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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2004-02-18, Page 60 -THE HURON IXPO$ITOR, FI•RUARY 10, 2004 R.P's CARPENTRY Roofing, Renovations Custom Built Homes Decks, Interior/Exterior Tim, Cabinets, Farm Buildings General Contracting Free Estimates Ron Pryce 519-522-0974 Egmondville Uioking Glass 4 Main St., Seaforth 527-1783 *Reflexology *Deep Muscle Therapy *Ear Candling OReiki Jennifer Gift Certificates McClinchey Available When It Comes To Protecting Your Assets.... Turn to the Professionals at GRAY INSURANCE BROKERS INC. - ALLAN ER Specializing in LORI TIEMAN • Farm - Commercial - Auto - Property 5 MAIN STREET SOUTH SEAFORTH, ON (519)527-2500 Open Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. - OR by appoinm•nt it naaded Usborne & Hibbert Mutual Fire Insurance Company Notice of ANNUAL MEETING The 128th Annual Meeting of the Usborne & Hibbert Mutual Fire Insurance Company will be held at the Kirkton- Woodham Community Centre at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, February 23, 2004 for presentation of the Annual Report for 2003, to elect Directors and to transact any business that may rightly come before the meeting. Nominations will be received for the election of two Directors for a three year term, The Ditrs whose term of office expires are Joe Chaffc and Morris Willows, both of whom are eligible for re-election. Article 21 - Any person wishing to seek election or re-elec- tion as a Director must file his intention to stand for election in writing with the Secretary Manager of the Corporation at least ten days in advance of an Annual Meeting or Special General Meeting called for the purpose of electing Directors. President Secretary -Manager, Ron Feeney Sharon Doxtator NOTICE OF THE 125TH ANNUAL MEET/NG OF THE WEST WgWANOSH MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY Notice is hereby given that the Annual Meeting of the Company will be held at the: SALTFORD VALLEY HALL On Tuesday, March 30th, 2004 AT2:OOP.M. I. To receive, consider and approve the Financial Statement and Auditor's Report for the year ended December 31st, 2003. 2. To appoint auditors. 3. To elect two (2) Directors for a three-year term. 4. To consider amendments to By -L ws# (3) - Location of the Office (6) And (7) - Annual Meeting (8) And (9) - Notice of General Meeting (11) - Quorum (15) - Voting Members (18) Directors (/9) And (22) - Qualifications of Directors (23) - Annual Election to Fill Vacancies (43) - Agents/Brokers (47) - Investments 5. To transact any other business that may properly come before the meeting. The retiring Directors are Barry Million of the Huron/Perth designated area and Steve Faber, Director At Large. Both individuals are eligible for re-election. 3 Any qualifying policyholder wishing to run as a Director for these areas must file their intention to run, in writing, along with a nomination form, with the Corporate Secretary or designate, no later than close of business, March 16th, 2004. By order of the Board of Directors, West Wawanosh Mutual Insurance, Company, Dungannon, Ontario Cathie Simpson Corporate Secretary News Susan Hundertmark photos High stepping dancers Sherry McCall's Huron County Cloggers, including students from both her clogging and step dancing classes, both adults and children, entertained the residents of the Seaforth Manor during a recital last Thursday nigI't. At right, Carlene Bremner, Samantha Kerr and Kristen Walsh dance to fiddle music while below Samantha Flowers, Stacey Harris and Courtney Feeney do some step dancing. Huron East wants reasons for policing budget hike By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor Huron East council will be writing to the Huron OPP. asking for justification about why its costs in Huron East are up by 10 per cent in 2004. "The government is always preaching how tight its budget is so let's fire off a letter and find out why the policing costs are up. That's $100,000 and I think we dropped the hall on that one," said Tuckersmith Coun. Larry McGrath. McKillop Coun.Ferg Kelly agreed. "We shouldn't just sit hack and take this kind of stuff," he said. Huron East, which paid $1 million for its policing contract with the Huron OPP last year, is facing a $1.1 million hill this year. Mayor Joe Seili said he thought the increase was caused by the increased costs of salaries and equipment. "But, it's kind of nice to be able to balance your budget out of other people's pockets," he said of the downloaded costs that used to be paid by the province. Grey Coun. Mark Beaven asked if is was possible to recoup some of those costs by charging the police for using office space in Huron East. "Can we seek some compensation for the use of those offices. Of course, that's not an option if they'd just go to Goderich or Wingham," he said. Deputy -Mayor Bernie MacLellan said it would be in Huron East's hest interests to allow the police to continue using the office space in Seaforth and Brussels, whether or not they are included in a policing contract. "The police car parked there is a comfort to the local residents and a deterrent," he said. Council not counting on federal GST rebate Huron East council is not holding its collective breath while waiting for the GST rebate promised by the federal government. "The legislation hasn't been passed yet and what could happen is that it won't occur if the government calls another election," Huron East Clerk - Administrator Jack McLachlan told council Feb. 10. Huron East is expecting between $125,000 and $150,000 from the GST rebate, promised recently by the federal government to Canadian municipalities. "Then, don't