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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1984-03-21, Page 30LOTS OF CHOICE — Vera Mountenay and Patrick and Dan Watson are surrounded by bargain -priced magazines during the annual book sale at the Exeter Library. Budget lowest in years The lowest percentage budget increase in at least seven years was approved by the Huron -Perth Separate School Hoard at a special meeting March 5. The board's 1984 budget in- creased by 5.68 percent from $7,870,018 last year to $8,217,294. Separate school taxpayers in the two counties will share in paying the local taxation of $1,663,175. The rest of the budget will be funded by the Ministry of Education. "It goes without saying that the chairman is pleased," commented board chairman Ron Murray of RR 1 Dublin. "It's the lowest increase • we've had since I've been on the board...I've been here • seven years." The average mill rate in- crease for 1984 is 4.58 percent. Ron Marcy, Stratford, finance committee chairman said one mill raises $25,386 which is up from last year because separate school assessment is up by almost $1 million. "The more assessment you have means lower mill rates," said Mr. Marcy. "This gain in assessment has been fairly constant since the formation of county board. In 1970 the assessment for this board was approx- imately $12,000,000 and for 1984 it is' expected to be $25,385,967 which shows a growth of $13.4 million of 14 years. This proves that the support for the Catholic schools continues to increase in the counties of Huron and Perth," stated the finance chairman. While having kept its own bills down, Marcy pointed out several large percentage in- creases the board has to pay. The separate school budget includes a 10.5 percent in- crease in Unemployment In- surance rates, a 14.3 percent increase in workmen's com- pensation as well as increas- ed premiums for group life in- surance, the board's extend- ed health plan and dental insurance: Marcy made two other points. He noted that in 1975 the province paid an average of 61.3 percent of school boards' budgets but in 1983 paid only 48.8 percent. Also, less of the entire provincial budget is going towards education. In 1977-78, the en- tire provincial budget is going towards education. In 1977-78. 18.1 percent of the provincial budget was spent on educa- tion and in 1983.884 only 13.9 percent was spent on education. All salaries account for the largest portion of the separate school board's 1984 budget. This year $5,398,822 will be paid in salaries compared to *5,029,530 in 1983. Transportation costs are actually down this year, from $954,850 last year to $909,237 for 1984. Marcy said two school buses were purchased last year whereas in 1984 on- ly a *12,500 special education van will be purchased. Plant operation and maintenance is expected to cost $1,114,664 this year com- pared to $1,045,235 spent last year. The budget also includes $176,000 for roof repairs to several schools, but Marcy noted the roofs won't be repaired unless the Ministry of Education approves funding. MOUNT CARMEL JUNIOR CHAMPS •— The grades five and six junior floor hockey champions at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School are shown here. Back, coach Justin O'Rourke. Centre, Shawn Glavin, Adam Smith, Kathie Heamon, Clint McCann, and Jaime Wulterkens. Front, Wanda McCann, Darlene O'Rourke, Nicole Vanneste, Kim Van Don • en and Sherri Brennan. T -A - hoto JUNIOR GRADEHOCKEY CHAMPS — The winners of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Separate School grades three and four floor hockey championship are shown here. Back, coach Sandra Relouw. Centre, Fiona Walker, Sean Martens, Sisivay Sengkhoumany and Brad Glavin. Front, Sharon DeBruyn, lianne Labreche, Stephanie Argent and Chad Arnold. T -A photo ~ft z ads 00 A••?, EXPLAINING -- Elizabeth Mol, (back left) Krista Mitchell, Carla Derkach and (front) Rochelle and Natasha Allen and Christine Schade (partially obscured) listen while performer Winn Bray explains the seashells on her vest before a performance of the Carousel Pla ers of the Rec Centre. CREDiTON SUPPER Louise Hayter and Shirley Glanville dish up pancakes at the recent pancake supper sponsored by the Crediton hall board. T -A photo. • WIN SECOND MIXED DRAW — A rink skipped by Doug Parsons won the second draw of the season of the Exeter mixed curling club. From the left are Doug Stewart, Anne Lorento, Pot Ballantyne and Doug Parsons. Health care to be costly The Canada Health Act puts the control of health care „in Ottawa's hands rather then. the province's and that will be costly, says the president of the Huron County Medical Society. Dr. Brian