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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-10-18, Page 22 Times–Advocate Wednesday, October 18, 2006 Grand Bend health centre executive director leaves Continued from front page As a result of this process, various alternatives as a first step towards resolution of the issues were provided to us." He added: "After considerable deliberation by the board and discussion with the executive director, Jane Falconer, it was mutually agreed that she would relinquish her position. Both the board and the executive director believe that this action will provide the best opportunity for the successful res- olution of some of the issues identified in the medi- ator's report." Further details regarding the specifics of the action plan to support the centre and its staff in the continuing provision of the care, programs and services offered will be outlined to staff in the next few days, Bannister stated. In a recent letter to the centre's employees, Bannister wrote: "I have stated in the past that retention of our highly qualified staff is a strong priority for the board. As you know, financial pres- sures from ongoing and accumulated deficits seri- ously threatened the future of our CHC in past years. It was critical that we got our financial situ- ation under control. "Today, we are operating within budgets provid- ed by the Ministry of Health and are on a very sound financial base. The operating funding we receive from the Ministry is sufficient to cover all positions currently held at the centre, and layoffs have never been part of discussions at the Board or Ministry level. "I have also committed to having the centre oper- ate under Ministry guidelines, so that this level of funding is not jeopardized in the future. In this regard, ongoing development of policies that clari- fy the centre's position on various workplace issues will remain a priority. This is important so that all employees know where they stand on issues, and so that standards are applied equally in future across all employee groups. Part of this process must include ongoing performance evalua- tion at all levels, so that every employee can feel confident that the standards that apply to them are consistent across the board." "It is important for all of us that in dealing with these issues we not lose our focus on the primary reason for the centre's existence — the health of the people of the communities we serve." Bannister noted that there will be extensive fol- low-up with staff on the mediator's recommenda- tions. "It is important that there not be a perception that there are winners and losers in this ongoing mediation process. "We have a lot of work to do going forward, both at the board and staff levels, to work out issues that will not simply be solved by the executive director's departure." Bannister thanked Falconer for her efforts at the health centre and said a professional firm will be employed to find a new executive director as soon SH council awards sewer contracts Continued from front page said he suspects that will happen in December. If there is no grant, Stuart Winchester of KMK Engineering said the project will cost the aver- age property owner in the two vil- lages $20,401. With a two-thirds COMRIF grant, the number drops dramatically to $4,509 per proper- ty. On top of the $6.3 million of the sewer project, there is another $1 million in engineering and miscel- laneous costs borne by the munici- pality, bringing the project to $7.3 million. Huron County will pay $213,000 to re -surface Victoria Avenue in Crediton. Winchester and Giberson provid- ed history on the project, with Giberson reporting, "failed and malfunctioning septic systems in Crediton and Centralia have result- ed in serious environmental, health and safety issues in (Crediton and Centralia)." A letter from the Huron County Health Unit's medical officer of health Dr. Beth Henning states "there are serious long-standing public health and environmental problems." The problems include; • "sewage backup into properties; • direct discharge of sewage and greywater onto owners' properties and offsite; • malfunctioning septic systems are contaminating storm sewers and municipal drains which even- tually empty into the watercourses; • surface water samples have revealed high levels of E. coli indicative of sewage pollution in all areas of the villages; • approximately half of the on-site septic systems have been in use for more than 30 years and another 15 per cent are over 20 years old. Since the average life of a system is approximately 20 years it can be expected that more systems will malfunction." Another letter from Christopher Hutt of the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) stated if the municipality abandons the project, the ministry will issue a mandatory order to go ahead with it. Winchester outlined the history of testing in the two villages which showed high counts of E. coli dat- ing back to 1997. Recent tests in September exceeded provincial objectives for E. coli by between 260 and 42,000 times. Those tests also tested for fecal streptococcus and indicated the likely source of the contamination was human. Mayor Rob Morley noted the MOE originally wanted the project done by June 2007, but he and Coun. Jim Dietrich negotiated to have the deadline extended until the end of 2007. "We're here and we've got the best deal we could possibly get for the people of Crediton and Centralia," Morley said, thanking Giberson and Winchester for advis- ing council to go to tender now to get the best price. Oke made