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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-01-29, Page 1Health Care Sports Feature News______ Wingham group meets in Blyth to discuss option See page 6 Blyth Juveniles begin best of 7 series See page 8 Photos show some highlights of Brussels carnival See page 17 Brussels Ag. Society holds annual meeting See page 19 Accident claims life of Bly th-area teen 9t . Uli Angela Konarski A Hullctt Twp. teen died early Monday morning in London's Victoria Hospital from injuries sus­ tained in a snowmobile accident at 5:55 p.m., Sun­ day, Jan. 26. According to police, Angela Konarski , 16, of RR1, Blyth, was travelling north on Maple St., when she drove into the side of a 1980 Oldsmobile, driven by 37-year-old Steve Campbell of Clinton, which was travelling west on Whitehead St. Konarski was taken to Clinton Public Hospital before being transferred to London. A Grade 11 student at Central Huron Secondary School, Clinton, Angela is the youngest child of Rick and Brenda Konarski. She is survived as well by a brother, Jason and a sister Jenny. The funeral service will be Wednesday (today) at 2 p.m. at Londesboro United Church CitizenTheNorthHuron Vol. 13 No. 4 Wednesday, Jan. 29,1997 70e i 5e GST750 I Johns talks ‘good news’ with HCBE All 8 hospitals stay open in task force new option By Amy Neilands Clinton News-Record Staff The Huron County Board of Education held its annual meeting ment of education finance reform. The new funding reforms will be based on a per pupil funding system. "It's going to come to be," she said, alluding to the number of letters she as received from the through five per cent of property taxes, and Newfoundland where it is funded through both general revenue funds and transfer payments. "We've looked at other models with Huron MPP Helen Johns on Thursday evening and discussions centered around the provincial government's planned changes for education in Ontario. board requesting finance reforms. The difference in dollars between Huron County and other boards in the province is "incredible," said Johns, adding that the reforms "will and I think we have a good way to do this," she said, adding that the government wants to ensure that everyone gets the best value of education dollars. "There is no By Andy Bader Mitchell Advocate Staff A "unique" and "novel" approach to hospital and health care restructuring was unveiled Monday, a proposal which keeps all eight hospitals in the Huron- Perth district open with inpatient beds and emergency services. Task Force Chair Janet Hook and District Health Council (DHC) Chief Executive Officer Fraser Bell made the announcement Monday morning with hoards of media, some task force volunteers and a couple of hospital CEOs in attendance. Perth MPP Bert Johnson was also present. The task force has recommended the establishment of a single Huron Perth hospital system with a single board and one administrative team. That alone will save upwards of $3.4 million. Hook said the preferred option involves "considerable change" as programs and services will be redistributed. Under the preferred option, basic hospital service will be provided in Clinton, Exeter, Seaforth and St. Marys, with community hospitals established in Goderich, Listowel and Wingham. Everything but pediatric, rehabilitation and psychiatric care will be performed, except for 20 psychiatric beds in Goderich and five rehabilitation beds in Wingham. Stratford will be a secondary, or a referral, hospital. Of the total 406 hospital beds identified through the utilization management process and accepted by the task force last November, almost half - 182 - will be located in Stratford. The beds in the basic hospitals will concentrate on medicine and chronic care, as well as be available for emergencies. St. Marys and Exeter hospitals will have no beds available for obstetric care. Three preliminary options were announced in November, and caused massive community uproar in towns where their hospital faced service reduction. An extension was granted in December, after seven additional options were brought forth, including one formally endorsed by all hospital boards two weeks ago. Over the next two years, the Ministry of Health will be withdrawing significant funding from hospitals, and in order to meet this "funding challenge," more than $10 million in cost savings were addressed by reducing administration and support service costs, reducing dollars spent on direct patient care or reducing costs of operating buildings. This is the "first step" and a starting point, since the task force initially set a 20 per cent savings target (approximately $15.6 million) but has already made a commitment to save $10.4 million, or approximately 13 per cent. "It is not possible to save 20 per cent and maintain facilities in all eight communities," Hook said, Continued on page 6 "I know it's hard to keep up with the changes that have affected you in Huron County in the past year," said Johns. "I think it is important bring us to a better level. I'm happy that this has come about. There has been pressure to get this done and more money to put into it." A large percentage of rural Ontario boards wanted education for us to talk about them so I can bring back information on how to make these changes to best reflect the needs of the kids in Huron County." Of the announcements for change made by the Ministry of Education, Johns stated that she believed the "good news" was the announce- to have gone this far in 18 months finance reform. "These are the is a big step. I’m here to see it through for the kids of Huron." The government is also taking motives why we entered into the process." "What this means to Huron Man hurt in accident The Ministry of Labour was called in to investigate an accident on Jan. 21 at Howson Mills, Blyth which injured two people. According to a report from the OPP, Peter Taylor, 30, of Waterloo was working on a ladder grinding weld in a cylinder-shaped bin when he fell off the ladder, approximate­ ly 20 feet. He was taken to Wing­ ham and District Hospital with serious injuries, then later trans­ ferred to University Hospital, Lon­ don. Another man, Wiliam Pearse, 52, of Elmira, who was assisting Tay­ lor, received minor injuries. As of Tuesday morning, the investigation was not complete, according to a Ministry spokesper­ son. The investigating officer is Tony Steers. the education portion of taxes off property taxes. Johns stated that the government has looked at other models of funding, such as those in British Columbia and Alberta where education is funded only County is we are refocusing our resources in education and we will talk to boards, trustees, parents and students for input," said Johns. The government will establish a flat fee Continued on page 20 Tropical twirlers These young skaters led by Nicole Mastnak entertained the crowd with their contribution to the Brussels Figure Skating Club's Carnival "Dance, Dance, Dance" presented Sunday afternoon at the arena.