The Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-08-05, Page 3Photo by Dominique
Milburn
Glad Days
Epilepsy Huron -
Perth hosted its
annual Gladiola sale
campaign in
Goderich July 30
and 31. Left,
Volunteer Diane
DeWinte.r helps
Goderich residents
Jody and Will
Newcastle bag up
their purchase in
front of Zehrs on
Friday.
Hospital remains close to
advance budgeting plans
Dominique Milburn
signal -star. staff
Though the Alexandra Marine and
General Hospital (AMGH) submitted a
balanced budget for the 2008/2009 op-
erating year ending April 31, 2009, the
books have shown a slight spot of red.
The AMGH closed dts last operat-
ing year with a deficit of $60,000 - a
miniscule figure according to CEO Bill
Thibert. So small, in fact, that in the
eyes of the South West Local Health
Integration Network (LHIN), AMGHs
books are balanced.
"When you break it down, it's around
0.2 per cent," Thibert said.
Hospitals are required by the Min-
istry of Health and Long Term Care
(MOHLTC) to operate with balanced
budgets. In •February of this year, the
AMGH Board of Directors submitted
a balanced budget plan for its current
2009/2010 operating year- nearly 14
months in advance. Thibert said that
these balanced submissions present a
small challenge to hospital manage-
ment.
"For 2009/2010, we've signed off on
a balanced budget, and we're now just
beginning to evaluate the results for
that," Thibert said. "We feel reasonably
confident that we will complete the
2009/2010 year in a balanced financial
position."
When a hospital reports a deficit, the
CONGRATULATIONS
Bentley Accounting would like to announce the
retirement of Jim and Jan Bentley
after 40 years from their second generation
accounting practice established over
60 years ago by Roy N. Bentley.
V
N
•
GOOD LUCK
Good tuck to Ryan J. Shelton of RJS Accounting
who has moved his accounting practice to the
former location of Bentley Accounting at
5 Britannia Rd. West, GODERICH, ON}
facility is responsible. to absorb that
cost from its own capital funding dol-
lars. Thibert added that in 2008/2009,
AMGH handled its finances well. The
small deficit came as a result of a re-
duction in projected revenues.
"When looking at financial state-
ments and the handling of our expens-
es, we did quite well- even slightly
under budget on salaries, and benefit
costs," he said. "The [deficit came as
a result of] a drop in our semi -private
and private recoveries, and some of our
OHIP recoveries revenue. Our overall
revenue was down over $250,000. The
main reason hospital encountered this
deficit was that we didn't get the rev-
enues that we anticipated."
Of AMGHs $21 million operat-
ing budget last year, $15 million of
that came directly from MOHLTC
funding. A general understanding be-
tween the SW LHIN and the facilities
it oversees is said to be that if a hos-
pital comes within one per cent of its
total MOHLTC funding allocation, it's
books are -deemed balanced. In the case
of AMGH, one per cent is $150,000.
"There is no concern within the LHIN
or hospital. When doing our audit, we
knew we were close to balance, this is
the number that resulted," Thibert said.
"Because we're within the one per cent,
we deem ourselves for all intensive
purposes, to be balanced."
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Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesdgy, August 5, 2009 - Page A3
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Mainstage 1 and 11
Fri., Sat., Sun., August 7,
Lions Harbour Park
MAINSTAGE 1
MAINSTAGE 11
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
5:00
Cooper and Nelson
Kincardine SFO
Rendell and Miller
5:45
Patrick Ourceau
Blackbird
Grainne Hambly
6:30
Opening
Huron Harp Ensemble
Mandolore
Oliver's Legacy
7:15 .
Andre and Martine
The RIG
Finola and Friends
8:00
Scumalash
Kieran Goss
Shane Cook
8:45
Emory Lester Set
Mary Jane Lamond,
Wendy Maclsaac
Brian McNeill
9:30
Matt and Shannon
Heaton
Tanglefoot
Grand Fiddle Frenzy
10:15
Bua
The Outside Track
Closing Ceremonies
11:00
Paddy Keenan
De Temps Antan
Tanglefoot -
MAINSTAGE 11
Friday.
Satulday ; -
Sunday
12:00
Celtic College and
Celtic Kids Day
Camp
e
Scumelash
Islanders
12:46',
Patrick Ourceau
De Temps Antan
1:30
Shane, Cook
Huron Harp Ensemble
2:15
Grainne Hambl'y
Rendell and Miller
. 3:00
The -RIG
The Outside Track
3:45
Blackbird
Paddy Keenan
4:30
Oliver'snt.,egacy
Matt and Shannon
Heaton
Mandolore
5:15
Flryola and Friends
'
Emory Lester.Set ;.,,: •
'
-.Y ,Mar,Jana Lomond
and Wendy Mclsaac
6:00
Coo '�
pi`l'''i�ielst�n
: '
,Bua s
ti r► Giles
6:45
Brian McNeill -
Back 0' The North
Wind
Brian McNeill -- Back ,p'
--'. -' The North Wind
Tanglefoot -