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The Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-10-07, Page 7Goderich Signal -Star. Wednesday. October 7, 2009 - Page 7 Huron's treatment of archives termed 'pathetic' The archival collection, and diffusion of it should hire a large consulting firm like opinion the material in several locations illustrates a McKinnsey & Co. Council could then vote a word, pathetic. Visit the Perth, Grey, Bruce dysfunctional system. Some material is at the themselves their next five years of pay, with or Lambton County archives and marvel at Museum, some at the Goderich Library and suitable remuneration for committee meet - the excellent facilities and well-functioning some in the log cabin at the Museum. The ings, mileage, convention money, free laptop operations. Any comparison with Huron's Museum requires an appointment and the computers etc. and then vote to adjourn Lathe approach demonstrates that this is an issue log cabin is closed in the winter months. next election in 2015. The pretense would be that has been allowed to slide for decades. Where were the county cultural managers over. We could then truly have government Take the number of archivists: Huron has when the Goderich Library was expanded? by consultant instead of pretending other - zero; Lambton, two full time, one part-time; Why did they allow planners to poke the wise with a charade council. Grey, two full time; Bruce, two full time; archives into a time -restricted corner? Why The vacated Council Chamber would Stratford, three full time; Mitchell, two part- did they not speak up for a more expansive make an ideal central location for the ne- time and Listowel, one, part tune. and user-friendly solution, one that might glected archives. Failing that, the council Reader printers for microfilm use in Hu- take a more rational approach to the present chamber could be .used for flea markets or ron, were primarily purchased by individual jumbled joke? dog shows, thus maintaining its traditional bequests or the Genealogical Society. When The area is so small that it cannot accom- role in County lite. it comes to providing funds for cultural mat- modate standard library tables next to the mi- ters, the county is always a medicant with its crotilm readers on which researchers can rest Yours truly, tin cup out but is always flush with dollars for their notebooks. Peter Sturdy consultants. After the next council is elected in 2010, To the Editor; I see that county council is about to put the taxpayers on the well-worn consultancy merry-go-round again so that its centrifugal force will make the tax dollars fly out of their threadbare pockets. The museum section of the county's cultur- al department needs some direction on space, unfortunately not cerebral space, but storage space. With conventions, visits to other mu- seums and workshops, perhaps something in the way of new ideas might have penetrated foggy county world. The taxpayers are paying professional wages to county civil servants to produce pro- fessional results. These results are to produce clear vision, exercise effective leadership to implement it and to set out clearly outlined goals and demand quantifiable results at the end of every day, week and year. In short, if the job is being done profes- sionally, and we are paying professionals to direct county business, including cultural affairs, then there is no need for one of the ubiquitous and rapacious consultants, who have a preferred license from county coun- cil, to roam this county like locusts. The drought in the county's case is one of com- mon sense. Taxpayers can be relieved that the county is only going to hire two consultants in the nekt month, Cultural Affairs and Social Ser- vices; what a break! Is the county staff not up to the job or is it that council does not trust the staff's ideas, suggestions and competence? Why are con- sultants on 24-hour call? That Huron County needs a radical update in several cultural areas cannot be denied. Ms Ross raised the issue of an archivist and of the archives. When compared with other coun- ties, Huron's treatment of its archives is, in Letters Collective green fund to can be put to good use To the Editor; If you're like me, you've probably no- ticed that as of late if you use a green friend- ly bag while shopping, a three cent credit is awarded towards your purchase. And if you're like me you probably think, well, it's a nice gesture but it really doesn't do much for me. Sure, over 20 years it may add up but that's 20 years from now. Well, for the past 20 years most of us have been using plastic bags that have ended up in the landfills contributing towards a lot of pollution. Today, our planet is in crisis and the signs of it are all around us whether we want to deny them or not. The Great Lakes are full of plastic items that quite of- ten wash up on shore, our cities are filthy, and within Goderich there sure seems to be we buy them some pizza and pop. After