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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2005-06-08, Page 1Sharon Medd, Associate Braker M.V.A. Appraiser Visit: mis.ca for information of listings in Hurou/Pertb 1511 \lain til.. S. 1,•alurlh (51fi) 527-0560 I)iecuune MUIrf,:lgc� Cluuula Inc. Joy Finlayson & Sharon Medd Mortgage Consultants "Finally, a company that starts with a discount" Wednesday, June 8, 2005 s_r:.aal*t $1 ■25 includes GST Doug ElYolt. CFR B.Math Fienzili Plena GCasard NAdamsiimitHi% Best sB4Oc• Rats ti 33.4% 3.v% ',DUNDEE" PR/VATS INVUTORS INC.) le l..It* IYt.t t.U.... I_:!,1111:11I 1:111■1U11I 26 Maln St., Seaforth 527-2222 ANIZIEIF Huron County passed over for ethanol plant during first round By Tim Cumming Goderich Signal -Star Editor Huron County will not be recommended as a site for an ethanol plant during the first round of provincial construction aiming at a five per cent goal by 2007, county council heard at the Thursday, June 2 meeting. The county's proposal might be considered favourably, however, during a, second round of construction leading up to 2010 to reach the 10 per cent goal. "We think were in a good position as this industry evolves," said Scott Tousaw, Director of Planning and Development. Huron County's Set Your Sites in Huron proposal was one of 27 submitted to the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association. The Huron proposal was rated as good but was just short of excellent because it felt the county had distance from the corn supply and ethanol market although Goderich's deep- water port was considered an asset. It is being mandated that five per cent of all gasoline contain ethanol by 2007 and that 10 per • cent include ethanol by 2010. Sarnia, Chatham, Brantford and Cornwall are among the areas that may be developed in the first round of ethanol production establishment. Huron presents an attractive option for future expansion for the 10 per cent ethanol mandate in 2010, according to the report to the Health and Planning Committee. Focus group taken to task by LAC Audrey McLlwain, who is retiring as junior choir leader after 40 years, is surrounded by members of the junior choir at Northside United Church. After leadingenerations of choir g members, McLlwain is retiring By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor For more than 40 years, children whose families attend Northside United Church have been spending every Thursday after school lifting their voices in song under the direction of Audrey McLlwain. McLlwain, who took over the junior choir at Northside in 1964 from Mabel Turnbull, is retiring from the position. "There have been a lot of changes in the past 40 years but the constant here at Northside has been Audrey. Thursday's after school is a ritual that has not changed much over the years," said Liz Scott in a speech to the congregation on Sunday. Scott pointed out that McLlwain went through nine ministers, 12 treasurers, 16 secretaries, two organists five custodians and countless sessions, boards of stewards, United Church Women executives and trustees during her time as junidr choir leader. "Hundreds of children have passed through Audrey's tutelage, lots of them second and third generation junior choir members. Each successive generation taking their turn, learning the songs, practicing them at home (until the whole family could sing it as well) then performing them to the delight of family members and congregations for years," she said. Catherine Hoornaert is a member of the Northside congregation who was a member of the junior choir as a child and whose daughters Erin and Angela, now teens, were also members. She remembered McLlwain as "very impactful" in her life See THURSDAY, Page 2 Seaforth tourist booth open for business... page 3 St. Columban has track and field meet.. page 15 Avon Maitland elementary teachers under work -to -rule since June 1 By Stew Slater Special to the Expositor Labour peace has been maintained in three of the four main teachers' union locals in Huron and Perth Counties. But already - existing hostilities in the other - the Avon Maitland local of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) - escalated further with the passage of a crucial government -imposed deadline June 1. "We do regret this but we believe it has to happen," said ETFO local president Brian Doubleday, after talks broke off between his union and the Avon Maitland District School Board. The so-called "Phase 3" of ETFO's work -to -rule subsequently went into effect, thereby eliminating such activities as assemblies. end -of -school play days, Tint to project spongers TOO ONtAN.. TNN►wM NN LA PM•AftM TaK1.l11.e N 1.4111?ARTS field trips and graduation ceremonies. Plus, perhaps on a more damaging note, Avon Maitland joined just eight other boards across Ontario on Education Minister Gerard Kennedy's suspension list for proposed funding for specialty and special education teachers. As of June 1, over 90 of the province's approximately 130 school boards had reached deals with their elementary teachers. That included the Huron - Perth Catholic District School Board, which reached a tentative deal with both its elementary and secondary teachers just before the deadline. (The Avon Maitland board announced a tentative agreement with its secondary teachers on June 3.) Kennedy, who earlier suggested the specialty teacher money would be used as an inducement for boards to sign collective agreements, announced he believed 22 other boards were close to a deal and would be granted "extensions." (The Toronto District School Board was among them and, indeed, it announced a deal with its elementary teachers on June 2.) The Avon Maitland board and eight others, however, were told they won't receive the money. In the Avon Maitland case, talks broke off following a May 31 meeting by trustees to discuss a late -breaking ETFO offer, with the only subsequent communication coming in the form of examining the calendar for the next suitable negotiation date. That happened quickly, however, with both sides By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor clearing their schedule on Monday, June 6 to resume negotiations. In an interview June 3, board chair Meg Westley said she believes Kennedy will stick with his decision not to extend funds to the nine boards, but only if there's no quick resumption of talks. She expressed optimism the Avon Maitland sides will reconvene soon, and there's still a good chance the ministerial suspension will be called off. "My impression is that, if we can get back to the table and show we're moving towards an agreement, and particularly if the work -to - rule is lifted, then the suspension will be lifted," she said. Doubleday echoed the optimism that a deal could be reached. The outstanding issue is See GRID, Page 3 Attending the Seaforth Local Advisory Committee (LAC) at Seaforth hospital to complain about the loss of a machine used for heart attack patients, members of the Seaforth hospital focus group were taken to task for being too negative and confrontational. "tI've heard you speak that you don't want to be confrontational but the tone I'm hearing is confrontational. It is very difficult to fundraise when we have negative talk going on," said Seaforth hospital foundation chair Ron Lavoie. Seaforth Hospital's chief of staff Dr. Dan Rooyakkers told the focus group members he was disappointed that none of them had come forward to apply to sit on the LAC board. "Anyone in this room can be an LAC member and we need people to come forward to use their leadership skills," he said. "No one is going to respond to confrontation back and forth all the time." Dr. Ken Rodney, Maureen Spittal and Peter Spittal attended the meeting to discuss their concern about the discontinued service of coagulation screening at Seaforth hospital. Rodney protested that a $30,000 coagulation machine was not going to be replaced in Seaforth. "I'm sure that in a few weeks the community would have donated that amount but they weren't asked. A patient will have to hope the road is open when he or she needs that test," he said. Rodney argued that even a small service being cut from Seaforth hospital makes it less effective. "That's even a greater reason for having a plan and a purpose for the hospital," he said. Maureen Spittal also shared her "strong feelings about the PTT (actived partial thromboplastin time) machine not being replaced." She called the decision "shameful and irresponsible" and asked if the cost-cutting plan was worth compromising people's health. But, Alliance CEO Andrew Williams said the See LACK, Page 2 The Onesrto TAW "' dN r•., • the Vanem 81 Obuict Uons Club and the Mun dpllty of Huns 6K Mw wowed to reconstruct dso pod Bohan Ind pfowdl $ Fondly A Mabe. Cflop Boom. Ribbon Cutting to occur M fs4S ppm. join us for a Mw Swim & Aalrosllmena 630 a MOO p.m. x 1Dt14 vaw1" Erma* Is WskooMI 4024$44