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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-05-05, Page 2424 Exeter Times -Advocate Wednesday,May 5, 2004 MADD supporters Clifford comes to Usborne Central School askingfor help HURON/BRUCE - Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada) is urging the federal jus- tice minister to eliminate conditional sentences for violent impaired driving crimes where a person has been killed or seri- ously injured. The local MADD Chapter is calling on resi- dents of Huron and Bruce counties to sign a petition and join the grassroots organization's campaign to ensure appropri- ate sentences are handed down to those convicted of impaired dri- ving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm. Laurie Dinning, presi- dent of the Huron/Bruce Chapter says "Conditional sentences for the crimes of impaired driving where a person has been killed or seriously injured are a travesty of justice. We are asking the public to sign our petition, share their views and get involved in this concern." To sign the petition, and to learn how you can sup- port MADD Canada's campaign, the public is asked to visit www.madd.ca. On the website, a person can sign an on-line petition, print off a copy of the petition for circulation, and add their voice to comments made on a bul- letin board. Locally, for further information, you can con- tact Dinning at the MADD Huron/Bruce Chapter Office at 519-357-4552. Dinning encourages the public to visit the special webpages dedicated to eliminating conditional sentences. The MADD Canada peti- tion reads: "Canada's jus- tice system currently allows for conditional sentences for violent crimes where a person has been killed or seriously injured. These conditional sentences are in place of jail time and could include prohibitions, house -arrest, and/or community service. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada) strongly believes that for violent crimes in which persons have been killed and/or injured, a conditional sentence of any kind does not ade- quately address the severity of the crime. Therefore, MADD Canada supporters and con- cerned Canadians are petitioning the Federal Government to amend the Criminal Code in cases involving violent impaired driving crimes. The Federal Parliament should eliminate the availability of conditional sentences for those con- victed of impaired driving causing death or impaired driving causing bodily harm." Clifford the Big Red Dog visits with the Kindergarten B class at Usborne Central School May 3. (photo/Mary Simmons) Board sympathizes with fire-bombed school By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE DUBLIN — A few weeks ago, at the very time the Huron -Perth Catholic District School Board was in the midst of renovating and expanding its school library facilities throughout Huron and Perth counties, an act almost certainly undertaken due to religious intoler- ance destroyed much of a school library at the United Talmud Torahs, a Jewish school in Montreal. An expression of sympathy and solidarity has been sent by the Huron -Perth board to the Jewish school. At a regular meeting April 26, there was immediate approval from trustees as director of education Larry Langan distributed copies of a newly -written letter addressed to the United Talmud Torahs director gen- eral. The letter will now be signed by Langan and board chairperson Ron Marcy and sent to the Montreal school, which suffered the destruction of much of its library due to what has been described as a "fire-bombing." "On behalf of our board of trustees, staff and stu- dents, we wish to express our thoughts and prayers for your community during these difficult times," the letter states. "We are appalled by the bigotry and intolerance that you have recently experienced. "We feel it is imperative to speak out on such a seri- ous matter and to reaffirm our belief in the religious and cultural diversity of this great country. All stu- dents have a right to be safe in their place of learn - School facilities analysis reveals funding shortfalls By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE SEAFORTH — In the year 2019, the exterior doors on Anne Hathaway Public School in Stratford will require replacement, and the Avon Maitland District School Board knows how much it should cost in today's dollars. That's an indication of the degree of detail contained in a computer program being used by school boards across the province to create long-term plans for the renovation, construction and furnishing of school buildings. Avon Maitland facilities administrator Phil McCotter told trustees about the board's use of the program, called RECAPP (Real Estate Capital Asset Priority Planning), during a regular meeting April 27. He noted the board followed the lead of a few other counterparts by first buying RECAPP in 2001, and had that decision validated a year later when the provin- cial government began advising school boards to use the program, and also began providing funding specifi- cally for that purpose. At this point, McCotter said, the government has not made RECAPP mandatory. But a requirement has been put in place for boards to create facilities renew- al plans covering the next 20 years — the most recent Avon Maitland long-term plan covered just five years, and McCotter noted some boards had no plan at all — and he suggests RECAPP may not remain optional much longer. "It's all part of what they want to see from school boards," the facilities administrator said. "They're going to make us more accountable for the money we're getting." Using RECAPP demands the input of extensive data about the timing and nature of each element of the school, from the actual construction, to the heating and electrical systems, to the furniture. "You name it: whatever's in the building, it's listed here," McCotter told trustees while demonstrating on an overhead screen some of the intricacies of the pro- gram. Of particular interest to the government, McCotter explained, is something called a "facilities condition index." That index will initially set a benchmark for each school building, and in subsequent years it's expected the government's facilities renewal grant money will result in changes in that index. "If (the government) sees that the facility condition index has not changed over the next five years, they're going to ask why," McCotter said. He suggested there may be other benefits to the pro- gram, however. Using RECAPP to generate a graph on the overhead screen, McCotter argued that even if the government increases its facilities renewal grant to the Avon Maitland board from the current level of about $3.13 million to $6 million over the next 17 years, the board would still be unable to adequately fund the program's recommendations. "It looks like we will never get caught up," he said. Indeed, he suggested the board's "backlogue" in RECAPP-recommended upgrades is currently $18 mil- lion among elementary buildings and $17 million among secondary buildings. In particular, the program recommends the board spend $4 million this year alone on roofmg projects, while funding has only pro- vided for an average of $1 million in roofing projects over the past several years. Does that mean the board's schools are crumbling? In an interview after the meeting, McCotter was quick to counter that suggestion. He noted none of the board's schools were deemed "prohibitive to repair" — meaning it would make more economic sense to replace the buildings than fix them — during a province -wide assessment of that issue last year. And as for the RECAPP recommendation for $4 million in roofing work this year, he explained the computer program includes a theoretical maximum age for roofs, even though some roofs outlive that age. "Theoretically, they should get done because they're 22 years old," the facilities administrator said. "But because it's a model cost and theoretical deterioration, you've got to assess and prioritize." He added the board's recommended expenses in the RECAPP-gener- ated roofing model drop off quickly after this year, meaning the board should be able to hold off on repairing the more long-lasting roofs until subsequent years. Exeter Golf Club Tuesday Ladies On Tues., April 26, the Tuesday Ladies Golf League had 70 ladies out for registra- tion and luncheon. The Executive for 2004 season are: President: MaryLou Hyde Vice President: Pat Puchniak Treasurer: Carole Preace Secretary: Liz Bell Past President: Helen Coates Directors: Gladys McGregor, Marg Baker Jeanne Phillips 50/50 draw was won by Elaine Skinner and Sheila Reaburn. Lucky plate was won by Diane Herliefsen. Regular league begins Tues., May 4. Senior Men April 29 Low net A flt. George Tryon 40 B flt. Jim Hall 39 C flt. Del Nixon 36 CTP: #3 Bob Coates; #6 John Brintnell. Bayview Men April 20 Closest to the Pin Terry Bauwens-#9 John Smits-#18 Low Gross A -Oscar McKinnion-39 B -Barry Richman -49 C -John Scott -45 D -Mel Gow-49 D -Ross McDonald -49 Chit Winners Gerry Prosser Mike Ferguson Mike Eagleson 50/50 Draw Carry -Over -#81 $26 Hacker of the Week Gary Huston Senior Men Team scores First (170): Arnie Mathers, George Tryon, Ralph Simons, Jim Hughes. Second (171): Bill Coleman, Roy Triebner, Lloyd Moore, Del Nixon.