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The Huron Expositor, 1998-10-21, Page 5Children asking Santa to save their schools BY TIM 'CUMMING Mitchell Advocate Staff Some children in Huron and Perth counties have sent 'broken' hearts and letters saying they're asking Santa Claus to keep their school open, said Abby Armstrong, Chairperson of the Avon Maitland District School Board. "It's not fair to the children," she agreed. but added, "we have to proceed with the study. we don't have to proceed with the closures." The decision to list local schools for closure may well hang over the heads of children. parents and trustees long after the last Christmas dinner is eaten. Last Tuesday night hoard members rejected staff - proposed options to change the Oct. 27 board meeting, or shorten the consultation period. in order to make a decision on school closures before Christmas. "I would find it very difficult to support the movement of any of these dates." said Trustee Bob Allan. "The only thing I find acceptable to do is hope we've been successful in our appeal to the government of the Dec. 31 deadline." Trustee Leslie Wood said the board has to stick with the Oct. 27 meeting date because of the commitment made at the well -attended Oct. 6 board meeting held at Northwestern Secondary School in Stratford. It's a case, she said, of "say what you mean and mean what you say." The province has asked boards to identify schools for closure by Dec. 31 of this year or risk losing future dollars for additions and new buildings. The public education board responsible for Perth and Huron Counties, however, wants the 1)ec. 31 deadline for school closure listings to move to September, 2000. The board supported the Ontario Public School Boards' Association in its bid to have the school closure deadline extended as well as seeking recognition of the fact rural areas have low population densities, long distances for children to travel and adverse climactic conditions. In order to honor its two- month consultation policy, and make a decision by the provincial deadline, the board will have to hold its final meetings on school closure between Dec. 28 and Dec. 30. Director of Education Lorne Rachlis called the provincial government's recent actions "almost Machiavellian." "They are taking away the money we have to operate schools and saying it's our fault if we close them." . The board says a recent meeting with the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training showed Perth and Huron schools will have $l.4 million less money for repairs, renovations and maintenance this year than the former Perth and Huron boards had last year. The source of confusion, said Rachlis, was that the province was using board budget estimates and not the board's actual expenditures on its schools in 1997. Rachlis says he's happy the Ministry staff and area board now agree on the figures. "The Board did spend $1.4 million more on operating, repairing, maintaining and upgrading our schools in 1997 than is to be provided by the Ministry for this purpose in 1998-' 99." Board officials also say less was spent on maintaining schools in 1997 than in previous years. "If we spent in 1997 what we normally spent the gap would have been wider," said Rachlis. Closing schools would save money on heating. lighting, repairs and staff costs, according to the Director of Education. "We have not done an exact costing hecause we've focused on which schools to study." The school board can make short-term savings by not upgrading facilities hut in the long run repairs arc needed, according to administrative staff. If the school board • maintains its current schools and puts off repairs until the future it risks emergency Tinie running out, says SAC member Tirne is the biggest problem facing parents who want to keep schools open, said Mike Brine, a delegation to the Oct. 13 meeting of the Avon Maitland District School Board. Parents have ideas ori how to close space without closing schools, he said, but "we've only got 60 days." The offer parents have made to help keep . schools up by contributing work and materials should not•bc dismissed lightly, he said. • Brine has been a member of the Huron Centennial School Council for the past two years. Business Centre offers seminars this week The number and proportion of self-employed people in Canada relative to the workforce continues to grow. The economic restructuring.of the past several years has encouraged many people to pursue self- employment. This trend is occurring at a time when technological advances and increased awareness of the self- employment option have made starting and running a small husincss a credible alternative for many people. A recent study in Huron County has revealed some data regarding arca small businesses. Micro -businesses (with four or less employees) have increased from 1,243 in 1991 to 1.337 in 1996, an overall increase of 94 businesses (7.6 per cent). Between 1991 and 1996, four per cent of these micro - businesses increased their staffing level to five or more employees. The 'majority of these micro -businesses operate in the following sectors: agricultural, construction and retail. in 1991. 210 out of 263 businesses in the agricultural sector were micro -businesses (80 per cent); the construction sector had 192 out of 251 (76 per cent) and the retail sector had 190 out of 359 (53 per cent). In 1996. 