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Zurich Citizens News, 1971-04-29, Page 1...0111110110.-- No. 17 -ALWAYS FIRST WITH THE LOCAL NEWS ZURICH, ONTARIO, THUR DAY, APRIL 29, 1971 READY TO SAIL - This line-up of sailboats at Grand Bend are all ready for the summer sail- ing season, but to date the weather man has not been co-operating with them. Cold west and north-west winds have left the harbour at the Bend jammed with ice, with little hope for improve- ment in the next few days. Meanwhile, the sailors are ready to go, whenever the ice disappears. STILL ICE AT ST. JOSEPH - While the harbour at Grand Bend remains jammed tight with ice, the situation is not quite as serious at St. Joseph, eight miles north. On Sunday afternoon a group of youths were out on the lake with their rowboat trying to move some of the ice floes out. County School Board Reduces Budget A budget for elementary and secondary schools under the jur- isdiction of the Huron County Board of Education was approved last Tuesday evening in Clinton and contains some good news for county ratepayers. With the 1971 net requisition from the municipalities down $97, 229 to $2, 679, 751. there will be a reduction of 3.5 percen on the overall expenditures this year. Gross expenditures in the coun- ty for school purposed this year are estimated at $10, 848, 473, $190, 584 than last year's actual gross expenditure of $10, 657, 889 However, provincial assistance totals 66.1 percent this year, two percent higher than last year's 64.1 percent grants. That means that county ratepayers are having to raise less money loc- ally, this year only 25.9 per- cent, Estimated net expenditures for county elementary schools are estimated for 1971 at $5, 036, 970 $34, 322 less than last year's actual expense of $5, 071.292, Net requisition from the ratepay- ers locally is #1, 205, 213 for 1971, In the secondary schools, net expenditures for 1971 have been estimated at $4, 948, 013 or $304, 228 more than last year's actual expenses, $4, 643, 785. Net re- quisition locally is $1, 474, 538 in 1971. The budget as presented in- cludes provisions for the •new special education services at the elementary and secondary school level as well as the, inclusion in the elementary schools of conv- ersational French in Grades three to eight. The board of education went into regular session Monday evening in the board room at Clinton, but became bogged down when attempting to fit the costs of three new guidance teachers, one remedial reading teacher and possibly one other teacher into the secondary school (continued on page 7) Huron -Perth Separate School Board Plan Salary Negotiating Meeting (by Wilma Oke) Trustee Ted Geoffrey, of Zur- ich, chairman of the personnel and salary negotiating committee, reported at a meeting of the Huron -Perth County Roman Catholic Separate School Board in Seaforth on Monday that his committee will meet with the Teachers' negotiating committee for the first time on Wednesday. The teachers' committee is comprised of Sister Shirley Del - isle and Patrick Monaghan, both of Stratford, and Mrs. Bernadette Perron, of Zurich. The subject of financing will be under discussion at a school board conference to be held in Toronto on May 30 to June 1. The conference will be sponsored by the Department of Educational Administration, the Ontario Institute for Studies and Educat- ion and the Ontario School Trus - (continued on page 7) Separate Sc Tax Rate for (by Wilma Oke) The Huron -Perth County Ro- man Catholic Separate School Board on Wednesday released the 1971 tax rates to be applied in the 45 municipalities in its jurisdiction. The rates were det- ermined last Friday at a special board meeting but withheld while the board prepared a det- ailed explanation for the rates. Of the 45 municipalities, 20 will pay less, 23 will pay more and two remain unchanged from last year. The differences are a result of application of provincial eq- ualization factors on local mills and consideration of under or ov- er levies from 1969 and 1970. Jack Lane, business administ- rator of the board, explained; "The provincial equalization factors set out by the Ontario Municipal Board have a direct effect on local mills required and determine the sharing ratio of each municipality with regard to the distribution of expenses." "The wide variation in rates is attributed to the provincial equalization factor, " Mr. Lane said. "For example, a property in the city of Stratford, with a local assessment of $3, 500, has an equalized assessment of $18, 000 which requires six equalized mills or 31.72 local mills, whereas a rural property having a local assessment of $3, 500 or $14, 500 equalized assessment requires six equalized mills or 23.94 local mills. "In other words, the two prop- erties, regardless of the local mill rate, are contributing prop - Will Not Release Names of Teachers Resigning Post In order to prevent 'embarrass- ment to teachers° the members of the Huron County Board of Education have agreed to with- hold the names of teachers who have resigned from the staff until the legal dates for notification November 30 and May 31. No one on the board elaborated on the reasoning behind the board belief that some teachers may be unduly embarrassed if the in- formation is released to the pub- lic as soon as a resignation is received. However, the names of teach- ers who will resign from positions this spring were a matter of public record for this meeting, conducted prior to the new ruling A report was also made by the administrative staff to the board members concerning teacher interviews. It was learned there were 17 resignations from the staff; 818 applications received from teachers seeking employ- ment with the board; 316 applic- ants present for interviews; and 508 interviews conducted. All applicants who will be of- fered contracts were interviewed by at least two principals. A list of the applicants who are recom- mended for appointment by the board will be presented at a later meeting, it was learned, 10 CENTS PER COPY o I Boar, Sets 11 f,ia mars ortionately to the board's expense "By taking into account the • application of funds into former under or over levies from 1969 and 1970, the mill rates set rep- resent an equal distribution of cost among supporting municip- alities. "There's nn increase or de- crease in the tax rates in excess of five mills, " Mr. Lane said, (continued on page 14) 0 Huron MOH Favors Medical For 'Certain Students Dr. GF, Mills, Acting Med- ical Officer of Health, has adv- ised Huron County Board of Ed- ucation that he would favor a system whereby all students ent- ering kindergarten and Grade nine would be required to have a complete medical examination with a record of the results on file at the school office. The move, according to Dr. Mills, would ensure that the school would have a general knowledge concerning the child's health as well as any particular physical disabilities or chronic conditions he may have. A suggested form to be handed in to the school by students after a complete physical examinat- ion and bearing a doctor's sign- ature was studied and the direct- or of education, D, J, Cochrane was instructed to draft a policy on the matter for presentation at the board's next regular meet- ing, May 10. Some board members did ex- press concern that county physic- ians, already very busy, would be rushed during the summer months to make all the necessary physical examinations in time for the opening of school. In other business, it was agreed to offer Grade 13 home econom- ics at Seaforth District High School this fall if permission can be obtained for the Head of the History Department to teach the • subject. It was pointed out that the new home economics course for Grade 13 is entitled The Canadian Family in Perspective and is a fairly in-depth course having nothing to do with cook- ing, baking and sewing. Plan. Ceremony A sod -turning ceremony for the new Grand Bend area medical centre will take place this Sat- urday morning, May 1, at 10 a.m. The building will be located on the property donated by the Grand Bend Lions Club, at 29 Gill Road. A contract for the construction of the new clinic has been award- ed to George Kadlecik Construct- ion, of London and Grand Bend. Work on the project will com- mence immediately following the sod -turning ceremony. According to Jack Mennel, secretary of the committee in charge, a total of over $23, 000 has been donated to the project to date. The objective has been set at $30, 000.