HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-09-13, Page 10THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2000. PAGE 9.
Official kick-off
Controversy continues,
but ambulance plan okayed
Huron County Warden Carol Mitchell had the honours of pronouncing the
new 9-1-1 emergency response system up and running during a ceremony
held at Clinton’s Millennium Park, Sept. 6.
9-1-1 comes to Huron
County staff will proceed
with the costing of various
sites for four new ambulance
bases despite controversy that
continued at Thursday’s coun
ty council session.
The cost of building a new
two-bay ambulance station
with appropriate space for
staff and medical storage
could be about $250,000, not
including land and services,
estimated Jon Hambides, the
county’s consultant on ambu
lance service. Assuming the
total cost of a station at
$300,000 and assuming an
annual rent of $21,000 to a
private operator, these build
ings could be amortized in 14
years, a report of the adminis
tration, finance and personnel
committee said.
But some councillors ques
tioned the wisdom of building
new buildings instead of con
tinuing to use the current
sites, even if there are six
sites. “I think there are a lot
better avenues out there,” said
Rob Morley, reeve of Usborne
Twp. For $300,000 the'county
could probably buy both the
current Clinton and Seaforth
stations and continue to run
them, he said. Before making
changes in the current service,
he said, “Let’s learn how to
run an ambulance service.”
Mason Bailey, reeve of
Blyth, agreed, saying he had
discussed the ambulance situ
ation with many people and
they wondered what was
wrong with continuing the
present six-site system for the
present. The council is com
ing to the end of its term,
Bailey said. “Who knows, the
new council might even have
somebody on it who knows
something about running an
ambulance service.”
But Warden Carol Mitchell
warned against further delays.
“I don’t think we can afford
not to move ahead,” she said.
The county didn’t want an
ambulance service but the
government that forced it on
them had been re-elected by a
large majority so the people
had spoken, she said. “It’s not
going away and it’s not going
to change,” she said of the
issue.
Robin Dunbar, reeve of
Grey Twp. accused some
opponents of playing politics
with the issue. The decision to
go ahead with the four bases
had been made by a wide
majority in July, he said and
“we’re remiss if we find little
things to keep us from making
a decision. The status quo
isn’t satisfactory. We’ve got
work to do.”
Brian McBumey, reeve of
Turnberry, argued that the
cost saving of staffing two
fewer ambulance bases
would quickly make up for
the cost of building new sta
tions.
Some councillors were
more worried about the loca
tions being corfsidered than
the actual cost.
Staff, for instance, will con
sider a three-acre site offered
4.5 km east of Clinton and 8.5
km west of Seaforth on Hwy.
8 for a base for the central
part of the county. Staff will
also look for a site closer to
County Rd. 15.
But Seaforth Reeve Lin
Steffler argued that by com
bining the Seaforth and
Clinton sites and moving it
closer to Clinton, the east side
of the county would be with
out service. Perth may move
an ambulance base to
Mitchell which would serve
eastern parts of the county but
“if that happens we will be
paying Perth County for serv
ices. We will be ensuring the
jobs of Perth paramedics.”
She made a motion, later
defeated, that the report
Continued on page 12
Sept. 6, 2000 will be a
memorable day for Huron
County residents. It was the
day 9-1-1 became accessible
for everyone.
An official switch-on cere
mony was held at Clinton’s
Millennium Park, Wednesday
afternoon to mark the occa
sion.
With a couple hundred peo
ple in attendance, Huron
County Warden and Clinton
Reeve Carol Mitchell per
formed the ceremonial phone
call to 9-1-1 dispatch on an
antique telephone.
With the wail of sirens,
miniature and antique emer
gency vehicles raced to the
park as part of the kick-off.
Also on hand for the festiv
ities were Clinton Mayor Ron
McKay, Bell Canada 9-1-1
manager Patricia Jacobi,
Donna Hoffman representing
the ambulance workers,
Harley Gaunt, Wingham fire
chief and 9-1-1 committee
member, OPP Staff Sgt. Gary
Martin. Huron-Bruce MP
Paul Steckle and the
children’s choir from the
Clinton Co-operative Daycare
Centre.
