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The Times Advocate, 2008-10-22, Page 25Wednesday, October 22, 2008 Times–Advocate 25 McGillivrayTae Kwon Do Tournament results — Members of McGillivray Tae Kwon Do club attended a tournament in London on Oct 4, presented by TriStar Tae Kwon Do. In back from left are instructor/assistant coach -Shelley Webber, head coach/instructor-Rachel Cunningham, green belt and second in sparring -Ron Taylor, green belt and first in patterns and sparring -Rob Taylor and owner/instructor-Allan Cunningham. Front: red belt and third in sparring -Zachary Ryan, green belt, second in patterns and first in sparring -Paige Taylor, white belt and first in patterns -Kaitlyn Ryan. Missing is yellow stripe, first in patterns and second in sparring-Meiko Putman. (photo/submit- ted) Negotiations for teachers begin By Stew Slater SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE SEAFORTH — Like their elemen- tary counterparts, negotiators for the union representing public secondary school teachers have begun meeting with the Avon Maitland District School Board to replace a four-year collective agreement that expired effective Aug. 31. And, like their elementary counter- parts, they're doing so without the benefit of a provincial "framework" upon which to base the new deal. But, unlike their elementary coun- terparts, representatives of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) are remaining quiet about the issues on the table. "Negotiations are under way," was all Seaforth-based District 8 OSSTF president Judy Cairncross would say after a regular Avon Maitland meet- ing Oct. 14. Ontario's Education Ministry has told school boards they must reach new collective agreements with all teacher unions by Nov. 30, or risk not being granted the full funding to ful- fill the four-year deals. Instead, they'll only be granted enough to pay salaries and benefits for two years. The provincial unions representing both public elementary and public secondary teachers, however, have walked out on attempts by the min- istry and the Ontario Public School Boards Association to establish "framework" agreements to serve as templates for the local deals. Leaders of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) have been quite open about their disap- pointment with, among other issues, the province's unwillingness to dis- cuss bringing elementary teacher salaries into line with secondary salaries. Leaders of the OSSTF, meanwhile, have not been nearly as vocal. Indeed, the much smaller support staff section of the secondary union did agree to a framework. Yet the main union, like ETFO, has not been negotiating on a provincial level. "We're hopeful that (OSSTF) will have a provincial agreement in place before the deadline," said Avon Maitland human resources superin- tendent Jim Sheppard. After the Oct. 14 meeting, Sheppard told reporters that representatives from the board and the District 8 local had already met "about five times." He added that serious discussions had begun earlier that day with the support staff section about how the provincial framework should be interpreted with respect to local issues. "That's progress. That's a first step," Sheppard said. Regional wrap up Goderich job scene not all bad GODERICH— The job scene in Goderich isn't all bad, said the Goderich Signal -Star, with several new retail businesses opening recently. Over the past two weeks, two pharmacies held grand openings, with Rexall and Shoppers Drug Mart opening new facilities as well as Giant Tiger depart- ment store moving downtown and Goderich Honda expanding at a new loca- tion on Highway 8. The Shoppers Drug Mart employs 55 people while Rexall employs 30. Realty market looking good GODERICH — Despite economic concerns, the housing market in Huron County remains at almost the same level as it was in 2007, says the Goderich Signal -Star. Across the county, 544 units have been sold from January to September at an average price of $188,970, compared to last year when 547 units were sold at an average of $189,297, according to the Huron -Perth Real Estate Board's Multiple Listing Service statistics. Although 2007 housing starts in Ontario were the lowest they have been in five years, across the country they were the highest they have been in several years. ABCA budget proposed By Pat Bolen TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER — The first draft of the proposed Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) budget met with opposition from the board of directors and will be brought back at the next meeting in November. ABCA general manager Tom Prout presented the proposed budget at the board of director's meeting Oct. 16 with modifications made after it had been proposed at a meeting Oct. 9. Prout said the original budget had a general levy increase of $68,680 or 10.5 per cent and a project levy increase of $73,830 for a 28.2 per cent increase. The overall pro- posed increase is $142,510 or 15.6 per cent with a total budget of $4,259,953. Under the modified bud- get proposed last week, the general levy would be $57,975 for 8.9 per cent while the project levy increase would be $37,080 and 14.1 per cent. The overall increase would be $95,055 and 10.4 per cent. Prout said the staff had prioritized to reduce costs but phasing projects over several years brings a cumulative effect that is part of the problem. "It is better not to do them than to phase," said Prout with the report say- ing