Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2000-01-12, Page 1January 12, 2000 Si (includes GST) Local weather Wsdnasday--Cloudy with sunny periods. Flurries and snow. High -4. Thursday --Sunny with cloudy periods. High -3. Low -8. • Friday --Sun and cloud. High -3. Low -11. Saturday --Cloudy. Periods of Tight snow. High 0. Low -6. From Environment Canada In brief County gives its support to local schools Huron County Council has thrown its support behind the Town of Seaforth in its fight to keep the town's schools oOeen. "These have been stressful times in Seaforth," said Lin Stater, reeve of Seaforth, at the Huron County Council meeting Thursday. The town has been fighting a decision made by the Avon Maitland District School Board last fall to study Seaforth District, High School and Seaforth Public School, among other schools, for possible closure. "But this is just the beginning." Steffler said it is Seaforth's understanding the Avon Maitland board is looking to close more schools within the next three years in central and north Hutton. Stet'1Pter brought forward a motion asking all Huron municipal councils and county council to support Seaforth's resolution "requesting the Avon Maitland District School Board to give priority to the social and economic impact of school closures on a community prior to making a school closure decision." `Mist study has not been done in Seaforth," she stated. Jack Coleman, of Stanley, said his council thought if the smaller schools were closed a few years ago, "we wouldn't be where we are now. I'm not sure we can keep all the ' schools open." Coleman added that kung' them all open ould take away from improved programming at Huron schools. Steffler said it is Seaforth's understanding the school board does have sufficient funds to operate the schools presently. "Four thousand excess pupil places that they are looking to close will afford them the opportunity for new capital grant dollars to build schools," said Sterner. "We believe all schools in Huron County deserve to remain open." By Anry Zoetho,a Inside... New minister at Northside... Pay • Afamtcuney rettultsln sooreboard_ Pole 7 • Hemel prosy= dbtary. Pay. 11 Elvis sighting Roy LeBlanc of St. Thomas entertains the crowds who attended the opening of the Seaforth Knechtel Food Market Susan Hundertmork photo Calling an everybody Every man, woman and c ' d is asked to attend next public meetings in effort to keep local schools open By Susan Hurdortmark Expositor Staff Every man, woman and child in Huron Fast should attend the public meetings concerning the possible closure of Seaforth- area schools this week, says Alf Ross, chair of the community committee studying the issue. "I don't think there's a bigger risk to this town that the closure of the high school. It would be a catastrophe for Main Street and we've got to show some strength here. Everybody's got to get involved," he says. Huron East is the name that will be given to Seaforth. Brussels and Tuckersmith, McKillop and Grey Townships which are expecting to become one municipality a year from now. Although the final decision won't be made until Feb. 22 by the Avon Maitland District School Board whether or not to close the seven schools named for possible closure, the public meetings Jan. 13, 17 and 20 will be the best opportunity to present the case for each local school. Seaforth deputy -administrator Cathy Garrick says the committee is hoping to see 3,000 to 4,000 people at each of the three public meetings. "They're hoping for a huge turnout to show a united front, the same people at each meeting if necessary," she says. Public meetings will be held Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. at Duff's United Church for Walton Public School, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. at Seaforth Public School and Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. at Seaforth District High School. Garrick, who has been working as part of a town cotincil committee formed last week to help the community study' committee gather information, says a survey has been sent to every mailbox in Seaforth, all of Seaforth's rural routes, Walton and Kippen and surrounding rural routes. The survey urges everyone in Huron East to attend the meetings and submit the impact on their lives and businesses, socially and economically, by Jan. 14 at either Seaforth town hall, Archie's Service Centre, Sparky's Restaurant and Seaforth Knechtel Food Market. Seaforth Food Market is also contributing $2 for every person who signed a register at their open house Monday night. "We're trying 'to quantify the existence of Seaforth," says Seaforth District High School council chair Maureen Agar. "When we told the board that closing the high school would kill the town, they said prove it and that's what we're trying to do," she says. The survey asks if high school students patronize or work at local businesses and whether school staff patronizes local businesses. It also asks if businesses participate in the high school co-op program. The Seaforth cluster community study commitee will meet Jan. 16 to analyse the results to the survey in preparation for the public meetings in Seaforth. The committee is examining the social and economic impact of school closures on the community in hopes this approach will convince the board not to close schools. Agar says the committee is optimistic that businesses will respond in time to make a difference to the school closure fight. Keeping schools open will be tough sell Illy Susan Hundrrtmark Expositor Staff While he says closing Seaforth schools is "not an option." Alf Ross, recently -elected spokesperson of the Seaforth cluster community study committee. says "it's going to he a tough sell." "There are nine politicians that have to vote. We've got a real sell job ahead of us. We're going to have to put forward a heck of a case." says Ross. While he's only been involved in the study committee for two weeks. the former Seaforth mayor and long-time member of the Seaforth Community Hospital board was "quite involved" during the fight to keep local hospitals open a few years ago. Ross says the fight to save the hospitals was "quite a different fight" but adds "it wasn't easy either." School council chairs took the lead when the Stephanie Dole photo Denise, Kendal and Carmen Carnochan sing O'Canada during the opening ceremonies of the first Bili Cornochan Memorial Atom Tournament in honour of their father while Marion Van Dooren observes. The tournament was held Saturday and Sunday at the Seaforth and Oistrkt Community Centres. Seaforth-area schools were first named for possible closure by the board at the end of November. But, Seaforth District High School council chair Maureen Agar says the community study committee for the cluster of three Seaforth-area schools voted Ross as spokesperson because of his involvement with the fight to keep local hospitals open and because he's a "fresh face." - "The board doesn't listen to me anymore. I've Soo COMMITTEE, Pogo 2 Flu not an epidemic says Health Unit By Scott FMgndorft Expositor Editor While the Huron County Health Unit' is waiting to see what happens with area childrerhack in school this week, it is not calling the current flu outbreak an epidemic. Marlene Price. Community Health Manager, said doctors at the Goderich Hospital, which has taken extra measures such as limiting the number of visitors to the hospital. might not agree but a look at the rest of the county does not show as severe a pictute. "We have flu. We have lots of flu in the county by I'm not sure I'd call it an epidemic," said Price. The current influenza A train that hit Huron County at the end of Soo FLU, Pogo 2 Your community newspaper since 1860 • 1 4