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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-04-14, Page 1PUBLISHED IN Lift 'KNOW, ONTARIO 'Wednesday,. • Aprik14, 1993 °G.$.T. Included Or 47 ;GAT. G.S.T. The Lucknow and District Kinsmen's annual skate-a-thon raised $1,070 for community betterment. Rob Boyd (left) and Jeff Scott (right), co -captains of the skate-a-thon this year. presented the top earners with their prizes. Ryan Brindley raised $250 and received Game Boy; Josh Leeman raised $145 and received roller blades for his effort. Jenny Tucker was awarded a walkman for her efforts In raising $107. Group winners were the Tykes In first place, and the Food booth auxiliaty sarvivesauxiliary by Pat Livingston The arena food booth will continue to be operated by the Auxiliary to Winter Sports. The turnout last. Wednesday was "terrific" said Susan Stevenson. a former executive member. Approximately 27 interested parents turned out to give support to: the auxiliary in an attempt to stave off the risk of the booth going to open tender if new blood wasn't foundto spearhead the auxiliary. The new executive includes Barb Rintoul as president; Chris Freeman - as secretary; Kathy Knechtel and Dayle Taylor as co -treasurers, and Sharon Petteplace as booth convener. This coming, fall there will be six teams of workers eachheaded by a captain and co -captain. These volunteers include Joanne McDonagh,. Nancy Aitchison, Helen Rititoul, Loree Raymond, ,Annette Drennan, Joanne Menary, Nancy Cameron; Barb VanDiepenbeek. Margaret Martin, Jan Alton, Donna Adams and Donna aieman. , During the meeting a discussion tooit place regarding children Under . 14 working in the booth. It was deemed prudent that only children 14 and over work in the booth at the distaon of the captains. " The auxiliary platlts to pease another set of sweated. to be kept for ally team„ Pee Wee or older, to use in the event another learn comes with di same colors. The sweaters will be white. 4uith black and gold,' Twa sets -of sweaters tot Novice A and B> tams will also 00 purchasedusirg"a black and gold color theme. - Explorers In second. (Pat Livingston photo) .1 Bruce County Board of Education Additional costs concern Brings in zero per cent increase ' Wingam d i hhos ital. o r - p b CHESLEY--"To go straight to the ,point, we've agreed on a budget with an overall decrease and a zero increase in the mill rate for 1993," said finance chair Allan Mackay in presenting the Bruce Board • of Education's $72.9 million budget. $20,471,953 of the budget comes .from property tax, and there will be wide variation in the levy this year because of market value as- sessment. The budget which is smaller than last year's, comes at the expense of 25-30 jobs and a $1.4 million contribution from the board's reserve funds. Mackay called it a "responsible ' budget", but admitted at the board's April 6 meeting there were tough decisions to face in setting the zero increase for taxpayers. The board will defer all repairs that can be put off, and is reviewing all programs. Mackay said some programs; like Farm. Safety and Grade 4 swimming, may be offered every other year to save costs. But the • hardest decisions centered on staffing and use of the reserve fund to lower the mill rate. "We very much hope (staff cuts) will be through attrition," Mackay said. Teachers federation president Mark Ciavaglia wasn't optimistic on that .point. "2.8 secondary teachers have been told they don't have jobs with the board. That's not attrition," he said. Director of Education Paul Mar- tindale said the quality of education in Bruce County has not been hurt by the budget and staffing cuts, but Ciavaglia is skeptical. "I don't know how long that will • be true," he said, "Sooner or later, you're .going to get what you pay for." Instruction costs, which include - salaries and benefits, make up 71 per cent of the 1993 budget. Use of reserve funds was another Conten- tious area for the finance commit- tee. Trustee Don Stobo voted against the budget because of the $1.4 million it, takes from the reserve fund. He said a 1.2 per cent mill •turn to page 2 • • • • Mediation session fails: Inglis CHESLEY--The Bruce 'County Ciavaglia said- he was "somewhat sowing the seeds of anger for years Board of Education says the ne�ct -.. surprised" that the two sides to come," Ciavaglia said. move is up to" the teachers after a couldn't settle a contract. Inglis agreed the board's position, hasn't changed in its final offer, but said the teachers haven't moved since the factfinder's report several weeks ago. mediation session April 7 failed. The trustees' . and teachers' negotiating committees sat down with provincially -appointed "We're close to a settlement," he said. "In other years, we would have signed. This year there's a kind of meanness from the board." by Mike Robinson If patients make extra demands from the ' hospital, they should be prepared to pay the bills that fol- low. Concerns were raised at the Win- gham and District Hospital board of governors that some patients were asking for service beyond their insurance coverage but not