HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-10-18, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2000.
Staffing resurrects old debate
The issue, at the October meeting
of Huron County council, was ambu
lance service staffing when the coun
ty takes it over in January but most
of the debate was on the old issue of
moving ambulance stations.
Jon Hambides, the county’s con
sultant on the ambulance service,
gave a long presentation on the sta
tistics surrounding use of staff time
on ambulances, resulting in the
adoption of four staffing recommen
dations but the most heated debate
went back to the proposal to amalga
mate the Dashwood and Zurich
ambulance stations and move the
new station closer to Exeter.
The staffing changes approved
dealt with reducing the number of
ambulance crews on standby in off-
hours for the amalgamated Clinton
and Seaforth station and Zurich and
Dashwood stations.
Hambides pointed out that current
ly there is one ambulance on standby
at each of the four stations. When the
stations are combined, the call num
bers suggest one ambulance on call
at each of the two remaining stations
would be sufficient.
When paramedics are on standby
they receive $2.25 per hour. If they
are called in they receive time and a
half for a minimum call time. Having
fewer ambulances on call will reduce
costs without hurting service,
Hambides said. Though the saving is
not large it will help with the cost of
improvements like more training for
staff, he said.
But Bob Szusz, reeve of Hullett,
wondered why the recommendations
to cut standby time in the south and
centre of the county are being imple
mented but other expenditures in
providing 24-hour on-duty coverage
for Goderich on weekends is being
left for a further trial period.
No signs please
THE EDITOR,
The winds of a fall federal elec
tion seem to be reaching gale pro
portions. I, like many others in this
riding, would be glad if they sub
sided but should they not and a fed
eral election be called shortly I
would like to invite the other politi
cal parties in the riding to wait until
after the municipal elections are
completed on Nov. 13 to start sign
campaigns and major advertising
efforts.
We have elections in many
municipalities across Huron-Bruce
and I think it would be respectful of
the efforts of our local municipal
candidates to wait until after they
have finished their campaigning to
put up federal signs and ads.
Should there be a federal election
the timing may not permit the
delaying of federal all candidates
meetings until after the municipal
elections but I think it would be best
if it could.
Yours sincerely,
Tony McQuail
President, Huron-Bruce NDP
Riding Association.
Bd. gets credit
THE EDITOR,
It was most impressive to be in the
Cranbrook Cemetery last week and
see the great improvement in its
appearance.
The board is to be commended for
the great amount of hard work and
effort that has been put into repairing
the grave markers. This labour of
love has been a most fitting tribute
honouring the pioneers and early
settlers of the area.
May the Cemetery Board be
enabled to continue the excellent
upkeep of this very special trust that
has been placed in its care.
Rev.James Perrie, Kerwood.
Hambides had earlier shown fig
ures that despite the 24-hour week
end staffing in Goderich, there were
actually fewer calls on weekends
than weeknights when it was felt
standby was sufficient coverage.
Still, the recommendation was to
continue the 24-hour service for six
months to explore the issue further.
“Logic tells me to reduce Goderich
and leave the other stations the
same,’’ said Szusz.
Hambides responded that he had
been told by council not to reduce
staff but there was the potential for
savings in the south and central
Huron stations since there is no sig
nificant use of a second standby
ambulance crew.
Some councillors worried about
the delay in ambulance response
times if ambulances were on stand
by. Hambides said the normal expec
tation is that crews on standby must
repor. to the station within eight min
utes of getting a call, though some
feel they can do it faster. Paramedics
know that if they are on standby they
must be where they can respond
within that time, even if they live far
ther from the station, he said. Some
paramedics in Huron live as far away
as London, he said, but stay close to
the station if they are on call.
But the hottest issue was over the
potential savings of combining the
Dashwood and Zurich stations and
moving the station closer to Exeter.
Rob Morley, reeve of Usbome,
said the potential savings of the
move seemed to be in the amalgama
tion of the two stations, not from
moving them to Exeter.
Hambides said the most calls for
the ambulance in the south come
from Exeter so it makes the most
sense to have the ambulance based
Szusz seeks deputy-reeve chair
Continued from page 1
McKay.
Hullett Twp. Reeve Bob Szusz
will compete against John Bezaire
and Bert Dykstra for deputy-reeve
and Hullett Twp. council members
Bruce Bergsma, Doug Hugill, Marg
Anderson and Tom Duizer will run
for Ward 2 councillors.
Three candidates, Ashfield Reeve
Ben Van Diepenbeek, Bonnie
LaFontaine and West Wawanosh
Reeve Doug Miller, will seek the
post of reeve of Ashfield-Colborne-
Wawanosh.
Running for councillors in the
Wawanosh ward are incumbents
Kevin Shiels, Deputy-Reeve Walter
Elliott and Neil Rintoul.
Acclaimed to the Avon Maitland
District School Board trusteeship for
District 2, Central (Clinton,
Seaforth, Blyth, Bayfield, and the
Twps. of Hullett, McKillop, Stanley
and Tuckersmith), is Charles Smith
of Seaforth.
Bloom chair says big thanks
THE EDITOR,
We narrowly missed the Blooms
title this year. That’s all right
because it makes us want to com
plete a few more projects before we
enter the National Communities in
Bloom contest again next year.
It has been a great year and a com
munity to be very proud of.