quite a few people putting their household all, it's only a three cent credit per purchase, waste (most of which is recyclable) in the right? Collectively though, that three cents public garbage cans. could do a lot of good on the local level so The truth of it is, if we,don't start clean- why don't we set up a green fund, sort of a ing up our act and taking five minutes here repentance type of thing. and there to make sure what should go in And to those who are putting their gar - the recycling bin gets there, then we're go- bage out in the public cans, shame on you... ing to have a real big problem on our hands There is absolutely no excuse for that, it's one day soon. Instead of giving me the only a $1.50 per bag and if the time is taken three cent credit 1 would rather sec it go to to recycle what ought to be recycled you some sort of a municipal fund to be used might be surprised at how little garbage you towards local green projects. It could be do have at the end of the week. used for things like say, we have a class of school kids go out for a day to pick up gar- Robert L. Armstrong bage off beaches like Black's Point or along Goderich the shores of the Maitland, and as a reward Lobster fishermen hooked up with sex hotline When times are tough and you need a good laugh, you can always tum to the Canadian government. Fisheries Minister Gail Shea has come up with a new financial assistance package to help maritime lobster fishermen on the East Coast survive an economic draught. Easily accessed, the plan included a toll free number for the fishermen to call to seek financial aid. And when they dialed that number a low, breathless female voice answered with: "Hey there hot stuff. I've been waiting for your call." That's right, the, federal government had attached a sex hot line number to their new financial plan. It's the ultimate in stimulus packages. The number was mistakenly sent out where, with a credit card, callers could be linked to "nasty girls" offering "the hottest action." Can you see this unfortunate mistake play- ing itself out. Hot, raspy voice, "Am you ready for some tantalizing fun?" Surprised answer. "Ah, well, I was hoping to grt my hands on some money." "Sure thing honey. You can call it whatever you want." "Ah, maybe I got the wrong phone num- ber." "Oh, 1 got your number alright, big boy. Just tell me what you're wear- ing." "Well, I got my rubber mariner's hat on and my rubber overalls." "Rubber! Oh, baby, you're making me crazy." "I always figured you had to be nuts to get a job with the government but...." "Tell me, baby. Tell me what you want." "Short term assistance." "Hey, don't be so hard on yourself." "Everything's down these days." "Have you tried one of those little blue pills?" , "I just can't get my lobster quota." "Oh baby. I love pet names. My little Lobster Boy." "It's three dollars a pound now which is ridiculous." "Now you're bragging Big Fella." "Problem is I don't have a long term sus- tainability plan." "You take as much time as you need, honey. I'm here for ya." "I'm hoping this'll ease the pressure on payday." "Oh, I know all about the stress you're under, Lover Boy. When you call me, every day is payday." "I need relief and I need it now." "Oh baby, when you "talk like that you really turn me on." "Seems like lately, my trap is always empty." "Oh, I hear ya, handsome. She doesn't deserve a stud like you." "And my nets all got holes in 'em." "Oh I'm puffin' those fishnet stockings on for you right now." • "Everything's bad, the catch, the market, everything." "Now, now Sugar. You just tell Lola here what you realty want." "I was thinking about ten thousand bucks oughtta do it." "Ten thousand what?!T' "Dollars, ten thousand dollars." "You want me to pay you!?!" "Yeah, that's why I called." "Why you creep!" "Why you're one nasty girl!" "Hey. Finally you're getting it, Bozo!" "Lorna? Is that you, Lorna?" "Phillip?" "Lorna, I,thought you said you was work- MW ing for an answering service!" "And you said today's the day you were calling Ottawa for a government grant!" "Boy oh boy, we got lotsa things to talk about at supper." Hey! In these bleak economic tunes, peo- ple are taking whatever jobs they can get. If the purpose of the government stimulus package was to stop the lobster boys from over -fishing, then it probably worked. Most of them are secluded their basements work- ing that toll free number. That's exactly the way the Harper govern- ment works -- promise them money but deliver a distraction. Last month First Nations communities requested NI flu prevention packages and the Harper government sent them body bags. Boy, that'll make you a little nervous about asking for further assistance. Offering free phone sex to lobster fisher- man proves that the government of Stephen Harper does have a sense of humour after all. The Canadian government, giving you full entertainment value for your hard-earned tax dollar. Steve, your cabinet ministers are mak- ing Comedy Central jealous.