the motion to accept the three contracts. "I think we should make the decision tonight . . . The right thing to do is proceed." Giberson said if the project was cancelled, the MOE would force the municipality the next day to pro- ceed, with Winchester adding the mandatory deadlines would be unrealistic. He said he's not aware of how the municipality could fight a mandatory order. Ratz noted the municipality already has $1 million in engineer- ing costs invested in the project and the sewage lines from Huron Park to Exeter have already been over- sized, with sufficient capacity in the Exeter lagoons to accommodate the project. Coun. Jim Dietrich spoke in favour of moving ahead. "It's going to happen. I just hope we get the grant." He said if the new council wants to reject the project, it can. (Deputy Mayor Dave Urlin later noted it would need a two-thirds vote from the new coun- cil to rescind the motion.) Discussion turned to liability and Giberson said by law, councillors would be held personally responsi- ble if they cancelled the project and there was a health outbreak or fatality because the project wasn't completed. "It's on you personally," he said, noting the regulations were passed after the Walkerton tragedy. Coun. Pete Armstrong said he originally thought council should defer the decision for the new council out of spite. "Everyone can do a better job than us," he said, "and with all due respect, I'd like to see them burn." But he added there's an unsafe health situation in the two villages and he supported voting in favour of awarding the contracts. "We've got a job to do. I don't like it at all." Morley added councillors can hold their heads high and say they've done their best. "Now get down on your knees and pray for COMRIF," he said. In September, the province announced a $75 million rural infrastructure program to help farmers and rural communities. Morley said it's possible that pro- gram could help with the sewer project if the COMRIF grant falls through. REGIONAL WRAP UP Platinum award winnerHarvesting could be BLYTH — A Blyth grocery store retailer was recently hazardous honoured for promoting innovative ideas for Ontario - grown fruits and vegetables, according to The Citizen. Don Scrimgeour and produce manager Wendy Gaunt of the Food Market travelled to Toronto receiving the Foodland Ontario's Platinum All -Seasons award and the Foodland Award of Excellence. About 1,250 stores across the province participated in promoting Ontario produce by submitting pho- tographs of their store displays. Four categories were part of the ceremony, includ- ing the Platinum award, the Gold award, the Silver award and the award of excellence. Scrimgeour says he is proud of the store's achieve- ment. "Most of the others were from bigger places, so we did very well." Scrimgeour also gives credit to Gaunt. "She does 90 per cent of this and is the driving force behind partici- pating in the first place. She comes up with the ideas on what to do. I back her, I help her, but she deserves the credit." HURON — Motorists are being warned by the Huron OPP to use extra caution during the harvest season by slowing down. The OPP say motorists might encounter oversized farm vehicles on the roads, which are entitled to be there under certain circumstances but they do take up a large portion of the roadway. Over dimensional farm vehicles should be equipped with an illuminated rotating amber light mounted to the upper most part of the vehicle and be discernable from a distance of 150 metres if the vehicle exceeds a width of 3.8 metres while being driven on a highway from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise or at any time during unfavourable atmospher- ic conditions or insufficient light Farmers who operate a self propelled combine on a roadway are required to have the proper lighting under the law and a Slow Moving Vehicle sign. Trustees acclaimed By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE HURON/PERTH — Appearances will remain largely the same for the two school boards in Huron and Perth counties after the Nov. 13 municipal election. Locally, Bluewater/South Huron trustee Randy Wagler of the Avon Maitland District School Board and Bluewater/South Huron trustee Mike Miller of the Huron -Perth Catholic District School Board were both acclaimed and will return. Residents of Goderich and northwest Huron will have new faces on each board; incumbent Jenny Versteeg faces a challenge in North Perth, but 11 other current trustees have been returned by accla- mation. Versteeg, who rounded out her first three- year term on the Avon Maitland board by being elected vice -chairperson in December 2005, is being challenged by Grace Urbanski. In Goderich and the northwest part of Huron, Al Sygrove has been acclaimed to the Avon Maitland board, while Jim McDade was the only nominee for the Catholic board. Sygrove replaces Emily Milley, who decided not to seek re-election after serving a single term. Her Catholic counterpart Mary - Catherine McKeon, who had completed two three- year terms, originally submitted nomination papers but then withdrew. Other Catholic trustees, all returning by acclama- tion, include: 2005-06 chairperson Vince McInnes of North Perth/North Huron/Perth East, Ron Marcy of Stratford and Bernard Murray of Perth South/West Perth/St. Marys. Returning Avon Maitland trustees include Tina Traschel of Perth East, Doug Pratley and three -term chairperson Meg Westley of Stratford, Carol Bennewies of Perth South/West Perth/St. Marys, Shelley Kaastra of Central Huron/Huron East and Colleen Schenk of North Huron.