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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1997-01-22, Page 1History Group to continue with history preservation. See page 3 News & Views Seaforth native named to top banking position. See page 3 Sports Atom Tournament results and photos. See page 7 Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 - Seaforth, Ontario Briefly Johnston challenges mayors, warden Seaforth Mayor Irwin Johnston is challenging the four other mayors and war- den of Huron County to see who can fundraise the most in pledges in the Alzheimer Society of Huron County's indoor walk-a-thon on Saturday morning. The local "Walk For Memories" is at Seaforth District High School from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30, and walks are also being held at the same time at the high schools in Goderich, Exeter. Clinton and Wingham. Maplewood Manor is also challenging Scaforth Manor in the local event. New officer of health named Dr. Susan Tamhlyn of Stratford will be medical officer of health when the Huron and Perth County Health Units merge at the start of September. She becomes acting MOH in Huron effective April 1, and has held that office in Perth since 1974. Last week's press release from the Huron unit notes "merger discussions between the two health units are con- tinuing smoothly with con- sulting assistance frqm KPGM. The merger steering committee is in the process of choosing the name for the new health unit and its orga- nizational structure. Plan authorized Seaforth Council passed a bylaw at its Jan. 14 meeting authorizing the execution of a site plan agreement for Jarvis and Huron Streets between the town and Smith and Banks Packaging Ltd., for- •merly D.L. Smith Packaging Ltd., at present located in the industrial park at the end of Birch St. According to this agree- ment, the company plans to re -develop the land, which it owns, for the purpose of "expanding their operation to include a lumber yard." Speed complaints Council unanimously decided last Tuesday to send a letter to .the Ontario Provincial Police expressing concern about snowmobilers speeding in Seaforth, some on private property and some after midnight, particularly on Victoria Street, which is part of an official trail through town. Deputy -Reeve Bill Teall said it might be too late to leave these latest snowmobile incidents for Seaforth's Police Services Board (PSB) to effectively deaf with this winter, since it doesn't meet again until February. Council also decided to draft a letter asking local snowmobile clubs if they have any suggestions that might help address the issue, taking care not to Warne them since they requite licences for area trails and enforce snowmobiling etiquette, and. local riders who are not members arc perhaps more to blame for the complaints. January 22, 1997 - $1.00 includes GST PHOTO BY DAVID SCOTT COLD BEER - This Algonquin beer truck from Formosa veered off County Rd. 12, two and a half miles north of Seaforth on Thursday evening during blizzard conditions. It was still stuck Friday moming when this photograph was taken. Several area roads were closed Thursday and Friday along with most schools. Plows and sanders were able to get back out in full force on Saturday although most roads remained snow-covered. Milder temperatures are predicted for today. Changes from provincial government: Roller coaster ride with blindfold' BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff Last week was "like a roller coaster ride with a blindfold on," according to Seaforth Clerk/Administrator Jim Crocker. Many major policy changes were announced by Ontario's government that will have a profound impact on next year's municipal tax calcula- tions. For instance to educa- tion and long-term care fund- ing. But the nuts and bolts of the overall calculations remain as big a mystery as when the changes were mere- ly rumoured. Crocker said Town Hall got 33 pages by fax outlining onty those provincial govern- ment changes announced Tuesday, but not one word dealt with exactly how the logistics or accounting will work. This makes it impossible right now to figure out any "bottom line" for local ratepayers with all the shuf- fling tax transfers. UNPRECEDENTED Last week's massive changes announced by the government in stages daily to education, social services, health care, policing and transportation are unprece- dented in this province. Social Services Minister Janet Ecker maintains when the dust all settles there will be "less bureaucracy, lower costs to taxpayers and higher quality service for the people of Ontario." Critics say local municipal- ities will be painted as the bad guys if services are to be maintained, to provincially enforced standards, and taxes are bound to go up. Many also feel it's all happening too fast. Some of the changes won't impact at all for rural munici- palities like Seaforth - for instance to transportation, such things as ferries, airports and GO Transit. Other changes will obvi- ously alter everybody's local tax bill, for instance remov- ing education from the municipal mill rate which will cut it dramatically. Up until now the town collected the hefty education portion of this municipal rate and had no control over it. LONG-TERM CARE Other changes are poten- tially more ominous. For instance, whereas at present almost 100 per cent of long- term health care costs at nurs- ing homes are paid for provincially, the new formu- la is a 50/50 split, not a tiny figure when the high percent- age of elderly in Huron