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Huron Expositor, 2000-11-08, Page 1November 8, 2000 $1 (includes GST) --(soca! weather Wednesday --Risk of thunderstorms. High 14. Low 10. Thursday --Cloudy with showers. High 12. low 6. Friday --Showers. High 12. Low 6 Saturday --Mainly sunny. High 10. low 3 From Environment Canada Conspiracy theory denied Trustee candidates say Seaforth connections are coincidental By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Staff Accusations : by. two Huron County newspapers that five candidates for public school board - trustee are .tieing to "stack.' the Avon Maitland board .:with representatives from Seaforth are being. denied by each of the five candidates named. • The five include three. who live in ' die Seaforth area, and two who have Seaforth connections. • They are. Seaforth businessman Charles Smith. Seaforth District High School council chair Maureen Agar. past president of the Seaforth Agricultural Society Jim Floyd. retired SDHS teacher Don Renshaw and Carol Bennewies. an SDHS graduate whose husband is office manager' at Smith's company, Boilersmith. While Smith has been acclaimed, the other four are running against other candidates. Two are running out3ide of their home wards, including Agar. who' is running against current board chair Wendy Anderson in Perth East and Floyd, who is running against incumbent Colleen Schenk in Northeast Huron. Editorials in recent editions of The Listowel Banner and The Wingham Advance -Times worry that "if the Seaforth group is successful. it would control the Avon Maitland District School Board with five representatives." "The fact remains that they have a vested interest in , keeping Seaforth schools open. possibly to ,the detriment of other schools within the board," says The Wingham Advance -Times. "11 doesn't take much imagination to .see how the 'Seaforth factor' could adversely affect the progress of education in places such as Listowel. where the population is growing and there is a need for more classrooms," says The Listowel Banner. Smith says the papers are "fear - mongering and serving the interests of incumbent trustees by deflecting the focus` away from their records. Special service Members of the Seaforth Branch of the Legion gathered Sunday for a special service at Northside United Church. Inside... Meet your candidates for the Nov. 13 election Huron East, Papa 547 and $ Residents of Seaforth, Grey,Brussles, McK,llop and Tuckersmith words ore voting for one Mayor and one Deputy Moyor at large and two councillors from their specific word. Hulett Ward of Central Huron Pages Sand • Residents of Nutlet, Township ore voting for one Reeve and one Deputy Reeve at large and two councillors from their k wordof. _ Ward Perth Pages 10 and 11 Residents of Hibbert ore voting for o Moyor and Deputy Mayor and two councilors from the ward. Clint VIulf photp "The Wingham paper says we may have an agenda that may be to , the detriment of other schools and that's a sack of bunk." says Smith. While his position hasalways been to keep rural schools open; Smith says he doesn't support keeping one school open at the detriment of another. "People are running for personal reasons and they're quite a qualified group. Folk from Seaforth are highly -trained to keep schools. open. Wouldn't you want those See CANDIDATES , Page 3 Ambulance issue main discussion at all -candidates By Scott Hilgendorff Expositor Editor - Mayoral candidate Lin Steffler slammed county administration for insisting it run 'the ambulance system their way at last Thursday's Seaforth Ward "all -candidate's meeting. In her. speech to the approximately 75 people who attended the meeting at Seaforth . and District Community Centres, the county's plansto restructure the ambulance service was • the focus. • She asked taxpayers if they were prepared to accept Robin Dunbar's position that the county's decision has been made "or are we going to fight?" • Dunbar is the current reeve of Grey Township,. one of four other municipalities amalgamating with Seaforth on Jana 1. 'Sterner is Seaforth's reeve. Both sit on Huron County Council and have had opposing views to how the ambttlanc'e system should be operated, , Steffle'r" said she first addressed the issue of paramedics and ambulances at county council in 1999 and at that time, Was the only voice in support of the current -system ---- When . county council ,voted on changing the ambulance . system and moving the service out of Seaforth earlier this year, she said there were two voices in support of keeping an ambulance 'service in Seaforth. Now, she said`there are eight voices in support of revisiting the county's ambulance system. She criticized, the county for going ahead with the restructuring when Sale STEFFLER, Page 4 Candidates for mayor address local issues The Huron Expositor has given .the candidates for mayor of I-luron East a chance to express themselves on a variety of issues in a question/answer format Experience will show who has leadership qualities What qualities will make you a good leader? Experience will show who has leadership qualities. As head of council and at county council I have been able to get results. A good leader cannot have a conflict of interest or owe favors to financial. hackers. The fact that I have been able to get others to listen and share my program shows that I am a leader. What is your position on the restructuring of the ambulance services? On January 1st, 2001 the couhty will administer the ambulance service. The four bases have been approved as has the whole program by the Ministry of Health. This decision will not be changed without Ministry approval. Funds will be dedicated to upgrading the training of the paramedics. The goal will be to have more full time, fully trained people. Misinformation has been spread about response times. the times will improve on the present times and with a seven day, twenty- four hour station The times will be better. An enhahced ambulance service will look at a system which will provide for transfers of non Soo DUNSM, Pone 11 Honest, patient and willing to listen at helm of council What qualities will make you a good leader? I'm honest, patient and willing to listen. 1 care about people. Don't get me wrong - I'm not a Pollyanna. I understand the need for rules• and regulations - 'but, they should be developed to provide opportunities, not obstacles. What is your position on the restructuring of, the ambulance services? People perceive (and rightly so) that ambulance service is being withdrawn from their immediate area. 1 have to ask if this wholesale restructuring is really necessary. Perhaps we'd be better off to. realign the current system to provide better rural coverage throughout the day, .while still maintaining the hospital co - location partnership that now exists. Adding one ambulance and staff can do this. The better coverage we provide to the residents Of Huron County, the" fewer invoices we have to pay a neighbouring ambulance system to look after us. We• can generate revenue -it's been happening for awhile now. In 1997, ' Huron County answered 1400+ calls Sae ONLY, Pope 10 Your community newspaper since 1860 ?/ate BOB BROADFO: Deputy Mayor - Huron East • My Urban and Rural Leadership Experience will help guide the newly formed municipality of Huron East into a strong united community devoted to the good of its citizens.