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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1991-07-17, Page 1Visitor from abroad French exchange student visits Blyth family See page 3 Plenty of scholars 7 locals on CHSS Ontario scholars list See page 7 Fairy tale New play no 'End' of enjoyment See page 22 Brussels hosts area development meeting Brussels will host the second meeting of the North Huron Com­ munity Development Area Thurs­ day night. The meeting, at 7:30 p.m. al the Brussels, Morris and Grey Commu­ nity Centre, brings together mem­ bers of the public from the village of Brussels, the Town of Wingham, and townships of Grey, Howick,. Morris, Turnberry and East and West Wawanosh in seeking co­ operative ways to plan for the future of the area. The meeting is organized under the Huron County Planning and Development Department which has divided the county into four community planning areas: north, central, south and west. Each of the areas will get funding of $50,000 in county services and $50,000 in fed­ eral money over the next two years The program is over and above economic development in mdividi- al communities. Al the first meeting of the North Huron area in Wingham June 5, group discussions helped identify community strengths, community dreams, and future concerns and challenges to the area. Jason Chu and Brian Treble, county planners in charge of the North Huron area have indicated they want as many of the public involved in the meetings as possi­ ble, particularly young people. Separate teachers get pay boost The Huron-Perth Roman Catholic Separate School Board and ns elementary teachers reached a onc-ycar contract settlement, which includes a salary and bene­ fits increase of six percent begin­ ning on September 1. Stratford trustee Louise Martin, chairperson of the personnel com­ mittee, said the settlement increase was in line with other settlements across the province. Trustee Ron Murray, however, opposed the increase saying he found it difficult to accept, when the people he represents in McKil- lop, Tuckersmilh and Seaforth, will have to pay six percent more, while their incomes arc probably drop­ ping. An agreement for the 1990/91 contract was reached in January. The negotiations then did not go well. This lime, Martin said, the committee and teachers met with "mutual trust and respect". Negoti­ ations for the new agreement began in February. Salary rales in the contract range from a minimum of $26,355 in level D with no experience to $62,835 in the lop category with 12 years experience. Under the new contract, the average salary increas­ es from $46,380 in 1990/91 to $49,825, including changes brought under the pay equity plan. Included in the settlement arc improvements to the benefit plans, such as out of province medical coverage, dental insurance and life insurance. I Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. VOL. 7 NO. 28 WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 1991. 60 CENTS Easy pickings Everybody knows how difficult it is to keep from sampling the tasty fruit when picking raspberries, and Minnie couldn't resist temptation when rt was so close at hand The plentiful bounty is coming from Hunter's raspberry bushes, just south of Brussels. Helping with the picking is, Maurissa Hunter, in front, and back row, from left her father Jim, babysitter Angie Williams, grandmother Lillian Skorochid, mother Donna Hunter and Jeff de Boer Donna expects that there will be bounty on the bushes for another week at least Changing cost sharing could hurt rural taxpayers A report that would revise the funding of government programs in Ontario is skewed toward large urban centres al the expense of rural areas like Huron County, an assessment prepared by Huron County department heads says. The department heads prepared a paper delivered to Huron County council July 4 on the Provincial- Municipal Financial Relations report from the province. The report would see the province lake over 100 per cent of funding for some areas now shared with munic­ ipalities while turning over total responsibility in other areas to the municipalities. One area of greatest concern to the county is the possi­ bility local municipalities and counties would be required to pick up 100 per cent of road costs. The report is of concern to many municipalities, said Bill Mickle, reeve of Exeter and a board mem­ ber with the Small Urban section of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (OSUM). "Il's interest­ ing to note this report is getting wide discussion and wide reaction," Reeve Mickle said. "Huron County could do a lot to clarify (it) by working with the municipalities." OSUM, he said, is very concerned about the ramifications. Hullell Reeve Tom Cunningham said the report is disturbing. Munic­ ipalities, said Reeve Cunningham who is chairman of the Rural sec­ tion of the Association (ROMA) said the municipalities are being given a minor level of input into the program, about the same as the Canadian Union of Public Employ­ ees. Municipalities are being treat­ ed, not as another level of government, but as just another lobby group, he said. "It seems to be a large urban-based report," he said. There is a move to have the whole matter dealt with al the annual meeting of AMO in August and be finished w ith it. Reeve Cun­ ningham said, but rural Ontario wants to see more lime spent on it. The major effect could be loss of funding for roads, he said. OPP officer, youth hurt after high speed chase Wingham OPP are investigating a two-car collision which occurred on Highway 87 east of Gome, on Monday al 5:55 p.m. The accident occurred as the result of a police chase, whrch a police spokesperson said, lasted approximately 11 kilometres, and during which speeds in excess of 170 kilometres an hour were reached. Injured in the crash were Wing­ ham Constable T. Pollard and a 15- The paper presented by the department heads says townships would be hurl more than urban municipalities, even within Huron but only Goderich might benefit Continued on page 2 year-old young offender, the driver of the second car Both were taken to Wingham and District Hospital where they were treated for slight injuries and released, the spokesperson said. The young offender has been charged with dangerous driving Other charges are pending, police say. The youth will appear in Godench court on August 1. Extensive damage was done to both vehicles.