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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-03-22, Page 21Wingham hospital board in the fight Will fy mi istry: keep 1 BY HENRY HESS Wingham and District Hospital has decided it will not submit to the closure of beds ordered by the provincial health ministry. Instead, it will join forces with the citizens' committee formed to fight the cut- backs in attempting to convince Health Minister, Dennis Tim- brell, . to reconsider his stand. In the meantime, the hospital will continue to operate at its full 100 -bed capacity and no staff will be laid off, even if this means running, into the red by the end of the year. At a special meeting last Wednesday night, the hospital board of governors, spurred by pressure from a public meeting held the previous night, voted unanimously to fight, by any means at its disposal, the closure of even a single bed. (Six members of the 17 - member board Were absent from the meeting,) The board elected five from its ranks to sit down with the citizens' group and help prepare a brief to the health minister as the next step in the campaign to save the beds. The motion opposing the bed closures was put forward by Dr. R. D. Wilkins, president of the medical staff, who vigorously argued the case for meeting the District news E. Wawanosh says wide loads okay The Council of the Township of East Wawanosh met in regular session. on March 5. A motion was passed that the clerk forward a letter ,of authority to• Morgan's Mobile Homes (Clinton) Lin -if -fed, allowing 14' wide mobile homes to move through the township roads of East Wawanosh_... with. :..an.., escort: A grant of $1,000 was given to the Blyth and District Community Centres Board to help replenish working funds. Agrant of $100 was also given to the Belgrave, Blyth and Brussels School Fair Board. Sam Bradshaw of the Ministry. • of Agriculture .and Food and Mr. McRory of the Ministry of the Environment met with council to discuss "Certificates of Com- pliance," liquid manure facilities, etc. John Gaunt,• tile drainage inspector, received an increase in remuneration .to $22;80 per trip; $5.70 per hour from the fourth hour and 20 cents per mile travel expenses. One building permit was approved to be issued to James Cam- pbell for a milk house. In reply to a letter from Ministry. of •Natural Resources regarding tree planting assistance under the Huron County Reforestation Scheme for 1980 and beyond, council decided to continue as in the past, providing free assistance to landowners. There was no 'objection raised to a zoning by-law,' zoning certain lands- Auburn, ands Auburn, Township of Hullett. or LIFE INSURANCE Terry Crowley representing GODERICH 324-9073 London Life In reply toa resolution received . from the Township of Hin- •chinbrooke, Parham, Ontario proposing that the government of the province be asked to cutbacks head-on. This is a , community . hospital _financed originally on a private basis, he pointed out. When the govern- ment took over the funding of health care, it contracted with the board for . supply of medical ,services: The hospital has kept up its end of the agreement splendidly, he declared, pointing to its recent three-year ac- creditation as a "blue ribbon for excellence". It has consistently operated under budget and has more than met all other health care guidelines. "We have kept the bargain and now the government is trying to sever it unilaterally," he charged. He urged the board not to give up on the idea of hauling the government 'into court over the' bed issue, although it had been reported the previous • night that hospital solicitor Jack Goodall doesn't think the board has a legal case for an injunction to halt the cuts. It was noted the board could consult experts in this field, such as the lawyers who successfully defended a number of hospitals faced with closure several years ago. Dr. R. B. Treleaven asked what will happen if the hospital runs out of money by continuing to. operate full scale in the face of budget restric- tions, but the board GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1979—PAGE 3A 0 beds open decided to cross that bridge when it comes to it. "That's not the point," Dr. Wilkins told him. "We want the government to change its mind." Unless the minister can' be persuaded to revoke the penalty clause which deducted $12,000 from the hospital budget for each of the 14 beds declared surplus this year, the board will face a deficit in the neighbourhood of $150,000 by the end of the year, Executive Director, Norman Hayes, warned. However, he promised to run the hospital as efficiently as possible and keep the -board posted on the deficit as it develops. The new budget goes into The Goderich Sailing Club is looking for help from Goderich service clubs to finance this pavilllon for the Snug Harbour area. This scale modelshows the type of building the club is pr,,oposing for use by boaters using facilities at the Goderich waterfront. The building is about 25 foot square and is expected to cost between $6,000 and $7,000. The club is able to donate $1,000 toward the building and is looking for help for the remaining costs. (photo by Jeff Seddon) consider seriously the . application of Wintario . profits' to the provincial budgets for both health care and education at all Vancouv.e important government services can be adequately funded without putting a further burden upon provincial taxpayers through provincial or municipal taxes, council opposed it due to the principal of lottery money to be used for health care and education. Gravel tenders were opened. Tenders were received from Joe Kerr Limited, Wingham for supply, crush and haul to township roads at $1.72, total tender price $27,520; and Geo. Radford Con- struction Company, Blyth, for supply, crush and haul to township roads ' at $1.8.4, . total tender price $29,440. Council accepted tender - as submitted by Joe Kerr Limited at $1.72 per cubic yard for . 