The Citizen, 2004-06-03, Page 6;07‘em4*4
Honouring veterans
Bob Potter of Blyth has donated a Canadian flag, flag pole
and a plaque to the Blyth Union Cemetery in honour of the
Second World War veterans and in recognition of the 60th
anniversary of D-Day. (Elyse DeBruyn photo)
Tories respond to letter
NOTICE
TOWNSHIP OF
NORTH HURON
Pursuant to The Municipal
Act, 2001, North Huron
Council shall hold a public
meeting on Monday, June 21,
2004 at 7:30 p.m. in the North
Huron Council Chambers to
consider amending the bag
tags fees for the Blyth-
Hullett, East Wawanosh and
Wingham Landfill Sites. All
interested ratepayers are
invited to attend.
John Stewart, CMO
Clerk-Administrator
TOWNSHIP OF
NORTH HURON
COUNCIL MEETING
North Huron Council has
deemed it necessary to
change the location of their
next Council Meeting from the
Council Chambers to the
Blyth & District Community
Centre Auditorium located on
Gypsy Lane, Blyth, Ontario.
The meeting shall commence
at 7:30 p.m. on Monday,
June 7. All interested
ratepayers are encouraged to
attend.
John Stewart, CMO
Clerk-Administrator
TOWNSHIP OF
NORTH HURON
OPEN HOUSE
North Huron Council shall
hold an Open House to
outline the work and
answer questions on the
Dinsley Street construction
project commencing this
summer. The Open House
shall be held in the Blyth &
District Community Centre
Auditorium located on
Gypsy Lane, Blyth, Ontario
commencing at 6:30 p.m.
on Monday, June 7. All
interested ratepayers are
encouraged to attend.
John Stewart, CMO
Clerk-Administrator
PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2004.
Funding helps school boards
THE EDITOR,
Farmers know the importance of
doing -a job right and so do
Conservatives.
When bovine spongifSrm
encephalopathy struck, producers
were devastated. Consumers saw
marginal discounts.
' That was ample reason for
parliament to investigate the beef
packing industry's actions.
As Joe Semple stated in his May
20 letter to the editor, the agriculture
committee worked remarkably well
through most of the BSE struggle.
As hours ticked off the clock
before the election call, the Liberals
threatened harsh new deadlines,
unprecedented tines and time in the
"slammer" for packing company
executives.
Continued from page 1
Baird-Jackson's written report
stated the efforts of the group — the
Ontario Education Services
Corporation (OESC) — "has saved
school hoards an estimated $3
million."
"This one initiative saved $3
million province-wide, and the
operating budget of OPSBA is just
over $2 million." Pratley explained.
Contacted following the meeting,
Avon Maitland facilities manager
Phil McCotter said savings to the
hoard to date, through what's called
the "energy intervention initiative"
have been minimal. That's because
Prior to this draconian turn, all
parties agreed to hold the packers in
contempt for dragging their heels.
The tougher measures forced greater
co-operation from packers, although
they asked for a little more time as
we had doubled the amount of
information required.
Conservatives will continue to do
whatever is necessary to hold
packers accountable for any
improper actions. However, we
won't. make unprecedented, 11 th-
hour threats that evaporate with an
election call. Evidence itself will
dictate decisions and consequences.
Yours truly,
Gerry Ritz, MP
Senior Agriculture Critic for the
Official Opposition
(613) 995-7080
OESC's main success so far has
been in securing the elimination of a
proposed 16.7 per cent increase in
prices for natural gas from Union
Gas, which supplies just a small
portion of the board's supply.
However, Baird-Jackson's report
notes the OESC has had prior
successes in very different aspects of
education — specifically, obtaining
Criminal Reference Checks_ on
behalf of all member boards, thereby
decreasing the cost. And McCotter
noted that joining the OESC in its
energy efforts could lead to savings
with other energy suppliers.
including Hydro One.
By Stew Slater
Special w The Citizen
School boards across Ontario will
have. some extra leeway as they work
through the month of June preparing
their 2004-05 budgets, thanks to an
announcement of $854 million in
additional funding from the
provincial government.
"It's certainly a lot better than what
most ministries managed to do,"
commented Avon Maitland bistnct
School Board director of education
Geoff Williams, when asked for
reaction.
