HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-02-09, Page 30PAGE 30. THE CITIZEN, WEONESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2000.
Blyth PS news
Students busy preparing speeches
With a bump
A watchful eye by Brussels Public School player Candice
McLellan allowed her to skillfully return the volleyball
during the North Huron volleyball tournament held at F. E.
Madill Secondary School, Feb. 3.
Rural areas would pick up costs
Continued from page 1
If the contract is based on assess
ment, Goderich would save a further
$271,000 with that share of costs
being picked up mostly by rural
townships.
Most urban municipalities would
also be winners: Clinton saving a
further $176,000; Seaforth,
$145,000; Wingham, $139,000;
Exeter, $36,000; Hensall, $21,000;
Blyth, $20,000; Brussels, $19,000.
Only Bayfield and Zurich would be
losers among the urban municipali
ties, Bayfield to the whopping
tune of $124,000 and Zurich by
$25,000.
Of the townships, only Goderich
Twp. would be a major winner with
a saving of $88,000 because it has
heavy policing costs due to the
Bluewater Centre. East Wawanosh
would save $17,000. All the rest
would lose in amounts ranging
from $10,000 for Hullett to
$123,000 for Colbome. For other
local townships the move to assess
ment would cost Grey $66,000;
Howick, $93,000; McKillop,
$40,000; Morris, $22,000;
Turnberry, $50,000 and West
Wawanosh, $28,000.
Robin Dunbar, Grey Twp. reeve
and chair for the presentation of the
administration, finance and person
nel committee report to council, said
the judge’s ruling created the possi
bility of “county-wide assessment
(costing) through the back door”.
By repealing the bylaw it allowed
all municipalities to start fresh on
deciding on what they could agree
to, Dunbar said.
But the issue brought lengthy
debate, started by an effort by
Wingham Reeve Bruce Machan and
Goderich Reeve John Doherty to
have the motion tabled until the
county would negotiate with
Goderich and Wingham (plus
Howick which is also represented in
the court case). That move was
eventually rejected in a recorded
vote 50-11.
But debate on whether or not to
repeal the bylaw raged for more
than an hour.
“We’re being held hostage by
Goderich and Wingham who have
the most to gain by costing by
assessment,” charged Ben Van
Diepenbeek, reeve of Ashfield.
Blyth Reeve Mason Bailey com
plained that though county staff said
the recommendation to appeal the
bylaw came from the county’s solic
itor, he had never seen any of this
advice in writing. “Oral advice can
be misinterpreted,” he said.
Others argued the county’s bylaw
was already in effect and therefore
could not legally be repealed. But
Brian McBurney, reeve of
Turnberry, pointed out the county
had never set up a police services
board. “We weren’t acting as if the
bylaw was ever in force,” he said.
Howick Reeve Norm Fairies sug
Once again it is time for public
speaking at Blyth Public School
and students are working hard to
prepare and rehearse their
speeches.
Selected students from Grades I
to 3 participated in a school-wide
story-telling contest on Feb. 7, and
those chosen from Grades 4-8 will
take part in the public speaking
competition on Feb. 9. The
competition between schools will
take place at Hullett on Feb. 16.
EQAO
The dates for the upcoming
EQAO testing in Grades 3 and 6
have been announced by the
Ministry. The provincial
assessment will take place at some
time between May 8 and May 26.
The exact school and grade dates
will be announced closer to the
time.
Parents of students in these
East Wawanosh PS news
Class makes mailboxes
This week the East Wawanosh
kindergarten classes are starting to
look forward to Valentine’s Day.
They have already made mailboxes
to put their valentines in.
Mr. Lobb’s Grade 7/8 class is
sure keeping busy. February is the
month for speeches and much
research and rehearsal has taken
place in the hopes of delivering that
perfect speech.
Students who have advanced to
the contest in the gymnasium in the
morning of Feb. 10 are Nicole
Meier, Nicole Walker, Amy Cook,
Chris Cottrill, Emily Elston and
Cody McGee.
