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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1994-02-23, Page 10Page 10 — Lueknow Sentinel, Wednesday, February 23, 1994 Bruce County homes for aged face cash crunch A financial crisis is facing Bruce County's Homes for the Aged in Walkerton and Wiarton. Declining occupancy and tighter provincial funding are having a• devastating effect on staffing and budget, according to Social Services Commissioner Dick Verrips. Verrips said a drop in occupancy at both facilities meant immediate layoffs and cuts in hours for 15 of the 200 staff. He called the cut- backs temporary, but warned they will only cover 50 per cent of the revenue lost through the drop in occupancy rate. There are several possible reasons for the decline in occupancy, Ver- rips said, including better home care services and the higher -than - average number of beds per population available in Bruce Coun- ty. In some cases, the extended family may be caring for its older members at home as an economic decision. He called theoccupancy drop "sudden" and "severe", but predicted that it is a short-term trend. While there are no waiting lists for the two homes now, Ver- . rips Said that could change. "We could see waiting • lists here like they have in urban areas m `three to four years," he said. Meanwhile a change m the province's rating of the amount of care current residents need could mean the loss of another $317,210 in grants for the homes. The province allows $38.23 a day per patient for nursing and personal care, but decreases that amount for residents who need a less intense level 'of care. According to the formula, the 223 residents at the two. homes • require. less care this year than they did in 1991 "We're disputing that," Verrips said. He described the, province's fun- ding of all levels of care as "inad- equate'. "We will continue to look at restructuring and streamlining our services, while attempting to provide service without compromising quality," he said. "Yet the reality is ' the Province must ensure adequate, and I should say stable funding with appropriate regulatory measures for a safe and effective long term care system." Social Contract. County employees who were expecting to take seven 'Rae Days' this year got some good news from Bruce County council's February session. New calculations based on revised targets for payroll savings under. the province's Social Contract mean only two unpaid leave days are needed in 1994. • Meanwhile non -unionized employees earning over $30,000 will take 2.2 days or a .9 per cent pay cut this year, compared to the seven Rae days or 2.6 per cent cut. ordered in a plan posted last July. Latest figures show Bruce county has to save $244,000 in payroll costs between now and 1996. The finance committee said its target for the year changed because of 'ad- justments to the municipal sectoral agreement since October 1993, and could face further changes in 1995 if necessary. Library Fees Bruce County's public library system is looking at charging user fees to make up for ever -shrinking county and provincial grants. The, Public Libraries Act prohibits charging for certain basic services, but Director Marzio Apolloni said the county system might consider charging for replacement library cards or nominal insurance fees for videos. Estimates are a $1 per video fee could 'raise $10-15,000 toward buying new videos and CD's for the library's collection. "We're just running out of money," Apolloni said. In spite of that, the library board met last week with architects bid- ding for the job of building the new County Library Headquarters in Port Elgin.. He called the new buil- ding and the services it will house the first bed of the information highway. "It brings what's happening with government right to the people instead of the other way around," he said,' describing how .library patrons will be able to use the Ill Biu SPECIAL FARM PROGRESS COMING WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16T", 1994 This special edition will appear in Lucknow. Clinton, Kincardine. Goderich, Teeswater, Walkerton, Seatorth. Mitchell and Zurich areas. DEADLINE FOR ADVERTISING Friday, March 4, 1994 For Further Information call: LUCKNOW 528.2822 ZURICH 236 43I2 GOOERICH 524-2614 MITCHELL. 3488431 CLINTON 482-3443 KINCARDINE 396-2963 WALKERTON 881.160 SWORN 527.0240 N X1/4 computerized catalogue to look up council minutes and information on severance the same way they will look up a best seller or favorite author. Expenses Councilors and committee mem- bers cost Bruce County ratepayers $245,083.44 in per diem and ex- pense costs in 1993. Then -Warden Carman Fullerton topped the list with pay and expen- ses of $38,754.50. Kincardine Township Reeve Weir Sheane and Lion's Head Reeve Robert Catley headed the list of councilors at $10,246.54 and $10,046.45 respec- tively. Eleven councilors eamed between $6,300 and $9,400 for their atten- dance at and travel to Meetings. Ripley Reeve Cecil Sutton was lowest paid of councilors at $2,376.88, while seven councilors submitted between $3,100 and $4,900 in pay and expense bills. The four library board appointees were paid between $1,100 and $2,000 in 1993; while seven Museum committee appointees