to further reduce the levy, a reduce in service and elimination of projects would need to be dis- cussed. Prout said a three per cent levy increase would be nice, but several fac- tors, including costs such as legally required pay equity increases and asset management programs, increasing energy costs, improved financial man- agement and several pro- jects such as Parkhill Dam fencing and a new munici- pal water connection at Rock Glen conservation authority would make it difficult without significant reductions in programs and services. Water and planning supervisor Geoffrey Cade presented a report to the board on proposed increases to planning and inquiry fees that included increases of $50 per prop- erty and lawyer inquiries, $40 on minor variances, $90 on official plans, $40 per zoning bylaw amend- ments and $150 on sever- ances. Following a discussion on the severance fee increase, the board voted to pass the increases with the sever- ance fee increased to $200. Stewardship and conser- vation lands supervisor Kate Monk told the board that the ABCA, which has employed maintenance contractors to maintain Bannockburn, Lucan and Thedford conservation authorities, is looking at eliminating the contractors and using ABCA staff to do the work. By using ABCA staff, Monk said it would save $3,000 but would result in reduced service at the con- servation authorities. "The grass will be longer and if a tree is down, it may be there longer," said Monk. Bluewater board of director member George Irvin said Bluewater would be more forgiving of the budget if the general levy was under four per cent and the overall increase was under 10 per cent. Asked by Prout what municipalities do to deal with fixed costs, North Middlesex director Lawrence McLachlan said "we get rid of a snow- plow driver." Huron East director Bill Siemon asked Irvin, "This won't float?" Irvin replied, "Not after last year. They'll be a lot tougher." South Huron director Dave Frayne said it would be better if an ABCA rep- resentative spoke to the councils. "The economics aren't there." After further discussion, it was decided to bring the matter back in November. Bayfield water project approved By Pat Bolen TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF VARNA — "I've been waiting a long time for this," said Bluewater Mayor Bill Dowson Monday night after a series of unanimous motions gave approval to the Bayfield water system. The motions were passed after a pre- sentation on the system from Matt Pearson of B.M. Ross, who said the project will be done in phases to fit with the finances of Bluewater. Pearson said the cost for the users would vary between a high of $10,000 and $5,500. With the phasing system, Pearson said, "you have to be really smart and know what water mains will cost five years from now." Bayfield resident Dave Medd spoke to council and said the situation for well users in Bayfield is getting bad with lia- bility fears causing users to be cut off and they are having problems get- ting insurance and mortgages. "We're in major bad shape," hE said. Pearson said even if the tower isn't up, by next fall water could be put into the system to help those hav- ing difficulties. Asked about different payment plans, Pearson said they would be discussed over the winter as well as holding a public meeting to inform residents about what phase area they are in. Medd asked Pearson about the possibili- ty of well owners keeping their wells on- line for uses such as lawn watering. Pearson replied it would be a decision of council but they would have to be com- pletely separated from the system and inspected, "otherwise you will have anoth- er Walkerton." Dowson said the ideal was to have the tower up and not to borrow from the rest of the system, while Deputy Mayor Dave Johnston added that the costs "were worst case," and if the municipality was able to get more grants, it would move the project forward faster. "I'm confident on the prices," said Pearson. "I feel good about 10 (thou- sand)." Pearson added that every customer would have a meter installed and the cost was included in the estimate. Pearson noted that despite the phasing, which would see some customers paying first, they wouldn't pay less interest. "No matter what phase, you pay the same." Motions were then passed to approve the phasing of the project as well as the tenders to proceed with the water tower and water distribution system design and tenders. In other business, Coun. Jim Fergusson told council about a recent meeting of the Lake Huron Primary Water Supply System and said the 2009 water rate has been set. Fergusson said the wholesale rate to Bluewater will see a six per cent increase or 1.8 cents a cubic metre, which he said is consistent with the five-year forecast. ) Fergusson also said the application to Building Canada for the Hensall pipeline project is still going ahead and has been forwarded to senior levels of government. Fire award Bluewater has been recognized by the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal (OFM) for its success in meeting the OFM's stan- dards in fire prevention and education. OFM program specialist Bert Kuntz was at the meeting and presented Dowson with a certificate of compliance, saying "everything is headed in the right direc- tion," for fire protection in Bluewater. Dowson said the recognition was due to the work of fire chief Dave Johnston, Bluewater chief administrative officer Lori Taylor and all the firefighters of Bluewater.