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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1996-01-17, Page 14,9` INCLUDES GAT,: ;rz ed comp by rat Livingston, The calculation of the provincial government's transfer payments to innutile • ipalities is quite complex„ "It can be very deceiving," says Ashfield Township Clerk -Treasurer Linda Andrew about the ; single block transfer of funds. The previous gaverament system of both uncondition- al and specific (i.e.road grants) funding to munici- palities was replaced by the single block transfer in accordance with the Nov. 29 budget. Province-wide,,a total of $658 million was cut from municipal transfer payments. "This new system gives municipalities the discretion. to use the funding where they deem it is, most need- ed," says Mrs. Andrew." Mrs. Andrew says that while it appears Ashfield Township is getting $$,229 more, that • ik not the actual scenario. „"The ‘total a ocat` ' includes an -'allotment' '.for` equipment, housing and construction, which in pre- vious years, would have sing been applied for under a 'supplementaury requisition, at the time it was. needed," explains Mrs. Andrew„ "The. Ministry of' Municipal Affairs has strongly recom- mended that this allotment be channeled into reserves as this is a one-time special payment. There will no longer be any supplemen- tary requisition funding available.". Includedin the calcula- tion is a` reduction relating to the" amount of the Social Contract deferred for each municipality. "In addition," said Mrs, Andrew, "the province has deducted from each munici* `pality5an amount'to generate a portion of the , money needed to finance their prior year's commitments for other on-going municipal supplementary projects"" "It looks: like ' ',nn increase," said ` Mrs. Andrew.,. if you take into the equationthe amounts suggested as reserve funds, the Township , of Ashfield is in fact in the approximate *turn to page 2 :erton boy re• rare blood is Heather Boa Tim Lang will celebrate his 15th birthday in the Grey -Bruce Regional Health Centre, recovering from meningococcemia, a rare blood infection, after being rushed to hospital last Thursday.,, "It' very las to be s pleasant able to tell you it lookslike hoe's doing okay," said Bruce -Grey- Owen Sound Health Unit's medical offi- cer 'i-ceir of health, Dr. Murray McQuigge; The youth was trans- ferred from Bruce County. General Hospital to the Grey. -Bruce Regional .Health Centre at 11 'a.m. Thursday, Jan. 111 where he was examined by the coir- municable.di lease ;team and the . •medical officer of. health.: "He .looked like he,was Sixth -month old Benjamin Errington, son of Laurie and David, was dressed for last week's nippy temperatures, and was also sporting .the latest if eye fashion wear for infants. Benjamin and mom were in town doing, some shopping and enjoying a respite fromstormy days. (Pat Livingston photo) 1 iy4 Margaret Stapleton The. practical nursing 'program; operated by Conestoga College at Wingham -and District Hospital, is the latest vic- tib of financial restraint and cutbacks, quietly tilos- ingits' doors at : the. end of lase month. Lloyd Koch, hospital executive director, :. announced at the January meeting of the board of governors that the school will note accepting stu- dents for the February, or September 1996 sessions. Koch also °noted -that the es' tra ning centre ran out at the enidof Decemb, Bill Jeffrey, Dean of ;the, Conestoga* School. of Health Sciences, advised Koch that the college is suspending the program. "dine to heavy financial constraints" and the fact. that. there are insufficient numbers o -. er f applicants to justify its existence. However,Jeffrey ffr Je ey alsr► notes that the college will assess its financial position •turn to page 2 extremely ,ill. He had no blood pressure and, he was quite ill," McQuigge said. Later that afternoon, Tim was transferred to London's Victoria Children's' Hospital. Monday night, he was transferred from inten- sive care to 'a regular bed and Tuesday he,was' trans- ported ... back . to' Owen Sound. Tom, and with MargaretLang are pleased wttheir son's recovery and "credit quick.. response from all hospitals Pu P involved. In ahone interview yes- terday, Tom gave 'special. .thanks to Dr. `Michael" illi and RN .Cathy .Johnston, of t ,,County ° of Bruce General Hospital and Dr. George Sanz and McQuigge for theft assistance. Also, he thanked the team that trans- ported Tim to London and all medical staff who gave their son professional atten- tion. ` Mc McQuigge said meningo. coccemia occurs in one in 100,000 population per although about 20'p r year, gP� centof the population ear - ries the bug that causes the disease in their. noses. "if we went out and;"cul- turred the population, we would find anywhere from five to 20 per cent of thisin nose. But they y don't get. sick. So we don't know why perfectlyhealthy adolescents come down with this from time to tine" he said. "The only thing we can say is it's not ono. al to have a case of this preceded by influenza in the commu- nity � McQuigge It is transmitted through topes by Pat Livingston Ashfield township council has decided it's. better to leave the status quo as is regarding the current representation they , ,have on county council and the planning and`develop1i ment's waste Management $ committee. Deputy Reeve Art Simpson says council learned there' was a way to have an alter- nate to the reeve sit on county council.‘' Currently,Reeve Allan Gibson mutt declare a conflict of interest, when matters pertaining to proposed .sed county landfill site A3 come up for discussion, at county meetings.: Mr. Simpson expiaine "the process. The � local council can lobby county council to approve thealternate, but there must be two-thirds vote in favor. The next step is to lobby your meciber of parliament to put forward a private member's bill in the Legislature: Mr, Simpson said that after conSidering the matter at the.Jan9 meeting of council, they decided it was better 'to leave things sit they are: Reeve Gibson on countycoun- cil, �' and Deputy peeve Simpson sitting as a voting member on the waste management committee. If bidto have'an. alternate ut in place a f► P ., .. Mr. for the reeve was successful, Nt said, "Ashfieltt would lose one vote in eight at the .lannin 4 and, development, P 8 P level, and gain' one in 26 at county coun- cil."' Under the process, the alternate would not be allowed to sit on any committees. "We saw it as a possibility, but it isn't feasible," said Mr. Siem sin. "We have ip �-� , better Chance at influencing: this landfill matter at the plannin g and development level, rather than at the county lcrrel:'"