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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2004-11-10, Page 6S101)<4 1 1INC COLDS v'1r111. 6—THE HURON EXPOSITOR, Nov. 10, 2004 News Alcohol raises liability issues for warden's reception By Tim Cumming Goderich Signal -Star Editor Huron County Council is moving the reception for the new Warden to the Bedford Hotel in Goderich after county staff raised liability concerns about serving alcohol at a county site like the museum. The issue was raised at the Nov. 4 meeting by a councillor who was concerned the decision to make the Warden's event `dry,' had been made by staff without a council vote. "That's council's decision," said Coun. David Urlin (South Huron). Warden Bill Dowson (Bluewater) said staff had informed him of the reasoning behind the decision to have an alcohol -free event at the museum. Need help finding a lawyer? Call the Lawyer Referral Service HERE'S HOW IT WORKS • Coll our 1.900 number. • A IRS Representative 4 gine you the name and phone number of one Taal IRS member lawyer who is able to deal with your issue. Th. La,. Soo., d were larreme Haut-ca..e. • Col a IRS member lawyer and receive up to 30 minutes of free consultation • A $6.00 longe wdl be applied to your phone biN 1-900-565-4577 TTY: (416) 644-4886 Toll Free Crisis Line 1-800-268-8326 1 Congratulations & Best Wishes to Dorothy Hays on receiving The Bishops's Award For Excellence in Ministry from The Seaforth Agricultural Society Huron County Council "The staff did contact the warden of the day," he said. "1 think the crux of the problem is no one wants to sign the permit because they don't want to have the legal liability," said Coun. Deb Shewfelt (Goderich). There is $500 in the county budget to pay for the reception. Huron official Beth Ross, the county librarian, said recent legislation Bill C-45 had presented huge liability issues for the county and its staff. She also said county council had approved an alcohol use policy. The county event takes place the afternoon of Dec. 7. • There was also concern raised over the removal of all alcohol — including wine at the tables — from the upcoming past wardens' banquet to be held at a county facility. Coun. Bernie MacLellan (Huron East) asked if Huron County was going to be considered a 'dry' county again. "Let's allow them their wine at dinner," he said. A motion was passed to allow it. County concerned about transit funding Huron County councillors expressed concern that acceptance of provincial money for a transit service serving seniors could jeopardize their grants for other infrastructure projects such as sewage and water. "How does it affect municipalities for infrastructure grants?" asked Dorothy Kelly (Morris-Turnberry). There was some discussion about a motion on the provincial grant policy but "we're making a motion asking for something and we don't even know the ramifications," said Warden Bill Dowson (Bluewater). "We need to clear it up a lot better." Coun. Ellen Connelly (Goderich) said the issue has come up before the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and that the AMO is actively addressing the issue. A motion was finally passed asking for clarification on the issue, especially over the fear that municipalities signing on behalf of grants for the Wheels Away transit service would end up cutting themselves out of the running for rural infrastructure grants. Public trustees dream of new buildings during accommodation review process By Stew Slater Special to The Expositor Rumblings of a new Education Ministry strategy for distributing capital funds have members of the Avon Maitland District School Board dreaming of the day when, even though they may still be forced to reduce the number of schools in the district, they could relocate students into brand new facilities. "I went through an accommodation review, and . . . it is very hard on communities," recalled trustee Shelley Kaastra, during a meeting Tuesday, Oct. 12. But the Central Huron representative, one of the main forces behind a community group which convinced the board to reverse its decision to close Holmesville elementary school in 2002, added things might have been different if parents hadn't realized their children would be transferred into an existing school, with its own maintenance and renovation challenges. Transferring to a brand new facility. on the other hand, would be "an easier pill to swallow," Kaastra commented. The discussion arose following a report from Avon Maitland staff, informing trustees that recommendations will be brought forward in late October regarding the board's annual accommodation review process. According to that report, no schools will he recommended THEY DROVE THROUGH MUDDY TRENCHES. THEY DROVE THROUGH EXPLODING MINEFIELDS. THEY DROVE THROUGH SCORCHING DESERTS. REMEMBER THAT THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE THEM DRIVE THROUGH ONTARIO. ,1v307 YOURS TO DWRCOVFR We proudly honour the valour and sacrifice of Ontario's own with