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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1987-04-29, Page 13Going THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1987. PAGE 13. $7 million budget approved for Wingham and District Hospital The Wingham and District Hos­ pital’s board of governors has given approval to a budget of more than $7 million for 1987-88. At its April meeting, the board accepted the recommendation of its finance and audit committee and approved the budget for the hospital’s next fiscal year which begins Friday, May 1. Robert Pike, finance and audit committee chairman, told the board the committee anticipated a slightsurplusat the end of the next fiscal year if all goes as projected. The budget forecasts an estimated revenue of $7.2 million for the hospital while expenditures for the year are being estimated at about $7.1 million. Although the project­ ed surplus is about $122,000, Mr. Pike said depreciation accounts for nearly $100,000 of that, bringing the actual figure closer to $22,000. “In other words, this is a break­ even budget,’’ he said. Inabreakdownof anticipated revenue, Mr. Pike said the bulk of the hospital’s income will come in Zoning change okayed for Blyth development Frank Szusz, chairman of the Blyth and District Community Centre Board gave up his 15-year-old beard for a good cause Saturday night when it was auctioned off to raise money for the lift fund at the Centre. Going A zoning change that will see a Dinsley Street house turned into a commercial building housing sev­ eral small shops has been approv­ ed by the provincial ministry, it was revealedatthe April meeting of Blyth village council. The property, the former resi­ dence of Inez Macdonald, just to the east of the Blyth Festival Swinging Seniors Arnold Riley of Londesboro, volunteer barber for the night trims off the sides of the beard while members of the Szusz family, some who couldn't remember what their father looked like without a beard, watched in trepidation. Gone! The face stands revealed as the final touches were made. Next, after consultation with the family, came the moustache. plan bus trip About 40 members of the Blyth Swinging Seniors held a pot luck dinner on Wednesday, April 22 at the Memorial Hall. This was followed by a business meeting and a program. It was decided to take the bus trip with Robbie Sherwood on Monday, June 8. This trip will highlight tours of the Pine River cheese factory, Bruce Agra Park, Bruce Nuclear Plant, Feversham Trout Farm, and Hills Gardens with a fi ee meal at the Bruce Nuclear. The price will be $17. Contact Mary Walden or Harv McDowell if interested. There will be a visit to Huron- view on June 25, a picnic in July and a supper meeting in August. It was decided to give a donation towards installing a Handicap Lift at the Community Centre. Happy Birthday was sung to three members. There was a very interesting and humorous pro­ gram. It began with a video presentation of the Story of the Great Lakes. This was followed bya mouth organ jamboree produced by eight men: John Hesselwood, Edgar Howatt, Jim Lawrie, Jim McCall, HarvMcDowell, Millar Richmond, Charlie Smith and Lloyd Walden. Ella Richmond accompanied at the piano as did Lloyd Walden. Harv McDowell and Edgar Howatt did some accompanying on guitars. The program closed with a comic duet by Harv McDowell and Lloyd Walden. The May meeting will be held at the regular time on Wednesday, May 27 in the Blyth Memorial Hall. direct funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health. Approximately $6.39 million, a 4.9 per cent increase over last year, will be funded directly by the ministry. “I think we got a fair adjustment and increase this year,” Mr. Pike said of the health ministry’s funding increase. “These funds are a known and not a risk. It (the money) will come to us regardless of our activity rate.” An additional ministry grant of more than $73,000 is also antici­ pated for later in the fiscal year, perhaps December, he said. This grant is related to the hospital’s activity rate. Other sources of revenue include donations, income from self-paying, non-insured pa­ tients and interest on accounts. Of the expenditures, the largest single category is that of wages and salaries which accounts for roughly 75 percent of the $7.1 million total, he said. Wage and salary rates are basically known and not too difficult to estimate, he said, but the unknown factor of hospital activity still makes “this the rehearsal hall (the former Doherty garage), is presently undergoing renovations which will see it eventually house several small shops. Elaine Scrimgeour, the owner said she has always liked the porch on the house and will have it rebuilt in its current fashion. As well as almost total reconstruction of the interior, the building will be restored to match its period look. Interest has already been ex­ pressed in renting space, she said, although the building is not expected tobe ready for occupancy until the spring of 1988. LAWN MOWER TUNE UP TIME FREE Blade Sharpened with tune R.R. 1 Varna 262-3318 We also service Tillers Lawn Tractors Generators Pumps We're Honda Crazy Tune-ups from $3995 Check fuel system Change oil Check air filter Check carb adjustment Check eng. & exhaust mounts Check rims and tires Lube cables Adjust chains & lube Check fluid levels Clean units number on the sheet which is the most difficult to predict.’’ The remaining 25 per cent of expendi­ tures includes remuneration for medical staff, employee benefits, medical and surgical supplies, drug expenses and costs for other supplies. Comparing the new budget with last year’s, Mr. Pike said the difference between the two was the absence of “unknowns" in the 1987-88 document. Last year the board was faced with many unknowns, he said, and the result was a “worst case budget”. The hospital had not only just completed its expansion with operating costs for the new emergency unit still undetei min­ ed, but also faced wage negotia­ tions for several groups of its employees. However, the worst was not realized and the hospital now expects to finish the fiscal year with a surplus of almost $280,000. “This year, we felt there were fewer unknowns,” he said. “There are still some problems, but at least we are able to quantify them." Relating to the anticipated 1986-87 surplus, Mr. Pike said 60 per cent of that, approximately $169,000, came from the ministry of health. He agreed with Executive Director Norman Hayes who suggested the board publicly acknowledge this fact. “We make lots of noise about them (the ministry) when they are not giving us enough, ’ ’ Mr. Hayes said. “So when they are as generous as this, we should also give them the public recognition. ” In other business related to finance, the board approved a committee recommendation set­ ting the self-pay in patient daily ratefor Canadian residents at $245 and self-pay outpatient rates at $29 per visit for initial assessment and $17.50 for each subsequent visit or treatment.