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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-02-11, Page 1i s ‘601 NA 133 YEAR WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1981 50 CENTS PER COPY Goderich roan killed In- eragh • A Goderich PUC employee was killed in . an automobile accident January -31 just outside Aylmer. Michael Pinch,21, of 26 Bennett Street and a two- year employee of the Public Utilities commission died when the car he was driving collided with a truck on Highway 3 east of Aylmer. A passenger in the car, Cathleen Geurtjens, 20, was treated for injuries in St. Thomas -Elgin .General Hospital. -Constable Helga Sparks ofThe Tiilsonburg.detach went ofthe OPP said the driver of the truck was travelling eastbound but swerved into the west lane to avoid a turning vehicle causing the head-on collision. The driver of the truck was treated in hospital and later released. Teachers accept new agreement RV DAVE SYKES Huron County Secondary Scjiool teachers ratified a new one-year collective agreement with the Board of Education calling for a general 9.5 per cent salary increase. On Monday the secondary school teachers voted 72.9 per cent in favor of accepting the latest board offer tha would boost the average salary of a county secondary school teacher to $28,790. The contract, for the year August 31, 1980 to Sep- tember 1, 1981 gives the teachers a 9.5 per cent in- crease in a split'grid. They will receive,a 6.37 per cent increase to February 1, 1981 and a 12.63 per cent in- crease to August 31, 1981, The present salary paid -to -the -most senior teacher in the system is $29,184. Now the maximum salary paid to a teacher with more than 10 years experience is$32,800 after February 1. die salary increase a o applies'to prtnzipals and vice-principals,who will now earn $44,040 and $39,240 respectively. After February 1 the starting salary for a teacher with no experience will be $14,760 Shirley Weary of the Teacher's Federation said although the offer was accepted by a decent majority there was obviously a group not happy with the settlement. Board of Education personnel ebflu iittee chair- man, John Elliott said the agreement was fair and amicable when put into perspective. • "Under the circumstances . and considering the length of time it took, we're happy with the result," he said. "As time goes on settlements seem to get higher. But the committee is relatively satisfied with the ageement." The members of the board negotiationg comn`iittee included Peter Gryseels, Charles McDonald, Don. McDonald, Harry Hayter, Eugene Fxayne, John Jewitt and John Elliott. • The negotiating sessions were held at the Holiday Inn, London and mediated by Professor Jeffrey • Ganda of the University of Western Ontario. In a factfinders report submitted by Malcolm Stockton, he indicated that Huron County teacher salaries were low in respect to othir boards and admitted that some measure of 'catchup WAS ill or- der. However, he added that an improvernent in Huron's position should not take place in one year. • Stockton recommended an increase in the neigh- bourhood eighbourhood of 10.5 per That increase would have brought the salaries in line with counties such as Perth, Grey and Middlesex. Ina press' release-from-the--teachers'-federation; Shirley Weary says the raise moves the county outof the bottom. position in the province, but still leaves them considerably below the provincial average. The press release also lauded the establishment of 'trouble -shooting committees agreed, to in the con- tract. • "Of. major importance is the establisbment of several teachertrustee 'committees \to work on' an ongoing basis on resolving difficulties and on long- term'planning. It is the hope of both parties that these ' committees will be able to work amicably to iron out any areas of potential conflict before they reach the formal bargaining process for, the next year's con- tract," the report said. A boy's first love is his mom. Everybody knows that. Robertson Kindergarten student Rob Simms, son of Candle p Barry and Donna Simms, very carefully made his favorite gal a special Valentine yesterday and even This Saturday evening there will be a candlelight prayer vigil in Court House Park for Terry. Fox beginning at p.m. Fox is succumbing to cancer and everyone is urged to bring a candle to the park for a short prayer ser- vice called the Candles of Hope Prayer Vigil. Members of the Goderich Ministerial Association will conduct the 20 -minute prayer service. Organizer Ronnie Varga said the prayer vigil is intended to be "just a people thing" in testimony to the young man who stirred the hearts of Canadians . during his Marathon of Hope run across the country. INSIDE THE SIGNAL -STAR Drawing out fantasies • Students at Victoria school are presently learning more about art through the Creative Artists in Schools prograiin. Goderich' artist Mona Mulhern has received a' grant to teach the students here about fantasy art. See story and picture on page IA. Carnival capers GDCI's annual winter carnival creates op- portunities for some rather interesting photographs. On page IA and throughout the paper, see pictures of pyramids, pie -faces, bubble faces and so on. Moore interviewed Cath .Wooden interviews soon -to -be -leaving Goderich recreation director Jim Moore on page 6. Moore says that the people of Goderich should always come ahead of finances and tourists. gular Features Tid Bits Pg. 2 liens Satnt(' P. 16 Editorials Pg. 4 TV Pg. 4A Columns Pg. 4 B. Board Pg. 5A Obits Pg. 5 Church Pg. 9A Sports ....,. ... Pg. 9.12 ('. Comet 'Pg. 10'A Classifieds... Pg. 14.15 Robertson Pg. 10A giRMIIIMIIMPINKWIPPINS14,11111M11112B190,41 er vigil Varga explained that the prayer vigil is simply a small gesture in a helpless situation. "I think it is impreative that we do something like this because Terry has given us enough," she said. "You just get such a helpless feeling in this situation. I want Goderich to be inovators, initiators and leaders. I feel there isan urgency for something like allowed the photographer to document the touchhig presentation after school. ( Photos by Cath Wooden) r this and maybe it will spark a chain reaction." The service will begin in Court House Park at 7 p.m. and everyone is urged to bring a candle and offer a prayer. • Special mention of the vigil will be made at the Saturday evening mass at lilt. Peters Roman Catholic Church Six seek Liberal