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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2008-06-18, Page 3Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Times–Advocate 3 Donation —At a June 11 meeting of the Order of the Eastern Star,Worthy Patron Murray Lee, left, and Worthy Matron Elaine Ford presented a $1,500 cheque to South Huron Hospital Foundation vice -chairperson John Wuerth. Wuerth reported that renovations to the hospital's emergency department are going well and the grand opening will be held June 23. He thanked the Order of the Eastern Star for its support.The Order of the Eastern Star also made a $2,300 donation to London Health Sciences Centre. In the annual draw, the winner of the duvet was Crystal Baxter and the recipient of the $100 was Jean Ross. (photo/Scott Nixon) Funding challenges discussed By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE SEAFORTH — With 2008-09 bud- get deliberations looming at the Avon Maitland District School Board, adult education specialist Susan McKee used the opportunity of a regularly -scheduled staff report to call for sustained funding. "I always feel like we've made greater inroads in the broader com- munity than we have in the local board of education," commented Avon Maitland administrator for lifelong learning Susan McKee at a regular board meeting June 10. She was responding to a question from South Huron representative Randy Wagler about her department's biggest challenges. After explaining there are some things over which she has no control — such as labour agreements with the local chapter of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, a union that includes some but not all adult education instructors — she told Wagler, "When I negotiate my budget with my superintendent, I always want some wiggle room." "I hate to say it, but when it comes down to it, my biggest challenges are related to the board." It was a type of directness not often seen in public from Avon Maitland administrative staff. McKee explained it away by noting, "I think I've been known to bowl people over with the passion I have for my portfolio." But it's also true that the portfolio she holds — co-ordinating seven Centres for Employment and Learning across Huron and Perth Counties, as well as a satellite ser- vice in Poole for the Mennonite com- munity and online programming used by students from across Ontario — exists almost in spite of its minimal use of overall Avon Maitland resources. All staff members are employees of the Avon Maitland board. But much of the programming is sus- tained through agreements with other funding agencies, both gov- ernmental and community-based. "We're able to do this because partnered service delivery is one of the values of the Centres for Employment and Learning," McKee explained. "The only way we can give the rural communities what they have in the urban areas is by partnering ... Sometimes it's money that changes hands, sometimes it's use of an office. Someone will say, 'use my fax machine (and) next time I'm in another community, I'll use your fax machine."' McKee chronicled the history of the school board's involvement in adult learning, beginning with a decision by Kitchener -based Conestoga College to pull its satellite programming out of Huron County in 1984. The former Huron board of education stepped in with a well- respected program, and respect for that program's value carried through when, in the 1990s, the provincial Education Ministry decid- ed to place adult learning on a much lower funding tier than regular day school. "Why do we do it? Because there's no one else doing it," she said, adding 28 per cent of adults in this region lack a high school diploma com- pared to a provincial aver- age of 19 per cent. "We're here because of the marginalized workforce that's here in Iuron and Perth coun- ties." But funding, as McKee noted, remains a chal- lenge. Garage fire — Exeter firefighters responded to a fire in a garage Sunday night at 429 Williams St. believed to have been started by a car been parked in the garage half an hour before it started. (photo/submitted) Deserving Exeter employee — McDonald's Restaurant in Exeter awarded its annual McDonald's Employee Scholarship to Nakita Benson, a McDonald's employee of two years. Benson was honoured with the scholarship for making a con- tinued difference at work, at school and in the community. Above from left are McDonald's human resources manager Paula Gorman, Benson and owner and operator of the McDonald's in Exeter and Goderich, Rob Reid. "McDonald's has always been committed to creating opportuni- ties for our employees," says Reid, adding,"The McDonald's Employee Scholarship is another way to celebrate the achieve- ments of our valued employees and show our support in helping them reach their goals." The Employee Scholarship Program was established over 20 years ago. Since the program began, over 4,000 McDonald's employ- ees have received scholarship awards, totalling more than $20 million. (photo/Nina Van Lieshout) UNICIPAL ITV OF Municipality of South Huron NOTICE ABMV Source Protection Terms of Reference for Exeter wellhead protection areas South Huron Council hereby gives notice that the Municipality intends, within five years after the date that this resolution was passed by Council (May 20, 2008) to discontinue the use of all municipal wells to which the wellhead protection area relates; to make an application under the Ontario Water Resources Act for the cancellation of any permit that is applicable to the municipal wells; to publish a notice of this resolution in one or more newspapers that, in the opinion of Council, are of sufficiently general circulation to bring the notice to the attention of the public in the municipality; and send a copy of this resolution to the Ausable Bayfield Maitland Valley Source Protection Committee. This notice has been given to exempt the Municipality from the requirements of subclause 15 (2) (e) (i) of Ontario Regulation 286/07 made under the Clean Water Act 2006. I MUNICIPALITY OF BLUEWATER ENFIELD - HAY - HENSALL - STANLEY - ZURICH 2001 MUNICIPALITY OF BLUEWATER PUBLIC MEETING ALL TERRAINE VEHICLE (ATVS) ON PUBLIC PROPERTY Monday, June 23, 2008 at 7 P.M. Stanley Community Centre, Varna The Municipality of Bluewater is hosting a public meeting on Monday, June 23rd, 2008 at 7 p.m. at the Stanley Community Centre, Varna to discuss the issue of ATVs (All Terraine Vehicles). Input from the public is requested by Bluewater Municipal Council to assist them in their deliberations on policy develop- ment as it related to controls and regulating ATVs on municipal property. The Municipality of Bluewater invited and encourages residents to attend the public meeting on June 23rd, 2008 in Varna. The public plays a key role in the democratic process and Council wishes to ensure residents have every opportunity to partici- pate and be informed. In addition to the meeting, residents are welcome to call or e-mail in their questions in advance of the meeting to the Municipal Office in Zurich so sufficient information may be available for June 23rd, 2008. Please call 519-236-4351 or e-mail your questions to cmclennan@town.bluewater.on.ca in advance of the meeting. r HASKETT FUNERAL HOMES LTD www.haskettfh.com Serving families since 1882 Cremation... Burial...? Know your options. Don't leave your family questioning what you wanted. Know your options. Don't leave your family questioning what you 223 Main Street, Lucan 519-227-4211 • 370 William Street, Exeter 519-235-1220