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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2004-10-21, Page 32"Good Shoes and a good bed" If you're not in one, you're in the other. The Wingham Sales Arena has both at fantastic savings! Come on in and get a great deal on new box springs and mattresses for a good night's rest. Available in single, 3/4, double, queen & king sizes. Economy line, plush pillow tops, orthopedic & pocket coil. Also bedroom suites, living room suites including leather sofa sets, table and chair sets, curio cabinets, buffet & hutches. Carpet roll ends, wicker items, used furniture, collectables., We've just purchased a large quantity of safety work shoes consisting of manufacturer's clearances, overstocked styles and discontinued lines in a good range of sizes and styles. Will be offered at low, low prices. Also rubber boots, insoles, laces, winter boots, insulated bib overalls & coats. WINGHAM SALES ARENA Open Mon. - Sat. 9-6 pm North end of Wingham 357-2987 PAGE 32. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2004. Blyth councillor asks for less snow clearing By Bonnie Gropp Citizen editor Despite protests from one Blyth councillor North Huron council accepted the recommendation of the public works committee to cli5 snow removal on streets and sidewalks the same as in past years. Councillor Murray Nesbitt had By Bonnie Gropp Citizen editor North Huron will consider a marketing plan for its recreational facilities on certain conditions. At the- Monday night meeting councillors were told of a grant to assist with developing a marketing strategy. Clerk-administrator John Stewart said the intent was to apply for an 80/20 split, but the worst-case scenario would be 50/50. The total cost would be $13,000. Councillor James Campbell By Stew Slater Special to The Citizen The eventual injection of approximately $710,000 of one-time government money into-the current year's Avon Maitland District School Board budget "certainly goes some way to helping (the board) recapture the amount" it already spent to ensure each school had a full-time principal and secretary. Still, according to business superintendent Janet Baird-Jackson, it means the board won't be able to re-allocate about $414,000 it took away . from other 2004-05 expenditures to provide those guarantees. On Sept. 22. the ruling Liberals provided estimates to each school board, detailing how $31 million for the rural school portion of the so- called "Good Schools Open" initiative would be distributed. In short, education ministry officials expanded upon the previous government's definition of "rural," declared each school should have a principal and secretary, and based its allocation formula on 93 per cent of the salary earned by such employees under existing benchmarks. Then on Sept. 27, ministry officials stated the formula would be used only to decide how much new funding each school generated; previously expressed concerns over the amount of street clearing in Blyth. At Monday night's meeting he re-iterated them during a discussion following the motion to continue as, in the past. Nesbitt feels there is no need to clear the sidewalks and banks on London Rd.. north of the general store or south of King Street. As wondered if something like this couldn't be done internally. He also asked if the grant would be there next year if an internal plan didn't work. Councillor Archie MacGowan agreed that a marketing plan was important and felt that perhaps the time had come to consider bringing in someone to do it. "We need to get more bodies in our doors and we don't have the knowledge to put together a marketing plan. Marketing the facility and following a plan are two different things." school boards can then decide how and where to spend the funds, based on whlt are expected to be a broadly-ranging set of yet-to-be- released parameters. Baird-Jackson, speaking to trustees at a meeting Tuesday, Oct. 12, called the $31-million initiative "a patch on a patch (for addressing rural education woes): the Good Schools Open on top of the Rural Education Strategy." She said one reason why the Avon Maitland budget will still show a shortfall in principal/secretary funding, if the ministry estimates hold true once the final calculations are made early next year, is that the salary benchmarks used by the government are five years old. Trustees also questioned the preliminary calculations provided during the Oct. 12 meeting; one education ministry document indicated Seaforth Public School remains a secondary school (which ceased to be the case in 2002). Interviewed after the meeting, Baird-Jackson stressed it's not yet known how broadly-ranging the parameters will be for spending the Good Schools Open money, for boards which have already provided full-time principals and secretaries in every school. She noted previous budgetary decisions have frequently taken well, he said there's no need to continue as far east on Dinsley Street as they have been doing. "It's time. It's labour, plus many more hours on the new machine we purchased. This may only be my opinion, but it's a waste. We are looking every day for ways to save money and I really think this needs to be reviewed." Councillor Arnold Taylor saw it both ways, however. He noted that with the director of facilities and recreation being the most knowledgable person about the facilities, plus having the business background, he was perhaps the best to develop a plan. "Maybe I'm being narrow in my thinking, but I'm just trying to see who is better qualified." However, he felt that the grant might not be there if they wait a year. Deputy-reeve Murray Scott agreed that North Huron probably had the expertise on staff, but they needed to money away from transportation. However, both she and education director Geoff Williams expressed confidence the soon-to-be-revamped rural education strategy will take into account the struggle of rural boards to finance such things as transportation. "Facilities is one area that gets hit all the time to fund the Councillor James Campbell, chair of public works, said that a certain portion of the streets, such as those in the business section are done every day. The others are only if time allows. However, he noted, that on Dinsley Street there are two home childcare businesses that want the service. Director of public works Ralph get "all the players around the table" to discuss it. He also added, however, that he hesitates to get a grant "just because it's available". Director of finance/treasurer Donna White was instructed to contact the province and ask if the grant would be available next year, if the work could be done internally, and if they could back out should the grant come back as a 50/50 split. The information will then be presented at a recreation board meeting for consideration: programming," the business superintendent commented, adding the Good Schools Open money might be used to fund structural renovations or upgrades. Check out The Citizen's WE BSITE at www.northhuron.on.ca Campbell explained that under the new Municipal Act, municipalities are required to remove snow from at least one sidewalk on every street through town. "I don't care, but I'd like to get this aired and then decide once and for all." The reason for clearing the main street is because it is narrower through Blyth than in any other town. "We go over the bridge to help keep kids safe on (Hwy. 4)", he said. Asked how much time it would take staff to clear the four blocks on Dinsley Street that Nesbitt was concerned about, Campbell estimated a half hour. Another factor for council to consider, Campbell 'said, is that the snow budget for North Huron is one budget, whether it's Wingham or Blyth. "If they found out down there (in Blyth) that 90 per cent of the streets in Wingham are done, and theirs aren't then there's another problem." Noting that Dinsley is also a well- travelled street because it is often used by rural travellers to get to and from the village, the reason for clearing is a risk management issue as well, said Campbell. All councillors, with the exception of Nesbitt, supported the motion to continue clearing at the present level. It in Please Recycle %Is This Newspaper MT] LI 0 1.1 •,[__ 5 Op louse Scrapbooking & Stamping Supplies October 26 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm a ' Make crd Heather Van Dorp •, ,,t° take 0,,,e Hullett-McKillop Rd. corner of Hwy. 4 & Hullett-McKillop Rd.) 523-9821 'asa p Lift t>etitione Weleottic amp _...s,„is55 Tuesday, 39965 (Southwest 'D viNi 6'11Pw' .Doot es ?ft-L usiant . eon vzog 3 10111009 ‘fet l otot raotA 1E n cio_roida-3 ci LI N. Huron ponders marketing plan Grant will help AMDSB budget