96 per cent of agricultural businesses were micro -businesses (76 out of 79); an increase of 16 per cent from 1991. The construction sector saw an increase of one per cent (176 out of 229) and retail, eight per cent (253 out of 414). In recent years, there has been an increased effort to foster growth in the small business sector. Through programs like Scif- Employment Assistance and entities such as,the Huron County Small Business Resource Centre (both coordinated by the County of Huron) as well as the Huron Business Development Corporation (an Industry - Canada sponsored Community Futures Development Corporation), Huron County entrepreneurs have access to small business support mechanisms like never before. When small business is successful and prosperous, job opportunities result. This simple idea is the driving force behind each of the aboveservices. To explore business ideas, the public can visit the Huron Business Centre in Seaforth during Small Business Week (this week, Oct. 19-23) Guest speakers will he sharing their knowledge and expertise on various topics related to small husincss. I feared hypothermia in my bedroom FROM Page 4 We tried foaming landlord up when it reach 40 deduct the electricity from insulation in the spaces we degrees celsius i feared our rents because we were could find and scaling the hypothermia. the only ones complaining. windows in plastic. We even On windy days, 1 would That was enough to turned the heat up enough often spend an hour in a hot already make me feel that the people living in thc bathtub just to try to get rid uncomfortable every time the house would have to crack of that set-in chill. temperature dropped. That open thc windows. I moved again and will cold feeling that sets in your This landlord tricd to never live somewhere that I hands and mid section_ if cooperate. but 1 still had to can't reasonably control the you're cold for too long was keep adding blankets to the heat against whatever is enough to stay with me as bed anytime it'got windy as happening outside. one of those feelings or winter set in. But ever since then, the experiences you don't Tike Finally. I took a thought of having to go (like the scrape of nails on a thermometer into the outside in the cold leaves me chalk hoard). Once you've bedroom and woke the with a chill. felt it, you can't forget it. The next year, another apartment built in the hack of a house, came available. it was affordable and overlooked the river and lake. The only catch was. the riverbank was eroding and the apartment had shifted. You literally walked up and downhill in the apartment and always had to he careful not to fill a glass too full or it would spill when it was set down. it was worth it for the view. Until the first cold wind blew. h wasn't until then and I went searching out all the drafts that even noticed thc arca under the' kitchen cupboards where i could look outside in thc space between the apartment and the main house. And there was plenty of smaller ones text. E!RE BACK Travel the World Tickets are available through any Optimist Member or one of these participating merchants Nifty Korners,Tucker's Meat Shop, Bob's Barbershop, Main St.Video Only 400 Booklets (tickets) available Get yours before they're gone! Seaforth and District Optimist Club spending, said Janet Baird - Jackson, Superintendent of Corporate Operations. "If we don't repair roofs and have leaks we risk roofs coming down," she said. "We risk putting ourselves into a deficit." The Director of Education agreed "the situation is only going to get worse." The school board for Perth and Huron Counties insists it's the lowest -spending hoard, per pupil, in all of Ontario. The board's current draft budget net expenditure is about $127.3 million, compared to a combined total of roughly $125.5 million for the two previous boards. The increase this year is due to $965,000 increased special education expenditures to meet funding minimum requirements and $1.8 million. in cxtra retirement gratuities, according to the board. There were $857,000 in savings due to amalgamation. Usborne & Hibbert Mutual Fire Insurance Company ' Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S1 (Established in 1876) Provides Full Insurance Coverage tor Farm Properties New Applications Are Welcomed DIRECTORS & ADJUSTORS Joe giallo. R.R. 5 Withal 348.9705 Ron Feeney, A.R. 2 Dubin 345-2360 Larry Gardner, R R. 2 Stalta 345.2678 Jade Hodgen R.R. 1 Krktn 229-6152 Michael O'Shea. R.A. 3 Granton 225-2600 Moms Maws. R.R. 2 St Pauls 3936548 AGENTS WayneMaver_Exeler 235-1915 David Moore, Dubin 345-2512 Bab Worden, Dubin 345-2777 J.P. lkriac, Michell 348-9012 Head Oka, Exeter 2350350 A refund from surplus was declared for all policy hold- ers who qualify, are on record and in good standing as at December 31, 1997. TNI HURON EXPOSITOR, OCTOSIR 21, 1119-5 Small * Business Week In Canada Monday, October 19th To Friday, October 23rd, 1998 Open House 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Wednesday Until 9:00 p.m.) Celebrate Canadian Entrepreneurship at the Huron Business Centre 138 Main Street South, Secfforth 519-527-0305 (PLEASE NOTE: The correct phone number above) Attractions •Free Seminars (call for in formation) *Complimentary Resource Materials' *Talk To A Small Business Advisor* •Browse Our Extensive Library* .0 fs & Refreshments• Don't miss the upcoming Clinic Day MIGRAINE CLINIC DAY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23rd 10 AMto2PM CANADIAN TIRE OIL CHANGE CLUB ...only at Canadian Tire, Goderich HERE'S HOW IT WORKS Purchase a card for $59.95 plus tax and receive four complete lube, oil and oil filter changes. When your vehicle is due for the regularly scheduled oil change we will replace the oil filter and up to 5 litres of Quaker State oil. We will also perform a complete chas- sis lube (if required) and a 20 point inspection. © Your card will be documented on each visit and there is no time limit for using the four services. Q Other items required will be charged out at regular everyday low prices, only with your approval. © Our promise, fast, efficient, and we only do the work you car requires. •Trained Technician •Top Quality Parts •Nationwide Warranties 'NOT APPLICABLE TO DIESELS -Certain Restrictions Apply clangolpn TIRE K.D. LEROUX SALES LTD. Locally Owned and Operated CANADIAN TIRE OIL CHANGE CLUB CARD This card entitles holder to FOUR complete Lube, Oil and Oil Filter Packages. Package includes up to 5 litres of Quaker State Oil NAME _____ ----- Valid at VEHICLE __________ Goderich — Store only. Nor DATE DATE DATE DATE MILEAGE MILEAGE MILEAGE MILEAGE HWY. #8, GODERICH 524-2124 Long Distance 1-800-899-5849 SERVICE HOURS... Monday -Friday 8 am -5:30 pm; Saturday 8 am -4 pm Sunday 11 am -3 pm (tire/batteries only) 1