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Home My WebLink AboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1989-04-12, Page 3Further study rejected b BY BILL HENRY An.angry Huron County Council last week refused an 11th -hour provincial government request to further study its Huronview reconstruction 'plans. The current plan to gradually phase out Huronview while building a new; 100 -bed facility in Clinton and 60 -bed _units in both the north and south of the county within eight years is unlikely to: gain provincial ap- proval, a community .and social services ministry official told council. But that proposal, expected to cost more than $14 million, was reached after years of studies. The most recent was a 18 -month projectwhich surveyed the county, studied services elsewhere in the province, and finally outlined last June the direction Huron's seniors' housing would take. Last month, council approved a budget which begins setting aside its 50 per cent share of the capital cost of the project. Ministry spokesman Linda Girard's re- quest that Huron now rethink the plan to in- clude the new concept of alternative hr us- ing for frail eldery residents caught coun- cil by surprise. "I am disappointed because I think the ministryis leading us into another study," said Warden Dave Johnston, who vacated the chair before thoroughly expressing his concern and calling on council to stick tothe original proposal and hear "from the horse's mouth" whether the minister of community and social -services rejectsth Alternative housing was described as .a bridge between extended care (seniors inin- stitutions requiring extensive bedside and other care) and seniors living in their own homes. Girard said the conncepthas seniors living collectively in either new or renovated apartment -like complexes, sharing services such as prepared meals in a common space. As well, each facility would have 24-hour nursing. Councillors said the plan sounds good on the surface, but arrives at the llth4iour, with sketchy details, justas Huron wants to get on with Huronview's reconstruction. Councillors in the north of the county also said the plan considered but rejected last week, which would have again centred ,f 11 181 licenced extended care beds again in Clinton, ignores the northern needs. Others argued that the ministry request was also ignoring what the people of Huron County had clearly ask �: for during the Seniors Care Facility Committee's lengthy study. "I think the ministry is not facing the pro- blem," said Exeter Deputy -Reeve Lossy Fuller, who chaired that committee. "We heard the voice of the people and the peo- ple said what they wanted...the ministry is ' iding it." t' uller and others told Girard that Huron residents no longer want a sprawling, cen- tral complex. Instead, they want smaller centres spread throughout the county. That would mean they could remain in their own communities. But Girard, .a London-based MCSS pro- gram supervisor who clearly was not prepared for the. stormy session, insisted the ministry does not expect Huron to abandon its original .concept. e thesgditffistrofter concern-nentredton plans to build a 60 -bed unit in the southern part of the county. With thegovernment cur- rently supportingthe charitable Bluewater Resthome in Zurich, funding•another facili- ty would be unacceptable. "Two homes of 60 beds each would be very, very difficult to support," Girard said, adding "We do as much as -possible want to foster decetralization." Luelmow Sentinel, Wednesday, April 129 1989—Pale S Ii uron counci, That angered some councillors, including the warden. Johnston said that the provincial govern- ment, which demanded the recent study of Huron needs in advance of considering any capital project, should have said at the outset that no home would be considered for the south. Exeter Reeve Bill Mickle said Huron's plan also said the county would encourage private business to build the two satellite homes north and south. But, he complain- ed, the ministry will not consider that. Repeatedly, Mickle asked Girard for an explanation. But she said simply that it is against ministry policy to transfer extend- ed care beds out of "the public domain." "The proposal we have before us is wrong, totally wrong," said Mickle. "I thank the people of Huron deserve more...once you put it all in the centre again, you're into a proposal which lacks flexibility for the future." The lengthy session got confusing at times as councillors and administrator Bill Han- ly differed over what council was being ask- ed to decide. The motion before council, which stemm- ed from an earlier Huronview committee meeting with Girard and other ministry of- ficials, affirmed the county's "belief" in its original plan, but asked council to instead consider alternative housing in the north and south while building a new, 181 -bed facility in Clinton. That motion was defeated once, then Shoot to winners defeated again on a 1442 recorded vote, after Hardy expressed concern that council may not have known "what's being defeated." Despite the close vote, very little was said by councillors favoring a review of alter- native housing. One councillor did note that the facility study upon which the three cen- tre proposal is based did ask residents what they would want if money were not an object. Now, Huron's original proposal for the three, separate facilities goes on to the ministry for approval, or rejection. Some councillors said after that they ex- pect the plan will be defeated but that at least then council would be hearing that directly from the minister and cabinet, rather than from a local, ministry official. "What we need is for the province to say yes, they'll allow us to dig a hole in the ground or no they won't," said Johnston after the meeting. "If they're not going to allow us (to begin construction) then, and only then, will we start looking at other alternatives." Ministry spokesman Girard could not say how long Hurons could expect to wait for that decision, nor wouldshe speculate further on the likelihood of Huronview's approval. "1 can't say it any .plainer than to state that the ministry is asking the county to at_" least look at the "Option of alternative hour= jaw97 At the shoot party in St. Helen's Halla sponsored by the St. Helen's Women's In- stitute on April 4, the winners were : high lady Jean Phillips, second lady Irene Markham, high man Lloyd Moffat, second man Brute Baynard, most shoots Jim Fin- ningan with three, lucky score card Elaine Errington, lucky cup Ross Errington. IiE1.ER A quality pressure washer rice: jn the reach of every ho� 7 a .Winer At Cook's we pride ourselves on being a full-service business. Our 6 locations have everything you need this spring, from seed and fertilizer to crop protection products - and all at competitive prices. But Cook's can give you more ... whether it's crop planning advice, soil testing and blending of fertilizers, crop protection products or custom application. Cook's people have the expertise to help you get the "maximum economic yield" from your crop. 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