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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-05-26, Page 22 .-.ri.ic. Regiona wr PUCs looking at "alternative" MITCHELL --- Public Utilities Commissions (PUCs) In Perth and Huron counties may form a joint venture services company, reports the Mitch- ell Advocate. On May 14, 13 of 15 Perth and Huron PUCs I agreed to investigate the joint venture company, which was one of three options presented by con- sultant Acres International. Two other municipali- ties (including Exeter) said they would go back to their councils for direction. Under the proposed joint venture company sce- nario, the electrical utility in each municipality would become an individual company. The municipalities would give the joint company staff, office facilities, trucks and computers sys- tems. The municipalities would keep 100 per cent ownership of their local wires company and would have shares in the new joint venture company. There would be separate service agreements be- tween the local municipal wires company and the Perth -Huron services company: Its not certain whether the new company would combine both counties. "Most favour a two -county system than one but that's open for discussion," said West Perth Mayor John Van Bakel. • Economic strategy planned HURON COUNTY -- Sixteen people, representing manufacturing, economic development and busi- ness interests in the county, have agreed to work together with. all communities in Huron to formu- late a strategy to retain and expand manufactur- ing investments in the area, reports the Goderich Signal -Star. The . initiative is proceeding with the support of-. local governments, their economic . development committees as well .as -key players in:.the manufac- turing sector. With_ the support of local government *and busi- ness and industrythe { t group is going to embark on the first stage of their strategy -- collecting and analyzing surveys, from almost 225 .manufacturers in Huron., County, From the collected data they hope, to develop goals. and action action plans. They, will also be holding two workshops this sum- mer .in the county to discuss the survey results. Arena's liquor licence denied SEAFORTH -- Arena Manager Graham Nesbitt is recommending to the town they develop -.a liquor policy after The Seaford). and District Community Centres' (SDCC) application was denied, by the Al- cohol and Gaming Commission, reports the . Huron Expositor. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission sent notice the application was denied after holdingla hearing in February. The commission determined those against the application successfully showed the licence was not in the community's best interest after private citizens, owners of liquor licenced bars and res- taurants, town council and the Business Improve- ment Area all made objections. Concerns had been raised that people didn't want alcohol regularly served in a facility that has many events involving children. Nesbitt said a town policy would see every func- tion involving alcohol following the same rules. He said right now there are two sets of standards and pointed to the BIA's street dance as an example. $15 million factorySt. Marysfor- ST. MARYS --- The town and +tynifine Richardson signed a deal last week that will see the local com- pany build a new manufacturing facility .one kilo- metre south of Its present location on James St., reports the St. Marys Journal -Argus. The $15 million project will mean the company will stay In the Stonetown, something town offi- cials and Unifine president Mike Thompson have been working together on for more than two years. Operations at the current 45,000 sq. ft. site on Victoria St. and in Woodstock will be amalgamated on the new 150,000 sq. ft. site. Unifine Richardson manufactures salad dressing and sundae toppings. In the News Wednesday, Malt 26, 1999 Seminar warns of possi le Y2K m By Scott Nixon T : AQVaciTE STAFF EXETER -- Are you ready for Y2K? That was the question asked at an information seminar last Thursday by the Exeter CIBC and the Exeter and District Chamber of Commerce. The seminar was designed to warn small businesses of the potential risks of Y2K -- or the Millennium Bug -- and the ways to prevent falling victim to it. Exeter CIBC account manager Andrew Darling warned the audience of Y2K: "Ready or not it's going to come." The seminar featured speaker Rod Morris, part of a team that has been working for the past 2 1/2 years to en- sure CIBC banks are ready for Y2K. Af ter all the work his team has done, Morris says CIBC is totally Y2K compliant mid guar- antees all CIBC customers' money is safe, but he ad- mits nobody knows what will happen when the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, 2000. For those who don't know, Y2K is the name given to the problems deriving from the fact computer programmers originally only programmed computers and software to read the last two digits of the year. This was done to save computer memory, which was ex- pensive when computers were i rtt be- ing programmed: For example; 99 represents 1999. The problem is, when midnight strikes on Jan. 1, 2000, computers could read the New Year . as 1900, causing all kinds of problems:- operational disruptions; the inability of some custom- ers to pay accounts; reduced business activity; a