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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1989-01-18, Page 1INDEX Civic Co Legion - A6 Births - A7 Sports - A7-10 Correspondence - A 13 Obituaries - A 14 rt to set town example. See page A3. Tax arrears down in 1988. See page A4 • Bennewies top zone bowler. See page A5. Serving the communities and areas of Seaforth, Brussels, Dublin, Hensall and Walton Seaforth, Ontario HURON EXPOSITOR, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1989 50 cents a copy NEW YEARS BABY - The Seaforth Community Hospital's first January 14 at 5:41 a.m. She weighs seven pounds, one ounce. _baby of the new year has been born. Melanie Marie Cronin, Melanie has. two brothers, four-year-old Brent, and 17 -month-old daughter of Gary and Ann of RR 2 Dublin came into the world on Jamie. Corbettphoto. VASCOMFMT7ME. Huron students to get more French instruction HCBE 'establishes sexual The Huron County Board of Education has established a policy on sexual harassment. r Jeanne McDonald, Personnel Manager with the HCBE, has been working on the policy since June 1988 and says it is impor- tant "to make sure people know they have an avenue to go through when something in this area happens." The policy outlines a procedure to be harassment policy followed when complaints of sexual harass- ment are raised by those in the school system - including men, women, and students. McDonald feels the policy helps ensure people can work in the school system without the disruptive element of sexual harassment. This is reflected in the opening statement of the policy which begins: Insurance cheaper, but better The Town of Seaforth renewed its annual insurance policy last week, with some rais- ed benefits, at $218 less than it paid for the 1988 policy. As a result general insurance coverage for the town in 1989 will cost $26,669. It cost $26.887 in 1988. Dave Reed of Frank Cowan Co. Ltd- told council the decreased rate is possible because of a softening in the general in- surance market place. "Because of the renewal rates we're in- volved in we are able to give those municipalities with a population of less than 25,000, who purchase renewal, rates in 1989 that are less than those paid in 1988," he said. For that reason Frank Cowan Co. Ltd. The total sum of property insurance re - was also able to recommend increased mains $4,976,900 with a deductible of $1,000. benefits to the town, and still offer a Boiler and machinery insurance stays at $2 decrease in its insurance rate. million comprehensive with a $1,000/$1,500 This year highlights of the renewal cover (arena) deductible and Environmental include; an increase in the councillors' acci- liability remains at $1 million, with an an - dent insurance - from $50,000 to $100,000 for nual aggregate of $2 million. `It is the intent of the Huron County Board of Education to provide and maintain an en- vironment which is supportive of both pro- dubtivity and the pe sonal goals, dignity and self-esteem of every, individual in the system, an envir mment in which all employees, volunteers and students can work free from sexual harassment of a ver - Turn to page 14A • Public school students in Huron County six or seven, there is a little more resistance will be getting more French instruction - if to French," he explains, instructors can be found. So the trustees hope to get students involv- At its January meeting the Huron County ed in French at an earlier age, when their Board of Education passed a motion resolv- minds are still open to new ideas. ing to make a commitment to strengthen the' , , In addition to this advantage, Mr. Jewitt core french program in its elementary says it is proven that languages are learned schools by adopting a goal of 20 minutes of easier by children at earlier ages. instruction per day in Grades one to three, Another concern addressed by trustees and 40 minutes of instruction per day in was the crowded school curriculum, and grades four to eight. they asked what other courses would suffer What is new in this motion is there is cur- as a result of increased French language in- rently no french instruction in Grades one or struction. However, the curriculum is two, and there is currently only 20 minutes busiest in the senior, grades, and trustees of instruction in Grades three and four. felt French instruction could be increased in INSTRUCTORS IN SHORT SUPPLY primary grades without other classes suf- Bob Allan, Director of Education, says fering overly. there was deliberately no timeline included In terms of the provincial . average, with the motion. The reason for this is the Southwestern Ontario is on the lower end of board may have difficulty recruiting the French Instruction scale. And according French teachers, who are in short supply in to Mr. Jewitt Huron County has been on the Ontario at this time. The board will be inter- low end of the French Instruction Scale in viewing and offering positions, and is Southwestern Ontario, so this was another already trying to determine the state of the of the trustees' considerations. French instructor's market. "We have to have our young people ready This initiative to increase French instruc- to compete with people from all over the tion in public schools will increase the province," says Mr. Jewitt. teaching staff by six across the