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Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-04-14, Page 3030 Exeter Times–Advocate Wednesday, April 14, 2004 Karl Paton, Jamie Hoffman and Nigel Mandigo were three of the firefighters who performed at the Exeter Synchronized Skating Club's annual fashion show April 8. Although the amount raised has not been totalled, Kerry Rowcliffe from the skat- ing club said the event was a huge success, raising money for ice time, coaching and the club's trip to Lake Placcid next year.The club also plans to make a dona- tion back to the firefighters Muscular Dystrophy fund, which was also helped by sales of the firefighter calenders at the event, which is planned again for next year. Spring 2004 seat -belt campaign Police agencies across the province investigate collisions that result in the deaths of over 800 people every year. The socio-economic cost to the people of Ontario is staggering. Therefore the Ontario Provincial Police has made it a corporate priority to achieve the objec- tives of "Road Safety Vision 2010," a national strategy with the aim of ensur- ing Canada's roads are the safest in the world. The main focus is to reduce the num- ber of fatal and serious injury collisions by 30 per cent by the year 2010. RSV 2010 also strives to achieve a number of sub -targets that include a seat -belt compliance rate of 95 per cent, and a reduction of fatal and serious injury that involve unbelted drivers, impaired drivers, speeding and intersec- tions violations, unprotected occupants (pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists) and commercial carriers. Road safety campaigns are designed to improve driver behaviour and increase compliance with the appropriate laws. Speed and the tendency to drive some- what more aggressively at times often overcomes common sense. The result is often numerous preventable collisions that result in serious injury or death. During 2003, 43,165 seat -belt charges were laid (over 50 per cent were laid during the months of the two seat -belt campaigns: 10,284 in April and 14,285 in October. Also during 2003 OPP investigated 424 fatal collisions with 476 fatalities. The number of unbelted fatalities accounted for 127 unnecessary deaths. This accounts for 28 per cent of the occupant fatalities. A successful Spring Seat -Belt Campaign can best be judged by the resultant continued use of seat -belts year round. Last fall students did a check on roadways in Huron and discov- ered that in some areas the number of people who wore seat -belts was as low as 50 per cent, while in some other parts it only reached approximately 85 per cent. Both numbers are well below the National Average of 95 per cent compli- ance in the country. Last spring Huron OPP officers laid 196 traffic violations for people not using seat -belts up from 188 the year before. Last fall 295 people were issued traffic tickets for the same offence — up from 220 the year before. 2003 total fig- ures for those two seat -belt campaigns was 491 seat -belt tickets compared to 408 for 2002. Board wants exemption from paying GST By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE T -A DUBLIN — A sarcasm - tinged "Good luck," uttered at a regular meeting of the Huron - Perth Catholic District School Board March 22, could quite likely become a common reac- tion to a co-operative effort to try to convince Prime Minister Paul Martin's government that school boards should be exempt from paying the Goods and Services Tax (GST). But another comment — that it "doesn't hurt to try, though" — will most likely prevail, and Liberal Finance Minister Ralph Goodale could find himself the recipient of a number of letters similar to the one sent recently by the Huron -Perth board. "In the Federal Throne Speech of Feb. 2, 2004, your government announced that you will provide all municipalities with full relief from the portion of the GST they currently pay," reads the letter, signed by board chairperson Ron Marcy. The letter goes on to suggest Canadian school boards should be offered the same relief. According to business superintendent Gerry Thuss, a number of Ontario -wide education lobby groups have identi- fied the issue and advised members to pressure the federal gov- ernment through such letters. Financial rules may change for school councils By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE SEAFORTH — The repercus- sions of increased require- ments for financial account- ability aren't just being felt by people like ex -federal cabinet ministers and Canada's corpo- rate elite. They're also being felt by the tireless volunteers who raise funds for parent -based school councils. Or, at least if they're not feel- ing those repercussions now, they might soon start feeling them. Spurred by a recent case in which administrative staff faced charges of stealing funds from a Toronto -area school board, North Perth trustee Jenny Versteeg requested a report from Avon Maitland staff about financial controls to safeguard against such activities. Part of that report, delivered by business superintendent Janet Baird -Jackson at a meet- ing March 9, raised questions from several trustees — partic- ularly those with previous experience chairing school councils. Of particular concern was Baird -Jackson's assertion that, eventually, partial signing authority for school council bank accounts will have to be handled by the principal. "A lot of the money that is in school council accounts is for the extras that have been cut from operating budgets, like music programs," explained Shelley Kaastra. The Central/East Huron rep- resentative suggested that, if principals were handed total control of school council accounts, suspicion may arise that the money was being used for services thought to be board -funded, thereby reduc- ing the amount provided for what Kaastra refers to as "extras." "There will be opposition," agreed Randy Wagler, the board's vice -chairperson. Currently, Wagler noted, pro- cedures aren't consistent throughout the board. Generally, they comply with a provincial Education Act regu- lation stating here must be two signing authorities on each school council's bank account. However, some groups involve the schools principal in that role while others choose two parent members. According to Baird -Jackson's report, a separate Education Act regulation requires princi- pals "authorize any canvassing or fundraising activity that involves the participation of one or more pupils attending the school." In addition, a par- ticular Avon Maitland policy states each principal "shall be directly responsible for all can- vassing or fundraising activi- ties carried on in the name of the school or sponsored or endorsed in any manner by the school." After the March 9 meeting, Baird -Jackson told reporters the requirement for direct principal involvement is going to become reality, whether school boards and school coun- cils like it or not. Already, she said, a lobby/consultant group called the Ontario School Boards' Insurance Exchange has "strongly suggested" school boards institute princi- pal signing authority for all school councils. And there are rumblings all boards of education — along with other public sector agen- cies — will be required to initi- ate "new accounting stan- dards" developed by the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, stan- dards which would include signing authority for princi- pals. "That's where we're headed, and we're headed there pretty soon," said Baird -Jackson, adding the board has already targeted September 2004 for full implementation of a stan- dardized system of computer- ized school banking. According to director of edu- cation Geoff Williams, the stan- dardization of financial proce- dures is as much a protection for school council members as it is for school board adminis- trators. And Wagler, though he noted "the perception might be that, oh, it's out of (school councils') control," agreed. For example, he said, an expenditure plan will have to be in place before the collection of money — regardless of who has signing authority — and record-keep- ing will have to be in place after the fundraising effort to ensure the money is spent on the original plan. "If that's the procedure, then it should be consistent and I think (everyone in the board) should be following it," said the board's vice chairperson. The Blyth Festival Singers took audience members on "A Musical Travelogue" Apr. 4 at the Exeter United Church. Conducted by Robert Blackwell and accompanied by Sharon Johnston on piano, the singers performed music from around the world including folk songs from Canada and tunes from Indonesia, England, South Africa, Cuba, Russia, Germany and Australia.Also performing were the Bayfield Winds, conducted by Hugh McGregor.The winds also kept in the spirit of presenting world music, as numbers representing the Middle East, Spain, Hungary and The Netherlands were performed. (photo/Scott Nixon)