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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1996-11-20, Page 1Health DHC releases three options for health care. See page 2 Agriculture Trainee from Denmark works at Seaforth farm. See page 7 Sports Atom action at weekend tournament. See page 9 Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 --- Seaforth, Ontario Briefly New number for Provincial Police Effective yesterday, Ontario Provincial Police have a new province -wide telephone number for police service. It is 1-888-310-1122.. Calls will be automatically routed to the appropriate OPP tele-coinmunications centre. . For anyone using a tele- • phone device for the deaf the number is 1-888-310-1133. The OPP is ensuring that the existing telephone num- hers across the province remain active'until the end of 1998. • "This is to address any. occasion where someone under stressful circumstances might dial one of the previ- ous 1-800 police service numbers," an •OPP press release states. "No other police service numbers will change. All other telephone numbers will remain active." Whitmore wins Con stoga award BreBreiikt Whitmore of McKillop Township won the K. A. MacKenzie Memorial Award at the annual dinner of Conestoga College's broad- casting - radio and television program in Kitchener Nov. 1. The $300 award is to encour- age innovative use of tech- nology in program produc- tion. Sills relative page for legislature The granddaughter of Frank Sills of Seaforth. Daphne Townsend of Arthur, has. been appointed page for this term of the Ontario Legislature. She follows in the footsteps of her brother Michael who had that honour a few years ago. Daphne is the daughter of Mary and Gerald Townscnd of Arthur, and also the granddaughter of Mrs. Elmer Townsend of Clinton. Munro receives award at dinner Nicole Munro of Egmondville. a Grade 10 stu- dent at Si Anne's in Clinton. has won a 1996 Student Award from the Catholic Education Foundation of Ontario. She was recognized late last month at the Fr. Fogarty Awards Dinner, an event that drew 490 guests including 101 students from schools across Ontario. The award honours outstanding contri- butions to Catholic education in Ontario. Munro is a graduate of St. James School in Seaforth. She is involved in school activities such as yearbook committee, midget girls soc cer, student cabinet. debating club, golf team. midget girls basketball and volleyball. She also works part-time in the winter and full-time in the summer, as well as participat- ing in such things as girls roller hockoy and under -18 soccer. She also finds time to play the piano, and is taking her Royal Conservatory of Music exam for Grade 5 this year. r November 20, 1996 $1.00 includes GST PERMIT ISSUED, BUILDING DEMOLISHED - The old building that was burnt out on the Canada Day weekend and had been barricaded since on Seaforth's Main Street was torn down last week. Seaforth Clerk Jim Crocker says the town issued the demolition permit and the owners of the property haven't yet decided what they are going to with the space yet. Hospital delegation talks to Seaforth Council Concern cuts will limit hospital service BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff A . delegation from Seaforth's hospital -sought and got the town's suRport "in maintaining an.active .hospital presence in our com- munity" at last 'Tuesday night's regular meeting of council. • .. "As' an organization we accept.that the -status quo cannot be maintained within the fiscal realities facing us today." the Seaforth Community Hospital (SCH). delegation's brief states.."We -are though deeply concerned that the breadth of the imposed fiscal cut will severely limit. or possibly eliminate. our ability to serve the residents of the towns of Seaforth and Brussels and the townships of Grey, Hibbert. Hullctt. McKillop. Morris and Tuckcrsmith." Sandra Smithers. Chair of the SCH hoard of directors. delivered most of the presen- tation. Others in the delega- lion were Alf Ross and Marlen Vincent. and Dr. Mark Woldnik• all connected with the local hospital. The Huron -Perth District Health Council (DHC) is now studying hospital restructuring in the two coun- ties and plans to release three options (which may or may not involve hospital closures) after it meets next Thursday, followed by a series of public meetings. There are eight hospitals in Huron -Perth that presently get about $75 -million annual- ly in funding from the Ontario governmSnt. The government is con- cerned ahout high and esca- lating costs. and worried our aging "baby boom" popula- tion will send the price of health care through the root in this province. "Though a specific finan- cial target has not been con- firmed to date. planning assumptions are taking into consideration cuts of approxi- mately 20 per cent or more to hospital budgets.".the SCH delegation's brief states. "This will likely result in a reduction of $15 to $20 -mil- lion from our collective hos- pital budgets."' PROTEST WHAT? Rather than peopling the ramparts with a "Save'our A virtual historical•society? Hospital" campaign in advance of .options not yet 'known. the Seaforth hospital "has made the conscious decision to support the process being utilized by the DHC study task force... with - •out pounding on the table." the delegation said. "We do not feet it appropri- ate to alarm or incite fear among the residents of Seaforth when no recommen- dations to date have been made available for,puhfic dis- ' cussi on and review." It 'an option. closure would have major economic. social and health care ramifications •in Seaforth and area though. Chair Smithcrs •and the dele- gation