HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1986-06-25, Page 2, Pape 2
Times -Advocate, June 25, 1906
Huron medical officer quits
•
on 'irreconcilnble differences'
by Susan Hundertmark
Dr. Harry Cieslar, Medical Officer
of Health (MOH) for Haran County,
has resigned from his position stating
"irreconcilable differences" with the
chairman of the board of health, the
board .of health and the clerk
treasurer of Huron County as the
reason.
Dr. Cieslar, whose position will end
on July 23, said the differences come
from a conflict between provincial
regulations and a county by-law mak-
ing Huron's clerk -treasurer Bill Han-
ly chief administrative officer over all
boards in the county. The Health Pro-
tection and Promotion Act, however,
states that the MOH is the executive
officer of the board of health.
"Over the past two years, I haven't
had any support of the 'board to
resolve that conflict. We can't have
two bosses of a system," he says.
"The health unit is labelled by coun-
ty counci s a committee of council
(rather thawan autonomous board)
and so far, they've gotten away with
that. The county, system is out-of-date
and doesn't follow legislation. It's also
too power-hungry and it's time
somebody spoke up about it," he says.
Dealing with who has the ultimate
influence over the administration in-
cluding issues such as hiring staff and
setting wages has been a daily pro-
blem for the past five year$, says Dr.
Cieslar.
"Most decisions are made behind
the scenes and if I ask to be part of
the discussion,, I'm put in a bad light
during meetings of the board of
health," he says.
"The chairman works behind the
scenes with the clerk -treasurer and
that's frustrating. I've been thinking
about resigning For a year now," he
says.
Dr. Cieslar says the fact that the
board of health did not support him in
his request for a financial manager
has made it impossible for him to
chase grants that would enable him
to run programs in all sorts of areas
of public health including topics such
as depression, suicide, drug
dependency, child abuse, parenting
and supportive programs for the
elderly.
He also says the county's by-law,
enacted in 1968 is probably the reason
why the four MOHs previous to him
have left the county.
"I've lived with two years o(being
the hit man every meeting of the
board. They've blamed me with just
about everything. And, I can't live
with that anymore," he says.
Dr. Cieslar says he hasn't made
any plans about his future but says he
has a strong philosophy of public
health and will probably resurface
somewhere else . in public health
where 1 have the support I need to
pursue any mandate".
Brian McBurney, chairman of the
board of health says Dr. Cieslar chose
not to work the way the board is set
up in Huron County.
"He sees himself as Chief executive
officer of the health unit. In my way
of thinking, he's the executive only
when he's dealing with medical
things. But, he reads it to say he has
to all the administration himself,"
says McBurney.
'He's resented it from the beginn-
ing that when it comes to payroll or
budgeting, we use the count/ clerk.
He's a good MOH but he tries to do
more than what he should."
McBurney says that since Huron
County has the smallest health unit in
the province, it cannot afford to have
a separate administrator other than
the county clerk.
"We have such a restricted budget
that we wouldn't have money for
health programs if we spent it all on
adminstration," says McBurney.
He says that the board of health has
given Dr. Cies)ar good cooperation
and that Dr. Cieslar has been present
at every meeting when decisions were
made.
"I feel we're very open," he says.
THE CHAMPS — Exeter Legion president Jack Brintneil; standing left, holds the trophy the team represen-
ting his branch won in the annual tug-of-war contest staged by the Huron -Middlesex Cadets. Beside
him are Tim Angerman, Glen Quinn, Frank Mattuc i, Allan Cottel and Craig Vandeworp. Front: Cadet
Moore, Sheila Randall and Andrew Downing.
„ PERFECT ATTENDANCE — Three members of the Huron -Middlesex Cadet Corps received trophies for
perfect attendance at Thursday's annual inspection. Assistant leader Pete Overall, left, presents the
awards to Russ Finkbejner, Dave Downing and Allan Cottel.
NOT ENOUGH - Despite the urging of team captain Steve Dalrymple, back left, and Kenneth Barker,
for right, this team foiled to emerge as winners in the annual Huron -Middlesex Cadet tug-of-wor, Thurs-
day. Pulling on the rope are Alex Lebedew, Robbie Argyle, David Downing, Rob Smits, Shawney Brunzlow,
Scott Bierling, Russell Finkbeiner and Ron Walker.
I
Pp-
•
McBurney adds that Dr. Cieslar
has been difficult to work with
because he won't follow county
guidelines or policies. - When the
board's hiring committee made up of
McBurney, Clerk -Treasurer Hanly
and Warden Leona Armstrong met in
the spring to hire health unit person-
nel, McBurney says Dr. Cieslar did
not want to be part of the interviews.
"He thinks he should be able to hire
them himself," says McBW-ney. "The
hiring policy is county policy. I don't
know what provincial policy is."
