HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-06-03, Page 7Packaging plant growing
Company
does custom
bagging,
mixing for
20 products
BY GREGOR CAMPBELL
Expositor Staff
The dust is flying fast and
furious north along the tracks
in Seaforth this spring, ever
since David Smith moved his
growing packaging business
into a new plant.
He's hustling these days,
with hardly a spare moment
to bag edgewise.
Smith Packaging Ltd.,
across from the empty beer
bottle depot where Jarvis
Street North is interrupted by
the railroad, moved across
Seaforth from the south-east
end of Birch Street in the
industrial park at the
beginning of January, where
it had been in the old
Cornerstone plant across
from Design Concrete for the
past three years.
Smith is already thinking
of putting up another
building in his new location
in town and getting into kitty
litter.
The company does custom
mixing, grinding, bagging
and screening of 20 different
products for large
companies.
Most of it involves feed
and fertilizer ingredients.
It comes in bulk from as far
away as Europe and China,
gets packaged to
specification here in rural
Seaforth, then shipped
elsewhere across Canada or
"all over," for example,
Brazil and Ireland.
' Now being right on the
railway is the reason for the
recent move and new
building "with more
BUSY BOSS -. David Smith of Smith Packaging Limited
recently moved across Seaforth and opened a new plant
where the north part of Jarvis Street meets the railroad
tracks. He's already got plans to expand there.
capacity" along the tracks, tonne rail cars here this year.
the owner says. I have found in this
A GOING CONCERN business - "you turn work
Smith, 35, is from down or find a place to do It
Cranbrook near Brussels and in," he says.
is very much on the go. The Smith started out working
busy Seaforth plant now for a company in Mitchell,
handles about 40 per cent of about a decade ago, bagging
his expanding business, weekends and after work. He
somewhere between 40 and quit, then got into the
50 -thousand tonnes per year. business himself, and "built
He has four other,buildings - from there."
in Mitchell, Dublin, Vanastra He says high school wasn't
and near Fullarton. for him, although he doesn't
He expects to package recommend, or like
enough stuff to fill 250; 90- advertising dropping out in
Funding for busing
expected to fall short
BY RICK KEW
'Mitchell Advocate Staff
Funding for busing will fall
short of the Avon Maitland
District School Board's needs
for next year, the
superintendent of finance
said during the May 26th
meeting.
Marilyn Marklevitz said
based on the most recent
figures (which she stressed
were subject to revision)
obtained from the Ministry of
Education (MET), the board
will receive approximately
$251,000 less than what the
projected budget calls for.
She said current
projections, based on last
year's busing requirements.
indicate the transportation
budget will be approximately
$8.1 million and funds
expected from the ministry to
be around $7.85 million.
The ministry based its
funding on 1997 figures less
three per cent. said
Marklevitz. In addition, she
said the ministry made no
allowance for the five extra
curriculum days mandated by
the province.
The board contracts with
independent operators for
service on 129 bus routes in
Perth County and 123 in
Huron.
Noting the hoard operates
30 buses over 27 different
routes in Huron County,
trustee Atjc Tuyten asked if it
was profitable.
Director of Education Paul
Carroll said the question is
one that arises perpetually
and the board should be
aware of the differences.
However. said Carroll,
operating 30 buses has
tended to act as a
counterbalance so contractors
would offer the board better
prices.
School boards can, now,
expand bus fleets said
Carroll, suggesting that the
issue of board or privately
owned buses should be
updated.
Textbook funding remains an unknown
The Ministry of Education and Training
(MET) said in a memorandum to school
boards that funding for "the investment in
classroom learning" initiative will be $150 per
elementary school students.
However, at the May 26 Avon Maitland
district school board (AMDSB) meeting,
Director of Education Paul Carroll said "We
haven't got a clue how much it will be."
Carroll made his remarks after being told by
a senior administrator at the meeting that one
interpretation of the funding was that the
province would supply $75 while the
remaining $75 came out of existing board
funds.
Nevertheless, Carroll said the initiative
required the board to spend two-thirds of their
allotment on text books. in addition, he said '
the texts must be purchased from an approved
list of textbooks and be from publishers
resident in Ontario.
Superintendent Maria Parsons said the
government wants school hoards to consult
with school councils in' regard to the textbooks
selected. However, Parsons said given the tight
timelines laid out by the ministry, it would be
difficult to have a consultation period.
She said the approved list of textbooks is not
slated to be released until June 8. On June 15,
Parson's said the ministry wants all orders to
he compiled at the hoard level for bulk
ordering purposes and the orders be in the
hands of publishers by June 23, with delivery
of the books in time for classes in September.
Further underscoring the tight timeline
Parsons spoke of was a question from trustee
Wendy Anderson, who attended a recent
conference that suggested existing texts may
not meet the needs of the new provincial
curriculum, Parsons agreed they may not.
SDHS STAFF AND STUDENTS RALLY IN FIGHT AGAINST CANCER - Seaforth District
High School Students' Council began their fund raising efforts by holding hotdog
barbeques every Wednesday in the month of May. Donations, equivalent to the cost of the
barbeques as well as the profits went to support cancer research. Other groups joined
their cause, among them, the PUMPED Group, Peer Mentors and MAID. in total $380.
was raised In May. (POWELL PHOTO)
Grade 10, like he did.
