HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1986-02-19, Page 1BEST ALL ROUND COMMUNITY
NEWSPAPER IN CANADA
(Circulation Class under 2200)
C.C.N.A. Better Newspaper Competition 1985
Montgomery Motors opens new Lucknow faeility
Montgomery Motors celebrated the opening of the new building at ceremonies from left to right are, John Clark, Herb Clark, Gordon
an open house on Feb. 14. Participating in the ribbon cutting Montgomery, Ian Montgomery and Harvey Webster.
By James Friel
It's been almost 40 years in the
making but Montgomery Motors open-
ed a brand new building for the Ford car'
and truck dealership and Montgomery
buslines last Friday, Feb. 14.
The front part of the building was
filled with well wishers from the
community who had seen Gordon
Montgomery later with the help of his
sons build his little garage into one of
the largest businesses in town.
Montgomery's started in a garage
built in 1912 by Garth Osterander. Next
door to the garage 'stood a blacksmith's
shop operated by Alec Crawford.
Then Ed Renwick bought the garage
from Osterander and ran the shop
before Montgomery bought it in 1948.
"I'd never been in a garage before I
bought this one," said Montgomery'
laughing.
His father had a store in Saltford by
Goderich. He went overseas during the
war and .when he returned, worked in
Breckenridge Hardware in Goderich.
"I was looking for a place of my own.
I couldn't work for anyone else."
Then a friend called with a tip and a
bit of advice.
"1 was up here one fall fair day and
Harvey Webster talked me into buying
the place."
The busing part of the business
started a year after he bought the
garage in 1948.
"The buses started in 1949 and then
the tractor shop."
Montgomery and his salesmen sold
®Turn to page 3
President says 8�per cent o
By Alan Rivett
In response to the Ontario government's
proposed ban on extra -billing, 80 per cent
of the Huron County chapter of the Ontario
Medical Association are set to opt out of
the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP),
according to Dr. Art Steed, president of the
county chapter.
Dr. Steed, a physician in Clinton for the
past 4.5 years, says the Opting out by the
majority of county members is in support of
the Ontario Medical Association's (OMA)
proposal for an Ontario -wide exodus from
OI -IIP to fight the Health Care Accessibility
Act.
The bill, introduced by Health Minister
Murray Elston in December, would ban
extra -billing in the province. The legisla-
tion would allow doctors to opt out of
OHIP, but doctors would only be allowed to
charge the OHIP rates. Doctors charging
over OHIP rates would be subject to a fine
of up to $10,000.
The 80 per cent of opted out doctors who
indicated they would opt out of OHIP
would represent a steep increase for the 45
member Huron County OMA chapter, says
Dr. Steed. Currently, only four per cent of
the doctors in Huron County have opted
out of the insurance plan. By opting out,
the doctors would bill the patient directly
who would then file the claim with OHIP
for reimbursement.
Dr. Steed says after meeting with MPP
Jack Riddell on Jan. 31, he is still hopeful
that modifications can be made to the bill
before it is passed into legislation.
"Last Friday I met with Jack Ridde:l
.Huron doctors set to opt out
Dr. Art Steed
and, as a member of the caucus, he fully
supports the bill. But, he says there's an
opportunity for submissions at the commit-
tee level. He says there is a chance some
changes could be made, but I don't know if
it's politics talking or if that's what he
really felt," says Dr. Steed in an interview
at his office on Feb. 7.
At an OMA meeting held in Kitchener
on Feb. 12, the membership was asked to
sign a consent form, stating they will
engage in "civil disobedience" if the bill is
passed. The doctors would extra -bill a
small amount and direct the money
towards a charity. Dr. Steed says he will
extra -hill and give the money to the Clinton
Public Hospital in the event the legislation
is passed.
"It's an excellent facility but it's
suffering from a chronic shortage of funds.
We would bill patients a token amount
above the legal amount. The money would
go towards the hospital building fund. I'm
quite willing to go to jail for that," said Dr.
Steed.
in assessing the impact of the opting out
movement among doctors, Dr. Steed says
it will not only show the Ontario govern-
ment the solidarity of the doctors in
opposing what they feel is an infringement
of their rights, but will also give citizens a
Netter idea of what health care actually
costs.
"It's important to realize there is a
professional relationship between the
doctor and patient with the patient ulti-
mately responsible for payment. This
(opting out) will emphasize there is a re-
sponsibility...Patients don't realize what
expenses are incurred on their behalf,"
said Dr. Steed.
By making the patients directly respon-
sible for payment, he feels it will give them
some insight into the kind of government
bureaucracy the doctors have endured over
•Turn to page 2
Negotiating committee set up
By James Friel
Reeve Herb Clark has appointed
Councillors Eldon Mann and George
Anderson to act as an employee salary
review committee for salary negotia-
tions for 1987-88.
"I want you to compare rates with
comparable surrounding muncipalities
and compare wages paid and hours
worked to the people in the village,"
said Clark.
He also directed the new committee
to look at benefits such as OHiP,
statutory holidays, and to interview
each employee to discuss problems and
listen to recommendations.
"Determine if the employees feel
they're paid well, bad or all right," said
Clark. The town employees are Bertha
Whitcroft, Linda Cranston, Gary Austin
and Doug Haidenby.
"There should be lots of other things
the employees can suggest," said
Clark. The committee's findings will be
presented in the fall.
Clark also questioned the length of
notice given by employees to the village
before taking vacations. He said a date
should be decided upon as a'deadline
for holiday notice. Council decided on
the middle of April so discussion on
holidays could take place at the May
council meetin