To be a part of a community that
reaches the Nationals is a tremen
dous experience. Our committee was
very proud of Blyth as the competi
tion was extremely tough at the
award ceremony in Edmonton.
While in Edmonton we had the
opportunity to tour other municipali
ties and compare notes with others
like ourselves. With 97 municipali
ties competing the “Civic Pride” was
tremendously evident.
Our committee has put together a
there and save on time and gas run
ning back and forth.
But it will cost an estimated
$300,000 to build a new ambulance
station in Exeter while the former
ambulance operator in Dashwood
had been paid only $l,000 a month
for housing the ambulance there.
“You can buy a lot of gas for the dif
ference on the interest costs on
$300,000,” he said.
Noting it was the first time he’d
heard the $1,000 a month figure,
Exeter Reeve Roy Triebner said he
felt a cost/benefit analysis should be
done by the county administration.
“There’s a new element here,” he
said.
Lynn Murray, county clerk-admin
istrator, said .this was the first time
she had heard the rental costs the
Dashwood operator had received.
She’d been informed the rental was a
private contract between the
province and the operator but now
she could ask the operator for the
figures, she said.
An attempt by Morley and Jim
Love, reeve of Hay, to have the
Dashwood situation re-examined
was defeated in a recorded vote.
Council did approve a motion by
Goderich Reeve John Doherty that
Alexandra Marine and General
Hospital be invited to discuss the
possibility of providing a station for
the Goderich ambulance. Earlier a
site north of Goderich had been dis
cussed because the hospital hadn’t
indicated interest in upgrading its
current ambulance station but the
hospital had indicated in an Oct. 3
letter that it would be discussing the
matter with its architect next week to
discuss possible inclusion of an
ambulance facility as part of a major
capital development.
County page
Laura Armstrong, centre, a Grade 8 student at Grey Central
Public School, was page at the October meeting of Huron
County council in Goderich. The daughter of Brian and
Elaine Armstrong, RR1, Ethel, she was introduced by Grey
Twp. Reeve Robin Dunbar, left, and thanked by Warden
Carol Mitchell.
Elect
DOUG LAYTON
For
Reeve
Township of North Huron
s November 13, 2000
WeddingAnnouncement
Ray “Butch” Desjardine of RR 5,
Goderich, was acclaimed to the
school board for District 1,
Northwest (Goderich and the Twps.
of Ashfield, Colborne,- Goderich,
East and West Wawanosh.
In District 3, Northeast
(Wingham, Brussels and the Twps.
of Grey, Howick, Morris and
Turnberry), incumbent Colleen
Schenk will face off against James
Floyd of RRl, Seaforth.
The two local trustees to the
Huron-Perth Catholic District
School board were acclaimed.
Vincent Mclnnes of RR2,
Wingham will return to represent
Seaforth, Brussels, North Perth,
Perth East, and the Twps. of
Howick, Grey and McKillop.
Mary Catherine McKeon of RR3,
Goderich will be trustee for Clinton,
Goderich, Wingham, Blyth and the
Twps. of Huilett, Turnberry, Morris,
East and West Wawanosh and
Ashfield.
Wish List and would like to share it
with you on Thursday, Oct. 19 at
7:30 p.m. Bainton Gallery. Please
join us and bring your ideas and
questions.
Last Saturday, Oct. 14 was a glori
ous day for the Greenway guided
walk. On behalf of everyone there, I
would like to thank the Greenway
committee, Lions Club for the hot
dogs and cider, Murray for the
wagon ride out to the Bailey’s apple
orchard and the sampling of apples
and pears.
Your dedication and your contri
bution are proof that you have put
your heart into beautifying this part
of our village.
Congratulations!
Yours truly,
Bev Elliott
Chair of Communities in Bloom.
Photo by Edith Rock
On Saturday, August 26, 2000 Kathy Fraser, daughter of Randy and
Lorna Fraser and Ron Abell-Rinn, son of John Rinn and Theresa
Abell-Rinn all of Blyth were united in marriage in a beautiful
afternoon ceremony at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Clinton
decorated in white roses. Best man was Joe Schmidt, cousin of
the groom and groomsmen were Mark Nesbit, Tim Lantinga,
friends of the groom, Justin Rinn, brother of the groom and Joe
Fraser, brother of the bride. Jordan Rinn, brother of the groom was
ringbearer. The maid of honour was Kristy Caldwell, cousin of the
bride. Julie McNichol, friend of the bride, Sandra Van Lammeron,
Karen Procter, cousins of the groom and Jenna Rinn, sister of the
groom were beautiful bridesmaids. Angie Fraser, cousin of the
bride was flowergirl. Julie McCall, friend of the couple sang two
beautiful solos during the ceremony, accompanied by Louis Van
Lammeron, uncle of the groom. Grapevines and white roses
decorated the auditorium of the Blyth arena where everyone
enjoyed a delicious dinner and reception. Guests traveled from St.
Catharines, Bramalea, Stratford, Walkerton, Blyth and Brussels.
Special guests were Clara Rinn, Dorothy Scott, Gladys Caldwell
and Cenetta Bainton. Kathy and Ron honeymooned at Benmiller
and Niagara Falls before travelling to the Bahamas for seven days.
We want to thank everyone who helped in the preparation of our
wedding and to everyone who helped us celebrate. A special
thanks to our parents and the wedding party for everything. We
are residing in Bryanston.
— Ron & Kathy Abell-Rinn