ruined reputation if your business experiences trou- ble from Y2K; legal risks; security risks; and a po- tential - r market slow down. Even if a small business totally upgrades its own computer systems, says Morris, it is still at risk. be- cause its suppliers may not be up to date. As an example, he said car man- ufacturers are dependant on 40,000 vendors for parts. Any disruptions in those vendors could result in problems for manufacturers. When CIBC began preparing its Y2K team in 1997, Morris said they had nine goals, which started with such "This isn't an insurmountable problem. It can be fixed." -- Morris on the potential problems of Y2K 1_ preparations as creating business awareness and assessing inventory and ending with testing its computer systems and do- ing a final audit of its readiness in September. .;_;. "This whole process has been like peeling an on- ion," Morris said, explaining that as soon as one .po- tential Y2K problem is solved, another one arises, While Y2K presents many risks to business, Morris said it can also be seen as an opportunity for com- panies to attract new customers from failed businesses. "lt's a real problem not just hype." --- CIBC Rod' As a result, governments, companies and computer programmers have been scrambling over the past several years to make sure - computers are updated so they.can-.read the -full date. Morris began his presentation : by dispelling some myths about Y2K.. One myth is that the problem won't arise until mid- night.: on Jan. l 2000.1n fact- . there -have already been problems and there could be morelroblems ou Sept. 9, 1999, because many computer .programs read the number nine as the end of a program or a delete command. Since September is the ninth month of the year, some people are predicting computer breakdowns during that month. "It's a real problem :at d it's . not just a lot of hype," Morris said:- Attd.while the cost =to:.f x Y-21( globally Is estimated to .be. $600 billion, legal costs are expected to double that amount, according.to Morris. . Some business risks resulting from Y2K include: and it's a lot of If businesses haven't started ' up- grading their computers for Y2K there is still time, according. to Morris, but they have to start now. consultant "This isn't an insurmountable prop- Morris on `Y2K tem. It can be fixed." While he admitted no one , really know what.will happen at midnight on Sal. 1, 2000, Morris said airplanes will not fall out of the sky. Whiie-lites not worried -enough about Y2K to btiy a power generator • for -Ms. own home, he said, he'll probably take out- wine extra money from the bank just in. easi .there art problems. And Morris isn't alone -- he said the Canadian and U.S. governments are printing extra money in' anticipation of many people wanting to have cash on hand. ' ' • In order to help -businesses get ready_forY21C, CHIC and Industry Canada have partnered to start a pro- gram -called Year- 2000 First Step, which will give a business an assessment on its computer hardware and software and make suggestions on what to do to prepare. The cost for Year 2000 First Step is $195 plus tax, but Morris said all the money goes back to Industry Canada's Student Connection Program. To sign up for the program; call 1 -888 -807 -7777 -or visit the Web site at www.sep-ebb.com. us 4 cions fii€at By Katherine Harding TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF 1 �s yx..(rj ._;::_ 1..-�-�6Y :res '�.`Y.:� '.;i wd'•. GRAND BEND -- The Ontario PIre TfMaarshal's Of- fice has been called into investigate the cause of a suspicious fire at the Bank of Montreal early Mon- day morning. The village's Volunteer Fire Department and OPP were dispatched to the bank located on Ontario St. at 3 a.m. after witnesses saw a fire in the auto- mated teller area of the building.. The blaze caused an estimated $150,000 damage to the Instant Teller area of the building. The rest of the bank incurred minimal damage. North Lambton OPP detachment say the matter is being investigated as "an intentionally set fire." The North Lambton OPP along with the OPP Tech- nical Identification Services Unit and the fire mar- shal continue the probe into the incident. The OPP is requesting the assistance of the public in this matter. If you have Information about this fire call the North Lambton OPP at 1-519-786-2349 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Elementary teachers may not strike By Katherine Harding TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF SEAFORTH -- Avon Maitland District School Board's elementary teachers may not picket after all. Last Friday, with the help of a mediator, the ;school board and the Elementary Teachers' Fed- eration, Avon Maitland Local, reached a tentative agreement for the 1998/99 and 1999-2000 school years. The terms of the agreement are confidential un- til both parties ratify the new contract. Ratification meetings are expected to be held this week. On May 11, 90 per cent of the 579 teachers who Voted gave union negotiators a strike mandate. The teachers have been working without a con- tract since Aug. 31, 1998. Teachers were con- cerned about issues surrounding working condi- tions, class sizes and retirement gratuities. In particular, the Tech 21 program, which re- placed teacher librarians with library technicians, was strongly opposed by teachers.