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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1993-07-21, Page 2Page 2 Times -Advocate, July 21,1993 INTHFWFWS Regional wrap up School board Says no to - condoms ST MARYS - Condom ma- chines will not be installed in the washrooms of secondary schools, the Penh County boort! of education decided. At its regular mee/Ang in -Strat- ford last Tuesday night, the board voted 9-6 against the Perth Health Unit's recommen- dation that condom machines be installed it was reported in the Journal Argus. A sexual heath survey con- ducted by the Health United, which was presented to the edu- cation committee two weeks ago, was designed to investigate condom access'bility and stu- dents'ppattitude • towards condom use. Windstorm whips through township MITCHELL - A ferocious wind storm whipped through Logan Township last Friday night leaving residents to clean up fallen trees and other debris. Arnold McIntyre, of the Envi =intent Canada weather office in London told the Mitchell Ad- vocate last Monday that there was a possibility of two weak tornadoes in the area. Qat that hadn't been confirmed. People in the area are sure it was one of the worst storms they have experienced. It took just 30 seconds to hit. Town squeezed by social contract GODERICH - Town council has trimmed its budget by al- most $80,000 in 1993 to offset cuts to unconditional grants un- der the province's expenditure control plan. After eight hours of deliberat- ing, council was able to further reduce the budget by $110.000 in both 1994-95. "Life as we know it will never be the same. "'lite boom years have come and gone, said May- or Eileen Palmer. "The global economy is re- flected in 'our little town of Goderich," she told the Gode- rich Signal -Star. The cuts were in response to moves by the provincial govern- ment which included an almost S90,000 cut to unconditional grants, reduction of road mainte- nance and construction grants and airport operating grants, the addition of PST on insurance and PST on aggregates Food wagon rqlls into -Parkhill PARKHILL - Helen Frederik- ien found Parkhill was ripe for the picking when she learned there is no by law banning or regulating chipwagons. The Ipperwash resident was told she could operate her mo- bile booth as long as she parked on property zoned for commer- cial use, it was reported in the Parkhill Gazette. Frederiksen said she doesn't consider her business a threat to :tike established restaurants in �1lticbill. ` nleir patrons, she said, choose *sit down to meals in air condi- :000W comfort While hers are papered to stand in the heat or eat in their cars. But operators of two down- town restaurants say the town lhould impose the same condi- tions required of permanent es- tablishmegts, including business taxes and controls. Teachers hit by contract Continued from front page One option includes lengthening the standard holiday periods at Christmas and the March Break by a least one week to recovery at least 10 of the required days. It is possible that the board will have to reduce certain staff num- bers. The most vulnerable positions will be itinerant teaching, supervi- sory and senior executive staff not covered by staffing formulae which are part of bargaining unit collec- tive agreements. The board has already reduced the number of superintendent on staff by one and are studying the possibility of eliminating another senior position during the next year. Voluntary salary reductions are seen as a viable alternative to the imposed freeze -leave scenarios.. If any of the education union or non union groups wanted to nego- tiate with the board before the Au- gust 1 deadline, then they could ne- - gotiate where the cuts would take place, said bathers. "If they choose not to do that then after August 1, the province will impose how it will happen," he said. Clerical and management staff at the Education Centre in Clinton have already proposed and accept- ed wage reductions for the summer period. Other staff have come forward offering voluntary five per cent re- ductions. This could accumulate substan- tial savings and prevent organiza- tional disruptions of the imposed fail safe requirements. As well.Paul Carroll, board direc- tor -designate, offered to accept a five per cent salary reduction. The board press release also stat- ed that, "The board has offered to negotiate local agreements with all employee groups and to do so in good faith. • "The ball is in the employees' COM" contestants vie for Zurich's crow;: fit.. tY . �' +. ,.0 4 WALT AttendsSouth Huron :District ; <.-., ....: ase three 1nit all year-. �Oh The gest of the weekend will 1)e filled with Iht tY , sties, ride;, and other exciting activities for the 15: ithe ' s' ole lira l . a� r` ijrr. N � d South Huron District H.S . ;`fess,' iYi '.i. �i.•:: ...4: vY• %{iv: :Yi �:54:•ii:ii.:Cv; .:.: n-. ...v .4'C{...3...:.. ... : •: --:... .... ..: � . Y. :iyY. Principal's resignation Transfers on temporary hold until '94 CLINTON - Expected transfers of principals in Huron County will be put on hold until January, the Huron Board of Education announced last Tuesday. ' At a special board meeting of the board on July 5 the resignation of Shir- ley Weary, the principal at Bluewater Secondary School in Goderich, was accepted This means Joe Wooden, principal of South Huron District High School, won't be transferring in the fall to Bluewater Secondary School. ''It's just a deferral," said Arnold Mathers, a representative with the board. "We thought it would be easier to move everyone in January when Shirley has retired." A press release from the board stated that the timing of the resignation in conjunction with other matters with a potential impact pn staffing, in- cluding the Social