Premier Dalton. McGuinty released
details of the new commitment at a
school in Kitchener on May 26, just
over a week after his Liberal Party
tabled its first budget — criticized for
its tax increases but praised for what
some commentators saw as crucial
reinvestment in education — in the
Ontario legislature.
The $854 million in 2004-05 is part
of what's referred to in a government
media release as "a $2.6 billion
additional investment in public
education- over the government's
mandate." By the 2005-06 school
year. the media release promises.
educational funding levels will rise to
the level recommended after a 2001
study by the Education Equality Task
Force, headed by former University
of Guelph president Mordechai
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
On-site answering machines,
which haVe gone the way of the
eight-track player and the Beta video
system in most homes (or. more
precisely, in the trash cans of most
homes) will now finally be put to,
rest in some elementary schools
within the Huron-Perth Catholic
District School Board.
At a regular meeting Tuesday,
May 25, Huron-Perth trustees were
informed of a plan to replace the
telephone systems in 17 elementary
schools, at a total cost of $53,865.
According to veteran b-usiness
Rozanski..
In Huron and Perth Counties, the
new funding translates approximately
into an extra $2.8 million in the
budget of the Avon Maitland District
School Board, bringing • total
operating grants to almost $142
million. The Huron-Perth Catholic
District School Board, meanwhile.
should receive an additional $1.3
'illion. bringing total operating
grants to almost $42 million.
"The government has listened to
the people of rural Ontario," states a
media release from Huron-Bruce
MPP Carol Mitchell. "The increased
grants . . . will help to resolve many
of the difficulties which boards (in
the riding) have faced over the last 10
years."
The government media release
highlighted three main areas which
will be targeted by the new funding:
decreasing average class size among
junior kindergarten to Grade 3
students to 20.; additional help for
students at risk of failure; and a
"change from a "one-size-fits-all"
approach to one that better reflects
rural, urban.' suburban, northern and
Francophone factors."
To date, according to Williams,
confirmation for a significant
proportion of the funding has come in
the form of "enveloped" allocations,
particularly for special education and
for hiring enough teachers to meet
superintendent Gerry Thuss, systems
in some schools had not been
upgraded for several years prior to
his arrival at the board, and
presented significant barriers in
carrying , out modern
communications.
"You couldn't put in-any (line)
extensions, there was no voicemail;
some, schbols have the old-style
answering machines, where you
have to play back the tape," Thuss
explained.
In schools which- have undergone
renovations or other upgrades in
the 20 students per .classroom
requirement for primary grades.
Another 30 per cent of next year's
new funding has yet to be allocated,
and the Avon Maitland director of
education expects most of that will
also be enveloped, including for the
training of-teachers in younger-level
literacy and numeracy.
"That doesn't leave us a lot left
over to address other areas where
we've been underspending,
particularly when you realize we're
already looking at a salary increase
for teachers effective the end of
August," Williams commented.
He added, however, that the recent
announcement has allowed the board
to predict an increased ability to
finance its transportation needs.
"In general, there are some pretty
good things in the (provincial)
budget.'' he agreed.
In keeping with provincial
legislation. both boards will host
public meetings, in advance of
approving their 2004-05 budgets.
Wednesday, June 9 at 7 p.m., the
Avon Maitland board hosts a
"consultation" at its Seaforth offices.
while the Catholic board welcomes
the public a week later, June 16. at
Stratford's St. Michael secondary
school.
In past years, these public school
board budget consultations have been
poorly-attended.
recent years, some communications
work has already taken place, so
additional requirements there are
small. And the board's two
secondary schools — in Clinton and
Stratford — were both built within
the past two decades, so they require
no communications upgrades.
The work will be done by Ripley-
based Bruce Municipal Telephone
System, which was chosen over five
other possible contractors. Most
work should be complete by the end
of June.
OESC has saved Ms. $3 million
HPCDSB to replace phone systems
West Nile virus: Gardening.
Fight the Bite!
Protect yourself when gardening: wear mosquito netting, long sleeves and long pants.
Tuck your pants into your socks for extra protection. Use bug repellent containing
DEET and avoid gardening at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
To learn more visit our Web site or call for a brochure.
1-877-234-4343 TTY 1-800-387-5559 ww-w.HealthyOntario.com
Ontario
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