HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2000-06-21, Page 3News
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Fatal accident
OPP are yet to determine if charges against a Wyoming man will be upgraded to impaired driving causing death after a fatal
accident June 18 in Stanley Township. Brett Stewardson, 19, of RR.2 Zurich died in a London hospital with critical head injuries
after members of the Brucefield and Clinton Fire Departments had to extricate him from the vehicle in which he was a
passenger. Samuel Mayer, 18, was driving on Airport Line near County Road 13 at 4:15 a.m. when he lost control on a curve.
Mayer had been charged with impaired driving causing bodily harm and driving a vehicle with more than 80 mg of alcohol in his
system. OPP are still investigating.
Portable decision
blamed for Arts'
resignation
By Susan Hundertmark
Expositor Staff
The Avon Maitland District School Board's decision to
move portables to Seaforth Public School rather than move
Grades 7 and 8 to Seaforth District High School caused Susan
Arts to resign as Seaforth Public School council chair, she
told the board at last week's meeting.
"I feel that a personal vendetta against Seaforth is very real.
The sad part of all this is how vindictive you are to anyone
who is before you from Seaforth, even though I was a
newcomer with open arms," she told trustees, as she wept.
Arts said she thought moving the Grades 7 and 8 students
from Seaforth Public School to the high school "was a pretty
great start" to keeping the high school viable, adding that she
had been looking forward to making SDHS the "model Grade
7 to OAC school."
And, she asked why the board never told the Seaforth
community that moving portables to the public school was an
option that would be considered by the board.
"Why did I never hear of option one? 1 would have liked to
poll all our parents. Why was Walton told? Did you ever stop
to ask if Seaforth parents wanted portables? Now you as
trustees are throwing more money away," she said of the
board's recent decision to spend $15,000 to move three
portables to SPS.
"These decisions are all financially -driven or have you
forgotten so soon?" she added, pointing out that filling the
two empty classrooms at the high school would have cost the
board nothing.
SDHS council chair Maureen Agar also' chided trustees for
not letting the Seaforth community know of the portables
option before the vote.
"You listened to two people from Walton. How did they
know there were three choices?" she asked.
While both delegations were met with no response from the
board, superintendent Geoff Williams agreed after the
meeting that both Seaforth council chairs were not informed
that the board would be considering the option of moving
portables to the school.
"Both were asked were thcy still in favour of their
recommendation to move Grades 7 and 8 to the high school.
They wouldn't have changed their minds if they'd known
(about option one). Their argument was pretty clear," he said.
Williams added that the Walton parents' position against
moving Grades 7 and 8 into the high school also remained the
same.
Board chair Wendy Anderson also said the board received
"a strong message" from thc people of Walton that they were
against moving Grades 7 and 8 to the high school. She added
that Walton parents had threatened to withdraw from the
system or go north to schools in Brussels or Wingham if
Grades 7 and 8 went into the high school. She said more than
10 students could have chosen other schools.
"We would have lost a lot more money than $15,000 if that
had happened. And, their border -crossing to another school
wasn't going to help Seaforth either, she said.
During 'her presentation to the board, Arts also took issue
with a statement made two weeks ago by Walton parent Steve
Bowers that he was not asked during the school closure
process by the Seaforth community if he agreed with their
recommendation to put Grades 7 and 8 in the high school.
"Walton had all thc opportunity in the world to make their
opinions known. We had two emergency meetings at the
public school and notice was sent home with every child. Do
you as trustees call every voter before making a decision? No.
and neither can we." said Arts.
Anderson responded after thc meeting and said nowhere in
the Seaforth community's package to the board was there
documentation of asking the Walton community the question
of moving Grades 7 and 8 to the high school.
"Some delegations haven't been very welcoming of the
Walton community, in my opinion." said Anderson.
Arts said, after the meeting that she's heard at least 10
parents who are critical of the board's decision to move
portables to the public school.
"I can see us being back in court again. They've (trustees
have) been shown to be unfair again by not letting us know
that portables were an option. They're not letting us have all
the information," she said.
Arts said a new chair for the SPS council will be chosen in
September and added that it could be difficult to fill the
position.
"I'm worn out. I'm done. And, I don't think the chance of
keeping the high school open is hopeless but I don't think it's
great," she said.
THE HURON EXPOSITOR. June 21, 2000-3
Notice is hereby given that the
Public is invited to the
ANNUAL MEETING of
Seaforth Community Hospital
to be held Monday, June 26, 2000
at 8:00 p.m.
in Conference Room 2
of Seaforth Community Hospital
for the purpose of receiving the Annual
Reports of the Board of Directors and of the
officials of the Hospital, for the election of
Directors, for the appointment of Auditors,
and for the transaction of such other
business as may properly come before the
meeting. The By-laws of Seaforth Community
Hospital provide that the Board of Directors
shall include trustees to be elected by
members of the Hospital Corporation.
By resolution of the Board of Directors.
Andrew Williams, Secretary
This Wedel iaty/.7
From 5:5Litshto n.
The Lou
the sun Will rise at..,5401!'
will be : open during
prices on our i sfl us=
EARLY BIR
CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 6-9. A.M.
On Mill Street,
Ontario's Furniture Village
WWW. WYOUR ADDRESS
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addition to the
PHONE BOOK 2000
WEBSITE & E-MAIL DIRECTORY
st fill out the form below and drop off at one of our offices.
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