HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2000-01-05, Page 22 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, January 5, 2000
'1
News
School group
thought town
was too quiet 15
Study Group asks council
to take a lead role and offer
its endorsement in struggle
to keep high school open
From Pogo 1
hut when all is said and
done. 1 don't think you want.
to he on the council that was
here when the high school
closed." she said.
She encouraged the town
to get behind the school and
help ensure it is allowed to
reach its full potential.
something Mayor Dave
Scott has
pointed out
school hoard
trustees have
ignored. He
has hecn
concd ned the
hoard has
ignored,
possible
programs like
developing an
agricultural
preparatory
school. that
would helpthe
high school
grow. •
Doig
wondered .if
everyone had
a conflict of
interest on the
issue. whether
or not there was another way
to get an official statement
from the town.
Joe Steffler. chair of the
Business .Retention and
Expansiop .Committee LBR
and E) was asked by Scott. to
speak at a board meeting
addressing the impact of
closing the school on the
,community but he , said
without council's official
endorsement. they are just
spinning their wheels.
"We're maybe getting a
slap at them instead of a
heavy blow." he said of what
they are able to present to
the hoard.
He said they need to have
a mandate from council so
they look like more than a
hunch of kids trying to start
a fight.
Doig was also concerned
about the. number of
-different directions
community groups have
been taking in the struggle
.without the leadership of
council.
When the possihiliLy of
the school closing came to
light .this fall. members of
school advisory councils and
Charles Smith. a local
business person. came
forward and began
organizing letter writing
campaigns and presentations
to the school board.
Since then. fund raising
efforts have been taking
place for possible legal
action against the hoard and
various school committees
have been addressing the
issue on their own but
u ithout a focus.
Last month. the study
group began meeting.
pulling together the various
efforts of other community
groups working toward
keeping local schools'open,
which led them to come
together at this week's
special council meeting.
;It he ]Ross] doesn't get
the endorsement of council.
then we're just running in
circles." said Scott.
Letters from local
business and industry were
requested in the early sta8es
of the struggle but few have
come forward.
Scott said they need to
become organized and
collect information from the
husinesses personally to
ensure impact statements are
gathered for Ross's report:
"1 don't think there's any
question we're behind you
100 per cent," .said Coun.
Heather Robinet who is the
adult numeracy and literacy
coordinator tor the school
board.
She said they just haven't
,put anything in writing yet
and needed
to know what
was expected
of them by
t h e
organizations
out there.
"My job is
secondary to
this issue as
far as I'm
concerned."
she said.
"We've
been viewing
you as the
leaders
waiting for
where our
role was in
this.
Ross
requested
council form a committee
and have staff dedicated to
gathering 'and preparing
information regarding
school closure impact.
While the study group has
been able to work more
closely with the school
board than other community
groups to date. they have
still had difficulty getting
figures regarding such areas
as how much money needs
to be saved to keep the
school open.
Doing told council their
report has to show social
and economic impacts on
the community rather than
getting into a numbers game
with the board.
"We're not going to get
the numbers." she said.
"That's disgusting and
bordering on incompetency."
said Scott.
The committee of council
was expected to meet last
•night with the study group to
begin month-long
information collecting.
Their efforts will focus on
the social and economic
impact of the school closure
and will include gathering
impact statements from
Huron County. Council.
county municipalities (of
which five have already sent
letters of support to council).
the municipalities that are
part of a potential
restructuring with Seaforth.
business and industry. and
any other areas such as
service clubs. 'that arc
affected by losing the
school.
A questionnaire was
expected to be prepared last
night for the businesses with
a plan to directly gather the
information from the
businesses.
Also expected to be
prepared was an impact
statement from the town.
There was discussion
about designated town staff
to the work and Scott said.
even if Deputy
Administrator Cathy Garrick
was busy with tax
preparations, this issue was
more important.
Council passed a motion
of support of the efforts of
the study group combined
with die BIA and BR and E.
Quoted
'I don't think
there's any
question we're
behind you 100
per cent. We've
been viewing
you as the
leaders waiting
for where our
role was in
this'--
Coun. Heather
Robn t
TEE=s-eat-i40
BABIES ON PARADE
BABIES BORN IN 1999!
Braeden Earl
Scott Teall
Born: December 3, 1999
Parents: Scott & Carrie
Jared Leslie
Patrick Smith
Born: April
Parents: Darcy & Angela
Hailey Lyn Snell
Born: March 26, 1999
Parents: Craig & Julie
Kristen Delaney
Walsh' 9
Born: February 22, 199 99
Parents: Brad & Jayne
Connor William
Whyte Driscoll
Born: February 15, 1999
Parents: Ben & Crystal
Ryan Robert Govier
Born: January 12, 1999
Parents: Ross & Marilyn
Alexandria Miriam
Forman
Born: June 28, 1999
Parents: Steve & Leslie
Kelsey Ann Cardno
Born: May 26, 1999
Parents: Chris & Mary
ShannaMarilyn
'Cardno
Born: Mav 26, 1999
Parents: Chis &Mary
Chad Alexander
Higenell
Born: June 2, 1999
Parents: Mark & Estella
Mitchell James
McKee
Born: November /4, 1999
Parents: Jeff & Tracey
Alexis Wilbee
Born: May 10, 1999
Parents: Jame_ &
Lauren Nicole
Anstett
Born: May 14, 1999
Parents: Ray & Terri
'Bradley cert Colt
MillBorn: July 4, 1999
Parents: RichardLaurie
Tysen Kennedy
McCann
Born: Deric & Tammy
er 10, 1999
Parents:
Cassidy Paige
Dale -Roden
Born: Octobe& 2, Natalie
1999
Parents: Rod
4
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