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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2006-04-26, Page 32 Exeter Times -Advocate Wednesday, April 26, 2006 Hoffmans Patient Transfer Service Ltd., based in Dashwood and servicing Southwestern Ontario is a family partnership between, from left Jim, Donna, Jeff, Bobbi, Jackie and Jamie pictured in front of an ambulance type vehicle which has both oxygen and suction management. (photo/Nina Van Lieshout) Hoffmans start new venture with patient transfer service Continued from front page Service Ltd. and the new service. "It's a new business with new direc- tors," says Jamie. Hoffmans is a business willing to expand their staff and vehicles if need be. "We'd be willing to expand within a week," they all agree. And they all say there's a need, with more counties adapting to this ser- vice. Their business assists a large area. "We're willing to cover Southwestern Ontario," says Jim. They transfer patients to and from doctor offices, hospitals, nursing homes, patient residences or special appointments. They will also assist palliative patients or patients traveling to or from an aircraft, patients who are stable or require a stretcher, wheel- chair accessibility or oxygen. Family members are able to accom- pany the patients and double trans- fers are also available if requested at the time of the scheduled appoint- ment. For more information or to make an appointment contact 519-237-3631 or toll free at 1-888-237-3631 or e-mail hoffmantransfer@hay.net Exeter library settlement closer By Scott Nixon TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF SOUTH HURON — There is still no settlement, but progress has been made on the municipality's efforts to receive financial com- pensation for the construction of the Exeter branch library. As was reported last week, a pre-trial was held in London April 20 between South Huron and the company which held the bond on the library's construction, Guarantee Company of North America. The municipality is seek- ing over $500,000 resulting from delays in construction of the library, which opened in November 2002, a year and a half late, after the original contractor, Pegdon Construction, went into receivership halfway through the project. South Huron chief administrative officer Larry Brown told the Times -Advocate last week that Guarantee isn't disputing the municipality's claim of $320,000 due to increased construction costs caused by the delay, but is disputing the municipality's claims of additional damages, such as increased steel costs and the cost of renting the former Canadian Tire building on Main Street to house the library during construc- tion and the delay. Part of those damages include interest on a $500,000 loan the municipality had to get to pay for the library when it went over bud- get because of the construction delays. While no settlement was reached last Thursday in London, "We're closer," Brown said Monday. He said Guarantee has made a financial offer to South Huron and the municipality now has to con- sider it and respond. Tonnes of illegal garbage cleaned up Continued from front page garbage, plus scrap metal and 100 tires. Also discov- ered in the bushes at the north end of Ausable Line in the bushes were about 15 bags of asbestos tiles. The municipalities of South Huron and Bluewater waived the tipping fees, allowing for volunteers to take the garbage to their sites. Advanced Auto in Crediton took the tires and metal for free. Bob Stire of Crediton came up with the idea for the clean-up and did much of the organizing. Individuals donated their time, trucks, tractors and trailers to the cause. Area businesses made donations to help make the project possible. Monk said during the cleanup Saturday that some areas were worse than she thought they would be and she didn't think anything like asbestos would be found. A lot of plastic materials were picked up, in addition to the garbage bags, furniture, metal and tires. Any iden- tification found among the garbage was passed along to police. "The Hay Swamp area provides important spawning habitat for fish," the ABCA said in a press release Monday. "The distinctive ecosystem is also a source of recreational opportunities such as cycling, hiking, bird watching, canoeing, fishing, hunting and winter skiing. "The original footprint of Hay Swamp was about 10,000 acres. It is now 5,000 acres in size, with the ABCA owning half of that land." Tires, scrap metal, garbage and bags of asbestos tiles were some of the illegally -dumped items cleaned up Saturday morning in the Hay Swamp area. More than 50 volunteers helped out. In front from left are Kate Monk of the ABCA and volunteers Deb Venner, Kate Brawn, KyleyVanaltena and Caitlin Brawn; in back from left are the ABCA's Matt Redmond and volunteers Bob Stire (who came up with the idea for the cleanup), Barry Comeau, Steve Venner, Steve Brawn and Rob Winger. (photo/Scott Nixon) ABCA will host off-road meeting By Pat Bolen TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER — The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) will host a public meeting with the municipalities of South Huron and Bluewater regarding off-road vehicle use on ABCA, private and municipal land. The decision was made at the ABCA board of direc- tor's meeting April 20 at Morrison Dam. ABCA staff member Tom Prout said the amount of complaints received about off-road vehicles using ABCA and private lands have increased this year with landowners looking to the ABCA for help. Prout said the ABCA has received a request from the Maitland ATV club for permission to ride in the Hay Swamp. Prout said it is important to receive input from neighbouring landowners before making a decision since it will increase the numbers of ATVs in the area and the trails used will need to cross some private land. Board of director chairperson Bill Weber said hold- ing a meeting on off-road vehicles, "will open a can of worms but we have to start somewhere." Prout said he will discuss a time and place for the meeting with the municipalities. REGIONAL WRAP UP • Salt mine strike GODERICH — About 350 union members of Local 16-0 picketed outside of the entrance to Compass Minerals International Inc. (Sifto) after a three- year -contract negotiation failure between the com- pany and union. Several meetings were held but no suitable solu- tions were made before the strike deadline, reports the Goderich Signal -Star. Glenn Sonier, a spokesperson for the Communications, Energy and Paperworks Union says several moral and principled issues are a part of the bargaining. Five-year-old girl receives award HURON — Women Today of Huron held its fourth annual Women of Distinction Awards cere- mony recently, recognizing International Women's Day in March, according to the Clinton News - Record. "These awards are a way to recognize women for their many accomplishments and let them know they have not gone unnoticed," says Pam Hanington, executive director for Women Today of Huron. A girl was also honoured, five-year-old Ella Baker-Lehnen of Bayfield for being a Future Women of Distinction. E waste collection SEAFORTH — Almost 8,000 pounds of electric waste (e -waste) was collected recently in Seaforth, according to The Huron Expositor. The total gathered on e -waste day is more than the amount collected at the Walton landfill site since it started accepting waste six months ago.