$70,000, it’s time for Huron East
council to take a closer look at the
Brussels Cemetery says treasurer
Brad Knight.
During the 2008 budget
deliberations, Knight warned that if
the cemetery’s financial situation
were to grow much worse, council
would have to consider stepping in.
The debt has grown, but there is also
some understanding on behalf of
Knight that sees the cemetery dealing
with an investment market that has not
been kind to many in recent months.
The cemetery is currently involved
with some perpetual care investments
that have seen a decline in recent
months. Knight said in an interview
that this is a factor, but not the reason
for the deficit.
Taking the cemetery’s investment
woes into account, Knight said
council might have to consider
stepping in last year at this time, he
says now that council just needs to
look at the cemetery’s operation and
costs closer and if the trend continues,
perhaps step in next year.
Knight emphasizes that council is
happy with how the cemetery is
maintained, saying the employee does
a great job and that Doug Sholdice,
who volunteers his time to maintain
the records and deal with the public
when needed, does a “marvellous
job.”
Knight recalls that the cemetery
was operating on a break-even basis at
the time of amalgamation. It was
around then that the cemetery began
to fall into deficit, although Knight
says, it was not due to amalgamation.
He says that as far as bookkeeping
is concerned, the deficit can
sometimes get lost in the general fund
surplus, but for financial statement
purposes, council should address the
deficit. He added that he planned to
bring the matter to council at its Feb.
17 meeting for further discussion.
A snag in the plan, Knight says, is
that the cemetery committee’s
meeting minutes have not yet come to
council, so they are unaware of what
changes the committee plans to
implement to cut costs and make the
cemetery more efficient. That meeting
was just before Christmas, and Knight
says he expects those minutes to
council very soon.
Some of the ideas Knight said the
committee had been considering were
attempting to cut operating costs and
possibly raising rates.
If, however, the cemetery continues
to slip, Knight said he wants to remind
council that ultimately, the
municipality is responsible for its
cemeteries.
If council were to step in, he said,
he would recommend that it be in an
assistant-managerial role where
councillors could make suggestions
on how to cut costs and make the
cemetery more self-sustainable.
However, Knight said, he wouldn’t
want council to become too involved
in something they might not know a
lot about.
However, Knight thinks the matter
needs to be closely monitored and that
intervention isn’t quite called for at
this stage.
Brussels Cemetery in the hole
Some want it, some don’t, and the
board will decide.
That sums up the third official
Central East North Huron
Accommodation Review Committee
(ARC) meeting held Feb. 12 at East
Wawanosh Public School. Close to
100 people attended the meeting to
offer their views and input into the
idea of how to handle declining
enrolment and capital costs for five
elementary schools in Hullett, Blyth,
East Wawanosh, Turnberry and
Wingham.
When the board presented a
scenario that would see Grade 7 and
8s moving into F.E. Madill
Secondary School, ARC groups
from each of the schools, with the
exception of Hullett, formulated a
plan for one large school to
accommodate all the students.
There were those present strongly
opposed to the idea of a “super
school” for North Huron, however.
Doris Taylor, of East Wawanosh,
said the larger centre would mean
parents wouldn’t be as familiar with
their children’s classmates or their
families. She spoke of long bus rides
and how trips from school would be
affected by programs at the school.
“It seems like everything is being
turned into factories these days and
now it’s our schools too.”
Richard Power said East
Wawanosh school had offered “the
best education my kid has received.”
A “super school”, he added, does
nothing but “promote outside
activities under the teachers’ noses.”
Julie Diamond, also an East
Wawanosh parent, said that every
school has children with behavioural
problems, but, “if you have a larger
school you are going to have a
bigger group with negative
behaviour and it will be harder to
help those children.”
While Diamond joined many
others in her opposition to moving
the Grades 7 and 8s to high school,
she added she would hate to think “a
super school is a foregone
conclusion. I would rather see my
children placed in another rural
school.”
Turnberry ARC parent rep Wayne
Mann offered assurances that
behavioural problems would be
addressed as well if not better in a
larger school. “Specialists can deal
better with them as they will be able
to do so at one school rather than
travel around to five.”
Christine Gulutzen, ARC parent
rep for East Wawanosh and school
council president, said the school
will mean more resources for
students and that special needs can
be provided more frequently for
students who will need it.
Others, too, saw nothing but
opportunity in a centre for
excellence. Joanne Robinson of
Turnberry said she had attended a
larger rural school and had also
spoken with a parent at Elma, where
there are 500 students. “I think
people are getting the wrong idea of
a super school. It’s still going to be a
rural community school.”
Robinson noted that many of the
youngsters at the schools play sports
together and already know each
other. “They’re not strangers, their
parents aren’t strangers.”
She noted one school would have
the benefit of funding not being
split. “Being a parent at Turnberry,
we all know our kids are missing
out. I’m just asking people to look at
both sides and not be afraid of the
words super school.”
Ernest Dow of Blyth, who was
sitting in on for ARC parent rep
David Sparling, spoke of being a
student at Upper Thames, after
having begun his education in a one-
room school. “In 1980 I was part of
the first Grade 8 class. There were
880 students,” he said, adding that
the experience was positive.
Pat Newson of Wingham felt
concerns about overseeing the
education of 750-900 students
weren’t valid. “The ratio of teachers
to students is still the same. There
may even be two vice-principals,
instead of a half.”
“Super school means super
facility. You will go to a music class
and be taught not by a French
teacher but by a music teacher. You
will go to gym and be educated by
someone passionate about sports,”
she said. “Change is coming and we
can’t keep four schools open. My
choice is the super school.”
Joanne Robinson of Belgrave
called the idea “exciting”, noting the
diversity it would offer students.
“Thank you. This is amazing.”
In dealing with school closure,
sentiment always plays into it.
Jamie McCallum of East Wawanosh
said “Community spirit is a big thing
in these parts. I’d like our Christmas
concert to stay right here.”
He also wondered what the loss of
a school would do to real estate
value.
East Wawanosh parent Linda Hess
said the loss of the school will mean
the loss of a sense of family. “I know
most of the kids here and that’s a
great feeling. It would be a terrible
thing to lose.”
That change is coming is not
enough of a reason to think too big,
said Bruce Stainton of Wingham. “I
care most about the education of my
child, but a lot think having best
means having more than the best.”
He urged the panel to look at the
economics and not build a “Porsche”
where one wasn’t necessary. “Just
look at the basics for a good
CitizenTh
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$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, Feb. 19, 2009
Volume 25 No. 7AGRICULTURE- Pg. 16Dairy producers hearfrom economist NEWS - Pg. 19 Knox United Church,Belgrave gets new ministerCOMMUNITY- Pg. 10A salute to the local Scoutand Guide groupsPublications 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:
Opinions differ on
centre of excellence
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
Continued on page 6
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen