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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-05-12, Page 4232 Exeter Times—Advocate Community , Wednesday, May 19, 1999 School board Dear Editor: The AMDSB will soon undergo an extensive review by Ontario's Education Review Commission. Areas to be covered in the two day, May 26 and 27 review will include, amongst oth- ers, both governance and administrative perfor- mance. it is certain that the people of Huron County and Perth County will also be pleased to know that the board's communication and com- munity relations records will be, put under scrutiny by the EIC. The EIC will conduct a series of discussions with various stakeholder groups. For one of the meetings, the EIC has instructed the Board to select community mem- bers to meet with the EIC . The process to select the community members has not been well defined, but the Director of Education. has commented that the Board has "gone to the schools" and "asked for partners from the com- munity". I understand only 10 or so community members will be accom- modated at the discussion which will Iast about one hour. The past year and a half has seen unprecedented outcry from the Huron Perth community as out- rage was expressed with the Board's plans to close schools, cut programs, sever community ties while continuing to pam- per and praise its bloated administration. This is the administration which oversaw the squandering of hundreds of thousands of dollars on questionable real estate deals while it continually squealed about lack of money. Recognizing the history of high levels of tension and contention in the Avon Maitland School District, perhaps our com- munity should appeal to the EIC and the Board to provide a greater forum where the EIC could receive an extensive briefing of past and pre- sent community concerns. Ten representatives is not many, especially when we do not know the criteria for their selection. One hour does not seem like much time to express the magnitude of our commu- nity's concern about the Board's performance. Failing a more extensive opportunity to meet with the EIC it is imperative that the EIC have a thor- ough understanding of public concerns, again both past and present. To this end, the public can dig out the letters, faxes and speeches that have been delivered to the AMDSB and make certain that the EIC receives these before or at the review. I appeal to the district's newspapers to under review provide the EIC with reprints of all articles that have covered the activi- ties of the Board. Local radio and TV could send transcripts or tapes of pertinent interviews. From 9 a.m. until 10:15 a.m., today, May 16, the EIC will hold an Orientation/Overview ses- sion open to the public. While this is not a discus- sion session it is an opportunity to deliver written submissions to the EIC. The Community Member Stakeholder Group discussion session is to be held later the same day from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The public can. also Find out who will be invited to the discussion and have them deliver our submissions to the EIC at the Community Member meeting. One way or another the EIC must have adequate pub- lic input before their report is written and pub- lished. The EIC review will be headed by Commissioner, Arlene Wright. Specific inquiries can be directed to Beatrice Schriever, EIC,. Communications Planner, at 416-325-1079 or 1-800-344-6582. If you wish to communicate via e-mail use beatriee. schri ever@edu. g ov.on.ca as the address. The Education Improvement Commission is located at Mowat Block, 13th Floor, 900 Bay Street, Toronto, Ont. M7A, 1L2; phone: 416-325- 1073 and 1-800-344- 6582; Fax: 416-325-1080. The EIC has general information at their: http://eic.edu.gov.on.ca website. If you need incentive to become involved consider these facts: 1. The Board's ramrod two-month school closure policy is still in place with another accommodation review coming this fall (and every fall thereafter). 2. The Board did not cut administrative'' spending last year or this year. Budget figures ' just released show no plans Co-ordinator needed for Granton Bible School By Muriel Lewis GRANTON CORRESPONDENT Sympathy from the community is extended to the family of Kenneth Garrett age 94, formerly of Granton who died at Kingsway Lodge, St. Marys on May 9. At Granton United Church on, May 16 Lay Pastor Val Hodgins entitled her sermon 'What Next'.' Flowers in the church were from the funeral of Ken Garrett, father of Bob Garrett. The youth group met at the church and went to worship at a Salvation Army church in London: At St. Paul's Anglican Church, Kirkton on Ascension Sunday, Rev. Glenda Meakin's message was about spreading God's Word. The reader was John Urquhart, Ucw Unit one met at Extendicare in London with one of their members Edna Wallis celebrating her 90th birthday. President Doreen McRobert opened the meeting with prayer and read lesson thoughts on 'Grudge Not'. Plans were made for the next meeting on June 3 in the park. The changes proposed in the structure of the U.C.W. were discussed. The vacation