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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-04-28, Page 1Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Volume 21 No. 17 Thursday, April 28, 2005 $1 (93c + 7c GST) NORTH HURON PUBUSHING COMPANY INC. Inside this week Jessica Sparling keeps on winning p z Repairs planned for * HPCDSB properties _ Local dancer wins Pg-7 first p 7 2 A chat with Harvey McDowell Students get technical at Imago Alliance adjusts bed numbers In response to ongoing Balanced Budget Plan deliberations, the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance has implemented slight adjustments to its overall bed numbers. Clinton Public Hospital will move to 17 beds, St. Marys Memorial Hospital will move to 20 beds, and. Seaforth Community Hospital will move to 18 beds. These changes will leave the Alliance with a total of 201 in­ patient beds. "In making these adjustments, we looked at how many beds we needed to maintain current service levels,” says Alliance Chief of Staff Dr. Fred Jewson. “As such, the 19 beds we are closing across the Alliance will not result in a reduction in service.” Although not linked to the bed closures, the Alliance has also implemented slight staffing reductions, including one management termination, three full- time staff and two part-time staff early retirements, the elimination of two vacant positions and the conversion of a part-time position to full time. As with the bed adjustments, these staffing changes will not result in reduced access to services. In announcing these changes, Alliance CEO Andrew Williams reinforced that they are part of an ongoing effort by the Alliance to move towards a balanced budget position. “As required by the Government of Ontario, all hospitals are expected to balance their budgets by April 1, 2006,” stated Williams. “A recent Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care review of our Balanced Budget Planning efforts confirmed for the Government that the Alliance was operating efficiently and could not eliminate its deficit without directly affecting patient care,” confirmed Williams. “As such, we look forward to continuing our discussions with the Ministry to identify ways in which the current $5.5 - $6.0 million deficit can be addressed while maintaining access to needed, local healthcare services,” he concluded. Market association forms The Blyth Farmers’ Market Association was officially born Saturday with a board of directors that will run a 12-week, Saturday- afternoon market this season. A five-person board of directors was set up at a meeting of vendors. Vendors will be represented by Julie Sawchuk and Barb Storey. Diane Radford and one other person to be named later will represent customers. Keith Roulston. founder of the market, will act as chair for the 2005 season. The first market will be held June 25 at the corner of Queen and Dinsley Streets where the market will continue until Sept. 10. Some vendors asked to be able to arrive earlier at the market this year beginning at 12:30 p.m. The market will continue until 4:40 p.m. The association starts off with a small nest-egg of $400 following a successful first season in 2004. The board hopes to hire a part-time manager to run the market in 2005. OPP lay charges On April 23 at approximately 3:30 p.m. officers were called to a single vehicle crash on St. Helens Line in ACW. The officer found that the driver of a maroon 1992 GMC Sierra pickup truck had lost control, left the roadway and struck a hydro pole and telephone box. The 29- year-old man from Lucknow received minor injuries in the crash. Charges have been laid. Huron East gives go ahead for group home By Jim Brown Citizen staff Proponents of a group home in Seaforth were given the go-ahead to look into setting one up in the community. Program directors Steph Kuntz and Paul Zelenka of Serenity Place in Woodstock made a presentation to Huron East council on April 19. Council had received a request to establish a group home for children referred by the Children’s Aid Society (CAS) at 23 Victoria St. in Seaforth. The property is zoned fringe core area commercial (C2), which permits a group home. Under the Seaforth zoning bylaw, a group home is defined as a residential dwelling for individuals recovering from social, mental or physical problems, operated as a single housekeeping unit in a residential area in which three to 10 residents, excluding staff or receiving family, live as a family under responsible supervision consistent with the requirements of its residents, but excludes a place of WnT!ril"n»inif..... Clean sweep Connor Prescott, left and Matt Chalmers, along with other Blyth Public School students spent Earth Day on Friday cleaning up the school yard, only to have it covered the next day by several centimetres of snow. Winter storm conditions continued in the area throughout the Weekend. (Vicky Bremner photo) detention, correction or probation for individuals with a violent criminal history or record. The group home has to meet a local need, has to be licensed by the province of Ontario and is registered by the municipality with renewal or registration to occur on an annual basis. The group home also has to be fully detached and wholly utilized by the group home occupants. Chief building official Paul Josling said the applicants have declared there is a need for such a facility in this area. One of the requirements to establish such a home is that it be provincially licenced and that a public information meeting be held prior to the home being established. Kuntz said the residents would be males between the ages of 10 and 14 years and would be from Huron and Perth Counties. When asked where the youth would be located if the group home was not established in Seaforth, Kuntz said they would be as far away as a four to six-hour drive. “They could even be placed as far away as Ottawa or Oshawa,” he said. Zelenka told council they were looking for a five-bedroom home which would provide good accommodations for five male youths. He indicated they have been co­ operating closely with the Huron- Perth CAS. Kuntz said they have been operating a facility in Woodstock for about a year, and have had no issues with the neighbours. “We are here tonight to listen to your concerns,” he said. He indicated there will be staff at the home 24/7 with the ratio being five youths to two staff. Zelenka said the staff members have university degrees and there will be one staff member on overnight. “We are a for-profit operation,” said Kuntz. “We are a member of Ontario Private Institution (OP1).” As such, they are not a charitable institution or a non-profit facility. Even though those residing in the home will be between 10 and 14 years initially, they could remain in the home until they are 18 years of age. Councillor Mark Beaven of the Grey ward applauded the two men on their application, stating, “It is unfortunate that there is a need for such a facility in the area.” He indicated the youth in this home may be more supervised than in some other homes. He added that not only is it a licensed facility, it is inspected annually and its operation is also reviewed on an annual basis. Mayor Joe Seili said there is better control in this type of facility than any other home and the staff can better monitor the residents. “In the next few years, we are going to need more of these facilities,” he said. Beaven said he believed this type of home will be a good influence on the neighbourhood. Council had no objections to the home being established in Seaforth. Zelenka indicated they were hoping to get the home operating by August, 2005.