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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1996-03-13, Page 3News and Views Eight area hospitals will lose over $2 million The eight hospitals in this district will lose about $2.28 - million in funding in 1996:- 1997 996=1997 and additional amounts are expected to be ,;ut in the next two years, according to a press release from Huron Perth District Health Council executive director Fraser - Bell. "Conducting a hospital. restructuring study was clear- ly established as a priority" for the district health council this year and next "at a recent priority -setting- session," Bell says. • A 19 -member •steering committee has been set up to oversee this hospital and related health services study and "a start-up meeting is anticipated shortly," the press release notes. "The: planning process will he extremety consul- tive;" it adds. • PHOTO BY DAVID SCOTT GIRLS BAND DONATES FOOD - The Seaforth and District All Girls Marching Band recently made a donation of food to the Seaforth and Area Foodbank at their last practice before going to the Can -Am Festival in Myrtle Beach. Food donations were brought to a recent fund-raising dance by the band. From left: Martha Jasper, of Goderich; Carrie Lacroix, of Seaforth; Jenna Miskie of Clinton and booster club president Shirley Brugger. Tuckersmith to finish Lloyd Eisler Street CONTINUED from page 1 purchase, bridge construction and some paving on William and North streets were put on hold for this year. There were a few things. that had to he completed this year. One was the reconstruc- tion on Lloyd Eisler St. A final coat of pavement will also he applied to a section of William St. Council tried to balance the road budget evenly between qwban and rural repairs. • '' Council passed a motion tentatively approving the 1996 Roads Budget. Concerns Over Meetings Members of Tuckersmith Council had concerns about recent meetings of the Scaforth Firc Arca Board and Scaforth and- District Community Centres Board which involve member municipalities and decisions on annual budgets. • "I have a feeling that all the information doesn't get hack to (individual) councils." said Deputy -Reeve Larry McGrath. He was 'also con- cerned that the meetings are held after municipalities have decided their own.hudgets for the year. "Sometimes it's three or four meetings before things are done. It's a fairly expen- sive meeting to run." he said referring to the lire board. Tuckersmith Clerk Jack McLachlan suggested at the next meeting McGrath rec- ommend- the fire budget he approved in two parts - capi- tal and operational. As to comments of repre- sentatives not bringing hack information to their -councils, McLachlan said, "We can't fix other councils." •Coun. Doug Vock said arca arena hoard members- had "hashed it .out for two meet- ings" reaching their 1996 budget. "The budget was torn apart four times. It's a waste of ratepayer's money to have that meeting." information Evening Tuckersmith Council has been invited to set up a dis- play at the ' Vanastra Recreation Centre on April 25 from 7-9 p.m. as part of the Vanastra Community School Advisory Council's inli►rmation evening on husi- nesses and organizations in the Vanastra community. "The theme of the evening is how we can work together for the benefit of our children and youth," stated a letter from the advisory council. It will be an open house style of evening in which the public may view displays, have a coffee and visit for. awhile. 1995 Grants Tuckersmith_ Council released its list of grants to other communities and orga- nizations for 1995 at its March 5 meeting. Grants included $8,956.81 to the .Scaforth and District Community Centres. $925 to Scaforth Community Hospital, $500 to Town and Country Homemakers. $3,000 to the Village of Hensall, $225 to Scaforth Agricultural Society, $200 to the Scaforth Lions Cluh, $100 to the Huron Plowmen's Association and $50 to the Van Egmond Foundation. among others. Optimist Club Delegation Members of the Optimist Club of Vanastra and District attended Tuckersmith Council's Feb. 20 meeting to discuss the rental of the Vanastra Recreation Centre for their teen dances for the ages Of 10 to 15 on the