HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-11-04, Page 1See page 6
Halloween mischief
Christine Seili, 12, holds what's left of her tape player after vandals set fire to a Halloween
decoration on the Brussels' family's porch. Christine and her father, Joe, had put together
two stuffed 'dummies' dressed in coveralls. The tape player, which had been used to play
scary Halloween music for earlier trick or treaters had been hidden behind one of them. The
cost of the damage, which included the siding on the front of the house and a chair was
estimated at $4,000. Brussels firefighters, who had patrolled Saturday night until 11:30 p.m.
were called to the blaze at 2:15 a.m., after a neighbour alerted the family. Christine and a
friend were asleep in the living room, right next to where the fire started.
Foolhardy prank could have cost lives
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen staff
It was a Halloween prank that might have been
deadly.
While two 12-year-old girls slept in the room on the
other side of the wall, vandals set fire to Halloween
decorations on the porch of the home owned by Joe
and Deb Seili of Brussels.
Deb said that at 2:15 a.m., the family was awakened
by a neighbour, George Langlois, whose wife, Pat,
had seen the glow through their window. Two leaf-
stuffed 'dummies' dressed in coveralls were blazing.
"The insulation behind the aluminum siding is all
that stopped the fire and kept us from being barbecued
alive," said Deb. "Our daughter Christine and a friend
were sleeping right next to where the fire was."
Deb said that had the fire spread any further it
would have blocked the front exit.
Another neighbour, Chris Hoelscher, also came to
assist, while his wife called the fire department.
"It could have been so much worse," said Deb. "We
are very grateful to our neighbours."
Damage is estimated at $4,000.
Also that evening, windows were smashed in three
vehicles.
A 1994 Pontiac, had the rear window smashed out
with a blunt object, while parked in a Turnberry Street
driveway.
The rear window was also smashed and a speaker
damaged, again with a blunt object on a 1988 Ford
Thunderbird, which was parked at an Ellen Street
residence.
The third vehicle, a 1986 Chev, which was left
parked in a parking lot at the rear of a Turnberry
Street apartment had the side window broken.
Officers from the OPP are investigating all of the
incidents.
Lyol. 14 NO 43 Wednesday, Nov. 4, 1998 700 + 50 GST750
Bag ties to be
implemented Jan. 1 for
Morris, Brussels residents
See page 2 See page 9
Popularity of
girls hockey
on the rise
Armstrong warns
`Fight not over yet'
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
Though the battle is over, the war
definitely has not been won.
After the Avon Maitland District
School Board (AMDSB) trustees
passed a motion at the Oct. 27
meeting to delay approving a list of
schools for closure, Chair Abby
Armstrong said the phones, and fax
have quieted down.
However, Armstrong, along with
Walton School Council Chair
James Murray warn parents and
supporters not to let down their
guard. The fight is not over.
While the motion asked the Min-
istry of Education and Training
(MET) to amend pupil loading for
rural schools, taking into considera-
tion large distances and low popu-
lation density; to extend the closure
deadline to September 2000 and to
substitute a two-year moratorium
on access to new pupil grants for
boards not meeting the deadline for
identifying schools for closure or
consolidation, it was only a request.
The board is proceeding with an
accommodation review to look at
all facilities within the board.
Armstrong said a list for closure
or conversion must be compiled by
early 1999 to allow a two-month
public consultation period prior to
the settling of contractual agree-
ments with teaching it:aft in late
February or March.
If schools are going to be closed,
the board will have to adjust
staffing, said Armstrong.
As the board is legally bound to
balance the budget, all adjustments
must be in place for the 1999
school year, if the provincial gov-
By Bonnie Gropp •
Citizen staff
Good neighbours in the past, and
now perhaps to be-family in the
future.
Brussels and Grey Twp. councils
at their Monday meetings each
passed a motion that the two
municipalities begin 'the process of
amalgamation. While the motion
specifies a restructuring of the two
municipalities it also notes the
option to make the move to a larger
grouping should a scenario present
itself.
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen staff
The last vestige of Jamestown's
early history will soon be a thing of
the past.
Concerns over safety and fire
risks prompted Grey Twp. council
to agree to the purchase of the old
General Store, which has sat for-
lorn and abandoned from many
ernment does not change the cur-
rent funding model.
In an effort to take the AMDSB's
point directly to the ministry, Arm-
strong, Atje Tuyten, member-at-
large, adminstrative staff, Huron
MPP Helen Johns and Perth MPP
Bert Johnston met with MET Par-
liamentary assistant Bruce Smith,
Oct. 29 for a personal discussion.
• Armstrong was very pleased with
the way the meeting went, saying
the AMDSB group was able to
offer a very factual, not emotional
presentation, with specific answers
to specific questions.
"Johnston spoke on our behalf,"
she said, which was very helpful.
"It is now up to (the province).
We left no stone unturned and we
had a lot of support and help."
Those very vocal supporters are
also becoming known across the
province as Armstrong has received
calls from several Toronto school
councils as well as some to the east,
seeking input.
Armstrong has declined to make
presentations to these groups as she
believes it is neither her place nor
is she sufficiently informed about
specifics in each case.
Her greatest fear now is that peo-
ple will stop working. "I want to try
to make it very clear, it is not over.
People need to stay involved. Fight
for the kids."
To keep lines of communication
open as the situation evolves over
the coming months, Armstrong said
information is being sent to school
council chairs as soon as it is com-
piled to ensure that everyone has
the same information. The board is
also gathering input acquired by the
chairs.
The decision was reached after
information concerning other pref-
erences had come forward, particu-
larly that of Morris Twp. which
stated that it preferred a grouping
with Wingham, East Wawanosh
and Tumberry.
"1 believe our feeling has always
been that we don't want to go to a
party when we're not invited," said
Reeve Robin Dunbar. "So if Brus-
sels is willing then we should move
forward and get some plan in
place."
Reeve Ralph Watson agreed. "I
Continued on page 12
years.
Reeve Robin Dunbar said with
the building up for tax sale council
felt that it would end up with noth-
ing happening again, so decided to
proceed with the purchase from the
public trustee.
The building is set for demolition
and now, council will be looking at
a number of possibilites for the site
and would welcome ideas from the
public.
Grey, Brussels vote to join
Grey buys Jamestown eyesore