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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2001-05-30, Page 24DIAMOND01!40DGE Proudly Congratulates DALE TliOMSON• Manager Dale has achieved the tlite Daimler Chrysler 5 Star Service Status in his first full year behind the counter at Diamond Dodge. The Elite rating is the highest of the 5 categories that can be obtained. It is based on profidency, technical testing, customer satisfaction and additional broad spectrum scoring in a number of areas. The technician team working with Dale must also achieve a very high proficiency & training level CO score this highest rating. Dale, and his wife Deanna will soon be enjoying a complete home entertainment package awarded by Daimler Chrysler. Congratulations Dale & Staff! DIAMOND DODGE INVITES YOU TO ATTEND OUR 2ND ANNUAL "CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY!" SATURDAY JUNE 9TH - 9 AM TO 4:30 PM CAR SHOW 77V BBQ LUNCH CIRCLE CITY CRUIZERS L--,f ON THE GROUNDS ENTERTAINMENT 74, FREE COFFEE/DONUTS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY 4.-\I BALLOONS & PRIZES r ft) (WIN TICKETS Tia BLYTH FESTIVA BLACK DONNELLY'S PRODUCTION (‘----caWIN A TRUCK! WIN A JACKET! AND MUCH MORE! WE USE GENUINE Mopar No Work Performed without written estimate and customer approval AT THE NEW TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT THE CORNER OF HWY 8 & SUNCOAST DR., GODERICH 524-4466 1-888-242-2927 COOLANT FLUSH 5 .99 Complete collard system flush Refill with premium Mopar fluids 5 STAR *****SERVICE SPECIALS OF THE MONTH AIR CONDITIONING TUNE UP 59.95 All point Inspection! Belts. hoses, and riving Total system leak check. It's good to be Home. 11110SII R Dodge Jeep The Ladies exec The Brussels Legion Ladies Auxiliary executive is, back row, from left: Alice Brothers, pianist; Anne Elliott; Mabel Willis, secretary-treasurer; Jean Little, first vice-president; Doreen Rutledge, Isabel Alcock, Helen Dobson, president. The members stand with a new crib table made in honour of the late Martha Logan. (Vicky Bremner photo) PAGE 24. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 2001. Trustees condemn province's support of private schools By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen Though the exact wording of their condemnation came up for debate at a regular board meeting Tuesday, May 22, trustees of the Avon Maitland District School Board were unanimous in their condemna- tion of a provincial government commitment to support parents who send their children to private schools. "As a public school board and as a member of the OPSBA (Ontario Public School Boards' Association), it seems reasonable that this board should support the idea that there should be strong public debate about _this issue," said Director of Education Lorne Rachlis, before presenting a staff recommendation to send a letter to Premier Mike Harris. The Conservative government's May 9 budget included tax breaks for parents who send their children By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen School boards across the province could be in for nasty financial short- falls next year due to unforeseen retirement gratuity pay-outs, accord- ing to the business superintendent of the Avon Maitland District School Board. Janet Baird-Jackson says the province's school boards were caught off guard by a late March, 2001 announcement from the provincial government giving teach- ers a limited timetable to "commute" a portion of money built up in retire- ment funds, in place of continuing their employment until retirement age. Such a termination of employment still entitles the teachers to a portion of the money, which is funded through board budgets. But the government change means that, after June 2001, teachers will have- to wait until they reach age 50 to commute the funds. "(Teachers) have done their own financial investigation and figure they can make more money taking the cash out now and investing it," Baird-Jackson suggested, following a regular AvorNaitland board meet- ing Tuesday, May 22. She says original 2001-02 Avon Maitland projections suggested the board would be on the hook for approximately $1.8 million in retire- ment gratuities. But the regulatory change caused an unforeseen jump Two different people contacted Huron OPP on May 22 after finding marijuana plants. In both cases fishermen were fish- ing in the local streams when they discoversd —flie plants and contacted police, The first find was next to Blyth Creek just off Scott Line in East Wawanosh where 30 marijuana plants were discovered. The second find was near a river on Brandon Road in Tumberry. There another 20 marijuana plants were found. All the plants were pulled and destroyed by fire. Dr. Const. Don Shropshall said this is the season when people are taking plants that were started indoors and moving them to outside locatiOns. They want to plant the to private schools, eliciting rapid negative response from the OPSBA. According to Rachlis's explanation, the OPSBA distributed information about the issue to all member boards, and included "the wording of a motion (to write to the premier) for consideration at board meet- ings." Trustee Rod Brown objected to the use of the term "voucher scheme" in a passage of the motion which read "... on the legislation to implement their tax credit/voucher scheme for private schools." . A voucher system would see the government.give every family a reg- ulated amount of money to be spent on schooling at the institution of their choice, but there was no men- tion of vouchers in the May 9 budg- et. Brown said the wording "seems a little backhanded, if you will. Or, it seems a little unnecessary." The Stratford representative labelled the use of the word "scheme"•as "propaganda" put for- plants near a water source and in iso- lated locations near swamps, forest, and. backfields of farmers' fields. When the corn becomes higher they will then remove some of the corn and plant the plants in the cornfield. Farmers are asked to keep obser- vation for vehicles parked along the side of the -roadway and call in the plate numbers as well as any suspi- cious vehicle activity or people wan- dering near your property to the police. Check out our WEBSITE at www.northhuron.on.ca ward by the OPSBA as a means of hinting where a tax credit might lead. However, he said, the use of the word by district school boards might cloud the issue in the eyes of the public. Brown proposed an amendment to the motion, to remove the words "voucher scheme." His amendment was seconded by Central Huron trustee Charles Smith. "The tax credit is a reality," Smith said. "The voucher scheme is specu- lation. I believe it's a very negative term." North Huron trustee Carol Schenk, the board's representative on the OPSBA, argued the term should be left in the Avon Maitland motion because, even if there's no mention of vouchers in the budget, there should be public debate on the idea. Schenk cast the only vote against Brown's amendment. She joined her colleagues in the final vote, howev- er, as trustees unanimously support- ed the amended motion, which will see the board "call on the govern- ment to hold full public hearings ... in order to provide an opportunity for the public to present their views on this _unexpected and profound change in public policy." Early retirements could mean nasty shortfall for AMDSB in early retirements and, so far, a rise in potential gratuity pay-outs by another $1.5 million. And Baird-Jackson expects as much as $500,000 more by the end of June. "We believe we have not seen the end of the retirements," she told - trustees, when asked about the situa- tion by, South Huron representative Randy Wagler. • Wagler complained that school boards had no influence in the pen- sion plan decision, yet they were being asked to foot the bill. According to Baird-Jackson, the Avon- Maitland board's estimated 52 million increase could represent jut one per cent of the entire projected province-wide shortfall. But she said education ministry officials have yet to indicate there will be financial help for school boards, even though they've been made aware of the problem. "They're obviously aware of it," she said following the meeting. "(The government) also has people who sit on the (Teachers' Pension Plan) Board, so they know about the implications." However, she expressed hope the government would help boards out. The business superintendent noted that, in 1998, additional funds were made available to school boards after teacher retirement eligibility rules changed, allowing for full retirement after a teacher's years of service and age add up to 85. Previously, the "magic number" had been 90. Cops act on callers' tips, find pot plot near Myth