"That's the biggest reason I
went into business," he says,
because without an education
my income potential was
very limited."
When he got into business
he had about $50,000 to play
with, in equity and what not,
some of it loaned..
"The people I had worked
for were really good in
helping to set me up," he
said.
Now one piece of
equipment can cost almost as
much.
He figures these days he
puts in about a 90 -hour work
week.
His customers set up
getting the goods to him by
bulk, then shipping them
repackaged to wherever
they're going. Smith
Packaging just packs the
product to spec.
SMALL TOWNS
A small town has its
advantages in this business,
with its strong suit being a
good base of workers and a
tax base favourable to
Smith's size of enterprise.
"In the big cities it's tough
to find help at a reasonable
rate," he says.
He says Seaforth officials
have been very supportive of
his small business, and in
particular mentions town
Works superintendent John
Forrest and PUC manager
Tom Phillips.
Smith Packaging employs
about a dozen people, which
includes part-timers.
Within a year Smith hopes
to expand his Seaforth
facility to 22,000 square feet,
from its current 9,000, and
get into packaging the kitty
litter.
Moving over from Birch
Street in January was crazy
at the start," the owner says.
"It's a balancing act
between cash flow and
expansion, that's the
toughest part," Smith says.
Seaforth & District
Community Centres
HOCKEY
POOL '97-98
RANK STANDINGS Pts.
June 1/98
1. One Shot (Dave Scott) 146
2. Bob Henderson 136
3. E.F.D. (Todd Doig) 131
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9. Art Strong 118
10. Centre ice 118
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12. Bob McNaughton 42 116
13. Carter 1 114
14: KJ M3 114
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21. RemMurray=ConnSmythe 110
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25. Tim McNaughton 43 109
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27. Larry Kelly 108
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This ad sponsored by:
99
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527-0180
42 Qoderleb St. W., Sea forth
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, JUNE 3, 191111-7
Board contract mamma
The Huron -Perth Catholic District School Board ratified a
two-year contract with roughly 60 secretarial staff and
educational assistants at its regular meeting May 25.
The fall -time equivalents of 34 educational assistants and
26 secretaries are members of Canadian Union of Public
Employees, ployees, Local 3615.
They receive about a five per cent increase as of this
September. 1. which is the second year of the agreement they
.xattlRed artier in May, which covers Sept. 1, 1997 to Aug. 31,
1999.
Director of education Gaetan Blanchette says the wage
increases range from 62¢ to a top end 69rf an hour in the
second year. The new contract also contains clarification of
language.
He says two per cent is a general wage increase, and the
additional three per cent is to bring the employees more into
parity With their equivalents at other area boards of education.
Upon ratification, Ron Marcy, chair of the district Catholic
board, said these employees last received a wage increase in
1993. By Gregor Campbell
AiaJbaLi oss •
rusty bow r ria wit grief
Q. My father, mother and husband all died within 15 months. I have
been ill ever since. My doctor thinks my problems are emotional and
he sent me to a counselor. After six months 1 feel no better. Why isn't
this counseling helping me?
A. Major losses tend to have an accumulative effect. The grief process
is complex and its intensity is multiplied. The counselor's Sob is to help
you explore your feelings, to understand them and to encourage you
to take responsibility for the work required to complete your
individual healing process. The problem usually lies with the patient's
unreal expectations rather than with the counselor's inability to help,
but of course the latter must also be considered.
'Questions asked during bereavement classes are answered here by the editor of
AfterLoss, the monthly grief -recovery HelpLetter For your free copy of
AfterLoss or one of our other helpful booklets about gnef recovery, please write,
call or stop by.
Questions & Answers
about grief recovery*
Whitney- Rib ey
Funeral Home
87 Goderich Street West, Seaforth - 527-1390
A member of The AJterLou Fancily of neural Hemet
dedicated to helping thsse they serve with auittanee in grief recovery
01997 AftcrLou Inc. • 800-263-9572
MINOR HOCXEY
REGISTRATION
The Seaforth and District Minor Hockey
Association would like to inform everyone that
they will be doing REGISTRATION for the
1998-99 Season on
Wednesday, June 17, 1998
Thursday, June 18, 1998
7:00 to 9:00 pm both nights
at the Seaforth Community Centres
You will deed 2 post dated cheques
Houseleague fee dated for
September 1, 1998
Travel fee dated for
November 1, 1998
The $50.00 Draw Ticket will also be
handed out on this night.
A LATE FEE OF $25.00 WILL BE
APPLIED AFTER JUNE 19, 1998
All players will now have the option of
playing houseleague only - travel only -
or both
Coaching applications are now being
accepted. Deadline will be July 1, 1998
Applications can be picked up and
dropped off at the Seaforth Arena or
the Recreation Office
A DAYS
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STARTS WEDNESDAY JUNE 10TH
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FOR 26 YEARS THE BEST LITTLE HI•Fl STORE
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