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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1988-05-31, Page 1•a n iy lu; i number of: ',concerns, about ' . recreation In Wingha n. and area were . aired: at' the first .public- xneeting to o discuss the recreation aster plan study. currently . un- .derway. Approximately 50 interested citizens fro Winghani and the out- lying townthiips of ..Morris, East Wawanosh and Turnberry attended "last Thursday's meeting to hear about the study from two representatives of the Procter and Redfern Group, the consultants hired to prepare the -master plan. Merle Underwood of the Wingham and Area Recreation Master Plan Committeeextended a welcome to all andturned the meeting over to Gary Lisle, ,,conimittee ommitte member. Mr. Lisle explained that the, master plan will assess Are recreation needs of •WitOiam and area, arriving at a five-year plan for implei entation. Municipalities now are required . ta:,have a master plan m place before they qualify for any government grants, he -added., If the master plan itulicatesa. need for new recreation facilities, only then would the consultants prepare a feasibility study detailing such areas as the cornmunity's.ability to pay and possible sites, Mr. Lisle said. "There is a difference between a master plan and a feasibility study," Of- governors of art( andsDistrict Hospit ;h approved a -thr=ee-year wage and it package for the hospital',s lratnedical.staff, :At its regular .May 'Meeting;:. the board approved the three. year, agreearnent which grants similar wage increases as those approved in March. for two other employee groups, registered nurses and management staff, The three-year package is retroactive. to April 1, 1988 and ex- pires March 31,1991. According' the agreement, em- ployees in the group will receive variable percentage increases in the first two years, based on their position on the grid schedule. First-year employees will receive a two per cent increase in each of the {first two , years of. ;the..agreement years' servic the first year .and; 35 per cer in the send. Employees..in the our --to- 'seven •yearcategory will % ce ve 4.75..;,, per cent the first' year''•and 3:75 per cent inthe.second. he stressed,`. s ng he '"are separate. alb et the idea 'that pies we'. e p eg: n i4• '., The consultants will collect dad this summer 'through survey -s, In- tery iews and special -issue Meetings,. Mr. Lisle said. The study will he presented to local councils later, this Year for action. • • ' "This is a high pjro ile documentlo .. - take , priority . over all . other (recreation) plans. We.. (the corn- mitee) do .'not want it put on.. the' shelf " •{ • COLLECTING ;DATA Mr. Lisle then turned the meeting volunteeers tial;" he'said'and ho`i berg` Of the coiirnunity to' take an active role in coveting the roaster plan 'survey when it`aarrives in ..the r postbox and attending . upcor>iag rneelings A' lively `question -and -comment period followed. Diel Edgar, EastWawanosh goal - mate e•representative; asked, outlyingcomrnn it r, Sikh. as 13e,14 n .over to John.. Stevenson'of: the rn Procter Redfern Group 'et i ughi � � derke a prii�*et even}i!�lig'h-iti,.�-. .M _Stex son ech Mr, flsl - study. ',Any community .that ;plans a major project With i "asking for ptru ,sentiments, saying he is comrn;itted x,, to seerng:sornethingliap en with the Master* pians .In the exxfew weeks and`..months* ' Stevenson fire ; associate, 1MMalc6lrn:; hunt, will All categories will receive an additional four per cent increase in the agreement's third year; The 1$ -employee group uncludes i'aboratory technologists, .radiology technicians, physiotherapists, kinesiologists; and speech language pathologists. Approval of the agreement ;was recomrnrnended by the finance- and audit committee during presen- tation of its monthly report by Marian Zinn • In a telephone surto co, this week, most mem s ..of Wingharn Town Council indicated they will be seeking,re-election this fall. In fact, Reeve Bruce. Machan is the only member of the 'present council who has said he definitely will notrun for municipal:ofticethis year. Work and . family commit- meats, he told,The AO' ance_irries, are his reasons. - Although Ma, Jack Kopas announced earlier this year that he would seek re-election, in the survey he said recent developments have A -r ��irr�gi4 !�5 'S. ifs pp; +S. orced him to reas. tha t decision I.t appears that legislation`witl soon require •mayors to `: also: ` serve as members of. -county council,a move. •which will ;make more demands on their time. Mr. Kopas' also said recent board=. of education staff changes within his department also contribute to ;the reasA, ess 'nt In any event,,w promised o announce. his4ecisien by the September meeting of "council. - Councillor Jaynes McGregor said', he is sill considering lis options while Counsellor Doug Switzer is alsoundecided°at thxs=:poiilt. • "After. six -years, I'm looking at work commitments and. have to give it a lot of thought, but for now I ham to say I'm undecided,." Mr. Switzer saDeid. puty Reeve Bill Barris is another who although undecided at this point, appears ready to Seek. re- election. "I'm still not fully decided, . but I imagine I will run,"'Mr llarris said. "I've enjoyed the past three years and look forward to serving''for another three," Councillor Ward \Robertson said, while declaring he will run. Councillors Don Carter, Ron. Beecroft and Bill McGrath have each declared they are seeking' re +election: I+�or Mr. Beecroft, addressingthe t LoW Town Da issue anan- tieited changes in the Wingharn Area'Vire Department tire- -the motivators for his decision. Mr, Carter based his decision on t,lie- fact that `sther are about 3,006 projects Still r n thee go in this town' which should be dompjeted. .T is eourit ii has math sortie. committnents and Ed like to. see them followed' through:" Mr. McGrath said of his dem+eison to seek ,r ectiott S!5 4 } m•v'.D'rw.'r:n.P p. *49,I 6 F Editorials Page 4A Opinions Page 5A Letters ... 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