Country is factored in. Experts all expect this demo- graphic to expand significant- ly as average Canadian lifes- pans continue to increase as the "baby boom" ages through early into the next century. Social Services Minister Ecker said last Tuesday local municipalities will now have to pick up half the cost of the 494 nursing homes and 1,200 community agencies that pro- vide long-term care to elderly and disabled people in the province. The province will create an agency responsible for long - CONTINUED on page 2 Reeve disgusted v $40, 000 `bonus' tion. BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff Reeve Bill Bennett was "thoroughly disgusted" at a story in the Exeter paper, on the apparcnt.generosity of the Huron County Board of Education towards its own, at last Tuesday night's council meeting. On his motion, Seaforth Council was unanimous that Clerk Jim Crocker write the lard to double-check the facts. The Times -Advocate front - se report covered a "spc- el lmeeting" of the Huron Nrd Dec. 9 when, among er staff wage increases e related story by Scott gendor,, Jeanne Dionne :the administration had her changed and compcnsa- adjusted, and a gratuity In the range of $40 to ....1._t� .. $45,000" was also approved "as a result of a phone poll" for the outgoing Superinten- dent of Schools Gino Giannandrea. He has accepted a position as Director of Education with the Lanark Township Board. "They can't be Santa Claus all the time," Seaforth Reeve Bennett said. FINE TOOTH COMB? "We go over our budget for a couple of months to find $1,000 and they spend maybe $70,000 with a phone call." Council was• informed act- ing Huron Director of Education Chuck Rowland will also probably be retiring soon. A similar Exeter Council motion, that a letter be sent to the Huron director "express- ing our disgust at such high- handed disregard for the tax- payers's money" was tabled for more detailed informa- A photocopy of the recent Times Advocate scoop was on each Scaforth councillor's desk at Town Hall prior to Tuesday's regular meeting. It reported Acting Director Rowland explained: "Dionne tad been completing work 'hssociatcd with the new posi- tion, "The compensation, he added, reflected this work- load as well as pay equity standards. Huron staff salaries have been well below provincial and arca aver- ages." The Exeter weekly also reported Superintendent Giannandrea's "gratuity was based on accumulated sick days for which alt staff are eligible. "The payout also serves as a 'window of opportunity,' according to Rowland, allow- ing the board to make cuts by encouraging senior staff to leave or retire." PUBLIC INTEREST? Scaforth Reeve Bennett said such logic isn't in the interest of those footing the bill with tax dollars, when the person ends up in another school system, at a similar high wage. The Exeter paper also reported "although qualifica- tion for the gratuity is 12 years, a similar agreement had been reached with Giannandrea in the past and the hoard, approved the pay- out in his 1 lth year." Trustee Bob Heywood of Exeter was quoted as saying the board now has its employees in line with other board salaries in case of amalgamation. However, he added, he believes such increases are "another strike against the classroom." CONTINUED on page 2;: Separate board left untouched BY MICHELE GREENE SSP News Staff The Huron -Perth Roman Catholic Separate School Board was left untouched on Monday when the Ministry of Education announced the amalgamation of many boards. Director of Education Dr. James Brown said the local -separate board was not amal- gamated with its neighbor in Grey -Bruce, which had been rumored. "We were very pleased. It's not because we have any- thing -against the other board but there is no savings there," he said yesterday morning. However, he expects the number of trustees will be reduced. The ministry announced boards will have between five and 12- trustees. The separate board currently has 14 trustees. "We're one of the smallest boards and we'll be at the lower end," he said. Dr. Brown said the amount of work for trustees won't decrease. Instead, each trustee will have more work to do. . "That's a little disappoint- ing. There is a lot of work," - he said. The province's decision to fund education entirely could also be a benefit for students in Huron and Perth counties, Dr. Brown added, as the new funding method is supposed to include a more equitable funding formula. "We expect there will be greater equity and that will help the children of Huron - Perth," he said. Dr. Brown doesn't believe trustees will lose control when the province takes over funding. He said trustees haven't had a lot of control over their income in the past few years. With reduced funding from the province and low tax increases, they haven't been able to increase there income. "The trustees haven't been in a position to control the amount of money coming in. They will have control over how it is spent," fire said. Promoting Seaforth - with picture of Goderich?? Reeve Bill Bennett thinks it wrong that a big event in Seaforth later this year is being promoted with pho- tographs - of the Goderich harbour! "I'm disappointed in that," he commented last Tuesday night at Seaforth Council. The Ontario road superin- tendents trade show is at the Seaforth arena, agriplex and curling rink on June 4 and 5, the first time since its found- ing it has been in Huron County. Road superintendents in the county organize and host it, and brochures and posters promoting this spring's annu- CONTINUED on page 2