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Home My WebLink AboutThe Times Advocate, 2007-11-21, Page 44 Times—Advocate Wednesday, November 21, 2007 zkocna =CNA TIMES ADVOCATE Editorial Opinion PUBLICATIONS MAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER 07511 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs. Canada Jim Beckett — Publisher Deb Lord — Production Manager Scott Nixon — Editor CN 2007 BLUE RIBBON /\ Si ft The Times -Advocate is owned by Metroland Media Group Ltd. Metroland 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850 Media Group Ltd. Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6 • 519-235-1331 Doug Rowe -General Manager, Southwestern Ontario Division EDITORIAL Council should settle differences AKs seen on the front page of this week's Times -Advocate, South Huron Mayor en Oke had some rather harsh words for his council Monday night and reminded councillors that he is the man in charge. Oke also said council needs to undergo a training day in the new year and he read a list of improvements he would like to see from councillors such as raising their hands before they speak, taking part in voting on motions and showing "professionalism" and "enthusi- asm." What ticked off Oke was that another member of council, Cathy Seip, had scheduled a meeting of the economic development committee with- out Oke's knowledge. Oke, who chairs the com- mittee, said at a previous meeting he wanted to wait until a new chief administrative officer was hired before resuming meetings of the committee. Council, though, voted to have Oke schedule a meeting. It was felt momentum for economic development was growing and fur- ther meetings should be held before that momentum was lost. When Seip went ahead and scheduled the economic development meeting without Oke's knowledge (he was out of the province for much of the last two weeks), he decided to speak up at council Monday night, saying, "I'm still the mayor." He also said there is animosity on council. It's rare for a mayor to make such comments during a public meeting and those in atten- dance were no doubt surprised. Council later moved behind closed doors to discuss the mat- ter and we can only imagine things became more heated after the media left. Situations like these make for good stories and coffee shop talk, but they don't benefit the taxpayer. Instead of arguing among themselves, council needs to be governing and making deci- sions for the good of the municipality. A power struggle on council serves nobody, and council- lors need to settle their differences and get on with doing what they were elected to do — gov- ern. About the Times -Advocate RELAX„ THERE'S NOTHING TEREIIF Ni GFiTM ILRE AT2O,000 FEET It's that time again With old man winter making his winter wonder- land comeback once again, we need to be prepared. The Huron OPP are reminding drivers to stay alert, slow down and stay in control. These are the three key elements to winter driving. In a news release, the Huron OPP make several suggestions for motorists: • Vehicle owners are asked not to wait for winter before preparing themselves and their vehicles. Maintenance on your vehi- cle, including a winter tune up, will help prevent unanticipated problems on the road; • The condition of your vehicle's tires is also an important factor. Worn or damaged tires can hinder your ability to drive safely. Have all four tires checked or replaced before winter begins. Consider using winter tires rather than "all -season," as they might not be suitable for driving in snowy regions. Winter tires will improve driving safety by providing better traction and handling; • Cell phones have proven to be a good piece of safety equipment that travellers can use in emergen- cies. Keeping your cell phone properly charged and knowing where you are located on a particular high- way will help emergency personnel find you when you are calling for help. Cell phone users can contact the OPP by dialling *OPP (star 677) for assistance. • It is also advised to prepare a winter kit to have in your vehicle. Some items to include in your kit are: an ice scraper, a small shovel, sand, salt or other traction aid, extra windshield washer fluid, a length of rope, booster cables, road flares or warn- ing lights, extra clothing and winter footwear, blankets or an old sleep- ing bag, snack food, fluids to drink, matches, a candle, a flashlight with work- / ing batteries and a first aid kit. If taking medication regularly, ensure there is enough in the vehicle at all times; • The Huron OPP asks drivers to stay off the road if the weather is bad. It is always wise to check weather conditions before leaving and leave extra time for travel during the winter. Huron OPP advises drivers to plan their route ahead of time and let someone know of their destination and expected arrival time. When on the road drivers should turn on the vehicle's full lighting system when visibility is poor. If roads are closed due to poor conditions, obey the law and do not drive on the closed road. Huron OPP Inspector Dan Grant urges all motorists in Huron County to "make sure they are prepared for winter driving, that their vehicles are properly serviced and ready for winter road condi- tions and that they adjust their driving to the condi- tions so everyone returns home safely." Address & Office Hours Times -Advocate, 424 Main Street South, P.O. Box 850, Exeter, Ontario NOM 1S6. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Closed on Holidays. Contact Us By Phone or Fax Classified ad & subscription sales 519-235-1331 24-hour automated attendant 519-235-1336 Fax number for all departments 519-235-0766 Subscription Rates One year rate for addresses in Canada: $42+GST Two year rate for addresses in Canada: $75+GST One year rate for addresses outside Canada:$160+GST Call 519-235-1331 to order a subscription. Classified Rates Word ads: $12 for 20 words, 20c for each additional word+ GST. Notices (births, announcements, coming events, memoriams, cards of thanks): $15 + GST for up to 50 words, All ads must be pre -paid. The classified ad deadline is Monday at 10 a.m. Display Advertising To place a display ad, 519-235-1331 weekdays 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. or evenings 519-235-1336 (leave message) or toll-free at 1-888-270-1602. Deadline: Fri. 2 p.m. E-mail Us Web site: www.southhuron.com TA e-mail addresses consist of the person's first initial and last name followed by @southhuron.com. For example, Jim Beckett's e-mail address is <jbeck- ett@southhuron.com> Our general e-mail address is ads@southhuron.com. The Times -Advocate Team Publisher Jim Beckett ext. 109 ADVERTISING Deborah Schillemore ext. 112 EDITOR Scott Nixon ext. 105 REPORTERS Pat Bolen ext. 113 Nina Van Lieshout ext. 107 CUSTOMER SERVICE Sue Rollings ext. 101 Jennifer Skonieczny ext. 102 PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Manager Deb Lord ext 103/114 Nikki Cyr .ext. 103 Kelly Gackstetter ext. 103 ACCOUNTING STAFF Anita McDonald ext. 104 Ruth Slaght ext. 106 MargPertschy ext. 108 Heather Clarke ext. 111