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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2002-04-24, Page 9In brief Council approves OPP contract option Huron East council's acceptance of a $959,000 contract for policing has Deputy Mayor Bernie MacLellan worried about how much money the new municipality is looking at spending in its first budget. Between police costs and the Business Retention and Expansion committee's request for a possible $100,000 for an economic development officer, MacLellan said, "These two projects alone basically add a quarter million dollar to the general levy." He was concerned taxpayers would not look on the council favorably for spending that much money. MacLellan said he understood the need for a more visible police presence in Seaforth and a contract for policing instead of a potentially cheaper option with policing on a dive -by basis, but wanted to wait on accepting a contract until they could see how the figures work into the overall budget. Council has started the budget process and was expected to start a line -by- line look at it at last night's committee meeting. But Mayor Lin Steffler said, "I think police service is one of the absolute necessities." She said there is no option but to enter into an agreement with the OPP. While it's a large amount, she said, "I don't believe it is money poorly spent." On-call policing would cost approximately $913,000 while the first contract council accepted was for $959,000 and the third contract is for $1,333,162 and would have included an additional officer on patrol. Seaforth is expected to be assessed the $46,000 difference between on-call policing and the contract council is accpeting. MacLellan, who wasn't opposed to having an OPP contract but wanted to wait on the decision, was the lone vote against a motion to enter into the contract which helps ensure there are always dedicated officers on patrol in Seaforth and the rest of Huron East. By Scott Hilgendorff • Crops going into the ground.. Pag. 5 Fists derby photos... Pugs 0 and 7 Magiciicn vuilh a' message... Page 10 Tips lead to suspects in arson situation Police still seeking help from community as BIA learns of citizens' program By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Staff Huron OP1' have received several tips about possible suspects in last week's arsons in Seaforth, a group of about 35 local business owners heard at Monday night's BIA (Business Improvement Area) meeting. "I can't speak to how the tips turned out because I don't know. Right now it would all be speculation but there's an ongoing active investigation," said Const. Teri Patterson. Const. Don Shropshall said Tuesday morning that while the Huron OPP has received three or four tips through Crimestoppers, it continues to welcome any more information the community can provide. "We're following up on any leads, no matter how small," he said, adding that the tips so far indicate local people being involved in setting the fires. Patterson said those setting the fires are "probably just someone being a pain," rather than an "arson for hire" situation. Patterson was at the BIA meeting to reassure local business owners about that police are investigating the local fires and to encourage local people to become involved in one of two programs - Citizens on Patrol and Community Policing. However, less than half of the more than 100 BIA members attended Monday night's meeting and only two volunteered to participate in a police program. Patterson said a Community Policing program would allow people with concerns to report to local people instead of the police, who would then brainstorm with the committee about how to solve any problems. "For example, with the kids loitering downtown - if seniors are intimidated by that, we (police) might not realize that. But if the committee found out, we (police) could sit down with you and come up with a solution," she said. The Citizens on Patrol program would involve local people riding two to a car around town at night. See CITIZENS, Page 18 Scott Hilgendorff photo Derby duo... Michelle McColl gives daughter Kristin a little help as they try their luck in the Seaforth Lions Club annual trout derby held Saturday at Seaforth Lions Park. High school in options for closure Board expected to form accommodation study committees last night By Scott Hilgendorff Expositor Editor A consultant is suggesting Seaforth District High School students go to Central Huron Secondary School and the high school house the elementary students -from Seaforth Public School, or an option that would see the school closed completely "This is not a listing of schools for closure," said Superintendent of Education Bill Gerth of the report, a portion of which was obtained by The Huron Expositor on Monday and outlines several options across the district for handling accommodation. Because of its size, 100 pages, Gerth said copies of the full report could not be made available to the press until Tuesday evening. His concern is that, out of the entire report, people are going to focus on the recommendations contained in a summary that suggest certain schools be closed across the district. "These are the musings from one external consultant," said Gerth, adding, his focus is on the figures.and collection of data the consultants made available including projected growth at schools, not on the options presented in the summary, which include consolidating several schools. However, the report came as a surprise to Central Huron trustee Charles Smith who discovered it with his agenda package on Friday. Smith, one of the leaders in last year's fight to keep the high school open is concerned the board is forcing the process again without including the people involved. He said the consultants' report and the expected formation of community accommodation study committees should have been on the board agenda as an item of future business first to give the community a chance to respond. "It's a vett' important step," he said, adding he doesn't recall any motion to hire an outside consultant coming in front of trustees. Gerth said, after the Seaforth community's successful lawsuit against the board last year, consultants were hired to collect and gather information relating to accommodation in the school board district to give the board information gathered externally. See REPORT, Page IS Mistie's disappearance handled,s audit poor says Police accused of not following up leads in former area girl's disappearance By Tim Cumming Goder$ch Signal -Star Editor Anne Murray, mother of missing Mistie Murray, now suggested to be dead by an audit of the OPP's handling of the case, is pressing for a follow-up audit for outstanding issues not covered in the report which slams the OPP for not investigating other suspects or sightings of Mistie. The audit of the policework on the Mistie Murray disappearance has resulted in recommendations which may change the way missing children cases are handled. York Regional Police conducted the audit for the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services (OCCOPS) at the request of Anne Murray, the mother of Mistie Murray, a Goderich teenager who has been missing since the end of May 1995. A summary of the report was released to the media on Thursday, May 3. Anne Murray said in a phone interview that she agrees with the bulk of the report but says there are some issues omitted. "I'm in agreement with most of it, however there are eight to 10 major issues that have been omitted," she said. "There is a need in police training programs to train them to deal with missing persons investigations so this complete and utter mishandled case won't happen again," she said. "This case needs to be studied." Murray, and her lawyer Gordon Cudmore of London, plan to develop a response to the report in the next month, adding eight -10 "major issues" that the OCCOPS report did not mention. "We have a month to have a document written outlining this," said Murray. "We will undertake to do that See AUDIT, Pap Is Minis Murray Your community newspaper since 1860