Baker, Clinton heads the society which represents the 80 doctors in Huron County .and said its time for patients to question their doctors and tell their member of parliament they don't like the proposed act. Dr. Baker acknowledged that it is too late for the doc- tors to do anything about the act which has had two readings in the House of Com- mons and is now before a committee. He said the Huron County Medical Society sent a letter outlining their concerns, but there was too little time to be able to appear before the committee. The Clinton doctor said the act amounts to removing health care control out of the province's hands and into Ot- tawa's arms. ile noted that when the federal government started assisting in health funding, there was promise of a 50 percent funding split bet- ween the provinces and the federal governments. Dr. Baker said his figures show that now the province is only paying about 35 percent of the health care funding. "What that amounts to is that the provinces will have no say in health care fun- ding," said Dr. Baker. The effect of this, said Dr. Baker, is that, as an example, if extra hospital beds are needed in Goderich, hospital representatives would have to bring their request to Ottawa rather than Toronto. "We're•fortunate we have the federal government in our province, but say Saskat- chewan isn't so fortunate." A press release issued late last week by the Huron Coun- ty medical society called "The Canada Health Act - Health of Hazard" states the county's medical professions feelings on the proposed act. "The Canada Health Act does nothing to improve the delivery of health care in Canada. All it accomplishes is to put even greater pressure on the provinces, which are mainly responsible for the funding of care. it does nothing to resolve any of the problems of underfunding facing the system at present." The society's press release also answers the question of what the act does for the patient. "Despite all the rhetoric, the act really does nothing for you. Because of present underfunding, many Ontario hospitals have been forced to cut back on beds, -staff and services. New !technology for diagnosing iitid treating disease is not always available to you. And there is a growing need for more facilities and services to look after the chronically ill and the elderly. None of these im- portant issues is addressed in the Act." • The press release also says that the doctors will be af- fected by the act in a way that they would become govern- ment employees. Dr. Baker said there has been widespread concern that the new act doesn't allow doc- tors to opt out of hospital in- surance plans, but he said that isn't a problem in Huron anyway as of the 80 doctors in the county only two or. three are opted out. "It's (the act) not solving the problems, just adding to them," concludes the press release. OPP celebrating 75th anniversary For a police force with a million -square kilometer area of operation, transportation is a constant consideration. But the early years of the Ontario Provincial Police saw only small sums of money spent for this purpose. Transportation costs for the Ontario Provincial Police jumped from *33 in 1921 to $17,000' one year later. The reason - the acquisition of Force -owned vehicles. The OPP is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, and for the first 13 years of its existence, its officers used any means of transportation available. Travelling into the remote areas of Ontario, they were allowed $4 for hiring a horse, 13 cents a mile for using a Ford or 17 cents a mile for larger cars. In fact, in 1917, the OPP purchasedonebicycle for $30 to save the horse -hire costs. Officers took trains, street- cars, borrowed cars and, when • all else was unavailable, they walked through the countryside. Dahn Higley, retired chief superintendent and author of the Ontario Provincial Police History being published this year as part of the birthday celebrations, said most of the cars used on the Force were not high quality. "Many were seized from rumrunners or were turned back by the courts following convictions," he said. A request for motor vehicles was made in 1920, but it wasn't until 1922 the first cars were purchased. An inspector of automobiles was appointed then to supervise the 17 vehicles sent to general headquarters, Windsor, Essex, Welland, Bridgeburg, Kitchener, Oshawp, Belleville, Madoc, Ottawa, Brockville, Cornwall, Cobalt, Sudbury and Port Arthur. However, the small fleet didn't quite meet the Force's growing requirements and, until the war years, officers continued to drive their own cars while on duty. ° In'1940, the first marked car arrived and by the end of the 