HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-09-15, Page 24PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1999.
Townships to share
Auburn caretaking
With the expected demise of
small municipalities through
restructuring, police villages which
straddle the boundaries are also
faced with a changed status.
Disallowed under Bill 26 which
governs restructuring, police vil
lages such as Auburn, Dungannon,
Dashwood, Gorrie, Fordwich,
Wroxeter, Centralia and Crediton
will no longer exist.
In most cases, it simply means
the disbanding of the trustee
administration which oversees
community works, as the village is
located within one municipality.
However, for Aubum, which sits
in three municipalities, it will be a
different story.
Along with abandoning the
trustee system, the three sections of
the village will now be the respon
sibility of the corresponding town
ship, said West Wawanosh Twp.
Clerk-Treasurer Liliane Nolan. The
current plan for amalgamations has
not lessened the divisions.
The south end of the community.
Ambulance attendants
fight to keep jobs, wages
Continued from page 23
accountable to the public, not to
private shareholders.”
He said that he and his col
leagues are proud of the service
they have provided in the past, and
they plan to continue providing that
service in the future. “We want to
continue to be able to hold our
heads up high knowing that we
work for the best emergency health
care system in Canada and we
thank you for your support during
this major transition,” the pamphlet
stated.
“In the end,” Driscoll concluded,
“we want our jobs, our wages and
our benefits.”
Gary Renaud, a paramedic from
Goderich, noted that the
paramedics in Huron County are
“one of the finest groups we have
around.”
He noted that paramedics work
night and day, and they are often
the first on an emergency scene.
“We can't afford to lose skilled
paramedics,” he told the county
representatives, noting, however
that with job uncertainty, there are
people out there who are consider
ing other jobs.
“We can’t afford that,” he said,
stressing that the county needs to
keep paramedics informed of the
process. “We can ill afford to lose
paramedics in Huron County."
Local resident and Clinton Public
Hospital employee Bev Riley,
expressing her disappointment at
the low turnout for the meeting and
the lack of community involve
ment. stated, “The community
should be here. They should know
what these guys do for us.”
Carol Warner, a staff member
from the Ontario Public Service
Employees Union (OPSEU), which
represents some of the paramedics,
noted that first and foremost the
union wants to see a “publicly
funded, publicly run service.”
She also noted that paramedics
would like to be considered as part
of the essential services, like fire
fighters and police officers, and
reiterated that they want job guar
antees, no matter who the provider
becomes.
“They are trained professionals
currently providing service in the
county,” she said, while they also
which includes Maitland Terrace,
John, King, Fulton. Alma Streets,
the south side of Elgin Street and
the east side of County Rd. 8 will
go to Hullett Twp. as they join with
Clinton and Goderich Twp.
East Wawanosh Twp., with its
partners of Blyth and Wingham,
will be responsible for the east side
of Turnberry Street. James Eliza
beth Streets and the eastern sec
tions of Queen and York Streets.
The remaining lots on Queen and
York Streets along with Egmont
and Loftus Streets, and Gravel
Road will be under the direction of
West Wawanosh Twp. and its part
ner. Ashfield Tw p.
The current trustees for Auburn
are Sylvia Campbell. Tony Martens
and Ken Empey.
While Dungannon sits on the
boundary between West Wawanosh
and Ashfield Twps., the proposed
amalgamation will eliminate split
ting the caretaking of the communi
ty-
NEW YORK
STRIP LOIN
STEAKS
FRESH
HEAD
LETTUCE
live and work in their communities,
and make contributions to those
communities.
She also made note of the request
by paramedics for wages and bene
fits, and stated that if the county
makes a request for proposals, that
this should include conditions that
all current paramedics would be
guaranteed a job.
She also asked, on behalf of the
paramedics, that current pensions
be retained.
Velma Young, another local resi
dent who works at Clinton Public
Hospital, said that she would like to
have it on record that, “I think we
have the best ambulance service
providers in the area. I would hate
to see a change made.”
Young, too, said she believes
ambulance operators should be
considered an essential service, and
stated that she thinks they should
be kept on with no change to bene
fits or pay.
Darlene Prouse, another hospital
employee, asked whether there
would be more public meetings
after the report is made to the coun
ty committee. Metzger replied that
beyond the November meeting, no
path has been laid out. but he added
that he could take her idea back as
a suggestion.
A member of the Clinton OPP.
Jeff Walraven, stated that he had
been through a similar change,
when the OPP took over operations
of police service in town. He said
the county should ensure that the
individuals providing the service,
the paramedics themselves, should
be included in the discussions, as
they know the ins and outs of the
business.
“Eve worked with all of them;
they provide a tremendous ser
vice," he said, adding that it would
be a disservice n"bt to have them
working as part of the process.
Harry Haveman, who works with
the Wingham Ambulance Service,
and who has worked in the system
for the better part of 30 years, said
that it seems that every new gov
ernment that comes into power
finds a way to stifle the growth of
paramedics.
“1 certainly hope Huron County
won’t stand m the way of
paramedics and the growth of this
profession,” he stated.
Canada A, AA, AAA Beef
CAMPBELL'S
CREAM OF
MUSHROOM
SOUP
2/ OO
284 m| H
COTTONELLE
BATHROOM J|QQ
TISSUE
8 Roll
FULL ROUND
STEAKS499
Canada Grade A, A A, I
AAA Beef 4.39 kg HH
Ontario #1
.99
SCHNEIDER'S
CHEESE
BARS
ROBIN HOOD
,Fo°UR 4 99
CANTALOUPES
Specials in effect from Wednesday, Sept. 15, 1999 to Friday, Sept. 17, 1999
CORRIE’S
23 Huron Street
Clinton, Ontario
STORE HOURS
SAT. ...............8:30 AM - 6 PM
SUN....................12 PM - 5 PM
MON.-FRI......8:30 AM - 9 PM