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The Huron Expositor, 1995-11-01, Page 15Concerns Continued front page 7 The specific system is called OMPPAC, which is an acronym for Ontario Municipal Provincial Police Automatic Co-operative, and is something Seaforth is now tied into for the first time. Our municipal force had nothing comparable. It is a computerized filing system for sending messages between police forces, oops, services. The old OPP information system only contained highly specific information, for TIN MYIION EXPOSITOR, November 1, 1tt1S -stir Close -u' about violent crimes biggest change, says OPP instance charges, people ar- rested or in custody, vehicle registration numbers, and so on. "What did not make it on the old system was informational kinds of things," Sgt. Brown says, "for instance that we are investigating a complaint of damage to property and, say, we have a description of the suspect and so on. Unless there was something specific like a serial number that could keyed in, it didn't make it on our old system. "OMPPAC on the other hand is our own filing'system. If, for instance, officers in the Seaforth area were to query a name, if he wasn't charged with anything it wouldn't show up on the old system. But now there will be a record of inves- tigations currently underway involving that name." MORE VIOLENCE? Sgt. Brown says increasing concerns about violent crime are one of the biggest changes in our society the, OPP has witnessed in the past decade. "Many different special interest groups will identify violent crime as beim on the increase, or not on the increase, depending on their particular concerns. Certainly, I think we can all agree, that the concern for violent crime has increased in recent years. "The reason I say that it is the concern that has increased, not necessarily the crime, can be seen when you look for example at domestic violence. The OPP spokesman notes domestic violence is not a new ALL THE BRASS - The upper echelons of the Ontario Provincial Police were well represented at Seaforth District High School Monday night when Seaforth switched back to the service after almost 40 years of municipal policing. With government cutbacks, role of United Way crucial As provincial government dollars continue to dry up, threatening the life of many agencits and community programs, the role of the Huron United Way is even more critical. Huron United Way, a non- profit fund-raising agency financially supports 19 agencies in Huron county, providing services to more than 3,000 Huron residents. The 1995 campaign is now in full swing and volunteers are canvassing the county to meet this year's •ambitious goal of $155,000. Last year the United Way raised almost $130,000, an increase of nearly IO% over the $118,931 raised in 1993. Reaching this. year's g'da! iS even more vital in view of the lack of government funding. `People in Huron County have discovered that donating to United Way is the tidiest way to help people who most need assistance,' campaign - chairman Don Tedford said. 'While 3,000 local residents may depend on the services of United Way agencies, another 3,000 will not get required services due to lack of funding.' On a typical day, United Way agencies in Huron reach out to nearly 300 men, women and children of all ages. Donations help to improve the quality of life for 500 seniors, 1,200 youth, 600 people who are physically or mentally challenged and 700 others with specific needs. With only one annual campaign on behalf of its 19 agencies, United Way allows donors to help a number of different agencies with one donation. Donations to the United way stay in Huron County and the volunteer agency has a well-earned reputation for efficiently raising and distributing funds . with a minimum of expense. By providing a separate volunteer fund-raising service, United Way frees member agencies to do what they do best; provide service to the needy. Each year, member agencies requests for funds are analyzed by an impartial panel of local community volunteers. Based on a needs analysis, a sharing formula is developed for each agency to reflect current conditions and funds are distributed. Blyth school receives award Blyth Public School received a conservation award certificate from the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority ` at a recent meeting in Wroxeter. In recent years students and "staff at the school have in- volved themselves in maty school and community projects to protect and improve the health of the environment. "About 100 hours of labour per year have been put into assisting with the Blyth Rehabilitation Project for the past throe years," notes a prm release for the Maitland or- ganization. Last year, corporate donations and payroll deduction plans contributed $70,000 to the United Way total while contributions from canvasses in towns and villages accounted for another $60,000. If employees do not have a payroll deduction plan in place, donations may be made by using the mailer contained in the Oct. 31 edition of Focus or by contacting Huron United Way at 482-7643. problem, and the solutions and causes are many. "In years gone by I think we would all agree that domestic violence was basically handled within the home and within support groups within the com- munity, whether that was in a church group or certain cultural group or within the family group. "It was not reported to the police frequently," he says. "When it was reported to the police it was because it had reached a serious level. In recent years the concern for domestic violence has brought it out into the open. "And as a result I think we are having far more incidents reported earlier and their is therefore a greater awareness of violent crime, which leads- to a greater reporting violent crime, which would tend to make the statistics indicate a increase in violence. "I am not sure how much it has actually increased, except it is a number one concern." Facts on the OPP • The OPP is the third-largest deployed police service in North America. • The first salaried provincial constable was John Wilson Murray, appointed in July 1875, as a detective for the government of Ontario. The OPP itself was officially es- tablished on Oct. 13, 1909. . • In 1994-95 the Ontario Provincial Police employed 5,700: 4,439 uniformed officers and 1,261 civilians. • There are 180 provincial police detachments in Ontario. • The OPP is responsible for patrolling 993 -thousand square kilometers of land in Ontario, and another 174 -thousand square • kilometers of waterways. • The OPP provides policing assistance to more than 2.3 - million people in this province year round, and an estimated 3.6 -million people in the summertime. • In 1974 the OPP became the first deployed police force in Canada to recruit, train, equip and assign women to perform the same duties as their male counterparts at equal remuneration. • Specialized units of the OPP, which is divided into six regions with its headquarters in Toronto, include anti -rackets, intelligence, canine, underwater, helicopter, computer services, tactics