1940's, the Force was using black and white cruisers for highway patrol. Present day cars are ordered two or three times a year and when the odometer reaches 140,000 kilometres (87,000 miles), the vehicle is sold. Itp all, 700 cars are replaced each year by the Force. From its humble beginning in 1922, the OPP fleet today has grown to be one of the finest in police work anywhere. Times -Advocate, March 21, 1984 Pogett/A GETTING SECONDS — Pat Campbell is offering second helpings to Charlie Smith and Florence Seldon at Tuesday's pancake supper at Trivitt Anglican Church in Exeter. Board to study French The Huron -Perth Separate School Board wants all possi- ble effects including costing of a French Immersion pro- gram in the Goderich area studied by its finance committee. Over 30 people from the Goderich area traveled on a •bus to attend the February -27 meeting of the separate school board to request a pilot project in early total French Immersion at St. Mary's Separate School, Goderich this September. Early total French Immer- sion starts at the Kindergarten and Grade 1 level. Pupils are taught everything in French until about Grade 3 where one period of English isstarted. By the time pupils reach Grade 5 or 6 about half the time is devoted to English instruction. Barry Buchanan, Clinton and Dr. Tom Jasper, Goderich presented a report on behalf of a "group of parents in Goderich and the surrounding area who are sincerely interested in pro- viding a bilingual education for our children." The group wants the pilot project to be offered on a voluntary basis and run through to Grade 3 and then be re-evaluated at that time. These parents have held a public information meeting in Goderich for both public and separate school supporters. A request for a French Immer- sion pilot project for public school students was made at the Huron County Board of Education's March 5 meeting. Statistics gathered at this meeting show that six children from St. Mary's in Goderich and one from St. Joseph's Separate School in Kingsbridge would be enroll- ed this fall in a pilot project. Twelve Grade 1 students from St. Marys and one from Brookside Public School and one from St. Joseph's in Clin- ton would enrol in a pilotpro- ject this September. The report also shows there is interest for one child from Kingsbridge for Kindergarten and for one Grade one child from Goderich. The group asked the separate school board to "ac- cept these figures as a preliminary report." "We are attempting to make all parents in Kingsbridge, Clinton and St. Joseph's area aware of this program. We strongly feel there will be more interest forthcoming should this pro- gram be initiated," the report said. Some preliminary cost figures were also presented to the board by the committee. The group took figures from the Ministry of Education which show that the average cost per pupil for a total im- mersion program is *211. The Ministry funds an average of 75 percent of these costs. The boards study of the re- quest by its financial commit- tee will include the effects of a French Immersion pro- gram on enrolment at St. Marys . Separate School in Goderich and other schools in the area such as Ecole Ste. Marie in St. Joseph's and the schools in Kingsbridge and Clinton. RECEIVE CHARTER — Chief Ranger Bruce Perry and Pentecostal Tabernacle minister Bob Donnan display the charter for the Christian Service Brigade progrom which began in January at the church. Looking on are (back left) Rangers Don Jolly, Rob Jolly, Dav-' Robinson and Dove Tigani. SHRINE CLUB INSTALLATION — The annual installation of officers for the Bluewater Shrine Club was per- formed by Illustrious Sir Ron Leckie, Mocha Temple Potentate from Sarnia recently in Goderich. The club is under the jurisdiction of Mocha Temple, London and is made up of Shriners from throughout southwestern Ontario. New officers are, front row, left to right, Gorden Baxter, secretary; Bill Riehl, second vice-president; Jan Lagerwerf of RR 3 Parkhill, president; Ron Leckie, Potentate; Dr. Mork Roithby, past president and Ed- ward East, treasurir. Bock row, left to right, are directors Lorne Kleinstiver, Dashwood; Ron Turner, Parkhill; Jens O. Anderson, Clinton; L.B. (Bucky) Graham, bulletin editor and dues secretory; George Bacon, chair- man of Ways and Means Committee; Bruce Stanloke, Grand Bend; Lawrence Scott, Goderich and James Howson, Blyth. Absent for photo were William Chandler, first vice-president; Glen Caesney, Seaforth; Leonard Lovell, Brucefield; Jack Coleman, Hensall; Earl Long, Exeter; Dave Hynes, Wingham; Fred Thuell, Brussels; Martin Andrews, Bayfield; and Ron Cross, Lucknow. (Photo by Howard Aitken, Publicity Committee) 1