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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2002-12-24, Page 62002 CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY SCHEDULE For WASTE DISPOSAL AND CURBSIDE PICKUP In the MUNICIPALITY OF MORRIS-TURNBERRY CURBSIDE PICKUP Saturday, December 28th, 2002 in lieu of December 25th, 2002 CURBSIDE AND RECYCLING PICKUP Saturday, January 4th, 2003 in lieu of January 1st, 2003 Pickup will be at the usual time LANDFILL SITES WILL BE CLOSED DECEMBER 2YH AND JANUARY 15-r Landfill sites will be open December 28th, and January 4th For further information contact the Municipal office at 519-887-6137 Volunteer honours Lavern Clark of Blyth was presented with his Citizen of the Year award by Citizen board member Diane Radford. (Janice Becker photo) NOTICE TO MEMBERS 51st ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING will be held at the Royal Canadian Legion 316 William Street EXETER, Ontario WEDNESDAY JANUARY 8, 2003 " AT 7:30 P.M. for members of HEARTLAND COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION LIMITED (formerly Clinton Community Credit Union Limited) For the purpose of receiving reports and financial statements for the year ending September 30, 2002; electing Directors and Credit Committee Officers; appointing Auditors; amending Bylaws and the transacting of all other business of an Annual Meeting, stated only on the aganda as per bylaw No. 7.07 Transportation to be provided Buses leaving Clinton and Listowel branch office parking lots at 6:45 p.m. (Clinton), 6:00 p.m. (Listowel) and will also pick up members in Hensall, if required. Please call Shelley Merner at the Clinton office 482-3466 and Mike Shepski at Listowel 291-6189 by Monday Jan 6th, 2003, to arrange. SPECIAL DOOR PRIZE 25" Samsung Colour Television with DVD input to be drawn during the evening All Members are welcome. Heart nd Community Credit Union Limited Head Office, Clinton 48 Ontario Street, Clinton Ph (519) 482-3466 Fax (519) 482-3743 Exeter Branch 118 Main Street, Exeter, Ph. (519) 235-0640 Fax (519) 235-0261 Listowel Branch 161 Inkerman Street W. Listowel Ph. (519) 291-6189 Fax (519) 291-6191 Website: www.heartlandcommunitycu.on.Ca entral Huron NOTICE Municipality of Central Huron HOLIDAY HOURS The Central Huron Municipal Office and the Clinton Power Corp. office will be closing on Tuesday, December 24, 2002 at 12:00 noon and will reopen for regular hours on Thursday, January 2, 2003, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. IN CASE OF A HYDRO/UTILITY EMERGENCY PLEASE CALL 482-9601 PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2002. Boards react favourably to report's call for spending By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen Not surprisingly, school board officials in Huron and Perth Counties reacted favourably to the recent release of a report calling on the Ontario government to spend about $1,.8 billion in education in the next three years. "We're very happy, obviously," said Avon Maitland District School Board Director of Education Lorne Rachlis, the evening after a select few representatives from each of the province's school boards sat through what was referred to as a "lock-up" in Toronto. Over a few hours on Tuesday, Dec. 10, details of the report from the government- commissioned Education Equality Task Force, chaired by University of Guelph president Mordechai Rozanski, were released to school boards and other education stakeholders. Immediately afterwards, the media received a briefing. According to Avon Maitland Business Superintendent Janet Baird-Jackson, the report suggests the bulk of the $1.8 billion be spent beginning in the next school year, 2003-04. But, speaking to trustees at a regular meeting on the evening of Dec. 10, she added that the task force also identified three main "urgent, specific, in-year issues," including transportation, special education, and employee salaries. Baird-Jackson noted that those three issues dominated the board's criticism of the province's education funding formula, when it communicated with the task force earlier this year, both through a written submission and an oral presentation. Interviewed during a break in the meeting, newly-elected chair Meg Westley stressed the board could face considerable challenges if money is not made available this year to help cover costs of Create scented Christmas ornaments What would Christinas be without intricate ornaments for the family tree? As you hang your delicate glass balls, ribbons, garland and glistening stars, consider creating special homemade scented ornaments. It's easier than you might think. With a simple batch of edible ingredients, you can whip up spiced ornaments. Here's the recipe, courtesy of www.recipesource.com. SPICED CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS Yield: 1 recipe 3/4 cup ground cinnamon 1 tablespoons ground allspice 1 tablespoons nutmeg 2 tablespoons ground cloves 1 cup applesauce Mix dry ingredients together. Add applesauce and mix well. Roll on waxed paper to 1/2 inch thickness and sprinkle with cinnamon to keep from sticking. Cut into Christmas shapes. Let decorations air dry for four to five days, turning once a day. Ornaments can be painted or decorated when dry. Store in a plastic bag each year. When the scent evaporates, add a drop or two of cinnamon oil of the back. These ornaments are wonderful tree decorations or gifts. transportation and special education, and to allow the board to offer adequate compensation during upcoming labour negotiations. In what was seen by some as a risky strategy last June, trustees balanced the 2002-03 budget by including no allocation for employee raises, despite knowing that employee groups would not accept a pay freeze. "I do think our negotiations with our employee groups and our budget could be issues, but hopefully the government will at least come through with something Is a result of this report," Westley explained. "If the government chooses to ignore (Rozanski's) recommendations, creating a balanced budget in the coming year is going to be as big a challenge as it was last year, or perhaps an even greater challenge." Even within the day, however, there was some indication that the government was listening to the task force. According to Baird-Jackson, Education Minister Elizabeth Witmer addressed those attending the "lock-up," and "indicated that she was not interested in echoing empty promises." And as the week progressed, the government made three separate announcements of 2002-03 funding, in three areas: special education ($250 million, province-wide), employee compensation ($340 million), and transportation ($20 million), Opposition critics identified the transportation commitment as a repeated announcement of money which had already been earmarked in the province's June budget. They also wondered how the government could suddenly come up with the other $590 million on the spot, when it could have been spending that money all along on education. But school board officials across the province were, nonetheless. happy to hear the announcements. "The government has certainly come through on some of those immediate recommendations, and I think that's going to provide some very real short-term relief for us," Westley commented early this week. She reiterated the opposition's criticism of the transportation announcement, and added that Avon Maitland's estimated share of that $20 million — about $200,000 — is not nearly ehough to cover the board's over $1 million annual shortfall in busing costs. But she welcomed the money for special education and employee compensation, and expressed hope that the government will also act on some of the task force's long-term recommendations. "I'll have to wait and see if (the longterm commitment) happens," Westley said. "But it certainly is the best news, we've had in a very long time."