A draft management review of the
relationship between the Huron
health unit and the county council by
the Ministry of Health points to dif-
ficulties with the conflict between the
county by-law and provincial
regulations.
"We noted _ that apparent
misconceptions of the roles and
responsibilities of the county council,
;board of health, medical officer of
health and the clerk -treasurer's
department have had adverse effects
on the morale and efficiency of the
staff of the health unit and the home
care program, which often resulted in
stressful situations," says the draft
review.
It goes on to say that county's by-
law giving the clerk -treasurer super-
vision over all council bodies in-
cluding the boards "could give the im-
pression that the clerk -treasurer is
',empowered to exercise general
supervision over the affairs of the
board of health".
"The clerk -treasurer doespot have
tti�ee • responsibility of coordinating,
`directing and supervising the
Medical officer of health • and
employees of the health unit and the
dome care program."
The draft review remarks that rap-
port is poor between the clerk -
treasurer and the MOH and recom-
mends that the various aspects of con-
trol need to be clearly delineated.
The review also remarks that infor-
mation pertaining to accounting,
budget prepartion, payroll, personnel
and purchasing, all performed by the
clerk -treasurer's office, is not readi-
ly available to the health unit or the
home care program.
"This lack of cooperation created
undue stress on the staff of the health
unit and the home care program,"
says the review.
It recommends that the clerk -
treasurer's department is only a sup-
port service to the medical officer of
health.
Representatives from the Ministry
of Health will attend a Huron bard
of heekiggieeting in;Juily or Augur
disctlt} !te !raft' revieV4
McBtl�ile�►..
Dutton man
lake victim`
A Dutton area man died Sunday
night at St. Joseph's Hospital in Lon-
don after being pulled from Lake
Huron at Pinery Provincial Pa nd
revived by a London man and is
daughter.
Malcolm Gordon, 66, of RR2, Dut-
ton, was swimming about 30 metres
(100 feet) from shore when Martina
telerin, 21, of London head his cry
for help.
Celerin swam to shore in time to see
Gordon pulled from the water.
"He was blue. There was no pulse,
no breathing, nothing. .
"I told my friend to call my dad,"
Antonin Celerin, a London
veterinarian. "I gave him mouth-to-
mouth and my dad gave him CPR
(cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
OPP Constable B.J. Miedema of the
Pinery Park detachment said Mon-
day that Gordon was dragged from
the water by his son, Ross, of St.
Thomas, grandson, Robbie, from
Broken Arrow, Okla. and John and
Michael McCallum of RR 2 Dutton.
"We were working on him for I
don't know how long," Martina
Celerin said. "We got his heart
beating, turned him over and he
started breathing. After a while, he
was sitting up, mumbling and telling
us to help him up."
Gordon was taken to South Huron
Hospital in Exeter and then transfer-
red to St. Joseph's. He was pronounc-
ed dead at 8:40 p.m. Sunday,
Miedema said.
Shipka barn
lost in fire
A six -month-old Jersey calf was the
only casualty in a fire that destroyed
a livestock barn and an implement
shed on the farm of Hugh Morenz at
RR 2 Dashwood, about 2 p.m. Friday.
Morenz said the 40 -by -70 -foot
(12.1 -by -21.3 -metre) barn was "too far
gone" by the time volunteer firemen
from Dashwood, Crediton and Grand
Bend arrived. They concentrated on
stopping the fire from spreading to a
nearby corncrib and a cattle yard on
the farm on Concession 16 of Stephen
Township.
Cadets
Continued from front page
Saying that he had heard some
members were considering careers in
the armed forces, the veteran sug-
gested it was something that helps
make excellent citizens and he en-
couraged them to consider fulfilling
their aim.
Greg Pfaff, Cadet leader, thanked
the Exeter and Lucan Legions for
their continued sponsorship of the
corps and also extended appreciation
to the donors of the various trophies
presented to the Cadets. ,
MOST IMPROVED — Cadet Sgt. Sheila Randall, right, accepts the
trophy for the mostimproved cadet in the Huron -Middlesex Corps
from Officer Cadet Cathy Pfaff at Thursday's inspection at Huron Park.
June 19, 1986
Dear Sir/Madam:
Several weeks ago there was an ar-
ticle in the paper discussing the finan-
cial problems facing the Huron Coun-
ty Health Unit because of budget
restrictions from the Ministry of
Health:
The Health Unit employees
have
now received notice from the Board
of Health stating that there "
have to be layoffs during 1985 due to
the budget restrictions impos
the Ministry of Health".
As public health nurses empl
by the Health Unit, we are very con- -
cerned with the implications of such
layoffs for the general public.
people are not aware of what w
and therefore do not understand
a reduction or•absence of our sery
would mean to them.