first weekend of each month. They advised council that they had three dances and made approximately $15 abut had provided recreation. On . an average 65 kids attended each, event. They requested an extension of their present rental agreement for a further three months. Council passed a motion 'to extend the agreement which includes a rental fee of $50 perevcnt. The club will again be responsible for any dam- ages and also clean-up of the hall after the evdnt. Liability Resolution Tuckersmith Township endorsed a. resolution of the City of Thunder Bay at its Feb. 20 meeting requesting the provincial government give statutory protection to municipalities against nui- sance and liability claims arising from municipal main= tcnance of roads, sewers, water pipes and municipal property. Owner of farm fell into tank twice before CONTINUED from page ,1 home and taken a shower. Between 9:15 and 9:30 p.m.. John's brother. Jell•, cainc to the door to tell her there had been an accident. "i couldn't hclieve it." she said. begin- ning to cry. "He'd worked on farms all his life. (John was raised on his parents' dairy lann.).He'd hauled manure a dozen times." - She testified that during planting and harvesting. the farm workers often worked from heforc dawn until well after dark. "They'd get three or four hours of sleep per right." she said. ' OWNER ,TESTIFIES O'Brien testified he has owned the farm since 1972. He has 1,400 to 1.600 hogs on the farm at any one time. O'Brien had retired. and John. Williamson, who had worked for O'Brien for' five years. had. together with John Mueller. leased O'Brien's sow operation less than a month before the accident. • He said the tank was installed about IO years ago. by a Thcdford company. It initially had two steel lids for the access holes. but several years ago, he ordered cement lids made. On Oct. 20. he helped install the pump in the south access hold. The steel lid on the north access hole would support it person's weight if it was placed properly. he said. Ile said there was no elec- trical lighting in the spot. There had been. until the harn burned a few years ago. ant the light had not been replaced when thc it was re- built. O'Brien, now working in real estate, told the inquest - he'd slipped and fallen into the tank once or twice him- self, and there was "no way out once you were in." In his. case, both times, there was ,someone around to help` him out. - He .said he has suffered from exposure to silo gas. for several years. "i know about gas." he said. "-And the gas .was really high that night. it was'pure pink in there." he said. refer- ring to the colour of the taint - cd air in the holding tank. BRUISE UNDER .CHIN ,Crown Attorney • Bob Morris asked about a bruise. found under Williamson's chin. O'Brien started to speak. and then, for a few minutes was unable to go on. "1 think the neighbours were fishing for him." he finally said. haltingly. "We kept a pipe out there to check the depth (of the manure) when we were working at night. it may have created those marks. They were fish- ing in both (access) holes." In answer to a question put by Mrs Williamson, O'Brien said he did not have written safety procedures set out for each employee. nor verbal safety training sessions. "Why weren't the cement lids used?" asked John's brother, Jeff. "John sometimes didn't lis- ten," said O'Brien. "Were they used before thatr Jeff asked. "Yes. My son will vouch for that." O'Brien said. •Jeff testified he used the 13.5 -foot -long rod to poke around through the •access hole when he got to the hold- ing tank. " "There -was no sign whether he was there or not," he said. adding that the north access hole was covered by a :steel 'checker -plaited' cover that was old and rusty. The lid was 48"x46", only slightly larger than the access hole: OVERTIRED Ron Riddell. a Granton area resident, has owned a company since 1978 which removes liquid waste. He said most of the steel lids he's seen are "getting in had shape." and most of the wooden lids have rusting nails. "i don't generally sec any with no lids," he added. "Today. one of the biggest issues (in farthing), is that . people are overtired. And when that happens, safety goes out the window." said • Riddell. "But you'll never make it 100 per cent fool- proof, no matter what you do. There's no way to police it to make everything 'just so to prevent accidents." He or his workers go into tanks -"from time to time," hc said. "We don't stay very long. You take it gulp of air before going in. and you get out quickly. "if you treat your work with respect. and you under- stand the -nature of it, yob won't have trouble." His company docs not provide self-contained hrcathing apparatus. Mrs. Williamson said an effective SCUBA set would cost about $4.000 to buy. "It's a good idea. but there's a Cost factor — for the pur- chase and the maintenance," Riddell said. "It's more of a hazard if it's. not maintained properly." "What do you think about safety railings, three to four feet high, .around the access holes?" Heidi Williamson asked. "All the safety features in the world won't replace cau- tion and rest," said Riddell. Most farmers would consider safety railings "a pain in the neck," he added. RESCUE TACTICS Exeter OPP Const. Dianne McGregor, who investigated the incident, said police are not trained in rescue tactics for situations like this. Only the OPP scuba divers arc issued with self-contained hrcathing apparatus, she .said. Clinton Firc Chief Dean Reid said he was called in because Stephen Twp.'s bylaws don't allow their fire- fighters to do containitlent rescue. He said he put on full safcty gear - a helmet, hrcathing apparatus, safety harness and lifeline — to go into the tank, and he did not leave thc ladder. Other fire- fighters, waited at the top of the access hole. . He and another firefighter, both dressed in full safcty gear, went to retrieve the body, with two firefighters, also in full safety gear, wait- ing at the top. Much of the equipment was borrowed from Stephen Twp. firefight- ers, hc said, adding that the township has since changed its policy. . Reid indicated he saw no reason why police should he trained in containment res- cue. - "They help us hest by doing crowd control," hc CONTINUED on page 11 THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Mauch 13, 11196-3 Tucker's Meat Shop 27 Main St., Seaforth 527.0036 Wednesday Seniors Day 5% off 'rills 1" BONE STEAKS $4'99 LB. wiii: :I('- TOP SIRLOIN STEAKS $3.99 LB. tiI)Ii ('IAI.S MONTEREY JACK CHEESE $4.49 LB of them Month' AMARETTo ALMOND $8.99 LB. rer ARCH BREA )SPECIALS 3M Computer Disks $13.99 3.5 in DS HD 10/Box Telefax Fax Paper 98 ft. $2.99/roll 148 ft. $4.59/roll Boxes $1 .99 each $1.49 each #772 Banker Liquid Paper Correction Fluid 3x5 Scratch Pads $3.49/10 SALE ENDS MARCH 22nd PETE'S PAPER CLIP 19 Main St., Seaforth - 527-1681 NOTICE To all customers in the VILLAGE, OF, EGMONDVILLE & THE TOWN OF SEAFORTH Effective January,15, 1996 we took over the curbside pickup of garbage from G.W. -Nobel Sanitation, Seaf,orth, Ontario. We are pleased to inform you that our garbage tags are -now available and 'nay be purchased at Bob and Betty's Variety, 33 Main St. South, Seaforth, Ontario. We thank you fpr allowing usto contintde serving you. ' MacDonald Sanitation Services Inc. , . R.R.#1, Crediton, Ontario NOM IMO Telephone (519) 234-6246 Fax (519) 234-6070 - St. Columban 1996 SOCCER REGISTRATION DATES at the SEAFORTH ARENA (KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS TOURNAMENT) SATURDAY, MARCH 23 1:00 T0,3:00 SUNDAY, MARCH 24 1:00 TO 3:00 SUNDAY, MARCH 31 1 12:00 TO 2:00 at St. Columban Church basement Registration ,after these dates will cost additional $10.00 per player. Tykes (5-7)...$15.00 per player (NOT TRAVELLING) Junior (5-10)...$35.00 per player Intermediate (11-13)...$35.00 per player Seniors (14-16)...$40.00 per player AN ADDITIONAL $5/PLAYER FOR INSURANCE • Don't Miss Out Only Limited #'s on each team!!! ***NEED EXTRA CASH? REFEREES NEEDEQ. CALL ANNE AT 345-2104 You are invited to attend... BEEF BROOD COW PRODUCER MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 19th Brunch:10:00 AM Meeting: 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM Orange Hall — Main St., Seaforth R.S.V.P. to 522-0608 Information on the beef cow & calf Reproduction, Feeding, Caring and lowering your costs. EVERYONE WELCOME Sponsored By: MILTON' J. DIETZ LIMITED & RALSTON PURINA CANADA INC. •