Municipalities frorn across
the county were represented
by politicians and emergency
service professionals asthey
heralded the beginning of a
new era in Huron County.
Blyth Fire Chief Paul
Josling said it will be much
easier to teach school children
safety programs with the
implementation of 9-1 -1.
Paramedics to take test
Applicants for the new
Huron County ambulance
service will undergo aptitude
tests in the next few weeks,
county councillors were
informed at Thursday’s coun
ty council meeting.
Tests will try to determine
the capacity of paramedics to
work co-operatively as a
team, their emotional well
being, and aptitude and desire
to learn and their critical
thinking.
Rob Morley, reeve of
Usborne Twp. wondered what
the attitude of the paramedics
had been to the announcement
of the tests. (Councillors on
their way into the meeting had
passed a protester and the
gallery was half-filled with
paramedics).
“I will not say it was sup
ported unanimously,” said
Lynn Murray, county clerk
administrator, “but I think the
process is appropriate.”
Lin Steffler, reeve of
Seaforth wasn’t so sure. She
pointed out the paramedics
were qualified for their job.
“Where do we get the author
ity to feel we need to test
them?”
But Jon Hambides, the
county’s consultant on setting
up the ambulance system, said
it was normal for any organi
zation bringing in a new
group of people to test to
measure a baseline for the
need for training. Instead of
spending money to train
everyone, he said, training
funding could be targeted to
those who need it.
Hambides said he had
talked to employees and
ensured them the tests would
not include trick questions
and wouldn’t require any
form of study. They would
just be asked to talk about
themselves.
Bob Broadfoot, reeve of
Tuckersmith, wondered if the
test results would be used in
the hiring process for the new
ambulance service.
“We’re involved in doing
the measurement,” Hambides
said. “It’s up to the county to
do the hiring.”
ONTARIO ENERGY BOARD
NOTICE OF APPLICATION
LEAVE TO SELL ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION ASSETS
LOCATED WITHIN THE VILLAGE OF BLYTH
An Application has been filed on August 17, i
2000 with the Ontario Energy Board (the
“Board”) by The Corporation of the Village of i
Blyth (the “Municipality”) and Hydro One
Networks Inc. (“Hydro One Networks”)
seeking an order of the Board granting leave i
for the Municipality to sell to Hydro One
Networks .the electric distribution assets
which are located within the boundaries of the :
Village of Blyth and are presently managed i
by the Blyth Public Utilities Commission.
The Application also seeks related orders
from the Board.
If you wish to intervene in or observe
this proceeding, or to comment on the
Application, you must write to the Board
Secretary at the address set out below
within 14 calendar days of the publication
of this Notice. Information on how to
intervene, observe or comment can be
obtained from the Board Secretary. If you
wish to participate in the proceeding, copies ;
!
of your letter must also be delivered or
mailed to the Municipality and to Hydro One i
Networks at the addresses below.
Copies of the Application are available for
inspection at the Board’s offices, at the head i
office of Hydro One Networks and at the
office of the Reeve of the Municipality at the i
addresses set out below.
Ontario
RP-2000-0090
ADDRESSES:
Ontario Energy Board
2300 Yonge Street, 26,h Floor
Toronto, Ontario M4P 1L4
Attn: Paul B. Pudge
Board Secretary
Toll free: 1-888-632-6273
Fax: (416)440-7656
Hydro One Networks Inc.
483 Bay Street
13th Floor, North Tower
Toronto, Ontario M5G 2P5
Attn: Glen MacDonald
Senior Advisor-Regulatory Review
Regulatory and Stakeholder Affairs
Tel: (416) 345-5913
Fax: (416) 345-5866
The Corporation of the Village of Blyth
P.O. Box 393
103 Queen Street South
Blyth, Ontario N0M 1H0
Attn: Mason Bailey
Reeve
Tel: (519)523-4545
Fax: (519) 523-9895
DATED AT Toronto August 29,
2000
ONTARIO ENERGY BOARD
Peter H. O’Dell
Assistant Board Secretary