HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1987-11-18, Page 1Hensall —: A5
Dublin — A6'
People —'A7
Obituaries — A7
Births A7
Serving the communities
and areas of Seatorth,
Brussels., Dublin, Hensall
and Walton
INDEX •
Weddings — A7
Walton — A8
Spors A9, AIO, Alii
Classifieds _ Al2, A13, A14 •
• Legion -- A15
•
7.
Harmony Hi-Lites in top 10.
See page A15.
6,f
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, NOVEMBER 18;1987
50 cents a .copy
Public relations plan approved
CLINTON - Striving for understanding,
commitment, open lines of communication
and promotion are the underlying aims of a
new public relations package that has been
adopted. by the. Huron County Board of
Education.
The package is the culmination of more
than a year's work. The result is a in-depth
presentation that focuses on communica-
. tions and public relations in the school
system and in the community at large.'
A bright red stylized" apple. and a new
slogan "Huron Public Education - Opening
Up The World" are only part of thenew look
and the new package of recommendations.
The board agreed to support several
recommendations that are laid out in -the
report. Board trustees agreed to "develop a
communication policy which nutures good
school-community relations and maintains
the positive public image which is vital to
° the established goals."
The board voted in favor of a recomrnen-
dation that calls for the continued support of
adult education opportunities in the school
system. They approved in principle the
potential for program extension in the area
of pre-school day care..
Other approved recommendations called
for a formal review of internal communica-
tions in the school system, the making of a
promotional video, and the continuation of
Excellence in Education programs•. •
For a great part, the public relations
report works to reaffirm the directives that
are presently being implemented in the
school system. Student handbooks, parent
involvement in the ,classroom, community
use of school facilities, public displays,
newsletters, school fairs, phone contact,
open houses, concerts, student participation
in community groups and events are listed
aspart of the extensive initiatives now being
undertaken in the Huron County' public
school•system.
The report noted in part, "...Many ex-
amples of excellence were found to be in ex-
istence already and, above all, to note that
the strongest present and fdture method of
communicating worth is through' our
students, the ones for whome our school
system exists. They are and will continue to
be our best ambassadors."
"A further recommendation that earned
the board's seal of approval will see the im-
plementation of a formal market survey, to
be conducted in each family of schools to
review perceived public needs.'
It was determined that informal surveys
have been conducted in' the past. Results
from such casual studies found that many
areas need to be addressed with more
deliberation. It has been suggested that 'a
formal study could be efficiently carried out
by telephone.
In discussing the merits of conducting
•
SOIL TURNING - The first sod was turned for the Seaforth Community Hospital Health
Centre on Saturday. Turning the soil were Fred Tilley, Chairman of the Hospital Board;
Garry Osborn, the town's representative on the -hospital board; Brian McBurney,
Warden of Huron County; Marie Hicknell, the Reeve of Hullett Township; Jack Riddell,
Ontario Minister of Agriculture and Food, and Murray Cardiff, MP for the Huron riding,
Construction on the new facility will be done by Smith Construction of Seaforth who
was toe low tender at $767,400° The new facility will be owned and operated by the
hospital and the funding for the project was accumulated with no help from either the
provincial, federal or municipal government. Corbett photo;
Clerk's conduct questionned
A member of Seaforth council questionn-
ed the hastiness of a decision by the Town
Clerk to change the locks tothe municipal
office after the resignation of Deputy Clerk
Luanne Phair.
The locks were changed by Saturday,
November 7, although Miss Phair was not
officially finished in the town's employ un-
til Friday, November 13. She took her last
week of holidays from November 7 to 13.
Councillor Carolanne Doig questionned
the town's policy regarding lock changes,
and said She found Mr. Crocker's conduct
in changing the locks so quickly to be
"unprofessional".
"I think it's an insult to someone who has
worked five years for the town, carried a
Tot ofresponsibility, and is leaving to take
Three phase
facelift proposed
for Victoria Park
Stage one of a three -stage plan to improve
• the appearance of Seaforth's Victoria Park,
was completed, in time for the recent
Remembrance Day ceremonies, Stages two
and three are scheduled to take place in 1988
Devised by Landscape Architect James
Samna of Egmondville, the plan represents
an economical way to spread the costs of lin-
provements needed to the park, over three
years.
This year improvernents Winded the
replacement of the ' cement around the
cenotaph with patio blocks, the installation
Of six flag post holders, and soft landscaping
(flowering bushes and plants) at the west
end of the park. Total cost of the 1989 im-
provertients was $4,979°
Scheduled for 1988 is the construction Of
wooden tietithea and garbage can cases -for
the park,the installation of three light fax
tures
own the middle of the park, and the
planting of some more colorful trees
Plans for 1989 include improvements to
the bandshell.
up a higher position, I understand she
(Miss Phair) had indicated she would
conte in later' to clean out her desk, and
when she did, she found the locks were
changed. T think that is disgusting," said
Councillor Doig,
Mr. Crocker said the lock change wasn't
meant as an insult to Miss Phair, and it
was "standard procedure" when an
employee left,
'It's town policy, is it, to change the locks
then?," asked Councillor Doig.
"It's my policy, because I'm in charge,"
refuted Mr. Crocker.
such a survey, Ashfield -West Wawanosh
Trustee Tony McQuail rated out, "You're
operating blind unless u know what peo-
ple are thinking."
He suggested that a kurvey could be con-
ducted at a minimumrof expense and it
could also be used as an educational exer-
cise. He said that a major consulting firm
need not be hired tp carry out the survey.
Help in developing' questions could come
from an outside source, but the mechanics
of conducting the survey could be handled
by senior school students.
