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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2004-11-17, Page 1COLOU COPIES ".89° ea PETE MARTENE i PETE'S PAPER CLIP 51 Main St., Seaforth/l 527-1681 1// GICs & Mutual Funds •RRSPs •RRIFs •RESPs •Life & Disability Insurance 'Employee Benefits 'Retirement & Financial Planning iitMMsrrt it Yam Wee ain St. Seaforth 527-0794 Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2004 '1.25 includes GST One more doctor recruited, one leaving Seaforth Medical Clinic By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor . Dr. Craig Albrecht is leaving his Seaforth practice but Huron -Perth Healthcare Alliance recruiter Gwen Devereaux has signed up another doctor for Seaforth. Albrecht, who started in Seaforth in January of 2002, says there are many factors involved in his decision to leave town. "The government is making it hard for hospitals in small towns right now and it's difficult at Seaforth hospital. But, the town's doing. some good things for the clinic," he said Tuesday morning. "This decision is just what's best for me and my family right now," he said. Dr. Sean Emami, of London, ip starting at the Seaforth Medical Clinic on Dec. 1. "We're working hard to find more doctors for Seaforth," said Devereaux Monday. The announcement comes less than a month after Dr. William Milne joined the Seaforth clinic's four family doctors and Devereaux said she's still courting two strong candidates for the area. "Another doctor is very close to signing up for Seaforth," she said. While Milne is working two days a week and an evening clinic, Emami will be working three days a week at the clinic, both seeing orphan patients from Dr. Ken Rodney, who retired this summer and Dr. Vince Tong, who left Seaforth in the spring for a practice on the West Coast, after working here for two years. "The best way is to keep them like this until the next doctor comes in. We still haven't gotten all the details of how he (Emami) wants to practise," said Devereaux. Emami was one of three doctors who attended a doctor recruitment dinner in Seaforth in early October. Beaven featured on 100 Huntley Street... Pte& 1 Seaforth bantams play Blyth... Page 12 Lest we forget Veterans Frank Phillips, of Seaforth and John Clark, of Detroit, salute after placing their poppies on the cenotaph at Seaforth's Remembrance Day ceremony at Victoria Park last Thursday. Susan Hundertmark photo Seaforth doctor fights to keep SCH's two operating rooms By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor Dr. Heather Percival doesn't want to see outpatient surgery end at Seaforth Community Hospital. That's why she's written a letter to the Huron -Perth Healthcare Alliance's chief executive officer Andrew Williams, suggesting that Seaforth could be the perfect location for orthopedic, gynecology and urology day surgery. "The fine print of the balanced budget is that operating rooms will only continue at two sites. The official party line is that a final decision hasn't been made yet but when they made site visits to operating rooms, they only visited Clinton and Stratford General," says Percival. , The Alliance, which is battling a $7 million deficit across its four hospitals in Seaforth, Clinton, St. Marys and Stratford. recently submitted a balanced budget proposal to the province that is suggesting greater efficiencies and some cuts to beds and services to meet its budget. Downtown closures part of normal business cycle, says Ralph Laviolette By Jason Middleton Expositor Staff Despite the closing of one store and four other stores being put on the market, Seaforth's business community is keeping its head above water. Huron East economic development officer Ralph Laviolette explained that although seems like an epidemic of stores that are for sale or closing, Seaforth is not in trouble. "Any town goes through this periodically. Normally there's always some variety of vacancies in various shops," said Laviolette. "It would be great for a town to have a list of people who want to take over a vacancy, but we're not in that bag." Laviolette said that in the past few months Seaforth has seen new businesses — such as a gym, a brew -your -own wine business and a mechanics shop — start up. Nineteen -year-old business owner Christine -Iarburn decided to put her store, Sumthing Special, up for sale after she was given notice that her part-time job at Stedmans could be terminated if a buyer for that department store isn't found. Christine, who took over Sumthing. Special last year, is looking to head back to college next year to pursue a career in accounting. "It was a hard decision to make," said Christine's mother, Maureen who helps run the store. "It's an awesome little store. It does really well and it's well supported by the community," said Maureen. She said that the vendors who display their items in the gift and craft store have been told that the store is up for sale that they are looking for someone to give the store SN THREE , Page to Percival says she questions whether all the surgery can be done at just two sites in the four -hospital Alliance. "We've been doing outpatient general surgery in Seaforth for quite some time and I don't want to lose the OR (operating room) here," she says. Because Clinton Public Hospital has only one operating room, one day a week dedicated to cataract surgery and two surgeons from Goderich "who are not going to lightly give up OR time in SN DR. PERCIVAL, Pogo 2 Council, trust pledge $15o,000 to medical clinic By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor Huron East council pledged to contribute $50,000 a year and the Seaforth Community Development Trust donated a one-time $100,000 grant towards the Seaforth Medical Clinic at a special council meeting last Tuesday. In a presentation to council, Seaforth Community Hospital Foundation president Ron Lavoie told council that the clinic needs to spend $750,000, broken down to $250,000 on outside improvements - including $100,000 for the roof and $25,000 for brickwork and furnace repair - $250,000 on a new computer system and $250,000 on annual operating costs. "He advised members present that there is a critical situation at the clinic. Presently there are two doctors about to leave if the situation is not corrected," said minutes from the special meeting. Lavoie said in a phone interview that he is not prepared to share information about the donations to the clinic until a press release is issued this Friday. SN MUNICIPAL„ Pogo 2 Stedmans is up for sale as Deightons plan move By Jason Middleton_ Expositor Staff Two local businesses — a department store and travel agency — are up for sale and some worry that if they don't sell it could leave a "big hole on Main Street." Threemonths ago, Dave and Michelle Deighton put their house and two businesses up for sale in preparation for a forthcoming move to Meaford. Since then there have been a few people interested in taking over Stedmans, but "nothing too serious" said Dave. "It's never too late and hopefully someone will step up," he said, adding that there have been some serious inquires in regards to Travel Professionals International Travel Seaforth. The Deightons have already sold their house and will he moving out by the end of December. For 21 years, Lynda Huard has been working at department store in Seaforth. She said that she would be disappointed if the store closed. "I was disappointed to hear Michelle and Dave Deighton stand Inside Stedmans amid signs for their liquidation sale as they prepare to close up shop. that they were going to be leaving but I understand the situation and why they are leaving," said Huard. She said that working for Dave and Michelle for the past 15 years has been great. "They're just a really nice couple to work for," said Huard. "Everybody's just like one big happy family over there." The Deightons decided to move to Meaford so that they could be closer to their See CLOSING, Page E