HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2018-01-11, Page 1INSIDE
THIS WEEK:
RESERVES - Pg. 2
Brussels resident concerned
over Huron East decision
BLYTH 140m - Pg. 3
Anniversary year wraps
up with successful event
SPORTS - Pg. 8
Londesborough youth
turns heads in Las Vegas
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Volume 34 No. 2
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Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, January 11, 2018
A scrappy morning
The Blyth Brussels Minor Hockey Association's Novice
team was in action on Saturday morning against a strong
team from Milverton at the Brussels, Morris and Grey
Community Centre. As hockey action turns an eye towards
Ontario Minor Hockey Association playdowns, which are on
the horizon, local arenas will be busy places as local teams work
hard to ensure they get to play beyond the regular season. The
local Novices, however, came up on the short end of a 3-2 score
on Saturday, despite the hard work of Rodney Ansley, above, and
the rest of the team, who put forth a valiant effort. (Quinn Tarbor photo)
Budget
process
begins
By Denny Scott
The Citizen
After an exhaustive review of the
first public draft of North Huron's
2018 budget that spanned two
meetings, North Huron Council is
faced with some difficult decisions
in the coming months.
The two meetings, held Jan. 3 and
4, saw a draft budget presented with
a 14.7 per cent increase to taxation
to cover increased spending and
reduced upper -tier funding.
The draft budget includes
significant expenses, including
$750,000 in debt payments, $1.2
million in capital, a $20,000 hike in
some staff wages due to the new
minimum wage increase, as well as
hundreds of thousands of dollars
that may potentially need to be
added to the document.
Chief Administrative Officer
Dwayne Evans explained that, in
2017, North Huron had a $16
million budget, $5 million of which
was raised by taxation.
While the total spending in the
2017 budget was $1 million more
than the 2018 budget's $14,875,803,
the municipality has less revenue for
the municipality to rely on, meaning
$5.9 million needs to be raised
through taxation if the budget were
passed as is.
The $708,715 in additional cost
means that 40 per cent of the
township's revenue will come from
taxation versus 31 per cent the year
before.
Evans explained that each
percentage of taxation increase
generates $48,916.40 for the
municipality.
The 14.7 per cent increase is part
Continued on page 10
Hospitals achieve accreditation with commendation
The Listowel Wingham Hospitals
Alliance (LWHA) is celebrating a
recent "Accreditation with
Commendation" award. Two
Accreditation Canada surveyors
spent five days on site at Listowel
Memorial Hospital and Wingham
and District Hospital in November
and reviewed the hospitals'
compliance with over 2,000
nationally recognized standards.
Accreditation Canada is an
independent, non-governmental
organization that develops national
standards of excellence for all health
care sectors, including hospitals.
The standards are used to measure
patient outcomes and hospital
performance. Accreditation with
Commendation is the second-
highest level of award and indicates
that the Listowel Wingham
Hospitals Alliance has exceeded the
fundamental requirements of
Accreditation. The hospitals were
compliant on 97.9 per cent of the
standards established by
Accreditation Canada.
The survey process traces patient
care from the arrival at the hospital
through to discharge. The surveyors
also evaluate the effectiveness of the
board and how they oversee patient
quality and safety. In addition, they
assess the work -life experiences of
staff.
There is very little that the
surveyors do not see or learn about
the hospitals in the time they spend
completing their review. They look
for how the entire hospital works
together to focus on safety and
quality.
"It is gratifying to have the effort
invested by staff, board members
Continued on page 9
Native Earth PA to produce `Ipperwash'
Ipperwash, which premiered at the
Blyth Festival as part of the 2017
season, will be on stage at Toronto's
Native Earth Performing Arts next
month.
The production, created and
directed by Falen Johnson, will run
from Feb. 6-18 in the Aki Studio at
the Dundas Street East theatre. It is
presented in partnership with the
Blyth Festival, which commissioned
the show under Artistic Director Gil
Garratt.
The on-stage story begins in 1942,
when the Department of Defence
forcibly evicted the community of
Stoney Point to the neighbouring
reserve of Kettle Point to establish
military training base, Camp
Ipperwash, the department promised
to return the land after the war had
concluded. This promise went
unfulfilled for over 70 years.
When Corporal Bea Johnson, an
Anishinaabe from New Credit, who
is hired by the Department of
Defence to manage the ordinance
Continued on page 16