HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-11-04, Page 1&T!!'IHuron
Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 - Seaforth, Ontario November 4, 1998 - $1.00 includes GST
MPP Helen Johns spoke against school closures at a board meeting Oct. 27 in Stratford.
' CUMMINGS PHOTO
Schools still face closure
People left .meeting thinking there was two-year reprieve
but board will have a new list .for closure next month
BY SCOTT HILGENi)ORFF
Expositor Editor
While some people think schools in
Huron and Perth are safe. a neiti fist of
school closures could he announced as
early as March. 1999:-
- "There were some people who
misunderstood." said Avon -Maitland
District School Board.Chair Ahh)
Armstrong. of motions the hoard passed
at a meeting last week. • .
Armstrong. who had received calls
from people the next day saying they
were glad about the decision. has sent
letters to school advisor) council chairs.
making sure the) -are clear about the
board's actions.
"We have asked the Ministry of
Education to extend the school closure
deadline to 2000." said Armstrong.
"It means we're not going to close
schools for Dec. 31."
That was a deadline issued by the
ministry of education for school_
closures if boards were u' eligible for
any future funding for renovations or
new buildings.
Armstrong said the board decided to
take the risk of not having that funding
available by ignoring the Dec. 31
deadline. •
After The Huron Expositor spoke to
Armstrong on Monday regarding the
matter. a media release was issued from
the board Monday evening.
It indicates a new list of schools
facing possible closure will be available
to trustees al a Dec. 8 hoard'meeting
with a community consultation process
to 'begin immediately after :; an)
schools are identified for closure:
"That means we expect another fist
to come out. said Armstrong. A list of
14 schools. incluii4; 4 Walton Public
There were some
people who
misunderstood'
--Abby Armstrong, chair,
Avon Maitland
District School Board
'Right now, we're just
chasing shadows'
--James Murray, chair, Walton
Public School Advisory
Committee
School. was developed and the hoard
was voting last Tuesday. Oct. 27. on
whether or not to study those schools
for possible closure in Septerithei.
With the board facing an approximate
$2.8 million shortfall in this year's
budget. schools could still have to he
closed.
"We have some financial realities to
deal with." said Armstrong.
With figures from the new, funding
model and.the official student count just
wrapped up 'at the end of October.
Armstrong said the. expect to know the
exact shortfall for this year.
- In 1990, she said the Huron and Perth
hoards (since amalgamated into the
• Avon Maitland District School Board)
had 15 senior administration:. Now. the
hoard has nine.
Speakers at the meeting said that's
where the hoard should he 'cutting to
.make up the shortfall.
"I'd argue we • iusr can't -cut much
further and still get the work done."
. Armstrong said. "Were not the bloated
administration some people -think we
are." .
By Jaw the.board has•to balance its
budget and- Armstrong said that means
taking a look at their schools.
Because the hoard has to know in'
March what its staffing requirements
will he for the start of the next school
year. Armstrong said that's when she
expects there wilt he a new list for
closure_consideration. .
11 wasn't until calling Amrstrong after
last weeks meeting that James Murray.
chair of .Walton Public School's
advisory council. learned schools would
again be:listed for closure as early as
March.
He said a lot of. people 'didn't realize
the implication of the hoard's motions
at that meeting and thought there would
he a two-year reprieve. He called
Armstrong to clarify the process that
would he taking place and said they're
CONTINUED on Page.2
Lin Steffler
appointed reeve
BY GREGOR CAMPBELL
Expositor Staff
Seaforth's new Reeve is
Lin Steffler.
A first-time Seaforth
councillor acclaimed in the
most -recent municipal
elections a year ago. the
former local police services
board (PSB) chair was
sworn in near the end of last
Tuesday night's council
meeting at Town Hall.
Steffler said she was
enthused about becoming
the town's representative on
Huron County Council.
"We live in interesting
times," she said when
putting her name forward.
"I think 1 could do a good
Couns. Steffler and Mike
Hak were
the only
t w o
members
of council
w h o
expressed
interest in
1 h e
position Lin&e'er
vacated by
Brian Ferguson, who
resigned last month. The
former reeve moved to
Goderich Township.