Huron County has a substantial por-
tion of its population over the a
65. In recognition of the special needs
of this group, the Health Unit holds
adult clinics in se'6en areas of
county. Footcare, blood pressure
screening, hearing ?creenigg,
health counselling are some of
services offered at these clinics
These people woul�j be greatl
fected by a reduction or absent
services as adult clinics would li
may
ed by
eyed
Many
e do
what
ices
ge of
the
and
the
y at-
e of
rely
have to be cancelled if there were to
be layoffs. .
a- ,'The.Public Health Nurse4;also of-
. _ fer.an 'extensive. home visiting pro-
gram to all age groups e.g. new
mothers and babies, parents having
problems with preschoolers and
school age children, people referred
to us from the hospital or doctor, the
elderly, those people experiencing
emotional problems.
As well the public health nurses of-
fer an extensive school health ser-
vices program in each school in
Huron County. Have you ever receiv- -
ed a phone, call from your school
nurse? We are the ones who do follow-
up for health problems, provide im- e
munization (booster shots) for your
child, provide follow-up for hearing
and vision screening, act as a source
of information for your child's
teacher and are readily available for
follow-up of communicable diseases
e.g. head lice, chickenpox, scabies.
Health counselling, immunization
for infants, preschoolers and adults;
and vision and hearing screening are
offered monthly in•each of the five
towns in the County and village of
Brussels through -our Child Health
Clinics. We try to see each child enter-
ing kindergarten to offer the above
services to him/her and his/her
parent.
Each of the public health nurses is
involved in teaching prenatal and
parenting classes throughout the year
and are also available to talk to
groups upon request about various
health issues.
Our approach is health teaching
'and health prevention. Our counsell-
ing is aimed to help people re -ad-
just or make changes in their lifestyle
which would avoid a disruption in the
family unit, illness or hospitalization.
As public health nurses instituting
such programs, we believe very
strongly in health promotion and
prevention. We wonder why the
Ministry of Health cannot provide
funding so that we can continue our
programs without disruption.
If you are also concerned about the
possible withdrawal or reduction of
services, please contact the following
people:
Jack Riddell, •
Phone Zenith 147030:
Devop Building,
476 MainSt., Exeter, Ont.
NOM 1S0
or Murray Elston
Minister of Health
357-2463 ( Wingham) or •
1--800-268-3747 ask for 965-2421
10 Floor, Hepburn Block
80 Grosvenor Street,
Toronto, Ont., M7A 2C4
or Brian McBurney, Chairman of
Board of Health, `
County of Huron. 335-376\1
RR 1 Wingham, NOG 2W0
We need your support.
Sincerely,
Marlene Price BScN
Shirley Fisher BScN
on behalf Mlle concerned nurses
of the Huron County health knit
LONG SERVICE — Henry Dyck, right, receives a retirement certificate
from Exeter Postmaster Ken Dobney, on behalf of Prime Minister
Mulroney, in appreciation for 42 years of public service. Dyck spent
24 of those years with the RCAF after enlisting in his Saskatoon,home.
He served overseas in Italy as a wireless air gunner and then served
at bases in Quebec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Northwest Ter-
ritories, as well as postings to Clinton and two to Centralia. He started
with the post office in Ottawa, later spent one year in London, and
then was transferred to Exeter. His official retirement date is July 5.
Stephen
Continued from 'front page
systems. The course will be held from
September 29 to October 3 and the
cost is $40 per person.
Reeve Tom Tomes and Councillor
Drew Robertson were named as the
township's voting delegates to the an-
nual Association of Municipalities of
Ontario convention in Toronto in
August.
A drainage petition from four land
owners was accepted on the
Chambers municipal drain- Council
will ask William Dietrich of W.E. Kel-
ly & Associates, Kitchener, to prepare
a report that will include a better
outlet for the drain and the installa-
tion of erosion control measures.
Permission was granted to the
Crediton Lions to serve alcoholic
beverages at a slopitch tournament in
August and also to the Crediton Sum-
merfest committee providing each
group has sufficient liability
insurance.
A zoning amendment was approv-
A
council
ed for Fergus Turnbull & Sons which
will allow a severance of a house on
property al part lot 8, concession 20.
The severance has been approved. An
application from William. Kammeloo
concession 14, lot 12, was tabled until
the severance application has been
approved, while a severance applica-
tion was accepted from Case Van
Raay, lot 21, NB concession. It will be
subject to a zoning amendment.
Council also endorsed a resolution
from the ('ityof Etobicoke to have the
provincial government undertake ap-
propriate procedures to amend the
arhitration process with a view to
reaffirming the role of the duly
elected municipal councils in the
bargaining process. Firefighters in
that city won an arhitration award for
a 13.5 percent salary increase over
two years, while the council manag-
ed to reach an agreement with other
bargaining units calling for an eight
to nine percent increase over two
years.
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