16,000 cubic yards of %" gravel to township 'roads. BY WILMA OKE The Huron -Perth County 'Roman Catholic Separate School board will send three trustees to Vancouver from June 13 to 16 as-delegates•at the \Canadian Catholic School Trustees' Association convention. At a board meeting in Dublin on Monday; the names were announced of the three trustees to go: Michael Connolly, Kip - pen; Gregory Fleming, Crediton and John O'Leary, Staffa. Keith Montgomery of Wingham was named as an alternate delegate. Bob 'Butler of Stratford will be presented with an Award of Merit for his many years as a separate school board member in Perth County. Nominated by the Huron -Perth County Roman Catholic Separate School Board for the award, it will be presented to him at the convention of Separate Schools Trustees to be held in Toronto on April 5. Butler served about 20 'years on theseparate school board in Stratford, 12 of them as board chairman. With the forming of county school boards in 1969, Butler represented the Huron - Perth board on Perth County Board of Education for eight years. The property com- mittee was directed to get more details on the proposed creative playground at St. Aloysius school, Strat- ford. The four trustees who attended the public speaking finals sponsored by the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association in Dublin on Tuesday night of last week, commended the pupils taking part for their ability and the quality of their speeches. A half hour presen- tation on the science curriculum, as taught in the 19 separate schools in Huron and Perth Counties, was outlined in detail by three members of the Eommittee — the three teachers were Mrs. Frances 'Craig at St. Columban School; Michael Dewan of Immaculate Conception School,' Stratford and .Mrs. ,Joan McIver at St. Patrick's School, Dublin.. They answered numerous questions presented by the trustees. The meeting was over at 10:50 p.m. when the board went into com- mittee -of -the -whole. YOUR CHOICE FILM DEVEIOPING LOW PRICE OR.... o'qt1 ALL12EXP. tr/COLOR NEG.FILMS oNRy$399. pX1MUM DEVELOPED & PR/NTED 1 ALL 20 EXP. NEG.FILMt4Pfr-COLORS DEVELOPED oR $ 599& PR/NTED OL REPLACEMENT FILM P. t'CQLOR N ALL 6.EFILMS DEVELQPED & PRINTED 499 PLA REPLACEMENT FILMM, M11M 4ALL 20 EXP. t9-"coLoR N EG.FILM S DEVELOPED & PRINTED $6 99 T� A REPLACEMENT HIM Mpx1MUM master charge 111 e K Pharmacy 14 SHOPPERS SQUARE 524-7241 effect April 1, at which time the hospital was to have closed 19 active treatment beds and cut back on staff. - Hayes also, pointed out to the members that the. board is legally responsible, for • tfte hospital -- including any deficit that develops. No one appeared in- timidated by the prospect • . and Dr. Wilkins, after joking that he was just shaking in his shoes and that they could' put the board all in the same cell, observed, "If any government locks up this board, God help them!" The board action ap- pears to have been sparked by the over- whelming show of public support for the hospital at a citizens' meeting held the previous night. Nearly 300 people from the town and surrounding communities crowded into the auditorium at the Wingham Public School where a panel composed' of Hayes, Dr. Wilkins, former hospital ad- ministrator, Mrs. I. E. Morrie, hospital auxiliary president, Mary Voir and Sandi Deslauriers, speaking for Dr. Doug Mowbray, outlined the situation at the hospital and fielded .questions'. Sentiment at the. meeting was over- whelmingly in favor of opposing any attempt to, cut back facilities at the hospital and board members who attended this meeting carried the message back to the board. At the public meeting, citizens Fere urged to write personal letters to the ' health minister supporting the hospital and opposing_ the bed cuts and about 120 people stayed after the meeting to do so. __T Peogle were_ also in= vited to 'contribute Guaranteed Investment Certificates W.E. (TED) WILLIAMS 524-7102 or 524-7065 a toward the expenses of the anti -cutbacks: cam- paign'and by the end of the' night well over $100 had. been deposited in a Container placed at the rear of the auditorium. SAVE ENERGY and Insulate U.F. Foam d Fiber Insulation Serving Huron County 15 years COMPARE...CONTACT STEWART'S ALUMINIUM & INSULATION 207 Huron Rd. Goderich 524.8821 GODERICH ARE PLANNING BARD Public Meeting Tuesday, April 3rd 7:30 p.m. Council Chambers -Town Hall 57 West Street PURPOSE: To 'discuss an official plan amendment as requested by M. & W. Motors on Part of Lot No. 2, Maitland Concession; more specifically the lot on the north east corner of the Huron Road and Mill Street, to allow the construction of a garage and automobile showroom. Comments and participation are welcomed from all in- terested persons. For more information call 524-9492. K. Hunter Secretory WIN A EE TO: BRITAIN IRELAND HOLLAND GERMANY COPENHAGEN If you book your charterflight to the above .destinations between now and April 1st, 1979, for flights departing between May 1st and Oc- tober 31st, 1979 with a paid deposit you will be eligible to'enter your name in our draw for One free ticket. Winning ticket to be drawn April 27, 1979 CaII or Visit: The Coach House Travel Service 59 Hamilton Street Goderich, Ontario N7A 3Y5 Tel. (519) 5248366.or ,� E °° <<1, 5242222 • mom 9_ * ®D ONTARIO GOVERNMENT REGISTRATION NUMBER 1641641 k 4SS0C" s . .. the Season. Suits! The all-important fashion look...making'that most important statement! 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