the Veterans' Poppy License Plate. Available only to Veteran& so please show your respect when you see our heroes on the road. isit www.mto.gov.on.ca for more information. Ontario for closure by the fall of 2005, with the only major proposed change being the relocation of students from Stratford's aging Avon elementary school to the recently - vacated (due to the placement of the city's Grades 7 and 8 students into secondary schools) but much King facility. That doesn't rule out the possibility of more drastic newer Lear recommending the Avon/King Lear scenario, "is at a critical life cycle of its school buildings." With an average age of about 42 years among its schools, "with many considerably older . . . upkeep and renewal costs can be expected to increase dramatically." It's also a suggestion both Kaastra and vice chair Randy Wagler stage in the Quoted 'It would be really nice for the government to come up with a strategy to renew old buildings,' -- Finance Superintendent Janet Baird -Jackson recommendations coming forward in the winter or spring of 2005, however, for possible implementation in the fall of 2006. Education Director Geoff Williams told trustees the intervening months may allow for the clarification of several "uncertainties" -- including the amount of money being provided under some recently -announced provincial funding initiatives, thc exact format of the government's new rural education funding strategy, and the details of the education ministry's overhaul of its accommodation review guidelines. Rbgardless of the outcome of those issues, said business superintendent Janet Baird - Jackson, "the conclusions (of this year's accommodation review) remain the same as. the conclusions we've had for some time about the district: declining enrolments will remain our chief challenge. "We're challenged fiscally with trying to maintain thc structural integrity of sc(iools and upgrade programs," she said, adding the maintenance and enhancement of rural schools generally poses thc biggest challenge because they tend to be both smaller and more affected by enrolment declines than their urban counterparts. "It's a juggling act," Baird - Jackson said. In a later interview, she added, "so far, our facilities folks have done a really good job of maintaining the integrity of our buildings. But it gets increasingly difficult every year." The government's new accommodation review (which, in its most drastic form, translates into school closure) guidelines arc expected some time in November. According to Baird -Jackson, there have been rumours that, along with that announcement, thc education ministry will also announce a new strategy for distributing capital funds aimed at either upgrading or replacing aging facilities. That could be good news for the Avon Maitland board which, according to the report were eager to hear more about. Wagler, who represents a district in which science teachers at South Huron District High School waited seven years between the identification of the need to upgrade laboratories and the time those upgrades were recently completed, wondered if such a strategy might allow the hoard to "close deteriorating schools so new ones can he built." _ A short distance along Highway 8 from the board's Seaforth offices, that's exactly what happened for the Huron - Perth Catholic District School Board, based in Dublin. That hoard is currently tapping into an existing education ministry program dubbed "prohibitive to repair" to close and reconstruct aging elementary schools in Clinton and the Listowel area. According to architectural assessments under the previous Conservative government's program, St. Joseph (Clinton) and St. Marys (Hesson) elementary schools were deemed to be in such poor shape that it would cost more to repair them than it would to replace them. So construction of two new schools has begun. Meanwhile, the Avon Maitland board was forced into extensive upgrades at such not -quite -so -old secondary schools as St. Marys DCVI and F.E. Madill in Wingham, to meet contemporary fire code regulations. Avon school will require upgrades of similar proportions, if it remains open. Yet. according to Baird - Jackson, "they're really not close to triggering prohibitive to repair funding." In short, the business superintendent said following the Oct. 12 meeting, "it would be really nice for the government to come out with a strategy to renew old buildings." And, if Kaastra is correct, such a strategy might also make it a lot easier for school hoards to convince the rural and small-town public about the merits of closing schools in this era of declining enrolment. I have come as close to the actual long sought c tire for the common colo and influenza. After long years of search 1 have finally found the right combination, a personal press ription for eliminating c olds ti flu Hundred Percent Natural, Hundred t rcent Safe, One of Natures Great Gifts to Humanity FOR BROCHURE CALI. REV DR. CHRIS MORGAN ALLFAITHS PASTORAL CENTER (519) S24-1584.