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TIMES -ADVOCATE
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Wednesday, July 5, 2006
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The Exeter Pool is open again for another summer with public swimming, lessons and
aquafit.Above from left is this summer's staff: lifeguarding assistantTaryn Anstett, Noralee
Peters, head guard Leigh Holdsworth (in back), Heather Marr and Zach Dougall. Public
swimming is at the pool on weekdays from 2-3:30 p.m. and 6:30-8 p.m., and on weekends
from 2-4 p.m.Aquafit will be held 8-9 p.m. Monday to Thursday. Call the pool at 235-3169
for more information on lessons and adult swimming. (photo/Scott Nixon)
Varlet' runs in Stephen ward
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
SOUTH HURON — Crystal
Varley is the latest South
Huron resident to seek a spot
on the next South Huron
council.
Varley, who lives in Huron
Park with her husband Rob,
filed her nomination papers
a couple of weeks ago for
South Huron's November
municipal election. She is
running for a councillor's
position in the Stephen ward
(the ward is represented by
two councillors).
This is the first time Varley
has run for any type of politi-
cal position, but she says
she's always had a passion
for politics. And she has kept
Crystal
Varley
herself
well
informed,
too — she
h asn't
missed a
regular
South
H uron
council
meeting in
the last six
months
and also
attends the municipality's
monthly communications
meetings. She said she has
considered running for coun-
cil for the last six to eight
months.
Varley says she's running
for council because she dis-
agrees with some of council's
decisions.
Even though Huron Park
was under provincial juris-
diction, Varley says the
municipality should have
shown more support for the
residents during the privati-
zation process.
She also says council has
moved too quickly on some
issues and some of South
Huron's bylaws make it hard
for individuals to move for-
ward with developments. As
an example, she cites the
cost of building permits,
which she says are too high.
Economic development is
one of Varley's main con-
cerns. She says South Huron
needs to attract people to the
See CANDIDATE page 2
SH Hospital holds
annual board meeting
By Pat Bolen
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
EXETER — "The hospital is the soul of a community," was the message
expressed June 29 by Exeter resident and former South Huron Hospital
Board Association (SHHA) laboratory technologist Denise Halpenny, who
was guest speaker at the 2006 meeting of the SHHA in Exeter.
It was the 53rd annual meeting of the board with board chairperson
Glenn Bartlett saying a year ago the hospital chief executive officer Deb
Hunt had just arrived at the hospital and is now a veteran.
Bartlett said the board has just finished a performance review of the
CEO and that the performance of Hunt has been rated `excellent.'
In her report to the board, Hunt provided statistics on the number of
patients cared for by the hospital, with 794 patients in acute care , down
one per cent from 2004/2005, and a 92.4 per cent occupancy rate com-
pared to 93.6 per cent the previous year.
In chronic care there were 38 patients, down two per cent although the
occupancy rate was up to 34. 5 per cent from 29.9 per cent.
Hunt said there were 11,204 emergency room visits in the last year, up
from 11,115, and 8,909 family practice clinic visits, a four per cent
decrease from the 2004/2005 total of 9,369.
Hunt added the hospital laboratory was assessed by an Ontario
Laboratory Accreditation team on May 9 and based on 447 criteria the
hospital received a score of 96.4 per cent which she said is in the top rank-
ing in Ontario.
Projects the hospital has completed, according to Hunt, are upgrading
the Williams Street parking lot and repairs to the east side of the hospital
which had water leakage problems.
Capital projects, proceeding in the next year, said Hunt, are the renova-
tion of the emergency room, a digital picture archiving communication
system for the x-ray department and an information technology system.
Pat Down from the hospital auxiliary reported to the board that the
group made a donation of $50,000 to the hospital raised by rummage
sales, quilting, selling tickets and the hospital gift shop.
Halpenny said even in a small community, "we can't think in terms of
small medicine...we have to be as relevant as the city. We're nothing if
we're not current."
Halpenny noted the difficulties of working in a small community, where
she said the smallest detail disclosed can reveal patient identities and
added health care workers "are privileged to be in patients' lives."
School boards pass budgets
By Stew Slater
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE
SEAFORTH — Although reserve
funds were drawn down in both
cases to fund expenditures, both
the Huron -Perth Catholic and Avon
Maitland school boards approved
balanced 2006-07 budgets June 27.
"The Working Fund reserve was
used up, and that's a concern for
the board long-term," noted Huron -
Perth management superintendent
Gerry Thuss in an interview. "It's
something that, over the next year
as we talk together about the
future of the board, we'll be looking
at building up again if possible."
Projected 2006-07 expenditures
for the Huron -Perth board total
almost $49.5 million, up by $4.8
million from the previous year's
final estimates. Taking into account
increased costs in some areas —
particularly fuel and salary related
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