Additional discussion focussed on the
needs of developing a job description to ad-
dress the responsibilites and recommenda-
tions that are outlined iin the report.
Board members agreed to the creation of
a new job description, however no com-
mitments were made to the specific hiring
of person to carry out public relations
responsibilities.
"Additional support in some fashion is
needed," encouraged communications com-
mittee co-ordinator Paul Carroll.
Clinton-Tuckersmith Trustee Sally
Rathweii suggested that the job did not war-
rant a fulltime position. Mr. McQuail said
that the position could, begin as a fulltime
job and later be streamlined into less time
consuming.
Some funding has been set aside in the
Board of Education budget this year to help
initiate the program.
_Landfill committee
will no.t purchase
Kootstra property.
The Seaforth-Tuckersmith Landfill com-
mittee has advised KQotstra it will not be ex-
ercising the option to purchase on his
property.
• The two municipalities are close
developing an agreement which would allow
them use of the Holmesvllle landfill site for
the next 12 to 15 years. The County of Huron
has also received funding to do a Master
Plan Study for the County.
Although the municipalities are not pursu-
ing any other site as long es the possibility
remains of obtaining permission to use the
Holmesville site, they said• they do plan to
maintain an interest in what other com-
munities are involved in. For that reason
they plan to continue to attend meetings
with other towns seeking new waste disposal
sites. The Seaforth-Tuckersmith Landfill
Committee will not be disbanded until such
time as an agreeemnt is signed with the
llohnegville group.
"We are already pursuing an alternative
to the Seaforth Landfill site," said- Coun-
cillor Carolanne Doig, "but we want to show
the ministry we are pursuing all
alternatives."
A Ministry grant in the 'amount of
$35,916.47 was received earlier in the year,
representing per cent of the eligible ex-
penditures for the period April 1 to March
31,1986 on the Seaforth-Tuckersmith landfill
investigation. The costs of that investigation
were shared 54 per cent Tudkersmitb and 46
per cent Seaforth,
HISTORICAL BURIAL the long aWafte'd burls( of a time capsule to commemorate
the'156th anniversary of the Upper Canada Rebellion in which Colonel Van Egniond
played such a key role, took place on the Van Egi fond House'grOUtid's Friday. The cap=
sule was to have been buried during Ciderfeat feshvittes tial r iny`Weaiher made that
impossible: At the historical burial were, from Teff, Ed Boyes, resident, Ken'McLlwain,
crane operator, Tom Lemon, Ma mstreet Coordihator and Jim Cardrio, VanEgrhon'd
Foundation. The capsule is scheduled to be unearthed in 5b years (2037). MallWraith
photo: _..
REMEMBERING THE FALLEN - Members of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 156
Seaforth, local school children and members of the general public at large, attended a
Remembrance Day Service at the Cenotaph on Wednesday. The service paid tribute to
the soldiers who fought in the country's three major wars. Mcllwraith photo.
Manpower still a problem
Town council Was forced to postpone a
decision on the manpower situation of the
Seaforth Police Department until its
December meeting. Police Chief Hal Claus,
who was to address council at its Nbvember
meeting, was on vacation and was unable to
attend.
Council was to make a decision on what
option the town would take to amend a shor-
tage of manpower le the town of Seaforth.
An injury to Constable John Cairns earlier
in the year has left the local police force
operating as a three-man, rather than four-
man unit. The result has been a lot of long
days and little tune off for police.
Correspondence received earlier from
Constable Cairns' doctor indicates his
rehabilitation is going to take place over at
least the next six months at which time the
fixation devices which restrict movement of
the knee may be removed giving him more
flexion in the knees~ The doctor suggested if
Constables Cairns returns to work he may
be restricted t'o sedentary work.
So the manpower situation is not going to
Improve In the near future.
"Our biggest problem comes when the
Men are on holidays," said Councillor Peg
Campbell, also Chairman of the Protection
to Persons and Property Committee,
I thinkwe really have to start looking at
something. It (the police situation) can't
stay the way it is. It just won't work. There
is far too much overtime and the men just
can't continue to handle those kind of
hours."
Councillor Campbell added it's to the
point it's become impossible to compensate
overtime with time off.
"When you're looking at time off, two men
can't run a force. It's just not feasible," she
said. •
The police committee is recommending to
council it: i. Do nothing and revise the
schedule as a three man force; ii. Hire
anOther- CM -Stable on the chance Constable
Cairns may not return to work; iii. Hire a
part-time constable to work certain shifts
until a final decision is made on John
Cairns' return to work or iv. Hire another
constable on a special contraetuuntil a final
decision is made on John Cairns, at which
time the contract expires if Constable
Cairns returns, or the Constable is hired on
a permanent contract if Constables Cairns
does not return to work.
Town Council must apply to the. Ontario
Police Commission for perinission to reduce
the force from four men to three. The OPC,
however, does riot have the power to force a
municipality to hire a constable.
Highway salting
fiuron County will soon have to take a
serious look at the • damage caned by
salting its roads during the winter, county
council has been cautioned by Its roads coin-
mittee chairman. ..
llo' n" _presentation of his c mriiittee's
Fo wi g p o
report g_._ _ session of
to the regular November
}Wren County Council, Colborne Township'
Reeve J. R. Kerhighan warned council of
the hazards of salting.
"I think we'r'e going to have to do
a problem
something about the salt and the damage
It's doing to our cars.,.our roads," Mr. Ker-
nighan said,
The roads committee chairman, however,
adfriitted he is reluctant to suggest the coun.
ty stop salting its roads during the winter.
"I don't know whether Huron County
should be advocatingg such a thing when it
(salt) is Such an important contributor to
our economy."
Donitar's Sifto Salt Division mine is
located at Goderich.