and rescue, marine auxiliary police, technical Iden- • tification and Indian policing. Air patrols serve remote areas of Northern Ontario. Sources: The Canadian Encyclopedia and Ontario Provincial Police. Adminstrative amalgamation matron one solution to conservation authorities' funding woes been reduced substantially, " said Prout, adding that all the "fat" that existed in authority budgets has been cut and fur- ther reductions in field person- nel would mean reductions in services. The ABCA, for example, reduced its full-time staff compliment by four last year, leaving the authority with 16 full-time and 12 contract employees. Prout said authorities also have more flexibility in fund- ing than "government agencies which just spend money." "Because we have the ability to raise money, we understand both sides of the ledger," he said. Examples of fiscal creativity, Prout listed include forming an agreement to jointly managed the Port Blake Conservation Area with Stephen Township and the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA). In Clinton, an arrangernent was made for the local Lions Club to take over maintenance and related costs for the con- servation area there, while the ABCA continues to own it and pay expenses like takes and insurance. BY PAT RAFTIS SSP News Staff Declining provincial transfer payments have forced Conservation Authorities to employ= sornevereativeTinatieL ing measures in recent years, but another round of anticipat- ed cuts could lead to virtual amalgamation of some authori- ties by next year, says Ausable- Bayfield Conservation Authority General Man,iger Tom Prout. Since 1991, provincial tr,i, fers to authorities have ' en cut by an average of aboui 10 per cent, said Prout. Authorities have responded by reducing staff and finding alternative methods of funding projects. Proud said rumors of an addi- tional cut of 20 per cent or more next year has left author- ities with few options but to try and reduce administrative costs, leading to discussions of "sharing resources" and even "amalgamation" of administra- tive functions between authori- ties. "Our staff numbers have "By doing these types of the direction of local boards of things, we've been able to directors made up of member maintain services," said Prout. municipalities. Since there is The establishment of an no overall governing body, experimental Rapid Detection individual authorities would Station for testing Lake Huron have to get together voluntarily water quality.at ,Grand.Bend before resource sharing or this past summer was another' amalgaitiatforis'could happen. joint venture. Funding for that In cases where two boards project came from three diced to operate with a single municipalities, the Ministry of general manger, there are sev- Environment (MOE), OCWA eral possible scenarios for till - and the Canada Trust Friends ing the position, but Prout said of the Environment, in addi- one solution could see both tion to the ABCA. Prout said positions being eliminated and prior to the budget cutting anew. one created. efforts of recent years, such a "Both people could then project might have been under- apply and somebody doesn't taken with only two agencies, get it," said Prout. such as the ABCA and the "Jobs will be lost. But jobs MOE involved were going to be lost anyway. "Were at the stage where we You can't have reductions (in need all the technicians and transfer payments) without field personnel we have to run cutting costs or reducing ser - programs. The only place to vices. reduce is. in administration. Prout said the Maitland People like myself, in senior Valley Conservation Authority management have to look at (where the general manager cutting administrative costs recently resigned) would make and overhead. People like a natural -partner for the myself may have to say, 'i'11 ABCA, as both watersheds run put my job on the line,'"Prout through Huron County and explained. part of Perth. The Huron -Perth Conservation Authorities connection is already estab- operate autonomously, under lished in many organizations, such as the local separate school board, district health council, and other organiza- tions Prout said there hasn't been much discussion between the ABCA and -the MVOA•en such a possibility " arttfis')3oittt. However, he said authorities expect to find out how serious the next round of funding cuts will he with the provincial government releases a "mini- budget" sometime this month. Cuts would probably take effect January 1. "So we would have about a month to decide what we're going to do," said Prout. Levy raise opposed Raising municipal levys is another potential source of funding for authorities, but it's not a popular path. An ABCA recommendation to the author- ity's board of directors for a 6 per cent levy increase met with some resistance, for example, at the October 16. Bosanquet Towns Council meeting. Bosanquet councillors objected to the proposed increase and planned to call a meeting of other ABCA affected munici• - palities to discuss the matter. ...FOR ALL YOUR CLEANING NEEDS... [Call Jeff Tyndall I STE AMATJ(. •Carpots •Couch., a Chale •Fin b Watar Restoration •Whlefos •Duct Work •Accouatical Coifing, •Indlan Carpets •Odour Problems -RES - (between 'WI 00 NOT 527-1224 7-8 a m ) wan traitor Small Satellite Dish DIRECT TV Now you get all the great channels that you've always wanted with an t8 inch Digital Satellite System from Starlike Satellite Systems. 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TYNAN Copyright 1995 Traditional Japanese design features add a unique and elegant touch to this fashionable home. Enter through a high arched entranceway into the foyer. A sunken floor provides a subtle separate of this area from the rest of the main floor, and a one and one half storey high ceiling and an overhead feature win- dow create a spacious atmosphere. Decorative columns frame the entrance, to the living room which boasts a dramatic two storey high vaulted ceiling with a feature window treatmem on each level. An open plan for the dining and living mom continues the feeling of spaciousness first created by the high ceilings, and provides a comfortable and stylish area for formal gatherings. The family room and gourmet style kitchen are also open to each other, offering a good sized area for informal entertaining and relaxation. A laparreee style bath with a sunken floor and a dropped soaker tub on the main floor, and a traditional tatami room upstairs elevate this plan from ordinary to extraordinary. Plans for 0-926 may be obtained for $49t.00 fbr a package of five complete sets of working prints and 545.00 for each additional set of the same plan. Allow 515.00 extra to cover the cost of postage and handling (B.C. residents add applicable sales tax to plan total) (All Canadian residents add 7% GST to plan total plus postag5 and handling). • Please make all cheques, money orders; and Visa•or MasterCard authorizations payable to: Tynan Features c/o. The Huron Expositor Plan of the Week. 13659 • I08 Avenue, Surrey. B.C., V3T 2K4, TREE MOVING SERVICE Cal EveNa pleas 23.4884 4,