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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2000-07-19, Page 3Guardian Keating's Pharmacy) News Board keeping trustee numbers Seaforth community sees chance to balance Huron Perth, lost By Stew Slater Special to The Huron Expositor Last week, another late - breaking change in the Ontario government's rules surrounding education led to more last-minute scrambling by the province's school boards. Leading - up to last _ month's deadline for school board budgets, administrators were repeatedly forced to alter financial forecasts as the education ministry made changes in such things as student/teacher ratios and, . mandated instructional time. Now, with trustee elections scheduled for next autumn, the Conservative government is enacting a tight timetable forpotential changes to trustee boundaries. In Huron and Perth Counties, both the Avon Maitland. District School Board and the Huron -Perth Catholic District School Board had already completed their .regularly - scheduled genejal board meetings by the time correspondence came from Toronto stating a change had been made to the Education Act, effective June 30. The letter also stated that, "14 days after .(lune 30), boards must decide whether to designate low population municipalities." Avon Maitland trustees were called to -a hastily arranged board meeting to vote on a recommendation from director of education Lorne Rachlis. Administrators of the Huron -Perth board, meanwhile, quickly confirmed with ministry officials that it would be suitable to ' send a recommendation to trustees and put it into effect,- then have them vote for approval at the next regular board meeting in September. "We're trying to work through this. The timelines are just nuts," explained Gerry Thuss, superintendent of business for the Huron - Perth board. In the end, nothing changed at either board. According to Thuss, the new ability to alter- trustee boundaries in favour of sparsely -populated areas is aimed at remote sections of Northern Ontario, where a great majority of one school board's population might reside in one centre, such as Timmins or North Bay. Outside of that main centre, residents are widely - dispersed, he says, and don't always comprise enough population to qualify for one trustee under provincial regulations. "You might have one area where the population base is so dispersed that, by the (provincial) formula, they only come up with two tenths of a trustee. But they might feel it's better to have one trustee represent that area so they'll. designate the area as a low population area." Rachlis's report, makes similar suggestions, stating the notion of lowpopulation areas seeks to "recognize the unique aspects of trustee representation in Northern Ontario." Which, of course, makes the whole exercise seem rather pointless here in Huron and Perth Counties. But supporters of the recently -saved Scaforth District High School, who have built a loft running portion of the new animosit with he Avon- regulation, which states that Maiden rd, believe the under "special change ie Education Act circumstances in 2000" as could have provided an municipalities continue •opportunity for the board to tackling lower -tier re adequately represent government restructuring Huron Ctounty.residents. across the province, "The board has an municipal officials •will opportunity to support a . determine trustee numbers realignment of electoral and boundaries. • zones, (allowing) the zones "In future 'elections. in Huron County to be however. hoards will he brought in line with the new empowered to deal with amalgamated municipal these issues themselves." boundaries, as was done in states' the letter, received by -Perth County before the last the boards from the election," states a media education -ministry.' release, sent out prior to the "My comment was that 1 July 11 meeting by Charles can see down the road Smith, president of the where. perhaps, there could Seaforth District High be five (trustees) from School Huron and five from Perth " Student Success Schenk said. Foundation. She also said that, while However, in approving votes were often split along Rachlis's recommendation county lines in the months with minimal, dissension, immediately following the Avon Maitland trustees amalgamation of the former voted unanimously to . Huron and Perth boards, maintain the current ratio of such vote -splitting is no five Perth -based trustees longer evident. and four from Huron. "We could have made a North Huron trustee recommendation to look at Colleen Schenk defended setting up the boundaries in the board's actions. a different way, but it didn't "We don't really have the make much sense atthis authority to make that time," she said. change," she said. Schenk pointed to a Becky Campbell Registered Massage Therapist MON., TUES., WED. 9amto8pm Fridays 9amto5pm 527-2058 it only hurts, if you don't calf" PLEASE CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT 527-0319 (2 weeks in advance): T©j ® iii)©CDM@ GROOMING SALON 92 Main St., Seaforth 527-0319 Call anytime .. reasonable rates Mon., Wed., Thurs. Fri. 8 am to 4 pm NOTICE For the convenience of our clients SEAFORTH VETERINARY CLINIC will be open THURSDAY EVENINGS by appointment only Please call for appointments 519-527-1760 GRAY INSURANCE BROKEtfS INC. Alcan Carter, Broker • Home • Auto • Commercial • Farm 522-0399 Seaforth 1-800-265-0959 Strathroy THE HURON EXPOSITOR, July 19, 2000-3 F001 CARE CLINIC THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2000 10 AMto2:00PM Registered Nurse on 'site for specialty care in 'CORNS 44. CALLUSES keTOENAILS 85.00 Charge. Please Call For An Appointment 67 Main St. Seaforth 527-1990 -HEALTH ON THE HILL - A Review of activities at SEAFORTH COMMUNITY HOSPITAL. •THANK•YOU to all who donated to recent 9th Annual Child Find "Green Ribbon of Hope" campaign. Your donation helps Child Find Ontario to continue their important work in collaboration with law enforcement and social service agencies in helping to locate missing children. All Child Find programs and services arc offered free of charge and are endorsed by the Ontario Association -of Chiefs of Police: Over the past year. 13,500 children were fingerprinted along with 60,000babies footprinted. The ongoing education of parent.. caregivers and children on the essentials of child safety is vital: Your support was greatly appreciated! COMMUNITY FORUM You are invited to attend a Community Forum Wed. August 2nd Conference Room 2 at Scaforth Community, Hospital. Please see Notice located within this paper for further details. Any questions, please contact Dorothy Medd at 527-3002. . WELCOME TO NEW SCHOOL BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEMBERS Mike Hodgins. and Arend Streutket. Special thanks to committed outgoing members Kathy Elliott and JanWarner-Moore S500.00 BURSARY OFFERED Scaforth Hospital Auxiliary invites students who arc eligible (resident of the Scaforth Community Hospital catchment•area as defined by Seaforth Community Hospital Board of Directors) and accepted by a College or University approved by the Ministry of Education in a course leading to a health related career, to apply for Bursary: Application Forms available by contacting -Grace Dolmage ®527-3001 Mon.-- Fri. during regular working hours. Applications must be submitted in sealed. envelope, labelled "Hospital Auxiliary Bursary, c/o Grace Dolmage" no later than Friday. August 11. 2000. 4th ANNUAL CELEBRITY GOLF TOURNAMENT is sponsored by. Huron Hospice in conjunction with•the Seaforth Optimist Club. It will be hosted by the Seaforth Golf & Countr Club Saturday, August 19, 2000. Registration will include golf cart. golf clinic, roast beef banquy t and prizes. Tee off time is 12:00 noon. To register or for further information. please contact as soon as possible. Huron_Hospice Volunteer Service at (519) 527 0655 or Seaforth Golf and Country -Club. (522-0985) • t. ...rated "Best Full Siz Consumer's Digest HUGE SELECTION IN JUST ABOUT EVERY COLOUR! The perfect replacement car for Mercury Marquis, Oldsmobile 88/98, Chrysler Concorde/New Yorker or Buick Park Avenue/Road Master/LeSabre owners! All Buick LeSabre Limited models are equipped with OnStar (global positioning system) for safety & security. THE HIGHEST OWNER LOYALTY OF ANY CAR MANUFACTURED IN NORTH AMERICA! WOULDN'T YOU REALLY RATHER HAVE A BUICK? .r,flrngrlrngr �lr !!!!!lfpr 'lilt,r1 :, McGEE FINANCING OA(• up to =18 numtIi 37 Hamilton Street, Godcrich 524-8391 • 1-800-265-5507