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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 1999-03-31, Page 1Community ]Politics Brussels school Huron Bruce / welcomes new Liberals select $ I principal jj Ross Lamont ' 'mI See page 2 See page 7 Government County rules out hostile annexations in restructuring See page 22 The North__Huron__ Vol. 15 No. 13 Wednesday, March 31,1999 (70t+6eGST) 750 Girls band must apply for funds By Susan Hundertmark Special to The Citizen The Seaforth District High School All-Girls Marching Band will be given "due consideration" when it applies for funding under a new policy passed by the Avon Maitland District School Board with a 5-4 vote. But, while the band will go through the process, executive president Shirley Brugger said she’s not very hopeful it will receive any funding. "We're getting cut," she said after the board passed a motion giving administration the power to determine which groups will be funded. "(Education Director Lome) Rachlis has already told us he doesn't consider us a worthwhile group and he now has the power to decide who receives funding, not the board." The board defeated an amend ment to the motion, brought forward by Trustee Abby Armstrong, that would have ensured the board made the final decision about which groups receive board funding. When this is such a sensitive issue, it's important that the board make the final decision. 1 couldn't support it otherwise," said Armstrong. When Trustee Ray Ford said the board will then have the problem of groups "coming out in clumps and saying they want the money and they'll make the most noise," Armstrong answered that "as representatives of the public, that's exactly what boards of education should do. It's a matter of responding to local needs." Rachlis said he considered defining where groups fit into the board policy and whether or not they receive funding to be an "administrative procedure." The policy defines school-based activities as those supervised by a teacher or principal as part of their regular responsibilities and intended for the students of the school, co-curricular activities as those including field trips that support curriculum and are initiated by the school and extracurricular as school bands, choirs, teams and clubs. Co-sponsored activities are defined as those involving Avon Maitland students but supervised and organized by community groups. Only co-sponsored activities must apply for board funding; the other activities will be funded through schools or central board funds. Board Chair Wendy Anderson asked why the board shouldn't trust administration to make decisions about which outside groups continue to receive board funding. "I'm sorry she (Brugger) feels that the band's been cut but it's an equitable policy for everyone and 1 suggest they can seek other avenues for funding such as seeking non-profit status and approaching service clubs. There are other resources in the community," said Anderson. Brugger said the band has been approached by other groups such as the Trillium Foundation with offers of funding. The Town of Seaforth, she said, told the band it wanted to wait and see what the school board would do before offering any funding. Anderson said it would be interesting to see how many groups come forward with funding requests now that a policy is in place. "How many more groups are there out there that fit the criteria and don't get board funding? Continued on page 13 County okays budget despite uncertainties Despite uncertainties caused by recent provincial government announcements, Huron County council approved its 1999 budget Thursday with no debate. The budget, as accepted, will see a zero per cent tax increase for county purposes. However, County Treasurer Ken Nix said that the province’s decision to pick up 50 per cent of the cost of ambulance OPP launch campaign On April 1, the Ontario Provincial Police Huron detachment, in conjunction with other police services across Ontario, will launch a province wide initiative, aimed at making sure all motorists in the Huron area are buckled up. The spring campaign, which ends April 15, is designed to create awareness about the importance of wearing a seatbelt, or properly securing a child seat restraint. Traffic accidents are among the leading causes of death each year in Turnberry out of talks After hearing the much-speculat ed-about announcement from Tum berry Twp. regarding restructuring, Blyth Reeve Mason Bailey said though he was disappointed that Turnberry Twp. pulled out, talks would continue with "whoever hangs around". "We've been in meetings with Wingham and East Wawanosh (Twp.) for three years We will be back to where we were and so will they." Turnberry's withdrawal from amalgamation talks with the North Huron group now officially leaves Wingham and Morris and East Wawanosh Twp. The group had held several meet ings in the past months to try to pull a group together. Turnberry Twp. Reeve Brian McBumey has said the March 11 meeting in Belgrave at which Blyth council made a presentation asking for inclusion, was "the straw that broke the camel's back". Confusion over the consensus rule and in-fighting resulted in a deadlock, he said. At the March 11 meeting, a vole to allow Blyth in had resulted in a 22-7 nod in favour of the village. However, the consensus rule, meaning unanimous agreement, left Blyth neither in nor out. All Turnberry councillors had been against Blyth's inclusion and though McBumey said his council will "lake some heat" over the deci sion, they will live with it. McBumey said that in an infor mal poll taken of township resi service and public health may free up extra money. The budget bylaw can be amended at a later date, he said. Nix said the announcement of funding for the ambulance service means the county won’t have to send as much money to the province to pay for the ambulance service. The province has also Continued on page 22 Ontario. One third of all people killed in motor vehicle collisions are not wearing a seatbelt. The annual cost of these crashes is in the billions of dollars. The human and emotional price tag on friends and families is immeasurable. In 1998, the OPP seatbelt campaign checked over 402,000 vehicles, resulting in more than 8,500 charges, with over 6,000 warnings issued. In 1999, the goal is to check a half-million motorists for seatbelt compliance. dents, there was not a lot of support for amalgamation, with many wish ing to remain a rural municipality. They will continue to share ser vices with neighbouring municipal ities and remain involved in community projects. Tumberry now plans to hold the status quo, waiting to see if some one will extend an invitation to them. Howick has been suggested by some as an alternate partner. As for the rest of the North Huron group, Wingham council agreed at their March 17 session to continue amalgamation talks with hopes that Tumberry may return. Morris and East Wawanosh Twps. received notification of the Tumberry decision after their regu lar council meeting. It will be dis cussed at the next regular session. Spring ahead Sunday Spring is in the air and to mark its arrival the time has come to welcome back Daylight Savings Time. Remember to move your clocks ahead one hour at bedtime Saturday night. DST will officially arrive at 2 a.m. Easter Sunday. T