nod in Huron -Bruce Liberal party supporters in Huron -Bruce will have no difficulty finding a successor for retired MPP Murray Gaunt with six candidates seeking the party nomination. As of press time, Tony Johnstone, Dave Zyluk, John Jewitt, Bruce McDonald, Remus Bailey and Murray Elston had declared their candidacy for the Liberal nomination. The meeting will be held in Lucknow, Tuesday, February 17 at the Community Centre. Liberal leader Stuart Smith will be the guest speaker: Tony Johnstone of Luckrlow, general -manager of the Lucknow Sentinel weekly newspaper, is a director of the Huron -Bruce federal Liberal Association and has worked on both federal and provincial cam- paigns He is a member of the Lucknow Recreation Board, past president of the Lucknow Business Association and immediate past master of Old Light Lodge. Tony is also vice-president of the Bluewater Shrine Club. ._ Dave Zyluk is pe'.idpal of St, Josephs community School, Kingsbridge and a former NDP candidate in the 1977 provincial election. He is a former chairman of the Kincardine Recreation Board and wa a can- didate in the mayoralty election. He was instrumental in obtaining grants for the 3 community school concept in Kingsbridge and was a delegate to the Liberal convention in 1980. He is l3, married and has a daughter. Bruce McDonald, 27, isa Wingham insurance a:eat and president of the Huron -Bruce Federal Li ' r Association. The Wilfred Laurier University graduate was campaign manager for Liberal can- didate Graeme Craig in two federal elections. McDonald is a director of the Howick Optimist Club and a lifelong resident of Grey Township. • Remus Bailey is the owner of the Sunrise Dairy in Wingham and has been active in that town's business community for 20 years. t • Londesboro area farmer John Jewitt, 41, will also seek the Liberal nomination. He is currently a trustee on the Huron County Board of Education and served for 13 years on Hullett Township council, four of them as reevee He is past master of Hullett Masonic Lodge and a-pastchief ranger in the Order of Foresters. The final candidate is Wingham lawyer' Murray Elston. A firm partner for the past four years, Elston is director of the Wingham Business Association, chairman of that town's recreation board and treasurer of the Huron -Bruce Federal Liberal Association. He was born and raised in Morris . Township. Province bumps aid to Unit The Huron County Health lint was one of six units in the province to receive a substantial increase in provincial support for the operating budget. Last week the Ministry of Health announced that the Huron County Health Unit would receive in- creases from 60 to 75 per cent as part of the Ministry's announced plan to rationalize funding across the province. County -clerk treasurer, Bill Hanly said the province paid 71 per cent of the total health budget in 1981and the subsidy would be increased to 75 percent in 1982. The increased subsidy is a direct result of lobbying _on the part of several health units in the province. In 1980 the county health budget was $675,468 and the province picked up $3 x.:,,394 or 57.5 per cent of the total cast. With pressure from several counties the province will gradually raise the subsidy to 75 per cent in the next year. Ed Harrison of the Huron Health Unit said the provincial share of expenditures was about 50 per cent in the past. "This board, along with several others, applied to the Ministry for an increase," he said. "Last year the increase was about 10 per cent and now it will be 75 percent." The increase applies to units in Bruce Elgin -St. Thomas,Hwon, Kent, Chatham, Lambton and Peterborough. 'Health Minister Dennis Timbrell said the increase in provincial spending from :$60 million to $70.5 million will allow health units to maintain' existing levels of service to communities throughout the province. Nancy Ferguson , BY DAVE SYKES A Huron County school bus driver claims there is a definite need for student patrollers on buses for both safety and disciplinary reasons. Nancy Ferguson, who shuttles students from Colborne Central School, says bus patrollers would add a measure of safety by allowing drivers to concentrate during bad weather rather than . having to keep an eye out for boisterous children. The _patrol system Nancy refers to involves appointing two or three students as monitors, giving them responsibility for the behaviour of the children. `the children would be selected by drivers, teachers and principals and report disciplinary matters to school principals. Nancy was personally involved with such a system while driving for St. Josephs School, Kingsbridge and contends a bus patrol system is needed in Huron County. "There is a need for bus patrol and the kids would be safer if the driver could concentrate," she said. " The patrols could be placed at the front. middle and back 1 the bus and would have to speak to unruly children or report them to.the principal." There were no problems with the system Nancy said, adding that patrollers, "didn't take anything from the other kids." Most drivers are unfamiliar with the piitrol .system but Nancy had contacted the Goderich OPP about the implementation of the patrols, and they recently made a presentation to the Board of Education. ' Community relations officer Eric Gosse said he apporached the board about the patrol system anqd� waiting for them to make a move. He also thinl' patrols are a must on school buses. "It is a goodapproach to discipline and has worked well elsewhere," he said. "In Grey County one patrol got off the bus to escort a child across the road and grabbed the kid just as a truck went by." The Ontario Provincial Police instruct patrols on safety procedures, especially escorting children across busy highways. • Director of Education. John Cochrane said the board was approached about a similar system quite a while ago and added that patrols work well in other counties. "The OPP have a program and that includes getting off the bus . getting traffic stopped and helping children across the. road." he said, "The OPP think it's worthwhile and have spoken to the elementary principals but we have had no reaction fromthe principals." Cochrane was confident that the board would lie dealing with the subject in the spring and said if accepted. could be implemented by fall. Drivers in the county are not 'familiar with the patrol system but the safety factors alone may be blatantly obvious.