HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1990-07-04, Page 1INDEX
Civic Comer - 3A
Births -9A
Obituaries - 9A
Weddings - 13A
Graduates - 14A
Serving the :ommunrtses
and areas of Seaforth,
Brussels, Dublin, Hensel'
and Walton
Seaforth High Honrs winners celebrated. See page 3A.
Bus driver recalls 40 years on the road. See page 7A.
Hope for Munn's Bush remains alive. See page 9A.
X OSltOr � �,
Seaforth, Ontario
HUION EXPOSITOR. WEDNESDAY. JULY 4. 1190
ver var 100"
Ir 4-
NO PROBLEM, MOM! - Fifteen -month-old Andrea Murray had a whale of a time at the Lions Pool on
Monday morning, kicking up some waves with mom Marylou Murray in the Moms and Tots swimming
class. A definite future lifeguard, Andrea took to the water like a fish and it took a bit of work to convince
here that swimming time was over after half an hour. Elliott photo.
Finances good, says hospital board
Seaforth Community Hospital
board Chairman Ralph Smith ad-
dressed a group of 0 -plus atten-
dees at the hospital's 61st Annual
Meeting last Tuesday night. The
board presented the hospital's
auditor's report at the public
meeting, and noted some of the
highlights of the last operating year
before electing board executive and
ratifying by-laws.
The last year was a banner one
for the Seaforth Community
Hospital, seeing the opening of the
new addition in November and the
recognition of the hospital with a
three-year accreditati8n award.
Normally, only two-year ac-
creditation is granted and the suc-
cess of the Quality Assurance
program, headed by Lorraine
Devereaux, was lauded.
Another highlight was the com-
puterization of the health care sys-
tem, and the implementation of the
Nursing Information System in the
hospital's nursing division.
Chairman Ralph Smith pointed
out that the hospital's operating
revenue has been upped sig-
nificantly, with over $4.5 million
budgeted at present. He applauded
the efforts of Chief Executive Of-
ficer Don Smith and Chief Finan-
cial Officer Judy MacDonald for
helping to bring this about.
In the business end of the
meeting, it was passed that the
accounting firm of Deloitte -Touche
be appointed as the hospital
auditors for the coming year.
Larry Parker and Jim Crocker,
both eligible for re-election to the
board, were both re -appointed for
three year terms. New to the board
are Mary Catherine Lane and
Don Scrimgeour. Also on the Board
is Lin Steffler, representing Huron
County.
Seaforth man charged
after hydro pole snapped
Charges are pending after an
accident last Monday night which
saw hydro knocked out in two-
thirds of the town for approximately
half an hour.
A 49 -year-old Seaforth man,
whose name cannot be released
with charges pending. was
westbound eon Con 2-3
McKillop north of Seaforth last
Monday night, June . s when his
Chevy pick-up went oft the road
and entered the south ditch, striking
a hydro, pole ank: chattering it near
the base. The truck continued m
and hit the west hank of the creek.
There were nr, , n juries resorted,
and damage Is classified as
i 1nrnk• • The TR, k was travelt;•
1
at unknown
m
a at 9when the ac-
cident o:55 p.m.
A crew from Ontario Hydro was
on the scene shortly after the
mishap, hap, which knocked out the
Seaforth P.U.C. MIS on Chalk and
Gooinlock Streets, killing power in
town for half an hour. Street hghta
on most of the Main St. and the
traffic lights at the caner of
Ooderich and Main streets were
dead, and power was down from
t„e north-east corner of town to the
south-west caner. Power failure
was also reported as far north as
Brussels.
Constable Scott from the
Goderich OPP detachment is in
r have of the investigation.
Re-elected as officers for the
Hospital Board of Governors were
Jim Crocker (Treasurer), Tom Phil-
lips (Vice President) and Ralph
Smith (President).
FINANCIAL PICTURE
Financial statements released at
the Annual Meeting of the Seaforth
Community Hospital, held last
Tuesday, June 26 in the hospital
boardroom, indicate an operating
surplus of $242,426 for the finan-
cial year ending March 31, 1990.
Due to the hospital Building Expan-
sion during this period, the Ontario
Ministry of Health had increased
the hospital budget by 5365,100.
Hospital Board Chairman Ralph
Smith announced that the Board has
set such money aside to obtain
much needed replacement x-ray
diagnostic equipment costing
$430,000.
These operating results were
achieved through fiscal management
and changing patient care patterns.
Increased emphasis is being placed
on all hospitals on becoming a
health-care resource for the com-
munity, for out-patient and walk-in
care, health prevention and
promotion programs, and in-patient
care.
Despite what may appear to be
available cash in the financial
report, the hospital must purchase
expensive new equipment to replace
worn, aging equipment. This year's
replacements which must be bought
total 5787,000 alone.
The tund raising campaign for the
expanded Emergency / Out-patient
area will move forward with con-
tinued pledges via the Hospital
Building Fund, in place since last
year.
60 cents a copy
Adult program a go: Board
BY PAULA ELLIOTT
Recent flurries of speculation
about the demise of the Adult
Business Education program, which
recently graduated its first class
from Seaforth District High School,
are just that - speculation - the
Board of Education assured this
week.
