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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-06-09, Page 1'PUBLISHED. IN LUCKNOW, ONTARIO Wednesday, June 9, 1993 • 554 G.S.T. included MEGAFIT DAY at Lucknow Central Public School, Thursday, June 3, foundmembersof the Jeep House trying to get Breakfast on The Fly. Todd Thomas, left photo, tries to catch some cereal In a pall for his breakfast. (DebbieDavidson photo) Hospital board of governors wants more information before making decision on District Health Council by Mike Robinson The Wingham and District;% Hospital Board of Governors want more information before they make a decision to either lend its support or .reject the idea of a District Health Council. Hospital board chairman Doris Inglis noted that the remaining four hospitals in Huron had lent their support to having a Huron -Perth DHC rather than have Huron join an existing DI -IC. Board member Dr. Walter Wong argued against what he called a "backward process". He asked how the board could be asked to approve .something when board member not know what a DHC will do. Board member Dr. Brian Hanlon, asked whether or not the steerin$. committee is for, against or am- bivalent towards the creation of a DRC. It was also questioned if the naming of the people to the council would be politically motivated. Board member Bev Brown said • no one on the steering committee will be a member of the final DHC. She added that all that was given by other hospitals was a "fairly generic support" of the need for planning ealth care dollars. She said it is p to the people of Huron and Perth "to create a structure that we want -- not one laid down by someone else." However, . Ms. Brown also pointed to a certain • amount of lethargy on the issue by the public. Mrs. Inglis said it was pointed out by a Ministry of Health represen- tative that to get input it must be requested. Dr. • Wong contended that the Public Hospitals Act from February 1992 specifically refers to, and outlines the functions of, DHCs. He told the board not to be drawn into s do "playing games with mirrors" since the framework and structures of the DHC is already in place. Mrs. Inglis, said she believed the option of not having a DHC "no longer exists". Winghani hospital CEO Lloyd Koch said' there is an option of 32 formats or styles of DHCs, but all must operate within a generic man- date. He said the point is that there should be some input.to have a say in how hospitals are represented on a DHC. "I too feel it (the establish- ment of, a DHC) is a fait accornpli. Mr. Koch said it might be foolish •to try and turn the tide, but said it is better to "get in the picture' and have a chance to shape whatever structure comes into place. He noted DHC steering committee chairman Paul Carroll was com- mitted to having a decision by the end of the month on whether or not Huron chooses to have a District Health Council. Mr. Koch said "we want a DHC that works with us rather than one which acts as a ministry agent." Even if Huron said 'No' to a District Health Council, Mr. Koch speculated that government funding would still come through, but the county would be at a disadvantage where funds flow directly through •DHCs. Mr. Hanlon suggested approval should be subject to certain criteria being met. Vice-chairman Doug Fortune said that while he was not in favor of "another level of bureaucracy" he felt "we'll have one whether we want it or not." A p611 of the board indicated many members wanted more infor- mation about DHCs before giving any approval to the concept. Ms. Brown noted there were numerous meetings to which the public 'were invited. She added the current mandate of the steering committee is whether or not Huron will have a DHC -- the structure would be determined later. Board member Lee Grove asked if the apparent lack of public interest had to do with apathy or just not knowing what it was all about. Mr. Hanlon suggested it may just be that people do not know what questions to ask. Committee wants public input on landfill search. by Paul Ciufo Some productive farmland will 'have to be sacrificed for a landfill site. That was the decision reached by 40 people attending a public meeting of the Huron County Waste session Management Committee in Hensall last week. The 'people at the Aehers meeting were "asked to reevaluate landfill site criteria which had ` precluded all the candidate sites so ` alled o farA "All the sites failed due to strict A mediation Session between the, Brice" County Beard of � and its elementary school teachers scheduled .for , Moe 3 was called off because of the provinces . social contract talks. The board, at its June 1 meeting, made the decision to cancel the session. Superinten- dent Paul Cole said the outcome of the provincial talks could have an effect an many of the issues that would have been discussed by the 'board and teachers. Cole said there is also the likelihood that any decisions on thevince's part would have' to be further discussed with employer groups. He indicated the social contract processes could take a lot of decision making over contract is- sues out of the board's hands. County elementary teachers say they are "disappointed and discouraged" by the boards decision to cancel taflts. "The social contract talks are not Supposed to have bearing on local negotiations," said spokes- woman Karen Burr. "We felt there were items we could have agreed on." Burr said the teachers have "worked long and hard" to come up with alternative proposals that take into consideration the area's tough financial position. "We were ' optimistic about finalizing a tentative agreement," she said. Elementary teachers have been without a contract since Septem- ber 1992. Class size and leave time as well as language` issues remain unsettled and teachers say salari are "not the big issue',. Burr said there have been only ' seven negotiating sessions to date, and.said the cancellation of the mediators session leaves her "concerned about the boards apparent reluctance to negotiate". environmental screening. It is im- portant we go back, review the criteria and decide which are import tant, which are not so important," said David Lee, chairman of the waste management master plan steering committee. After forming small groups and discussing the criteria, the people ranked ground water contamination as their greatest concern. They decided that class three and four agricultural lands could be sacrificed fora landfill site and that the • one •kilometer buffer around cemeteries could be scaled back to 500 metres. "I am not too surprised. It is pretty straightforward that people want to protect group 1water," said Craig Metzger, co=ordinator of the project. "And people are saying if London can annex all that farmland, why can't Huron County take 100 acres out of production? One hundred acres is not a lot in the grand scheme of things in Huron County." After gathering comments from various government agencies, the committee will apply the laxer •turn to page 2