county.. In January of 1988 the Board dealt with Mr. Allan says the geography of Huron the issue of French language instruction, County is such that the HCBE is not likely to and turned down a motion similar to the one become involved in French immersion pro- recently passed. The motion was not passed grams, but trustees felt the board should of- unanimously in 1989. fer a first rate core French program. "We have no idea how hard it's going to be John Jewitt, Chairman of the Board, says to recruit teachers," says Mr. Jewitt. The students' attitudes also had an influence on Chairman added it could take anywhere the trustees' decision to extend French in- from two to four years to find the additional struction into Grades one and two. instructors needed tolive up to the Board's "Some of the trustees felt when young "commitment to strengthen the core people reach a certain age, around Grade French program." Culvert may reduce floodplain In an effort to reduce flooding in the Town of Seaforth, council has given permission for the enlargement of the CNR culvert. The Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority estimatee this action will remove 30 struc- tures from the existing floodplain, and at the same time reduce by 1.5 metres the level to which structures on the flood fringe have to flood proof. The Town of Seaforth and the ABCA have been investigating a means of improving the flooding problem in Seaforth since 1981, when .such remedial measures as increasing the size of the CNR cul ert and increasing the size of the do ' --'• channel for 1,100 metres, were first propo In 1987 a study was made which pro- ved the town could reduce the i:ws f flood in a cost effective and beneficial „ er, simply by increasing the flow . area. However, that same study showed im- provements downstream would not be cost effective. In 1988 the study was carried on to its next step, and by the end of the year had resulted in a number of recommended remedial works that could be undertaken. One of the recommendations was to leave the existing culvert (because it is structurailund) and put in another precast tonere culvert next to it and to the east. This vert, measuring 16 feet by 13 feet, would be deeper than the existing culvert, and would allow more water to pass under the CNR tracks. At present the single culvert acts more like a dam than a channel, since the flow is not fast enough to push the water through the culvert before it rises above it. For this reason the ABCA felt the installa- tion of an additional culvert would be the most cost effective solution to the flooding problem in Seaforth, and one that would pro- vide the best value for the money spent. The cost of this project is estimated to cost a total of $225,000, but not all of that cost would be borne by the Town of Seaforth. A regular provincial grant will cover 55 per cent of the final cost ($123,750) and a supplementary grant a further 30 per cent ($67,500). The ABCA general levy is 1.5 per cent ($3,375), leaving the portion the Town of Seaforth must pay at 13.5 per cent ($30,375). These—cost estimates may be revised once the final design is completed and costs for any easements of land acquisi- tion are better defined. The percentage breakdown as noted will apply against ac- tual final costs. The ABCA has indicated it is prepared to proceed with this flood reduction project early in 1989. The entire installation of the new culvert is expected to take 72 hours, but because of government approvals and red tape, it will probably be eight months before that stage is reached. accidental death or dismemberment - and a maintenance of the $300 weekly income for total disability and $150 weekly income for partial disability; an increase in crime in- surance - which covers commercial blanket bond, audit expense, counterfeit paper and depositors' forgery and money and -securities '- from $75,000/$1,000 to $500,000/$1,000; and an increase in liabilit? insurance - which covers municipal liabih- ty, errors and omissions, owned - automobiles, non -owned automobiles and excess liability - from $5 million to $10 million. No movement, talks in lock -out Since employees at the General Coach in Hensall were locked out on December 30, 1988 there have been d talks between the union and manag t. ero The membe f rani.3054 of the United Brotherhood 41 Carpenters and Joiners of America were locked out when they turned down General Coach's final offer to renew a collective agreement ,and settle three and a half months of negotiation. The previous collective agreement expired on October 31, 1988. The employees voted 94 per cent in favor of rejecting the cOtnpany;s offer which in - eluded a $200 signing bonus, 25 cents per hour effective April 1, 1989, and 20 cents per hour effective April 1990. The word on the second day of the lockout was that both sides were ready for a long stoppage of work. "It's really up to them. If they wish it to go on a long time it can. As a company we hope not," commented General Coach General Manager Andrew 'manse. "Spirits are,up, and the guys are geared for a long one," said one of the locked -out employees. DEEP AND WIDE - Audience participation was 'deep and wide' tained at the Seaforth and District Preschool Learning Centre. Thursday morning when Irvin and CobyAmoraalof Bayfield enter- Mcllwraith photo. 1