Chuck Rowland, the Superinten-
dent of Student Services for the
Huron County Board, was quizzed
as to whether or not the Adult
Education was being cut after let-
ters to the editor began appearing in
local papers, outraged over the
rumoured death of the program.
"Not by us," he replied, adding
that sometimes "..somebody gets a
little bit of information and panics."
Jim Empringham, principal of
Seaforth District High School and a
driving force behind the classes,
echoed Mr. Rowland's feelings.
"The rumour mill being what it is,
people often add up two and two
and come up with five," he said.
"It is, to my knowledge, not about
to be cut."
The Board also confirmed that the
program is not about to be cut, but
speculated that changes in the fun-
ding for the Adult Business
Education program may have
fuelled the rumours. Mr. Rowland
explained that at the program's
outset back in July, funding could
not be confirmed from Canada
Employment when it was initially
kicked off as a job re-entry
program.
"The Social Assistance format got
the funding going," explained Mr.
Rowland, allowing the Board to
purchase computers and business
equipment needed for the program.
With that equipment now on hand,
the Board will continue the Adult
Business Education under their
`Adult Education' format.
"These grants don't go on
forever," Mr. Rowland pointed out.
Recent concerns over cutbacks in
the Huron County Board of
Education 1990-91 budget may also
have something to do with the
speculation. As Mr. Empringham
reasoned, "The budget atmosphere
is sc negative right now that I
think people are reacting, and
thinking that the innovative
programs are the first to go."
The Adult Business Education
program is a milestone for the
Huron County, giving women from
the region the chance to learn prac-
tical, applicable business and com-
puting skills and apply them for
four months in workplace ex-
perience. Credits are also given
towards earning high school
diplomas. Seaforth's fust class of
the pilot project graduated on June
15, and 12 of the 18 program
graduates are now employed.
"It's my opinion that the Adult
Business Ed. fills a very special
need in the county, and it's unique
in the county," Mr. Empringham
said. "And it would be my opinion
that the trustees feel the same way."
A list of potential students for the
1990-91 program in September is
already being compiled, and the
Board has heard nothing but good
reports about the program since it
began in September.
Vanastra warehouse eyed as
potential PCB process plant
j A plan to turn an empty Vanastra
warehouse into either a chemical
transport transfer station, a
low-level PCB processing plant or
a tire recycling industry has been
put before Tuckermsith Council.
Robert Gibbings, representing
O'Bailey's Waste Management Ltd.
out of London, appeared before
Council at their last meeting to go
over a list of development
proposals. Previously, Mr. Gibbings
had forwarded a letter to Tuck-
ermsith clerk Jack McLachlan
which outlined five separate
proposals for the warehouse, the
30,000 square foot Archer building
on Seventh Avenue in Vanastra.
Along with the PCB plant, tire
recycling facility and transfer
station, the report suggested a
proposed chemical drum recycling
depot and a non -pathological
medical incinerator set-up.
O'Baileys also indicated that "..the
total capital cost projection for all
of the projects listed is 12 million
dollars." Employment estimates
range from 5 to 12 employees per
facility.
"I'm sure the residents of the area
are not going to be too much in
favour,” remarked Councillor Bill
De Jong over the PCB processing
plant suggestion.
When asked why the waste
management company had pin-
pointed Vanastra as a site for the
proposed industries, Mr. Gibbings
indicated that "..the cost of real
estate is a big factor."
One major obstacle, he continued,
was the low volume of material to
be handled compared to the capital
cost of acquiring and rezoning the
land and purchasing equipment.
In his letter to council dated June
18, he pointed out that one solution
would be to locate a facility capable
of handling a number of operations,
utilizing the same management and
administrative personnel as well as
space.
In meeting with Council later that
evening, however, he said that he
would be looking at one of the five
proposals.
"We're here to do business."
Council questioned the viability of
Vanastra as a central location for a
processing plant or transfer station,
Mr. Gibbings assured that he would
be able to draw industrial wastes
from here to Owen Sound.
He also noted that a water treat-
ment plant would have to be en-
gineered in the facility for a drum
recycling operation.
Mr. Gibbings presented a letter to
Council signed by Joseph E. Cum-
mins, Associate Professor of
Genetics from the University of
Western Ontario, attesting to the
safeness of the Galson Engineering
low-level PCB reactor proposed for
use by O'Baileys.
Enquiring after the tire recycling
facility, a "..dry, clean process" that
would see old tires reduced to pow-
der, council expressed concern over
Ontario Ministry approval for the
tire recycling equipment.
"I don't mean to be sarcastic, but
there's no reason for this to be
approved by the Ministry," Mr.,
Gibbings remarked, adding that the
equipment could be purchased from
the U.S.A. for roughly $2 million.
Council has not reached a
iecision on the proposals.
HOW TO FEED 1,000 PEOPLE - Seaforth Agricultural. Society's Tractor Elimination Draw was a
IlUOoetis. Here the above men gel a quick lesson In how to carve 54 roasts, or 1.500 pounds of
meat. Orford photo
r