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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2001-04-04, Page 1Wild and crazy It was Wacky Hair Day at Hullett Central Public. School last Friday as the students took great pleasure in creating their own unique styles. Amanda Falconer, left and Lisa Carter added a sparkle to their look while others made good use of hair gel, hair spray, bows, ribbons, elastics and some interesting hair dye choices. Bds. a step closer to new hospital Yeofs of c gwneishlp 985-200 Inside this week Woman talks about Pg. 7 work with Habitat for Humanity Curling Club presents trophies Supply teachers in PS. 11 short supply HE rec director Pg. 12 looks to expand programs - - Chislett play earns Pg* 23 nomination Pg. 8 ,The c itizen ESTAE6SHED 187/ fl„ , "wet:p.dpotip abrin Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Volume 17 No. 14 Wednesday, April 4, 2001 75 Cents (70c + 5c GST) Box office opens April 17 Blyth Festival performance tickets for the summer season go on sale on Monday, April 17. Patrons can purchase tick,ets,in person at the box office, or telephone 519-523- 9300/toll free 1-877 TO BLYTH (877-862-5984), or mail to Box 10, Blyth, ON NOM 1HO or email blyth.festival@odyssey.on.ca Box office hours are Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. until June 15 when the hours are extended to 9:30 p.m. on performance days. The office will be open on Saturdays throughout the summer, beginning in May. Blyth Festival members have the first choice of seats when the box office opens especially for them April 2. A membership in the Festival — with the advantage of this early purchase opportunity — is available to anyone for a tax- deductible donation of $25. The funds raised support the Festival's New Play Development Programme and the Young Company. Tickets for the first show of the season The Outdoor Donnellys are limited as this event can only accommodate 350 people a night, more than a hundred fewer than the performances in Blyth Memorial Hall. The Outdoor Donnellys run from June 15 to July 1. The Festival's mainstage series opens three shows in a row beginning July 5 with The Passion of Narcisse Mondoux, a comedy starring Blyth favourite, Ted Johns, followed on July 13 by a country and western musical Cruel Tears and Gordon Pinsent's Corner Green on July 19. Wei- in the season a new comedy McGillicuddy by Keith Roulston, and Sometime, Never by London writer *Norah Harding join the lineup. Visit the web site at www.blythfestival. com • stipend Councillor remuneration was up for discussion at the March 27 committee meeting of Huron East council. The honorarium for the mayor will be $3,000 with $2,000 for the deputy- mayor and $1,000 for councillors. Each member of council will receive $100 for all regular, special and committee meetings of council. Any additional meetings will be paid at a half the rate for sessions lasting less than three hours and at full rate if longer. For those on other committees and boards, the rate will be $50 per meeting. One-third of all remuneration can be expense allowance while two- thirds will be per diem. Councillors will be allowed six paid, convention days per year with all expenses covered for the councillor and spouse, including hotel, parking, mileage, and meals, provided receipts are retained. Foot and mouth concern closes Slice By Janice Becker Citizen staff One of Huron County's greatest educational events for young people has this year fallen, victim to a global agricultural scare. With foot and mouth disease ravaging Great Britain and spreading into other European nations, organizers of Slice of Huron have decided to cancel the 2001 edition. "The dairy producers decided at the end of last week to pull out," said Rhea Seeger, chair of the horticultutal sector. • "The committee felt it would be just a matter of time before other livestock exhibitors did the same arid the (animals) are a big attraction." Seeger emphasizes this move is strictly as a precautionary measure and there are no cases of foot and mouth in Canada. Producers had expressed concerns about transmission of the disease following March break trips abroad for many young people. One man told of witnesses the devastation of the disease and did not want to see it here, said Seeger. The annual event, held in mid- April for school-aged children across Huron and Perth Counties, is expected to resume next year. Teachers wishing to invite speakers to schools to discuss various agricultural topics should refer to the contact list. - • The first .step toward a new, modern hospital for the residents of central and western Huron County has been made by the boards of Clinton Public and Alexandra and Marine General Hospitals. An agreement in principle has been reached to work together to look at the option of building a new, 90-bed facility to meet the current and future needs of both communities. A key factor in the proposal is the multi-million dollar renovations needed at Alexandra and Marine, making retrofitting the hospital not economically viable. Board members foresee the new hospital providing enhanced and expanded clinical services, and more specialists with new technology and new programs. On April '2, site selection principles and criteria were outlined, noting that neither Clinton nor GOderich would 'be home to the new facility. "We must not only pick a site somewhere in the middle, but we must find some middle ground," said Peggy Menzies. board chair of Clinton Public Hospital. "The choice must not be based on emotion, It must be based on the best available site option to enhance and improve the delivery of health care for all Central and West Huron residents." Some of the basic criteria detailed by the Ministry of Hedlth and Long Term Care included access to municipal water and sewer, recognition Of population and industrial base, sufficient space fora' heliport, ambulance facility and clinic if required and a regional focus. Janice Cosgrove, vice-president of both facilities said the boards are very pleased with the public response. "It is encouraging to hear that many residents are supportive of this proposal, but we want to ensure that 'we have the benefit of all their views." To' that end, the boards plans to accept public input on the issue through a variety of media. Members will actively seek out opportunities to speak to groups, service clubs, church groups, councils and other organizations. Written submissions can be mailed to the administrator at any hospital, e-mailed to janice.cosgrove@ hphp.org or faxed to 519-482-5960. ' All submissions must be in 'by April 20. People can also phone in their comments to a voice mail system at 519-524-8323, ext. 232. "Any time you attempt to effect change involving a hospital in a particular community, it is to be expected that interest levels are raised. We understand and respect the public's right to do so," added Menzies. Dr. Maarten Bokhout, chief of staff in Clinton said he is "excited about the concept of a new hospital and the possibility of. enhanced patient care for the communities we now serve." A proposed site for the facility- has not yet been selected, but access from both communities would be a major consideration. The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care must also approved the decision to build. Even after approval, Menzies said it would be three to five years before the opening of a new hospital. Va4. Huron E. council sets