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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-06-29, Page 66 - THE HURON EXPOSITOR,June 29, 2005 Drug-trafficking ring raided throughout four counties Residents of Brussels and Clinton were among the 27 men and women charged in a huge drug-trafficking ring more than 70 OPP officers from Bruce, Grey, Huron and Perth counties raided last week. Police seized over $614,657 in illegal drugs, the largest quantities including crystal methamphetamine and marijuana. With nine search warrants, police completed a 13 -month investigation, resulting in 227 drug and criminal code offences in four counties. This action is the culmination of a thirteen -month undercover investigation into .illicit drug activity throughout Bruce, Grey, Huron and Perth Counties in which the police concentrated their efforts on street -level and mid-level methamphetamine traffickers. The seizures included close to 2,000 grams of methamphetamine, 130 grams of cocaine, close to 18,000 grams of marijuana and over 1,600 grams of cannabis resin, 80 marijuana plants, 62 esctacy pills and various amounts of prescription drugs such as oxycodone, morphine and percocet. As well $7,854.03 in Canadian currency and five 5 weapons were seized. Among those charged were two men from Clinton, aged 23 and 45, two men from Brussels, aged 36 and 45 and three women from Brussels, aged 35, 43 and 34. There are 11 outstanding arrest warrants for persons who could not be located. Anyone with information on illicit drug activity is asked to contact the Huron OPP or Crime Stoppers. STRA t r RI YOU PICK ORDERS TAKEN WEATHER & CROP PERMITTING Bring your own containers. Supervised children welcome. Pickers required - Cali 482-3020 Beautiful Annuals from our greenhouses Now at Reduced Prices! HOURS– Mon -Fri 8-8, Sat & Sun 9-6 RETAIL & WHOLESALE 77688 Orchard Line, R.R.1 Baytkld 4824020 www.te-emfarm.ce Projected $5 million deficit worries Alliance at recent annual meeting By Donal 0' Connor Stratford Beacon Herald Staff The Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance presented a united front at its annual general meeting Thursday, restating its key achievements in integrating its management structure, support functions and operating plan. Board chair Ron Bolton said the alliance remains committed to four viable sites and noted the goal of a single medical staff is closer to fruition with a single medical advisory committee now in place. Continuing to worry the alliance, however, is its projected deficit for fiscal 2004-05 of between $4.5 million and $5 million. Chief administrative officer Andrew Williams acknowledged the shortfall earlier this week after the hospitals group would receive an additional $1.8 million this fiscal year in provincial funding. "I don't think we're going to make it by 2006," said Bolton, referring to the alliance's recent balanced budget plan projected for April 2006 and taking into account the latest funding announcement. Picking up on the financial picture, Williams noted there could be additional funding for the hospital in the second and third funding years based on population growth and efficiencies — criteria established by the province. But he held out little hope for additional funding for the current fiscal year. "We are fairly confident the numbers announced for this year is it," he said. He hinted that the establishment of Family Health Teams, a key element in the province's health-care reforms, could benefit the hospitals group. "We do see patients in hospitals because there's not enough primary care for them." Williams said the hospitals across the alliance — Stratford General, St. Marys Memorial, Clinton Public and Seaforth Community — Quoted `I don't think we're going to make it by 2006,'- Alliance board chair Ron Bolton all experienced a lot of activity over the past year. In all major clinical areas, the number of patients increased, including surgical cases, complex continuing care and rehabilitation patients. Despite the budget pinch, the alliance has to keep pace with changes to allow it to recruit and retain medical staff, said Mr. Williams. "We have to have current facilities. We have to have current technology." The alliance incurred an operating budget deficit of $2.1 million, 2.4 per cent of its $88 -million operating budget, for the fiscal year ending March 31. That's taking into account a one- time Health Ministry grant of $1.4 million. During the same year the alliance invested about $9 million in equipment and building -related projects. About one-third of that was spent on an energy conservation initiative at all four hospital sites. Four main issues the alliance intends to focus on in 20054)6 are fiscal health, recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals, Stratford site redevelopment a n d i m p r o v i n g communications with stakeholders. Moving along the the hospitals' agenda to fully integrate medical staff for at least the next year will be Dr. Laurel Moore. The Stratford family physician takes over as chief of staff from Dr. Fred Jewson. Moore was appointed to the position by the board Thursday. While Jewson was thanked by Bolton for his contributions as chief of staff, so too were the four hospital auxiliaries. Bolton said auxiliaries in southwestern Ontario contribute an estimated $20 million annually, which hospitals would otherwise have to fund. Huron East looks to expand sewage treatment plant as new development starts to take shape By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor An increasing number of new homes being built in Seaforth along with the Bridges development in Egmondville has Huron East looking at the expansion of the current sewage plant. "There's a lot of building going on in Seaforth and I hope it continues. This just means we're growing," says Public Works Coordinator John Forrest. With an agreement the municipality has negotiated with the Seaforth Creamery, the Seaforth sewage plant has reached its limit for BOD (biochemical oxygen demand) loadings for solids. "If the Creamery wanted to put in an expansion, we'd have to expand," he says. Forrest says the plant is also close to the limit for water flow (or hydrolic reserve capacity) with the number of homes in town. "With Bridges coming on, we wouldn't be able to handle it right now, if all the houses were built in one year. We're at a point where we have to expand," he says, adding that it's predicted the 248 -house development will be complete in five to 10 years. While the municipality is just initiating a study of alternative methods to increase the capacity of the sewage system, Forrest says the current sewage plant - built in 1986 - was constructed with future expansion in mind. He says there is enough room for one more aeration cell - where the sewage is stirred up, separating the water from the waste - and one more clarifying cell - where the effluent settles to the bottom and the water is pumped into the lagoon. Microrganisms in the VANDRIEL Excavating Inc. A We Mx For )u G3 11 1.0 for... Dcavators. eob3ts. Dozers, TYuckirg, etc. Complete Excavating Contractor Derrick VanDriel 527-0609 Simon VanDriel 482-3783 OF THE WEEK GRAY INSURANCE BROKERS INC. PENNY OVERBOE Broker APPOINTMENTS AT YOUR CONYEMENCE (519)527-2500 TRADITIONAL COUNTRY MAIN FLOOR PLAN CHARM 1521 SQ. FT. 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The current system has two aeration cells and two clarifying cells and the addition of one more each should answer the municipality's needs, says Forrest. "Of course, the engineers will look at it with all the alternatives and they might do something different than add on," he says. Seaforth and Egmondville's raw sewage drains by gravity to the sewage pumping station on Coleman Street through a 24 - inch pipe, which during the expansion of the system could be enlarged to 30 or 36 -inch pipe. From there, it is pumped through two pipes to the lagoon site at the west end of town where the sewage goes through a pollution control plant and the three lagoons before it is clean enough to be discharged back into the Bayfield River. Forrest is hoping that the sewage plant expansion might help prevent sewage back-ups during years when flooding occurs. The planned expansion begins with an environmental assessment and an opportunity for community members to provide their input to B.M. Ross and Associates until July 20. Forrest says he hopes to see the expansion in place by the end of 2007. Vanastra business struck by thieves Ithro1I ()PP Damage totalling close to $3,000 was done to a business in Vanastra during a break-in sometime overnight on June 26, says the Huron OPP. A trailer and a vehicle were damaged during a break-in at Dobson Roofing on First Avenue in Vanastra, where a shed door was forced open and a small amount of gasoline was taken. Equipment inside the shed was used to damage other equipment including the vehicle and trailer. Anyone with related information is asked to call the Huron OPP or Crime Stoppers.