count on a GST rebate because chances are good for a quick election call," said Grey Coun. Mark Beaven. Mayor Joe Seili said that since the federal government can't balance its own budget, he'd be surprised to receive the GST rebate. "I doubt you'll see that GST rebate in my lifetime," he said. Tuckersmith Coun. Larry McGrath joked that one way of getting the money would be to stop paying out any GST tax. "Let's just keep it." he said. By Susan Hundertmark `Flexible scheduling' will allow principals to offer semestering in most subjects From Pogo 1 as many as eight courses all year long in approximately 40 -minute periods, and will now study four or fewer courses over half the school year in longer class periods, then switch to four other courses for the remainder of the school year. There will he some exceptions, however. So- called "traditional" timetables will remain in place for all Grades 9 and 10 N C O N C E R T flN �sray. February 25, 2004 albs ■ftMlfllai Mersatisll c00tra, Nisdels $NN SSoli.. Rasa HO air pima One of Nonb America's premier live hands is timing to the Maitland Recreation Centre. Great Big Sca is a Rock and Roll Celtic Band who have played all over North America and Europe. OPENING ACI' - .lust Announced! Danny MICItoI Lift WM 2004 Juno Nominec fur "Best New Canadian Artist" Dost Mics Ibis oppotlunily 10 see srotfd class bands in a world class facility/ OF TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE! Tickets Mi., $39 per person. MOW t1... MUNI Necreslion lure, can 524-2125 or at !!!!?f vino Mede in Setterlch art Wingham math and English courses. Assuming high school administrators choose -- as Williams expects they will -- to revert to semestered programming in all other subject areas, they'll be required to dovetail these particular year-long courses into those timetables. "We believe (year-long scheduling) allows for better skill development in these areas," Williams explained, adding the Avon Maitland hoard's results in provincially standardized literacy and numeracy tests at 4hesc grade levels have consistently been higher than the provincial average. He quickly noted the board has no scientific evidence to link -that success to the past four years' traditional timetable, but compelling arguments have been madc in other jurisdictions that the use of year-long courses decreases the loss of math and literacy skills from one grade to the next. Questioned by Stratford trustee Doug Pratley, who applauded the move hack to semestering but wondered why thc exceptions should remain in place, Williams responded that, "at least as we move into the first couple of years (of flexible scheduling), there have to be some compelling reasons for us to reconsider" the Grade 9 and 10 exceptions. The 2000 move to traditional timetables was made in response to two changes brought in by the former Conservative government: a condensed curriculum running through io Grade 12 instead of Grade 13; and increased teacher workloads. District 8, the Huron -Perth local of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF), opposed the Avon Maitland reaction, suggesting the hoard's move to full -year courses actually forced most union members to teach seven out of eight periods instead of the government's required 6.67 out of eight. Disapproval was also expressed by students, particularly those who hoped to complete a small number of courses in the first half of thc school year, then have the second semester free to work and save money for further studies. Williams, in his report to trustees prior to tabling the recommendation, admitted thc issue never dicd down even though thc students who had experienced semestered timetables during part of their high school careers gradually moved on. "We had up to four years of fully dcsemestered timetables, but thc conversation has continued," the director of education said. Last fall, Williams told trustees, he decided to bring that conversation into the open. Beginning in November, he met with department heads and principals. Although there was recognition that certain subject areas may benefit from year-long schedules, Williams said, "if you put it to a vote, i think most of the department heads would prefer to return to semestering." Tom Barker, District 8 OSSTF president, said after thc meeting he was glad to receive an invitation from Williams to take part in those November meetings. Likewise, he welcomed the opportunity -- outlined in a section of Williams' report describing consultation with teachers and school councils -- to have input into how timetables are created by principals. Northwest Huron trustee Emily Milley cast the only vote against the return to semesters. She complained that her daughter has experienced several format changes during her high school career, and yet another would he unnecessary She also suggested the board is "walking into this blind," and sought to delay the decision by two months, until staff could provide information about jurisdictions which have initiated "flexible scheduling." South Huron's Randy Wagler and Perth East's Tina Traschcl, both of whom represent areas which border on other counties, related feedback they had received from constituents, suggesting border -crossing students may return to the hoard if semestering is put hack in place. North Perth's Jenny Versteeg, while supporting the motion, t iutioned that several wehther-related cancellations over a short duration -- such as those this January and February -- can be a much bigger problem in a semestered system, compared to a traditional timetable. Versteeg advised staff to keep this in mind, and plan to mitigate those effects. 1