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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 1988-11-23, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23. 1988. County council briefs New Warden picked at Dec. 13 session Huron County Council will choose a new Warden at a special meeting of county Council Tuesday, Dec. 13. Running for the Warden’s chair are two returning reeves, Marie Hicknell of McKillop Township and Dave Johnston of Bayfield. Reeve Hicknell has had time to look ahead at the race having been returned tc office by acclamation while Reeve Johnston had to beat out two challengers for his position in Bayfield last week. He won his race handily by a 351 to 219 margin over his closest rival Bud Sturgeon. ***** A new policy adopted by the county council at its Nov. 3 meeting on advice of the County Executive Committee will see the county contribute more to capital costs of Huron County Hospitals. The new policy will see the county contribute $400 per bed in each hospital for each of the next three years. Previously the county had set aside money to be put into a reserve fund but now the money will be allocated to the hospitals for use for capital projects only. With 309 rated bedsin HuronCounty hospitalsit will mean a cost of $123,600 from the county. In the past the county had allocated $75,000 a year to the hospital reserve fund. Tom Cunn ingham, Reeve of Hullett, explained the committee felt the original $75,000 wasn’t enough when the inflation over the years was taken into account. It was also felt it was fairer to allot specific funds to each hospital rather than have the funds allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis. ***** The county is making plans for the possible conversion of the south wing of Huronview as a new county office for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food. Permission must be given by the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services (which provided half the funds to build the building) to convert the building but if that is forthcoming the county has approv ed the hiring of Snider, Reichert, March Architects to prepare a preliminary cost estimate for the conversion. ***** The county received a letter from John Sweeney Minister of Commun ity and Social Services advising that the budget for Family and Child ren’s Services of Huron County had been approved at a total of $1,320,450. Of the amount the county pays $264,081 (about $10,000 more than it budgeted) while the province pays $1,056,324. ***** The report of the Social Services Committee outlined details of the Social Assistance Review Commit tee Report delivered to the province in September after two years deliberation. The net costs of the first four stages of changes proposed by the report would be $800 million, an increase of47 per cent over the 1987-88 social assistance costs. Grey township Reeve Leona Arm strong asked John MacKinnon, administrator of Social Services if he felt the increases were warranted. Mr. MacKinnon said simplifying the system of giving assistance to the needy is important but he felt some of the increases in benefits were unwarranted, especially for Huron county. The problem is that the legislation is provincial in scope and doesn’t take into account regional differences, he said. Toronto hous ing costs mean people do need more assistance but Huron housing costs don’t pose the same problem. “If we start paying people (in Huron) what they needforTorontocosts, we’ll have people lined up at the door to get into the system,” Mr. MacKinn on said. Some members of council cast doubt on the need for a new employee of the Board of Health. Zurich Reeve Robert Fisher ques tion Dr. Maarten Bokhout about the hiring of an Aids education co-ordin- ator for the county, wondering if the need was high enough to justify the hiring in the county. Dr. Bokhout said the incidence of AIDS was not high in the county but that the province “has practically invited us saying that if we apply we’ll get it”. While education about AIDS will be the co-ordinator’s main job, additional time will be available to help with other Board of Health programmes, the doctor said. Reeve Fisher said it sounded like building a “bigger and better bureaucracy.” Reeve Bill Mickle of Exeter said he realized that the position was 100 per cent funded by the province, but he wondered if the job would cease if the provincial funding ceased or if the county would be expected to pick up the tab. Dr. Bokhout said that it has been indicated to the co-ordina tor that if the funding ends, the job ends. In answer to a question Dr. Bokhout said to keep the incidence of AIDS low in the county a major effort will have to be carried out to educate people. ***** The Library Board report revealed that effective Nov. 1, arrangements had been made to locate the Molesworth Library branch in the Molesworth Lanes for a trial period of one year. Brad Matheson, the owners of the Molesworth Lanes will receive $500 rent and be paid $6.44 per hour for a minimum of four hours a week. ***** The Huron County Archives is expected to be completely available in its new location in the Huron County Pioneer Museum by the end of the year, Claus Breede, project director for the museum told county council. The rolling shelving for the archives had arrived and it was expected to take three to four weeks to arrange the archival material on the shelves, he said. The archives has been stored in boxes that were difficult to get at since the new museum opened. The archives were originally collected by the Huron County Historical Society which also provid ed a $30,000 grant toward the furnishing of the archives. Meanwhile work has been pro gressing well on the renovation of the old school house portion of the museum but is being held up by delayed delivery of airhandling equipment. Work on the ‘‘main street” storefronts in the History Hall at the museum has commenced, he said. ***** A concilliator’s report has given budget headaches for Huronview management, Wayne Lester, Huronview administrator told the council. Wage increases, including benefits such as shift premiums, increase wage costs of 5.13 per cent for the part-time nursing assistants to 16.8 per cent for students with the averat a over the whole range of the settlemei. being eight or nine per cent. The Ministry of thv Environment is calling for a cleanup of the sewage lagoon at Huronview saying the phosphorous and bacteria ic^els are too high in the discharge froii.+he lagoon. The Ministry wants a consulting engineer to carry out an assessment report and recommend upgrading the system. The Huron view Committee of Management put off a decision on the hiring until its November meeting. Christmas Sunday, Nov. 27 1-5 p.m. Get your list ready ano find that special gm right here in Blyth. At your first stop, ask for a map showing the way to our special stores and restaurants, all brimming with Christ mas ideas. Blyth Festival Singers present AN INTERNATIONAL CHRISTMAS” BLYTH MEMORIAL HALL Sunday, Nov. 27 3 & 8 p.m. Guest choirs, Knox Handbell Choir and Mitchell Children’s Choir. Two performances, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Admission, Adults $5.00 and Children $1.50 Santa’s Coming to Blyth too... to see the children and bring news of BLYTH BUCKS! Be sure and visit these participating stores The Saga Blu-Mers Dressing Room Only The Green Gallery Blyth Festival Webster’s Clothing & Footwear The Blyth Inn Bainton’s Old Mill The Old Mill (one mile south of Blyth) Remember When Christmas & Country Walsh’s Corner Cafe Triple K Restaurant o o 0 o o ITV-Tt-T o o 0