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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2015-10-21, Page 22 News Record • Wednesday, October 21, 2015 OSSTF and school board come to tentative agreement Laura Broadley Clinton News Record After being at the bargain- ing table for months local secondary school teachers and the school board have moved forward. The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) District 8 Avon Maitland Contract Teachers' Bargaining Unit and the Avon Maitland District School Board announced on Oct. 15 that the groups have come to a tentative agreement. The two organizations have been working for a number of weeks to reach a consensus for the direction of the relationship. Jeff Denys, president of the OSSTF/FEESO District 8 TBU, said that is past years everything, including salary and class sizes, was dealt with locally. After the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act was passed it was set up that there were two official tables, centrally with the government and locally with the employer. "One of the hang-ups of that was some of the issues that were dealt with at the central table could not be dealt with or negotiated at the local table," said Denys. Issues dealt with at the local level could not be dealt with centrally as well, Denys added. Denys said the challeng- ing part of that process is, for example, when the negotia- tions turned to something like workload. "Until we understood and knew what the central table issue was and how they dealt with workload, essentially, it was really tough to try to negotiate anything locally because you weren't sure what was being dealt with centrally and what we were allowed to deal with locally," said Denys. "It was the first time through so there's learning processes and bumps in the road:' Denys said it was impor- tant to take the extra time to come to an agreement that both sides felt was a good deal. "Both parties worked extremely hard to reach this deal and should be commended for their col- lective problem solving," said Ted Doherty, AMDSB director of education, in a press release. Details of the agreement won't be released until the ratification process is com- plete, which is expected at the end of October. Council still having trouble defining "seasonal" campground Laura Broadley Clinton News Record Ten years on and a com- plaint brought to Central Huron council is yet to be dealt with. At the meeting on Sept. 21 of this year a letter was brought to council's attention that claimed Pine Lake Campground was being used as ayear-round resi- dence for a portion of the peo- ple living there. Pine Lake Campground is classified as a recreational trailer park and campground. In this type of zoned land trail- ers are permitted for use but they must adhere to bylaws set out by the municipality. The bylaws state that a trailer park is land where only seasonal accommodation is permitted and cannot include permanent year-round occupation. In a copy of Pine Lake Camp- ground's own bylaws it states that campsites should be used for seasonal occupancy only and an alternate address must be kept up-to-date and on file. It also states that residents fail- ing to abide by municipal laws MUNICIPALITY OF BLUEWATER NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE COMMUNITY OF BAYFIELD CLASS EA FOR EXPANSION OF THE BAYFIELD SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITY INFORMATION SESSION FOR RESIDENTS The Municipality of Bluewater has initiated a Class Environmental Assessment process for expansion of the Bayfield Sewage Treatment Facility. A public information meeting has been planned to advise residents of the status of study investigations and to provide a tentative timeline for completion of the Environmental Assessment and implementation of the project. The following information will be presented: • Project background and description • Current facility description and performance • What expansion options are being explored • Potential service area expansion into Central Huron • Expected timeline for implementation Representatives of the Municipality and the Project Engineers will be in attendance. DATE: LOCATION: TIME: PRESENTATION: Saturday October 31st, 2015 Bayfield Community Centre 10:00 a.m. — 12:00 p.m. 10:30 a.m. Bluewater+vsRGSS inhlnudni Ucslur co.imcndlc, '�h i i 0111 I DIVE•y to KI] 1 i are liable to penalties. A full-time resident of Pine Lake, who requested to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, alleges that at one point during a park meeting in the past resi- dents were encouraged to pro- vide a false primary address. In the letter it said this would allow the park to work around stipu- lations set out in bylaws and insurance. Results from a Pine Lake Campground management - distributed survey to residents listed "shoot the complainers" as away to improve communi- cation within the park. At the request of council Cen- tral Huron chief building official, LesleyAdams, sentareportback at the Oct. 13 committee of the whole. In the report it states that Pine Lake Campground is taxed in a lump sum based on a Cur- rent Value Assessment, which is $13,768,841 to be distributed however the owner sees fit The report acknowledged that depending on that decision an inequity of tax distribution could arise. The report also states that a complication arises when people choose to live in trailers year- round. Infrastructure such as the heating system, hydro and pipes, meant only for seasonal use, can become overwhelmed. In 2005 the News Record reported the same allegations against the park The reeve at that time said the problem was the unclear definition of "seasonal" Current mayor, Jim Ginn, reiter- atedthese concems. Ginn said one of the main issues is some of the people liv- ing in these trailer homes are low-income. Addressing con- cerns like this would require some people to spend hun- dreds of thousands of dollars they don't have, leaving them without a place to live. The conclusion of the report states the unresolved issue is of the zoning of the campground. It says that this issue is province - wide and even within the municipality is not just an issue in Pine Lake Campground. Staff recommended the issue deferred to the five year review of the municipality's zoning bylaws for a potential amend- ment. The recommendation does acknowledge the difficulty is this conversation and coming up with an all-encompassing definition of "seasonal" Ginn said the municipality could potentially look for direc- tion from the province on how to deal it Multiple calls and emails by News Record staff to Karen Clingo, president and general manager of Pine Lake Camp- ground, went unreturned. In 2005, she did speak with news- paper staff and denied there were any residents living in the parkyear round. ATTENTION ADVERTISERS! DEADLINES Our'sleekly Deadlines are as foilovhs ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL Friday @ 2:00 pm dews Record 53 AFbert St, S, Clinton PH; 519-4824443 rww.clintanr . zrecord.;arn MOIL - Fri. Sari - 5pin CLOSED TUESDAYS