Coun. Hak didn't stand for
nomination, noting his time
was under pressure anyway.
and backed Steffler after she
put her name forward.
Steffler's new role leaves
a vacant councillor's seat
and council with several
options to fill it, from
COMM on Page 6
Parishioners
not sure
of their status
Letter read by pastor
leaves confusion among
St. Columban parishioners
BY GREGOR CAMPBELL
Expositor Staff
St. Columhan
parishioners are confused
about tht status of their
church.
A .letter from the
diocese was read during
service Sunday morning
at St. Patrick's bythe
pastor of the cluster. Fr.
Tony DelCiancio that
left parishionerfi with the
impression St. Columban
had been
"removed"
'from the
• cluster.
1 m
gc1t•ing
conflicting
stories."'
G a r y
Cronin.
chair of the
parish's ad
h. o c
committee
said late'
Tuesday.
morning.
Kevin Kale. Marie
Hicknelt and Jack Lane.
members of the ad hoc
committee also say they
are confused about where
the parish now stands.
The ad hoc committee
was established in April
after parishioners voted
to proceed with repairs to
its church.
The church has been
closed because of liabilty
concerns in September of
1997.
The parish learned
. Sunday it had been given
permission by the
Diocese of London to
proceed with repairs to
its Roman Catholic
church to make it suitable
for worship.
Larry Brennan business
administrator of the
Diocese of Lopdon said
Tuesday morning he
knew nothing of tumours
• about any new
relationship between St.
Columban and its cluster
partners, St. Vincent de
Paul in Mitchell and St.
Patricks in l?ublin'. He
said the diocese and
"parish were now talking
about day -to -da.' matters.
such as the scheduling of.
mass.
He confirmed that after
last week's meetings with
St. Columban Parish and
its ad hoc committee that
the diocese has given
permission
for the
church "to
he made safe
'I'm getting
contlicintg
stories,'
--Gary Cronin,
chair of parish's ad
hoc committee
f o.r
occupancy"
and the work
is to he done
"as soon as'
' possible.
It has been
closed for 14
months.
Brennan.
estimated
this work
would cost
between $25.000 and
.550.000.th
But e relationship of
the nearby parish to the
other two churches
remains confused.
Ad hoc committee chair
Cronin say he has been
unable to obtain a Copy
of Sunday morning's
letter from the diocese.
Vicar General of' the
Diocese. Fr. R. Anthony
Daniels. has left the
country until early next
week. His secretary
would not release' a cop)
' of the letter to The Huron
Expositor Tuesday
morning because she has
an early copy and says Fr.
Daniels, moderator of the
curia. may have
modified it before the
final copy was delivered
to the members of the
cluster.
Fr. DelCiancio was also
unavailable for comment.
Halloween horrors still drawing crowds
BY GREGOR CAMPBELL
Expositor Staff
Gerry Martin doesn't figure its been a good Halloween
unless at least one trick -or -treater sheds tears.
By that measure the annual Halloween display he puts
together around his house at RR 4 Tuckersmith was once
again a success on the weekend.
The weather was also the best it has been in recent memory.
When its wet. like last year. the powder he uses for making
noise and flashes on some of his creations won't work.
Martin estimates from 250 to 300 people were out at the
house Friday night, and a few more. maybe 300 took in the
scare scene on Halloween. The farthest away was from
Mississauga.
Several years ago his displays drew about 800. and one
couple came from Coburg and made a day of it. grabbing
dinner in Stratford beforehand.
Martin. a 47 -year-old electrical operator for Ontario Hydro
at the Seaforth transformer. has been putting up his Halloween
display since 1982.
He says the crowds were made up of more teenagers and
older couples this weekend than has been the case in
Halloweens past.
Martin was too busy this year to put together any new
displays. He says he's been doing this so long, he's now
scaring the kids of kids he first scared years ago.
Gerry Martin's Halloween display in Tuckersmith
Township saw more than 600 people come by to be
scared on Friday and Saturday night.
CAMPBELL PHOTO