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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1997-01-08, Page 1SEIP'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 2 Midget \1,r>< Generals 14 Silver Stick 14°14''; Champs SEIP'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 r -- 1 SUBSCRIBE!* II' If you aren't subscribing to The1 Times -Advocate, you're messing out.' Use the coupon below and subscnbe today! Name: 1 • Address City Prov 1 I Postal Code SUBSCRIPTION RATES: ' 1year S35♦2.45GSST.2year $63a441GST auision2tamo year $63r4.41GST•!year $119•8.33GST OUTSIDE CANADA $102.00 ' USE YOUR CREDIT CARD ❑0000000 1:30000000 Card No. Expiry Date ❑ Visa 0 Master Card ❑ Cheque enclosed Return to' TIMES ADVOCATE 424 Main St. Exeter, Ont. NOM 1S6 ■ --r.---- 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 bz Municipal Reform Committee prepares final report See page 2 , • : Hopes for 1.997 See page 3 Sharing the love for dance See page 8 Exeter Bantams and Midgets win Silver Stick See page 11 Seven drivers receive 90 -day suspensions NORTH LAMBTON - North Lambton OPP conducted a Festive RIDE program from Nov. 29 to Jan. 2. A total of 2.266 vehicles were checked sihce the beginning of the program and seven drivers were charged with operating a mo- tor vehicle with more than 80 milli- grams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood. These•persons were is- sued automatic Drivers Licence suspensions for 90 days. In addition, four drivers were is- sued I2 -hour suspensions during the period of the program. Two charged on New Year's Eve LAMBTON COUNTY - Lamb - ton OPP reported a total of 641 ve- hicles were checked on New Year's Eve, resulting in two people being charged with driving with more than the legal limit of alcohol in their blood. They both received 90 day Drivers Licence suspen- sions. Ten other Roadside Screening Device tests were conducted with six persons passing and four regis- tering a 'warn' and receiving a 12 - hour suspension. In addition, one Highway Traffic Act charge was laid. First baby of 1997 Fifteen month old Jayden Vanneste inspects the new addition to the family as her parents Terri and Darcy pose with their newborn baby Madisson who was born on Jan 3. Weighing 7 lbs. and 15 ounces, Madisson is the first baby born to a T -A subscriber for 1997. .Vanneste family- welcome new addition EXETER - Tem and Darcy Vanneste of Exeter are the proud parents of the first new year's baby born to a T -A subscriber. Their newborn daughter, Madisson, came into this world on Jan. 3 at 10:51 p.m. She was delivered by a mid -wife at Seaforth Hospital weighing in at 7 lbs. and 15 ounces. The young couple who live on 93 Gidley Street said the birth went smoothly and they had plenty of time to get to the hospital. Terri went into labor in the morning and had time to go out for lunch with friends before returning to the Cutting Corner hair salon in Exeter where she works to cut a client's hair before preparingfor the trip to the hospital. "By then I was sure I was in labor," she said. Darcy, who left work at 2 p.m., ran a few errands and did some grocery shopping before returning home to assume his duties by his wife's side. "We had to get it all done before we left," said Terri. "We were pretty laid back," added Darcy. This is the couple's second child, their daughter Jayden was born 15 months ago. Board of Ed passes motion to increase staff salaries A phone poll of trustee also ap- proved a gratuity payout of be- tween $40 and 45,000 CLINTON - Two Huron County Board of Educa- tion trustees called for recorded votes during a spe- cial hoard meeting, held Dec. 9, on motions that in- crease staff wages as well as promote administrative staff member. In its first motion, the board raises non-union staff members' salaries "in a similar fashion as it has done for other employee groups," according to un- approved meeting minutes. Listed as those opposed to the motion include trustees Della Baumgarten,' Vicki Culbert, Bob Heywood, Norman Pickell and Rick Rornpf. Heywood explained the hoard now has it's ployees in line with other board salaries in case of amalgama- tion, however, he added he be- lieves such increases are "an- other strike against classroom." "I don't think we have begun to weather the storm," he said. • The second motion also re- ceived a recorded vote at the re- quest of Trustee Heywood. This motion replaces the posi- lion of Human Resources Ad- ministrator, held by Jeanne Dionne, with the compensation level equal to of the Acting Assistant Superintendent positions. The motion also adds that costs of Dionne's MBA program be deducted from the new compensation level. Trustees who voted against this motion included Della Baumgarten, Vicki Culbert, Bob Heywood one the cm - and Rick Rompf. Acting Director Chuck Rowland explained Dionne had been completing work associated with the new position. The