Contract Act, lead to the decision to delay the transfers. In a statement to the board, PaUI Carroll, director -designate, said it Zurich taxes go ukeight percent asprovince iakes bite ZURICH - Provincial govern- ment downloading has taken its toll on Zurich taxpayers. Faced with a budget pared to the bone, Zurich council say they had no choice but to raise taxes eight percent this year in the village. While larger municipalities in the area have been able to slash spend- ing to offset the loss and grant reve- nue and turn in budgets with little or no tax increases, Zurich council say they had virtually no room to make cuts without disrupting vil- lage services. Reeve Bob Fisher cited several instances of provincial download- ing which all conspired to make the tax increase unavoidable. He said the village is not only facing new taxes on insurances and construc- tion materials, but will also have to pay new water testing surcharges to the Ministry of the Environment to- talling about 32,000. On top of that, the province has, taken away the village's annual rec- reation grant of $6,000, cut another $2;700 from unconditional grants to the village, and is taking another 36.042 under the "social contract". "How are .we going to work around the social contract when we have one employee in each depart- ment, and we have only one em- ployee earning over 330,000?" complained Fisher, saying the cuts meant about 315,000 missing from the village budget this year. "That's what they're taking away from us and next year they say they're tak- ing away more." Fisher said cuts were made to budget in as many places as possi- ble. The ranee ion centre, for in- stance, was directed_to trim 35,000 from expenses. Without the cuts, the village tax increase could have been as high as 22 percent. "We have no fat in our budget in any place I can see....we've done our darndest to cut, but where in the world can you cut more?" stat- ed Fisher. In all, Zurich will be operating with a 5602561 general budget, 393,252 of which is being raised through property taxes, the remain- der from grants, fees, and other rev- enues. The only major capital expendi- tures in the budget include a re- placement of curbs on Goshen St. costing about 39,000, and paying off the arena . trattor bought last year. Reserve funds for the village are down "next to nothing" said clerk Maureen Simmons. Although the 36,042 social con- tract cuts are anticipated by coun- cil,.they are still not sure how they will be accounted for. 41 "The 36,000 is not in our budget in any way shape or form," said Fisher. Tuesday •evening's meeting marked the last chance for Zurich to legally set a budget, even though the social contract issue is still un- settled. Council had been aiming for a two -percent tax increase until the provincial cutbacks were an- nounced, explained councillor Barb Jeffrex Since only 28 percent of property taxes paid by Zurich households and businesses are for municipal purposes, the eight percent increase roughly works out to a 324 increase on each 31,000 in taxes paid last year. Put in that perspective, said Fish- er, the increase may not seem as hard to swallow. Great weather draws crowds to Exeter's sidewalk sales EXETER - This year Exeter's annuai,sidewalk days brought out mat enthusiastic crowds then in past as sunny skies and warm weather pre- vaikd. "This year the merchants were also really creative in drawing the crowds," said Karen Spng, manager of the BIA. More than 60 merchants began setting up early Thursday morning for the three day event. By noon the crowds of bargain hunters began to mill around the main street of Exeter. Many of the merchants also held special activities such as pie throwing contests, face painting, hair styling demonstrations and water dunking. There were stage coach rides, pony rides, a visit from children's favorite ' dinosaur Barney, free products handed out and of course, plenty of food. "Everybody seemed to be donating money to a cause," Spring said. "It was great to see such support for community' organizations." By Monday morning, Spring had talked to many of the merchants to get feedback. "They all felt the sale was a success, " sho-said. They were thrilled, she said, with the weather and crowds of people. • The success this year was enthusiastically welcomed by the merchants after dismal weather last year and cautious consumers year round. Now, Spring said, she will begin planning for sidewalk sale next year. "This is the best time to begin preparations because the event is still fresh in everyone's memory. would be inappropriate to assign a school principal to a large secondary school for three to four months in view of the possibility of other staff changes before the end of the current year. "It would be wiser to put all principal transfers off until January 1, -1994." At that time Herb Murphy, presently at RE Madill Secondary School is ecpected to assume duties at SHDHS. In her letter of resignation Weary said, "The students, staff and commu- nity of that school deserve a principal who is prepares to make a commit- ment for a minimum three-year period in order to effect change within the school. I am not prepared to make that commitment." She will continue her duties at Bluewater Secondary School, a twelve- month school until her resignation comes into effect in October. Weary was the founding principal at Bluewater which opened as a spe- cial school for young offenders in September 1986. 4 • • Television end video star Barney the dinosaur paid a visit to Oscars Video during the sidewalk sale much to the delight of children like Kelsey Beynham, of Exeter. Bargain Motors Sheryl Oke and Paula Phillips took advantage of the sunny weather on Satur- day and enjoyed shopping at the same time. 4