HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-02-04, Page 1See page 8 See page 11
Vol. 14 No. 5 Wednesday, Feb. 4, 1998 700+ 50 GST 750
Prickly understudy
While Wiarton Willie was busy forecasting another six weeks of winter, Coco, the four-
month-old hedgehog was entertaining the residents of Huronlea, Brussels, on Groundhog's
Day. Bridget Cucksey of the Wingham area, who brought her tiny companion to the facility
to fill-in for Willie as he couldn't make the trip south, let Coco snuggle the check of a
somewhat apprehensive former Blyth resident, Nora Kelly.
Bds, with shortfall may get prov. funds
Sports
Blyth Midget Bulldogs
waiting for OMHA playoff
opponent
Feature
Special section offers tips
to make wedding
planning easier
News
Seaforth Hospital forms
innovative new
partnership
See page 32
Blyth Fire Dept.
gets defibrilator
The North Huron
itizen
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
Blyth firefighters are once again
on the forefront of providing the
best care for those in need.
In reporting on the recent Blyth
Fire Area board, Councillor Jeff
Howson told Blyth council at the
Feb. 2 meeting that the rescue van
will soon be equipped with a defib-
rilator.
Because of the department's First
Response training, they will be the
only fire department in Huron
County to carry the machine vital
in aiding residents who have suf-
fered heart related problems.
The fire board will also be pur-
chasing a new computer system to
complement the 9-1-1 system to be
in place later this year. Dianne
Josling has volunteered to input
information so that the system can
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen staff -
With a view that bigger is not
better, Brussels councillors at their
Feb. 2 meeting selected the option
of two municipalities for North
Huron over one large one.
The scenarios of two groupings
of five or one grouping of 10 is
being presented to all affected
councils to specify a preference.
Wingham and Blyth stated earlier
that they would choose the larger
grouping.
Councillor Joe Seili said that the
option of two smaller municipali-
ties had always been the preference
Parents who were active in the
Bill 160 protest last fall are
planning a meeting to learn of
further developments and discuss
future actions.
Teachers, students and anyone
concerned about the future of
education have been invited to
come to the Clinton high school
this coming Thursday evening.
There will be an update on the
repeal Bill 160 petition. There will
be a discussion on ways that
parents, teachers and students can
work together to preserve the
quality of education in our
communities. Consideration will be
given to futurc'action and activities
the members wish to pursue.
be up and running when 9-1-1 goes
on-line.
The fire hall will have a new
propane furnace, bought through
Sparling Propane and installed by
Youngblut's Plumbing and Heat-
ing.
When asked why the board had
decided to go with propane instead
Of gas, Fire Chief Paul Josling said
they got a good deal with Spar-
ling's. The propane price was fixed
at 17 cents and there was no charge
for the tank. Other comparisons
with gas where very similar in cost.
The board approved a five per
cent pay increase for firefighters.
Two members of the department
will attend a stress management
training session.
There has been a boundary
change for coverage in West
Wawanosh Twp., affecting the
Blyth and Lucknow departments.
of Brussels. Councillor Greg Wil-
son, a representative with Reeve
Ralph Watson on the North Huron
Restructuring Group, however,
noted his feeling that that would
not be the way the restructuring
went. "Others have said they want
the option with 10," he said.
Seili expressed his concern that
restructuring into too large a group-
ing would cost more. While Wing-
ham may have said they prefer that
they would be the only ones to ben-
efit from it, he said.
A motion was made recommend-
ing the option of two municipalites
for North Huron. Wilson was the
only one opposed.
One of the unheralded events has
been the returning to the schools in
our area of the $400 for which
parents of children 13 and younger
were eligible, said organizer Tony
McQuail. "Parents felt this money
was meant for their children's
education. Given the amount the
provincial government was taking
out, they wanted to put this back
into their child's school. If they can
gather the information, organizers
hope to present a "cheque" to the
school board for the total that was
donated back to the schools."
The meeting has been scheduled
for Thursday, Feb. 5 from 7:30 to
9:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at Central
Huron Secondary School in
Clinton.
By Michele Greene
Special to The Citizen
Administrators with the Avon
Maitland District School Board left
a Toronto meeting with Ministry of
Education and Training representa-
tives last week confident the
province is now aware of its-
problem.
"Our purpose was to show them
that we had a problem" said
Marilyn Marklevitz, superinten-.
dent of business and finance, after
the Jan. 28 meeting.
She said the administrators with
the ministry told her there is
supposed to be some transitional
funding becoming available soon
for boards facing shortfalls.
Marklevitz said the transitional
funding represents some hope for
the board. She said Avon Maitland
will.now have to wait and see the
details of the transition funding.
• The board originally predicted a
$6.2 million shortfall after learning
about its funding level from the
province over the next eight
months. After budget cuts and more
calculations, the board brought that
shortfall down to $1.7 million.
Brussels council says
no to bigger grouping
Parents plan meeting
to discuss future action