paying for that service. • For . the 1992 finances, over $1,000 was 'written -off' as bad debts from in-patient care -- not covered through those patients' insurance plans such as upgrades to private or semi -private rooms. Dr, Brian Hanlon suggested that if patients request these upgrades which are not covered, that perhaps proof should be shown for the ability to pay: ' Hospital treasurer Gord Baxter said in the past the hospital has tried not to impose financial hardships on the patients. However, Dr. Wong pointed out that these debts are by . people demanding "champagne service" on a "Coca-Cola" budget: It was also asked if patients understand there' would be a separate billing for upgraded ac- - commodation. - Hospital chair .Doris Inglis said. admission slips have been changed, but she said not all people may understand ambulance -calls are not fully funded. Board member Lee Grove said if the person `has signed for semi- private then it should be considered a legal IOU. • • ' Hospital CEO Lloyd Koch said that although patients . would be legally liable, he suggested the low • bills might not be worth going .to court. - • However, Mr. Wong said that the Goderich hospital goes to small claims court -for unpaid bills. Mrs. Inglis pointed out that while the bills are written off - "they are not forgotten." It was, also noted that most of those asking for extra service do pay their bills promptly. Plans delayed Plans to create a heliport for mediator Terry Mancini Wednesday Ciavaglia accused the board of "There hasn't been a lot of He said the cock-eyed policy of Wingham District Hospital are on morning, but by noon it was over, pl ug Roomer politics over issues movement ,�me, but nota creat _. ._�.hold:for_the_moment. „ writing off these—debts—must end • Mediation failed,"said David like. class size for de -streamed deal," he said. Inglis, trustees' committee .chair.. Grade . 9. Teachers say the board Inglis blamed the "severe financial "We made a finaloffer for set- has not changed its offer in months, constraint" facing the board for its 'clement. They (teachers) didn't and its refusal to negotiate is decision to stick to its final offer. accept it." " - creating distrust. But teachers' spokesman Mark "My. real concern is they may' be Ashfield Township • Availability of funds will dictate heritage designation • •• Further discussion on the possibility of a heritage designation for St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church at Kingsbridge took place at Ashfield Township council's meeting on April 6. Fred Cane of the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture, along with a delegation of seven from the church attended the meeting. • 'r;' • Mr. Cane explained the process of designation, the role of council and the clerk and some of the technical 'aspects of restoration projects. The issue of grant funding Was also discussed. Mr. Cane said that his Ministry has not been allocated funds asyet for 1993 programs. He indicated that some substantial cutbacfcs •in grant funding were a possibility with the restructuring of provincial financial priorities. Mr. Cane recommended that council defer designation of the structure until ' the Ministry receives direction from the treasurer on • its grant funding programs, which would he in six to eight weeks. Council concurred with Mr, Cane's recommendation and agreed to proceed with the designation if the grant program is offered. , •turn to page 2 Inside this week • Hope for the Abused • Legion Pipe Band news • Ashfield council • Kinloss council and the issue must be addressed. Finance committee chair Noreen Gnay said the committee is looking into a new policy. It was also pointed out that non- essential ambulance services also cost the hospital. One of the board members asked what policies are in place to recoup these costs, In his director's report, hospital CEO Lloyd Koch said the site in- Twnberry Township wasn't ap- proved due to objections by the neighbors. Mr. Koch said he believed moving the site to another location on the property would' make .the proposal more acceptable., Trustee criticizes plan to produce $15,000 video A $15,000 video the Bruce Board of Education plans to produce to mark its 25th anniversary drew some criticism last week. Trustee Lillian Thompson said the job could be done by board staff and students for far less. than that amount. She believes a board - produced video would be a promotion of local. achievements. "We shouldn't have to go outside Bruce County for professional ser- vices," she said. "You're welcome to your opinion of course, said trustee Alvin Thompson, "but people aren't going to watch an amateur effort." Alvin Thompson said students will film most of the video, but the editing and production will be done by a professional on equipment the board doesn't have access to. The ' video will be used.' At the Inter-• national : Plowing Match and for teacher recruitment. Unable to convince other trustees of her point of view, Thompson noted this year marks the 25th anniversary of many boards in the province, and "it's nothing special to Bruce County."