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The Times Advocate, 2006-03-22, Page 88 Exeter Times–Advocate 'We need our farms' I'll start by thanking your paper for the coverage of our fight to save McGillivray Central School. With the strong backing of more than 250 people at our initial meeting last week we will go forward to make presenta- tions to our trustees and to the provincial government in the hopes that they will see the importance of our school to our community. Every school is important to the families who attend currently but here it also has a profound affect on the people who have attended in the past. There are now third generations enrolled. This is another slice of the rural pie being asked to move on. Because my husband and I farm, I wanted to clear up something written in your article "Petition to save McGillivray Central". It stated that I said 'that farm land is taking up a lot of the area' and the farm land is a big problem. What I actually stated was "It has been brought to my attention this week that perhaps we as a municipality have created some of our declining enroll- ment. We have worked so hard to protect our farm land, we have shut out the rest of the community. With few one to two acre lots available in the rural areas and being unable to sever any from larger parcels we have closed the door to young people building homes and establishing families. In order to increase our school population we must also revitalize our rural community. Our young adults are leaving, farms are being sold, houses torn down and no residences being built to replace them. The young people who do wish to remain here cannot afford to build a house and raise a family in the country. Allowing severences could be looked at as a permanent solution to our declining enrollment. If young people leave our community we will become a very old community very quickly.' We need our farms and we need our young people to keep our rural communities alive and prospering. LINDA WASNIDGE, Ailsa Craig Panther Profile EXETER — March Break was seriously awesome. I think I went outside twice. Fun Night is Thursday. Failure to show up will result in a severe lack of fun. The large gym is where you should be; 7 p.m. is when you should be there. Fun is what you will have. Admission is $2. Also on Thursday is the Time & Talent Auction. This is hap- pening in the small gym. It's an event open to the community, so everyone is encouraged to come. Like Fun Night, it starts at 7 p.m. Plenty of sweet items are up for grabs. I'm eying up the pie -a -month myself. There are tons of other items and services to bid on though, so if pie isn't your thing you'll still have plenty of opportu- nity to empty your wallet. And that's all for this week, folks. Tune in next week when I'll actually have more than two upcoming events (cut me some slack, it was March Break). MATTHEW MINER PANTHER PROFILE r Capsule Comments by Ernie Miatello Jerking legs at night can be very annoying and interfere with sleeps. Although there are some prescription drugs that may help this condition, try other methods first. Have your iron checked. Check your medications since some can cause restless legs. Reduce caffeine, alcohol and tobacco intake. And do walking and stretching exercises. Restless legs aren't fun. These suggestions may help. March is the month we highlight good nutrition. Here's a tip for young girls land boys too!). Don't skip breakfast. Skipping this important meal will mean missing out on important vitamins and minerals which are not made up throughout the day. Most bone mass occurs before the age of 20 so keeping up calcium intake is very important. Looking for a good sport to keep in shape? Try badminton. Players run from 3 to 5 miles and burn up to 350 calories during three games. It's a great game of endurance, flexibility and agility. Keeps you in shape too. We stress the importance of understanding the medications you are taking. Pharmacists hand out an information sheet summary of each drug's effects and side effects but often it might just be too much information. We encourage you to call us if any of the information concerns you. Huron Apothecary Ltd. Phone 235-1982, 440 Main St. Exeter "YOUR HEALTH CARE PHARMACY" j PHARM ASSIST Large garbage pickup needed After reading in the Times -Advocate on Feb. 22 that South Huron is scrapping the large garbage pickup, I wrote to Mayor Morley and councillors Armstrong and Robertson expressing my disappointment at council's decision and mailed these letters the same day. They decided to wait until your paper was published for the following two weeks before responding to my concerns. Because only letters from Mrs. Bell and Mr. Helm appeared in your paper, they believe that there is very little public con- cern regarding this issue. Mayor Morley phoned me and we had an interesting debate during which I mentioned that I had also sent a letter to the newspaper. I appreciate very much the time he spent talking with me and also for his return call to let me know that the T -A had not received my letter. The increased tonnage and length of time needed to collect the items indicates that the large garbage pick- up is a service that the residents need and are using. Many of the residents in South Huron are unable to take their larger items to the landfill site because of a lack of an appropriate vehicle, age or physical limitations and will now face an additional expense above already pay- ing for the tags required for regular garbage. Mr. Betties, in his report, calculated man hours and equip- ment expense for this task and I expect we will be able to do the same. Will we be compensated for this extra cost in a return of some of our tax money? Regarding the cost of man hours, are these people not already in the employ of the town and is this service not one of their assigned jobs? I assume they would be paid if they were not doing the pickup. As there was no overtime or Wednesday, March 22, 2006 extra personnel required, how then can we use their wages as a cost factor? As the town has been growing, the old plan of half the town at one time is too large an area. Because the staff is unable to pick up the large garbage in a reason- able time due to quantity, perhaps the town needs to be divided into smaller areas to allow for faster cleanup of one area before beginning the next. The schedule would need to be reorganized and fall fair time could be avoided or another area away from the parade route could have its scheduled pickup time. A supervised collection area could be set up for several hours during the week following New Year's to help alleviate the Christmas tree problem. This works for London, a community that also collects large items with its weekly garbage pickup. The municipality has the oppor- tunity to ticket cars parked on the streets overnight and to fine those who misuse the water restrictions. Perhaps the few abusers in this matter could be penalized as well instead of everyone paying the price. Make the fine sufficient to act as a deterrent and to cover the costs involved. We no longer have our municipality employees col- lect the weekly garbage and we are not able to take our yard waste to the bins at the works department. Now we are losing our large garbage pickup. Our assess- ments have been increased and accordingly so will our taxes. Unfortunately the services given have been decreasing. I encourage you to contact the members of the South Huron council if you are also unhappy with losing the large garbage pickup. Just complaining to friends and family is not heard in the council. chambers. LYNDA DEELSTRA, Exeter Letters to the Editor rtmimOR t* i OR OR OR rOr fir r THE GOODWRENCH PRICE IS THE INSTALLED PRICE SPRING TIRE EVENT Uniroyal® Tiger Paw® Freedom' P195/70R14. Installation, balancing, valve stems, lifetime inspection is included in the price of your tires, and our expertise. We have tires for all your driving needs. WHEN IT COMES TO YEAR-ROUND ROAD CONDITIONS, NO ONE IS BETTER QUALIFIED THAN THE GOODWRENCH TIRE EXPERTS TO KNOW WHICH TIRES HELP YOUR VEHICLE HANDLE BETTER. TRUST YOUR SAFETY TO THE EXPERTS. PONTIAC NONLROYAL/ `m/CMEi/N BFGoodrich ZOLUOESTOOE Oifinentale GOOD/PEAR ®RRAL Bns sgi N NG GM •per`. 1 -Price per e re While sup les last A participating deal only. D• P Ill � I rs may set individual prices. Offer available for a lim ted time only to rete, customers. Tire disposal extra, if regia iced. Offer dot available in ThSuhhhder Bay, P$n Frances, Dryden, Terrace say and Renora. See Service Advisor for details. 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