compensation, he added, re- flected this workload as well as pay equity stan- dards. Historically, Huron staff salaries have been well below provincial and area averages. Gratuity As a result of a phone poll, trustees approved a gratuity in the range of $40 to $45,000 for outgoing Superintendent of Schools Gino Giannandrca who accepted a position as Director of Education with Lanark Township. Rowland explained the gratuity was based on ac- cumulated sick days for which all staff are eligible. The payout also serves as a "window of op- portunity," according to Rowland, allowing thc hoard to make cuts by encouraging senior staff to leave or retire. "I would make notion that the Town of Exeter send a letter...expressing our disgust at such high-handed disregard for the taxpayers' money." that Although qualification for the gra- tuity is 12 years, a similar agree- ment had been reached with Gian- nandrea in the past and the board approved the payout in his 11th year. The issues of staff wage increases and gratuity payouts were also dis- cussed at Exeter Council Monday night when Councillor Robert Drummond initiated a motion ask- ing the board to rescind these board actions. "I would make motion that the Town of Exeter send a letter to the Director of Ed- ucation....cxpressing our disgust at such high- handed disregard for the taxpayers' money." said Drummond. Council tabled Drummond's information could be gathered board passed these motions. motion until more detailing why thc Bantam Legionnaires Siker Stick Champs Councillor says grass roots needs to be maintained GODERICH - A county council- lor says the amalgamation of too many small municipalities will lead to an erosion of the roots of democracy and leave open the way for dictatorial forces to take con- trol. Coun. Mason Bailey of Blyth was responding to a motion passed by county council to have a resolu- tion taken to the Rural Ontario Mu- nicipalities Association conference requesting ROMA's support for a slowing down of municipal amalga- mations unless it can be demon- strated there will be savings for lo- cal ratepayers. "A concern I have as an individu- al," said Bailey. "is that we are giv- ing less and less control to our chil- dren and are opening the door to the mandarins and dictators of the future. "If we give away the voice of the grass roots people, we may be opening the door for even less con- trol in the future." The rnotion is to try to give more time to several mid -Huron munici- palities which have begun a study by hiring a consultant to determine if there would be any savings with amalgamations. Coun. Tom Cunningham of Hul- lett Twp., one of the municipalities taking part in the study, said the consultant may not complete the study until the end of 1997. The province has been suggesting to municipalities that they should restructure, and the sooner the bet- ter. Warden Murray Keys said at the reitent meeting of the wardens of western Ontario, there was a consensus that the province would move ahead in April, but it is presently involved with amalgamating To- ronto -arca municipalities. Coun. Bill Clifford of Goderich spoke against the motion. "This is probably like speaking against motherhood. It's fine to be territorial and say we'll run it by ourselves, but in good conscience, how long will we he able to contin- ue to accept further cuts (without restructuring)." Unified option plans to keep all hospitals open EXETER - Administrators and board chairs from eight Huron -Perth hos- pitals met Thursday and again Monday to begin preparing a unified op- tion to present to the District Health Council by Jan. 14. Facilitators Thomas S. Butt and Jim Harrold also participated in the meeting. Although the group is still "a ways away" from arriving at a final option, it agrees the key issues mist be access and quality care. Quality care in- cludes critical mass as well as clinical conformity. Initially, the plan leaves all com- munity hospitals open, with an es- sential service model that in- cludes 24-hour emergency services as well as in-patient and out-patient beds. A min- imum number of keds has not yet been established. According to South Huron Hospital Chair Veda Russell, the secondary hospital would be located in Stratford under the joint proposal that will be made to the DHC on Jan. 14. In the initial plan. the remaining hospitals would be considered primary care centres. "It may change, but right now that's what we're looking at," said Rus- sell. The group, which met again on Monday with financial officers, will look into a financial analysis of the proposal as well as other issues such as administration. The DHC has postponed public meetings planned for early January but has released Jan. 21 as thc date a final option will be determined. The Public \R'i'ling scht'(luled for Jan. S has hccn cancelled. The District 11('allh Council «ill anntftinfc the final t►Ittion Jan. 21. 1