bible school to be held July 26 to 30 is in need of a co- ordinator. A village yard sale is scheduled for June 26 and the annual beef barbecue in the park will be June 16. Mary Wallis read a 'tingle jingle' and Edna opened her cards and gifts. Former Granton friends and neighbours Diane Blake and Lorraine Broughton and son Patrick also attended. W.I. District Annual The Northwest Middlesex Women's Institute District Annual was held May 11 at East Christian Reformed Church hall hosted by Kerwood and Beechwood W.I. branches. The theme was 'Canada, A Society for all Ages.' President Rie VanSteeg chaired the meeting. Guest speakers, Richard Stanton and Betsy Roche, told about the Robert McMullenAbbeyfield Houses of Canada and showed a video. These houses are ideal for about ten single seniors to live as a community. A humorous skit was presented by W.I. members. Provincial Advisory council member Willa Johnston ratified the District Directors and conducted the elec- tion and installation of officers. Upcoming events include the Middlesex Rally on July 13 at the Bryanston ConinTirari1ty Centre, a History Curators Workshop on August 5 at Springfield and the area convention on October 28 at Mt. Brydges. A donation was made to the Middlesex 4-11 club Association. Officers elected for 1999-2000: President - Bonnie Pilkington, first vice president - Jean Campbell, second vice president - Lois Baker, secretary treasurer - Viola McLean, public relations - Joyce Morgan, program co-ordinator - Barbara Carter and resolutions - Bernice Smith. A resolution was passed regard- ing tail lights not working in con- junction with automatic running lights. It reads, "therefore be it resolved that Beechwood Womens Institute request all automotive manufac- turers be required to manufacture tail lights that automatically come on with the daytime running lights on all vehicles." for any meaningful cuts for the upcoming 1999- 2000 school year. 3. The AMDSB has only about twice as many stu- dents as the Huron -Perth Separate Board but has four to five times as many non-teachingOalt- 4. Troeteereellerimaishrilt is a "waste of money" to advertise the Board's financial statements to ratepayers and the public at large. He says we can't understand such a docu- ment. 5. Trustee Brillinger says it is a "waste of time" to listen to public delega- tions and thinks public input to the Board should be limited in both num- bers and time. 6. The Board's adminis- trative staff have repeat- edly lamented the passing of the good old days when they could raise our prop- erty taxes (and their wages). I, for one, don't miss those days. , Your input is crucial. Keep those cards and let- ters coming in. Charles Smith, RR 4, Seaforth Vote Vernon Walter Vernon For the good of the whole Perth -Middlesex Community Only Walter Vernon and today's NDP share your belief i. -n Ontario where everyone isiven a chance to success and no one is left behind! Join Walter Vernon and his team at 42 Albert Street, Stratford Call 271-7259 email at Vote Vernon@ndp.org or check out the web site www.execulink.com/-trueleft/vernon.htm authorized b Pat Mdlro , Official L FOR 110RE INFORM 1T10' ( .11.1. IS ‘I" 1-8258-O`T-1 OTE (w8-$68 3 011 rn I-88/4-292-2312 1 Itil'I 01 R U1.1).+1 it: l 1 %NU%.Cit.'0,1!1S(111Llf1U.,11. 11 r! r • t% You Can Vote Before June 3rd If your name is on the Voters List but you expect to be away or unable to vote on election day, you can take advantage of any advance poll in your electoral district. Ballots cast at the advance polls will be counted at the close of the regular polls on election day. Eligible voters who wish to vote at an advance poll, but who have not yet received their Notice of Registration confirming that they are on the Voters List,•may obtain a Certificate to Vote from the revision assistant at the advance poll location prior to casting their ballot. advance Poll Voting 1 ill Be Held :'t The Follo ing Locations C� At Area Advance Polls from 10 a.m. to8p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday May 26th, 27th and 28th In the electoral district Returning Office from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 22nd and Monday through Friday May 24th to 28th, inclusive In the Electoral District of HURON -BRUCE ® Elections Ontario (519) 235-4718 425 Main Street South, Exeter • Port Elgin Fire Hall, Port Elgin • Davidson Centre, 601 Durham, Kincardine • Wingham Council Chambers, Wingham • St. Georges Parish Hall, Goderich • Clinton Council Chambers, Clinton • Municipal Office, Seaforth • Community Centre, Lucknow In the Electoral District of LAMBTON-KENT MIDDLESEX El Elections Onto -it) (519) 845-3912 or (800) 964-4857 4475 London Line, Wyoming • Thedford-Bosanquet Arena,.1 Allen St., Thedford • Strathmy Library, 34 Frank St., Strathroy • Glencoe Agricultural Hall, 268 Currie St., Glencoe • Florence Community Centre, 6213 Mill St., l:lorence • Happy Craft Club, 507 Elizabeth St., Wallaceburg If you have friends or relatives who have difficulty reading, please make them aware of the informadon in this notice. 4' Elections fj Ontario 4 s..-prN.ee Mewl Nit K1~04 AP3/37