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Home My WebLink AboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-12-15, Page 1PUBLISHED IN LUCKNOW, ONTARIO Wednesday, December 15, 1993 55¢ G.S.T. Included Up to their ears In quilts are Joyce MacDonald, Kincardine, Mary MacDonald, Ripley' and Mona Tunney, Teeswater, executive members of the Five Star Quiters Guild. Members of the Guild made over 200 beautiful doll quilts to be distributed, through Community Services In Walkerton and Kincardine and the Salvation Army, WIngham, as Christmas presents for needy children. (Pat Livingston photo) Principal hired as superintendent • by Pat Halpin CHESLEY--A principal with the Perth County Board of Education has been' hired as superintendent with the Bruce Board starting Jan. 1, 1994. David Armstrong will fill a vacan- cy when personnel superintendent Paul Cole retires Jan. 31. __ r istrorig has 21 years experience at various levels of the education ,field. He was chosen from a list of 14 candidates for the job. Three of The six applicants intervrewea`were from within the Bruce board, accor- ding to committee chair Ray Fen- ton. The board was under pressure from local teachers' groups and the public to leave the superintendent's position vacant as a cost-saving measure. Allan MacKay, Finance chair, picked up that refrain when he learned both Cole and Armstrong will be on the payroll for the month of January. Cole's last day at work is later this month, but accumulated holiday and sick leave means he stays on the payroll until Jan. 31. MacKay asked the board to delay hiring Armstrong.. "Setting aside concern that 95 per cent of our staff think we shouldn't hire the person at all, my concern is when to hire the person," MacKay said. "At a cost of $10,000 a month, I think we send out the wrong message," he added, noting the board has asked other employee groups to take cuts and help reduce costs. I can't see that we can't get along without (Armstrong) for a few months," said MacKay. "The very reason we need a superintendent is as valid the first of January as the end of January," replied Fenton. "We need continuity of the level of service." Trustee Gord Thompson admitted he shared MacKay's concerns, but has been convinced that the system and students will suffer if the superintendent position is left vacant. • "Management of an organization is as important an other," Thompson said. "As much as I've pressed the point, to cut that staff level by one-third can't be justified." MacKay wasn't convinced. "I've been in business too long to believe (the. system) would fall apart .if we don't have that person in 'til March or April," he said. Fenton disagreed . with MacKay and with teachers' suggestion that the superintendent's job could be shared among principals. "We're trying to take ad- ministration work off the backs of aspect as any teachers and prrncips. We re trying to leave them -more time to -turn to page 20 Two Goderich women die in car accident Heather MacDonald, 20, and Marion Zeigler, 42, both of Goderich, died in a two -vehicle accident •last week. Goderich Police said the ac- cident occurred at about 11:20 p.m. Wednesday night (Dec.8), at the intersection of South Street and Britannia Road, Goderich, when a Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Russell McCreight crashed into the Oldsmobile driven by Mac- Donald. MacDonald was pronounced dead upon arrival at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital (AMGI-1), Goderich. Ziegler, one of two passengers in the Mac- Donald vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene. A third. occupant, MacDonald 's mother, 45 -year-old Linda Mac- Donald, was taken to AMGH and later transferred - to St. Michael's Hospital, in Toronto. Her condition as of Monday was critical but stable. McCreight was treated and released from AMGH. Bail was denied Monday, when 34 -year-old McCreight, of 181 Huron Road, Goderich, appeared before Justice of the Peace Len Obokata. McCreight is charged with criminal negligence causing death, impaired driving causing death and driving with more than the legal limit of alcohol in his blood. His next court appearance is Jan. 10, 1994. Police are looking for anyone who may have witnessed the ac- cident. Allan Gibson is Huron County's 127th Warden Allan Gibson, Reeve of Ashfield Township,•was sworn in last week as Huron County's 127th Warden. Now in his third term as reeve, Gibson brings 20 years municipal experience and strong support from his home township to the position of Warden. Ashfield's last Warden was Donald MacKenzie in 1967. During the special meeting of County Council on Dec. 7, Gibson defeated Stanley Township can- didate Howard Armstrong, and McKillop's Reeve Marie Hicknell on a second ballot. Thirty-one bal- lots were cast. Gibson took the inaugural oath before Mr. Justice Francis Carter. In his remarks to the crowded room, Carter acknowledged that this is "not a good time to be a politician. "Rumor has it they are not lilted, these days. "Integrity comes from the in- dividual, not from the mass. If each • member of council is a person with integrity, the entire council would be a council that acted with• in- tegrity - and of course, the reverse is true," he said. Carter, who will retire shortly as the last judge of Huron County, said this was the . first time it has . taken two ballots to elect the War- den and this was the first vote conducted by secret ballot. Thomas Tomes of Stephen Township retires as Warden. Brookside will introduce beginners' classes in '94 Brookside Public School's kindergarten classes will expand by nine students when school reconvenes following the Christmas holidays. A total of 14 spaces were available in the "beginners classes", for students born between Jan. 1 and July 1, 1989. Rick Whiteley, principal, said the beginner students will be integrated into the two current kindergarten classes, resulting in two classes of 17 students each. "Some consideration is being given to expanding it," said Mr. Whiteley. The term "beginner" is taken from , the education act, and enables the Huron County Board of Education (HCBE) to allow entry to school in January and establish the age perimeters. The eight Huron County schools received a directive in November from the HCBE to make a beginners class available to area students. The' intrifentt ' tation is in compliance with the provincial law requiring• all schools to make Junior Kinder-• garten available by the fall of 1997. Mr. Whiteley said, "In all likelihood, we will be implemen- ting a J unior Kindergarten/Senior Kindergarten class in the fall." Choirs share musical talents at carolfest The annual community carolfest, direction of Joanne Todd, with held last Wednesday at the Luck- pianist. Wilma Clarke; Lucknow now Presbyterian Church, was an Christian Reformed Church, under excellent time for residents to hear the direction of Lori Exel and the musical gifts of area church and George Lubbers, with Rynie school choirs. Bakelnar as pianist; Lucknow United. Church, with director Isobel Choirs participating were from: Shepherd and pianist Carl' Morrison; Lucknow Central Public School,. St. his Church,, Kingsbrddge 'under the direction of Joan Black, with director Marianne Hogan and with pianist Joanne Scott; Lucknow pianist Laurie Dalton, and South Presbyterian Church, with director Kinloss Presbyterian Church, and organist Norma Raynard; St. directed by Ruth Bell with Wilma Peter's An titan Church, under the Clarke at the piano. These six young ladies were part of the Lucknow Public School choir that performed during the community carolfest last Wednesday at the Lucknow Presbyterian Church. Back row, left to right, Jessica Mann, Laura Murray, Jessica Steffier. Front row, Fiona Mongiilo, Susan Guay, Cindy Willits: (Pat Livingston photo)