predicted. . "Asa major employer in the arca the economic fallout would he significant to local businesses." their brief to council states. "Those physi- cians who enjoy a hospital- hased medical practice would •presumably leave and relo- cate to another community. individuals and couples look- ing to retire in a rural coin- munity may think twice about locating in a communi- ty which does not have a hos- pital. "This is. of special signifi= cance since demographic pro- jections. indicate a Large influx of 'hahy hoomcrs' retiring to rural settings over the next two to three decades. "These are all. major con- cerns which can impact on a community's viability and future." The delegation asked coun- cil to he vocal in their sup': port anti foster communica- tion on the issue. encourage participation in future public meetings put on by the area health council. and forward letters to • Huron's MPP and the arca DHC supporting "both the need and desire for an active hospital in Seaforth to meet the present -and future health care needs of our resi- dents." - ' Council unanimously sup- ported this.. and agreed to assume_ a high profile at the public meeting scheduled for Seaforth Dec. 10, two weeks after the district. health coun- cil has unveiled its various options. The danger in this approach is that it could he "miscon- strued as complacency" observed Seaforth's Clerk/ CONTINUED on page 2 Town could celebrate history on Internet BY DAVID SCOTT Expositor Editor Seaforth could be a leader and establish the first "virtual historical society" in Canada. Paul Carroll brought his laptop computer and message of inspiration to the monthly meeting of the "Celebrate Seaforth's History" commit- tee on Thursday night at town hall. The purpose of the meeting was to decide whether Seaforth should form its own historical society. Sample Project Carroll, director of eduction for the Huron County Board of Education (HCBE), showed committee members a project Grade 7 and 8 stu- dents at Exeter Pubic School had done on the Internet on early explorers to North America. The students gathered infor- mation over the Internet, including images of the explorers and set up a home page with "clickable" icons on each explorer, for further information. Carroll said you could basically use the same format and instead of Jacques Cartier. you could click on Betty Cardno or Prof. James Scott and find out more information on a local figure. On -Line Meetings Carroll even suggested for people too busy to get togeth- er in person for historical society meetings, you could "get together electronically." If people aren't presently hookad up to the Internet, he reminded the committee of the Community Access Project (CAP) which involves the HCBE, public library and the Huron Business Centre. There are now 12 sites in Huron that residents can access the Internet from for free. For about $100 there is a piece of equipment called an "eyeball" which allows you to see the person you're com- municating with on the com- puter, (if they have one too). That person could be on the other side of the world. And if you're computer is outfit- ted with a microphone, you CONTINUED on page 3 Goderich fails to show at police meeting Despite an. invitation, nobody • from Goderich showed up at the last meeting of Seaforth's Police Services Board (PSB) to discuss this town's share of the severance package of the old police -radio communications sys- tem. • • Seaforth disputed its final share and •sent -a cheque for roughly $14.000. which was about $4,000 less than Goderich killed, according to PSB Chair Bob Dinsmore. then invited Goderich to its next meeting4o discuss it. When they didn't show Chat. 28. secretary Lin Sterner was instructed to inform them no further payment will he forth- coming and the hall is in their court should they wish to take the matter to arbitration. NEW OFFICER. In other matters, the Ontario Provincial Police informed the Seaforth board Const. Harro Maydell will he moved to the provincial Side in January and Const. Ken -y Robins. who 'has two years of provincial experience.. will come- to town at the same time. Seaforth's parking bylaw conflicts with new legislation allowing hotels to remain open to 2 a.m. OPP Staff Sgt. Don Mcinnes has instructed his staff to use good judge- ment and common sense. He told the PSB that Exeter has a warning form it has been using reminding people of that town's bylaw. and some- thing similar may he used here. The hoard approved a 486 model computer with Windows to replace two out- dated and unworkable com- puters for local. police ser- vice. There will be no cost to the town:for this upgrade. min- utes of the meeting state. "The only condition. as out- lined by the staff sergeant is that the old computers be given to the agency installing the new model." He assured the hoard that police use of the new model. with Internet access. ''will come under Operational mon- itoring." Mitchell police chief guilty of two charges Former Mitchell Police Chief Chuck Zehr, suspended since early last March. plead- ed guilty to two charges under the Police Services Act on Nov. 12 and was penal- ized five day's pay. He pled guilty to threaten- ing Const. Rudy Hartficl, for- merly of the since disbanded Mitchell municipal force. and to destroying a document rel- evant to a police complaint: One of Zehr's lawyers. John Getliffe. said the com- ment made to Const. Hat -filet. along the lines that he would "knee cap" him. were made out of frustration and person- ality differences between the two police officers played a part. Two other charges were withdrawn. A criminal charge is also to be withdrawn at Stratford+ CONTINUED on page 3