and 22 Planning Advisory Committee members claimed amounts ranging from $78 to $900 each. A policy that would have eliminated travel expenses for.coun-, cilors attending conventions was rejected and sent back to finance for -reconsideration. Blyth Festival announces playbill Blyth Festival's, artistic director Janet Amos will bannouncing the exciting 20th Anniversary Season playbill at a special "country pot luck" launch party. Sponsors, patrons, dignitaries, members of the board of Directors, and the general public have all been invited to bring a little bitof country hospitality and join, the party to be held in the June Hill Room of the Blyth Festival ad- ministration building, starting •at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 3. While Amos is keeping mutn on the titles of the plays, she has revealed the playwrights of the four productions. Highlighting the season will be the return of a Blyth classic by playwright Ted Johns. Perhaps more than any other production in the 20 year history of the Festival, this salute to the indomitable spirit of agricultural Ontario has been associated with the success and rural appeal of the Blyth stage since 1981. The other three productions slated for the 1994. summer season also reflect Amos' dedication to retur- ning the Festival closer to its roots, each selected for its guaranteed appeal to area audiences. Two are by famous Canadian authors. One is by renowned contemporary author and playwright W.O. Mitchell, and the other is a popular work by a turn -of -the -century favorite, Ralph Connor, freshly scripted for the stage by Governor -General's Award-winning playwright Anne Chislett. Some of Chislett's many previous hits at Blyth include The Tomorrow Box, Quiet in the Land and Yankee Notions. The fourth production, also a world premiere, is a delightful romantic comedy set on Vancouver Island, and is the second play staged at the Blyth Festival by B.C. playwright Suzanne Finlay. Her whimsical and whacky comedy, Gone to Glory premiered at Blyth in 1986, and has continued to enter- tain audiences at venues across North America. To find out first-hand the names of the four plays, come to the special country pot luck party on March 3. While . there is certainly no obligation to bring anything, everyone is invited to join in the fun and hospitality of the Blyth Festival. OCHALSH by Kae Webst9, Cheer up! Spring is coiling It just seems as if I can't find a poem to correspond to the winter we have had. I know everyone is hoping that spring is just around the corner. It is hoped there hasn't been any great hardships through it all. Cheer up! Spring is coming. Charlie and Mayme Wilkins had a number of their family with them on the weekend when they celebrated their granddaughters first birthday Rebecca Dadsons, of Ingersoll. ' Atlee Wise of Richfield, Ohio, was recently with the Websters, when he was returning home, he took Cecil Webster back with him for a couple of weeks, Cecil 'is doing just fine and is hoping to be back at work in the spring. Margie MacDonald was in the Kincardine Hospital for a few days after she suffered a fall in her home recently. Margie is now at home and is recovering nicely. Cecil and Kae Webster were recent visitors in Seaforthwith Bob, Barbara, Bonnie and Beth Palin. Reflexology treatment enjoyed On Tuesday, Feb. 8, members of the Junior Women's Institute en- joyed reflexology treatments given by reflexologist Murray .Irvin, Sandra Giesbrecht and. her helper Sandra from Listowel. After the very relaxing start the meeting began with the opening ode and the Mary Stewart Collect. Audrey Ritchie and Anne Guay. conveners for the Lions' Supper on Feb. 14, reported the planned menu and the time for members to meet at the Community Centre. ' Plans for the groups 20th An- niversary celebration in May were discussed. Tentative plans are to have a meal on May 21 for present and charter members and past presidents. The program will follow the meal at 7 p.m. with cake and ice cream being served at that time. Nancy Aitchison agreed to look after the invitations and Audrey Ritchie will check with caterers. Cecilia Miltenburg reported on the Provincial meeting she attended. The spring meeting will be held on April ' 16 in How ick. She learned that 1994 was the International Year of the Family and it was. suggested that this theme be used by JW! groups at some point during the year. This led to the discussion of helping with the purchase of a suction apparatus for the Nursing Home. It was suggested that the proceeds of two of the Lions' meals could be used for this purpose. A decisionwill be made when more information is received. The meeting closed with a Chinese Auction. Janice Blake was the recipient of the gift with the lucky bid of $7.50. TOM Lucknow hosted- Ripley in the first game of the league playoffs. Ripley put one on the scoreboard in the first and three more in the second to go ahead 4 - 1. Lucknow's goal was scored by Jonathan • Drennan from Jeremy Austin. In the third, each team scored once. Brian Stanley found an opening after picking up a pass from Russel Mann. The final score 5 - 2 visitors. The second game of the series was played last night in Ripley. 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