Also on the same day, students in
the younger classes will be doing
storytelling and public speaking as
well.
gested there were other ways to get
a better contract than for the county
to take over policing.
“I was opposed to this from the
get-go,” he said. “I suggested a year
or so ago that we do this by agree
ment between the lower tier but it
wasn’t done.” Thirteen Lambton
County municipalities had joined
together to sign a policing contract
without involving the county, he
said.
Roy Triebner, reeve of Exeter said
some councillors had accused
Wingham and Goderich of delaying
tactics in the tabling motion but he
felt the county’s move to repeal the
bylaw was a delaying tactic that
might end up being challenged in
the court.
Jim Love, reeve of Hay, said a
judge’s decision that costing must
be based on assessment would also
be challenged. “If a judge rules it is
cost by assessment and if it’s (the
bylaw) not repealed, you ain’t seen
no court cases yet,” he said.
The motion to repeal the bylaw
was passed 50-11.
Now that the bylaw is repealed
local municipalities have several
options, Davidson said. They can set
up a local police services board and
contract \vith the OPP for local
policing; they can join together to
negotiate a joint policing agreement
or, in the case of smaller municipal
ities, they can just wait for the OPP
to bill them for services.
classes are asked to avoid elective
absences such as dentist
appointments during this time
frame.
CANADIAN COGNITIVE
ABILITIES TEST
At Blyth, a decision was made to
also conduct the Grade 4 Cognitive
Abilities Test during the month of
January. This test measures
aptitude as opposed to achievement
and gives us a better picture of
what your child is capable of
academically. This is an important
instrument for assessing and
identifying students with particular
needs.
Previously the board had
provided for board-wide testing on
this test and for computerized
scoring, but this has been
discontinued due to budget
cutbacks. Blyth PS thanks Mrs.
Cronin for her hard work in
conducting and hand-scoring these
On Monday, Feb. 28 a trip is
planned for the Wawanosh Nature
Centre to do survival activities.
We are proud to report that
Leanne Elston did very well at the
free throw competition on Feb. 2.
The school was represented by two
students from each age category.
Leanne was first in Wingham and
went on to the next level and
obtained a second place standing.
Early dismissal at 2:30 p.m. was
held on Monday, Feb. 7 for a
presentation about assessing
mathematics for the teachers of
East Wawanosh and Brookside
schools.
5 (P CLnn.iu-e’t&aiy CLptti
for Ralph & Grace Lubbers
on February 19, 2000
at the Auburn Community Hall
2-4 p.m.
Best wishes only
instruments.
If Grade 4 parents wish to
discuss the results of the testing,
call Mrs, Cronin for more
information during the month of
February.
SCHOOL COUNCIL
The School Council executive
met on Wednesday, Jan. 19. Brenda
Young and Marg Steele reported on
a playground equipment
presentation they had attended at
Exeter Public School. An open
meeting on March 2 is to be,
Opening the Lines of
Communication. Ail parents are
requested to attend and to bring
their questions,, comments and
suggestions.
Dates were also discussed
regarding future School Council
events: Wednesday, April 12,
community supper; Sunday, April
30, pancake breakfast; Monday,
May 15, Kellogg’s UPC campaign
ends; Early June, walkathon.
frc-tificwning-
Jltavuag#
Claudette (Claudia) Maltais
and Allan Cardiff
of Brussels, ON
and
Gerald (Jake) and Theresa
Corcoran
of Eastern Passage, NS
are happy to announce
the forthcoming marriage of
Nadine Maltais
and
Sean Corcoran
of Listowel, ON
The marriage will take place
on February 12, 2000
Open reception at 9:00 p.m.
Parkview Gardens, Listowel
^larriaqe
KERR - SCRIMGEOUR
Ingrid & Bill Kerr
of Clinton
are happy to announce
the engagement of their daughter
Janet
to
Brent
son of
Lenore & Don Scrimgeour
of Blyth
The wedding will take place on
February 18, 2000 in Blyth.
Open reception at 8:00 p.m.
Blyth Community Centre