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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2002-03-13, Page 7MUNICIPALITY OF CENTRAL HURON WARD II Hallett Minor Ball Registration Thurs., March 21 - 6 to 8 Sat., March 23 - 10 to 1 At Hullett Central Public School, Londesboro Phone Karen Dolmage at 523-4726 for more information IVES INSURANCE BROKERS LTD. Visit us at: WWW.IVESiNSURANCE.COM "All Classes of Insurance" DOUG GOUGH, Broker 184 Dinsley St. W., Blyth Tel.: (519) 523-9655 Fax: (519) 523-9793 6olid Oak Pine FURNI URE 4.7)0.1i ma4, Maciet Clea4aitce Sale Save on pedestal tables, chairs, hutches, computer work centres, bedroom suites, entertainment centres, coffee and end tables. Just west of Molesworth on Hwy. #86 R.R. #2 Wroxeter NOG 2X0 (519) 335-3228 Fax 335-L442 Open Mon. - Fri. 8 tam - 6 pm; Sat. 10 am - 4 pm `Wait o-utc gactaw euteet d Sale $ THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2002. PAGE 7. Protests prompt county to halt paramedic testing County council briefs By Keith Roulston Citizen publisher After being barraged with protests from the county's paramedics, Huron County councillors voted Thursday to halt psychological testing that's part of a skills upgrading program. The issue was raised by North Huron Councillor Doug Layton. "I gave my word I would speak for them," he said. "From what I can gather the paramedics are at an all- time low with morale. They don't trust me or anyone else." Layton asked that some kind of assurance go out to the paramedics that their concerns were being heard. "When a group of people feel the way they do they're not going to be By Keith Roulston Citizen publisher Staff efforts to bring the construction costs of three new ambulance stations closer to the original estimates were rejected by county councillors who voted to accept the original tender at an additional cost of $75,000 per station. The estimate in 2000 had been that each station would cost about $300,000, an amount later increased to $350,000, but the lowest of nine tenders received came in at $1,303,000, or $434,333 per station. In an effort to reduce the cost closer to the estimate, project director Claus Breede had negotiated By Keith Roulston Citizen publisher Recommendations included in the O'Connor Report into the Walkerton water tragedy have increased the sense of vulnerability and heightened concern regarding liability for many staff in the Huron County Health Unit. Dr. Beth Henning, acting medical Huron County council approved terms of reference for a half-million- dollar groundwater study at its March 7 meeting. The study calls for well head protection studies and risk assessments for 26 water systems both in urban and rural areas plus a mapping of aquifers, a vulnerability assessment and a use assessment. *** Council approved offering a 50- by-60-foot piece of county-owned property in Belmore to Wightman Communications. The property, purchased bythe county in 1962 and apparently used at one time for sand storage, will be used by Wightman for a switching station. Proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Belmore Community Centre. Eat right Exercise too Ask your doctor about a healthier You .„„S", performing their best service," he said. Clerk-Administrator Lynn Murray assured Layton she had spoken with one of the paramedics and was aware of the concerns and that she was going to go out and speak with them. A memo will be sent that "wherever there is an opportunity to modify (the program) we will guarantee we will." But South Huron Councillor Dave Urlin was adamant that the testing program should be stopped. "I don't feel the paramedics have been treated fairly," lie said in making a motion to halt the testing. He was supported by Deb Shewfelt of Goderich. "I don't know what it's got to do with ambulances," he said of the testing. "To me it's an a price of $1,079,000 with lowest bidder Vertseeg Contracting of Elmira by eliminating infloor heating in the garage area, using a stud wall in the garage instead of a cement block one, using asphalt instead of steel on the roof and eliminating an emergency electrical generation system. As well as the $1,079,000, price, the agriculture, public works and seniors committee had recommended a further $40,000 allowance to see if the steel roof and infloor-heating could be returned. But others worried some of the cuts might be short-term thinking. "I would highly recommend concrete in the garage area," said Dave Urlin of South Huron. Using officer of health, made the comments in her report to the health and planning committee's Feb. 12 meeting. Henning said there may be increased political pressure and scrutiny put on the board of health and the medical office of health due to the recommendation that all boards should have a full time MOH. Huron also has- a number of Meanwhile a section of old road allowance for County Rd. 87 in Gorrie will be offered to an insult. "I tell you I'm sick of (getting) the calls and I think morale is in the dumper for sure." But Bernie MacLellan, Huron East councillor and chair of the . agriculture, public works and seniors committee, said he felt there had been a misinterpretation of what was being asked for and that the base hospital that controls the Huron ambulance service was in favour of the testing. Those who have volunteered to start the testing program shouldn't have it stopped, he argued. But Paul Klopp of Bluewater said those who had volunteered to begin the testing were coerced into doing so. Murray said stopping the allweather drywall on a stud wall "you're just looking at disaster down the road," he said. He recommended at least raising the footing wall by two feet to have a concrete base for the wall, "It'll save you years and years on the lifetime of the building." That argument hit home with Rob Morley ,of South Huron who had made the original motion for the $40,000 allowance. "If you're going to spend $1 million don't try to save $20,000 then pay the price down the road," he said. In the long run it was Goderich's Deb Shewfelt who recommended going back to the original design. "Why don't we bite the bullet and go with the tender. It will cost maybe communal wells, Henning pointed out, and the health unit has a role to play in public education and providing expertise in preventing problems. A communications plan should be drafted to suit specific circumstances where a boil water order is needed, whether for a municipality of a small water system, Henning advised. The health unit has already adjoining neighbour with the proceeds to go to the Howick Community Centre. psychological testing throws into question the advanced lifesaving training paramedics were to begin since the base hospital feels the testing is part of the training program. "This channels you into the modules (of the training program) where you perform best," she explained later in the discussion. The results of the testing are known only to the consultant who carries out the tests, she said, not to the employer. Keith Johnston from Morris- Turnberry argued "Our paramedics have gone through enough. Maybe (the testing) will be good in a couple of years but not now." Carol Mitchell from Central Huron said she'd like to hear $80,000 a station," he said. "What I'm afraid of is that if we nickel and dime it, the general public will walk by (the station) and say 'isn't that awful'." Central Huron's Carol Mitchell called it. a "red letter day" because "I'm going,to agree with Councillor Shewfelt. It's really important to do it right." One by one councillors came out in -support of Shewfelt's motion. While the motion approved the original tender price, Breede was given authority to negotiate some savings, such as the fact the county has already purchased shelving for the current stations and this can be moved to the new stations instead of new shelving being purchased. adopted a policy of notifying the local municipality as well as the owner. of a well that has been found to be contaminated. officials from the base hospital explain their reasons for wanting the testing but that the testing program should be halted until this discussion took place. She was supported in an amendment to Urlin's motion by Neil Rintoul of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh who asked for an opportunity to hear all sides. But Urlin argued against any amendment. "I think we have to stop it today, take a step back and take a look at it," he said. He also argued' that the cost of the testing hasn't been nailed down. 7t could be $200 or $500 a person." In the long run the amendment was lost and the motion to stop the testing was approved in a recorded vote by a 9-7 margin. Please Recycle %rnIfii This Newspaper Groundwater study approved It's back to Cadillac model for stations O'Connor reports burdens health unit