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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1989-12-27, Page 3THE HURON Johnston leaves BY BILL HENRY A more open format at council meetings and informational leadership throughout the day from department heads are among major administrative accomplishments made by Huron County in 1989, says Past Warden Dave Johnston. County department heads have been at- tending all executive committee and regular commit sessions, a request made by the executive soon after Jnhnstnn was elected warden a year ago. Several months ago, the executive also recom- mended a public and media inquiry period to end each monthly council meeting. In an interview last week, Johnston said such changes make government ap- pear more open, not only to the public but also to the staff, who are better in- formed about council decisions if their department heads are on hand to pats in- formation along. The change also means department heads, who coordinate planning and development, health, library, social, mnsenrn, Huronview and engineering and roads services are immediately available to provide input elected officials may need in setting policy. Previously, such questions could go unanswered, or else lead to a delay in decision making until the answers were provided at a subse- quent meeting. "We make an effort to hire the best people possible for these positions, why not utilize them as a resource" at the communicative meetings? askeu Johikston. "There's nobody better criebtued to give us the in- formatior Darng a xecutive meetings, the 'ormat also allows department heed tc inquire about item on the agenda, as well as add spontaneou, input or prepare specific briefs designed to help the committee make more informed decisions. That process, Johnston says, has made it Patter for elected county council members to do their job. "STRIDES FORWARD" "I really believe elected people are there to set policy. The day-to-day opera- tions should be carried out by the people that you bire to do that job." "I think we've made some strides for- ward, but we still have a long way to go," he added, saying that such changes as posting minutes of committee meetings where staff can readily see them has led to a more cooperative and communicative atmosphere. That's been particularly helpful in rela- tion to such tricky council considerations as downsizing Huronview, a controversial decision in advance of building two new homes for the aged and dosing the ex- isting one. People feel more comfortable. If I were over there, the first thing I'd want to know is how is this decision going to affect me. That's only natural." The Reeve of Bayfield for nine years and owner of a lumber business there, Johnston said he sought the warden's seat partly for personal reasons but county, " a long largely because of the opportunity the position provides to affect real change at the county level. While the position pays less than $6,000, in addition to daily allowance for council business and vehicle mileage, it is a ma- jor commitment. Johnston said he spent almost no time managing his business last year, since wardenship itself is a full-time responsibility. "It's a personal thing. Call it ego, or whatever. It's always been something I wantec' to do. Also, I really believe that a warden can provide direction and leadership to change a few things." The huge expense expected if the coun- ty assumes responsibility for waste management, following a three-year study now underway, and construction of the two new Huronview facilities are among the more obvious financial con- siderations ahead for council, says Johnston. STRUCTURE UNDER STUDY But also extremely important to coun- ty residents are two self studies now underway. Prompted largely by concerns over what happens to the Huronview complex after the new facilities are built, one study will examine current and future uses for all county -owned buildings. Terms of reference are now being drafted for that study. A second study, the result of proposed provincial government legislation which could change the nature of county governments, will take a complete look at how Huron County's government is structured. Johnston expects this will lead to less change in Huron than in other counties, since many don't already provide ser- vices which Huron does, such as library board, health board, many aspects of planning and development. But he also said such a study should lead to a better understanding of the relationship between the county and its member municipalities. "The county isn't 32 men and women who are separate from these municipalities," he says. "That (percep- tion) is what I've been trying to fight all yam„ Johnston says the county must again be regarded as a unified body which represents equally its member municipalities, rather than being seen as a separate identity. SERVICES REQUESTED "There isn't a single service that the county provides, other than that which is legislated by the province, that hasn't been requested by these municipalities." Terms of reference of the county study were agreed to at council's December 7 meeting. They will now circulate to municipalities and member boards to make sure an important consideration has not been neglected. Responses are expected by about March. "We didn't want to get to a position where some council couldn't meet the deadline to respond," said Johnston, ex- plaining the long timeline before the EXPOSITOR, DECEMBER 27 1989 3A way to go" study actually gets underway. IS A YEAR ENOUGH? With all this still on the go, and Johnston no longer at the head of coun- cil, like numerous wardens before him, he now sees advantages to a longer term of office. But tradition dictates in Huron County that a warden sits for a year. Le islative- ly, nothing prevents running a second or third time, as is the case in Oxford and Middlesex Counties, which both have wardens serving longer terms. "I wouldn't break with tradition." Johnston says simply. Nor does he argue that he is any bet- ter qualified than other past wardens to have sat for a longer term. Every one of them, he says, could have obviously ac- complished more in a longer term. But Johnston does see a real benefit in continuity. "Having served it now, I can certain- ly see the advantage of a longer term. The person serving as warden and the county would be better off with a longer term...I think anybody that's held the of- fice probably believes as I do that if they .sat there longer, they might have done things differently." Johnston's term ended with the Dec. 7 council session. He was replaced by Hay Township Reeve. Lionel Wilder, elected by his county council peers ahead of McKillop Reeve Marie Bicknell Tuesday, December 12. It was a year to remember JANUARY 4, 1989 It was a dismal New Years for 209 employees of Hensall's General Coach who were locked out after rejecting their employer's final offer to settle a collective agreement. The employees, about 2925 of them from Seaforth, are still in high spirits, but are preparing for a long picket line vigil. The Huron County Board of Education and its elementary teachers are back at the bargaining table. The board contacted the teachers, who have been without a col- lective agreement since August 31, 1988, and on December 16 negotiators for the Board and for the Huron Elementary Teachers' Association met. Once again the two sides couldn't find a way through the tangle of issues which remain unresolved: preparation time, staffing, salary and benefits being the major sources of contention. The Town of Seaforth bas its first han- dicapped parking space on Main Street. A bylaw was passed at the end of 1988 to make the handicapped parking space as of January 1, and local police will be enfor- cing the bylaw. There are 30 Danish visitors in Seaforth this week. They ,areanembers of a hockey team being ,hosted :by -;the ;Seaforth Ban- tams„and are here to learn about Canada and Canadian hockey. After practising law in Seaforth for over 30 years, Don Stewart of McConnell, Stewart and Devereaux Barristers is retiring. JANUARY 11, 1989 Trains have stopped using the Canadian Pacific Railway line from Godderich to Guelph as of January 1, 1989, but a group in Goderich proposes that the route can still be a benefit to the communities along it. The Ontario government's "fermenta- tion" of seniors' care policies is frustrating Huron County Council's plans to rebuild its Huronview Home for the Aged. A county application for 50 per cent capital funding for the project, expected to cost as much as $10 million over the neat several years, is under review while Community and Social Services ministry officials revise policies. No serious damage resulted from an unseasonal electrical storm Saturday night, but a number of Seaforth and area residents have reported -.damage to a varie- ty of electrical ap)iilicances. One household even reported damage ;to the roof of their Chalk .Street .home. A ,fire : causing thousands of dollars in smoke ;damage ,brd e . ,ajar at $eafortb District High School. The dire started in the school shop in a room used for storage and as the instructor's office. The room is surrounded on floor, ceiling and three walls by concrete, and on the fourth wall by concrete, glass and a fire door which was closed, so the fire was effectively con- tained and had a limited supply of oxygen. JANUARY 18, 1989 Public school students in Huron County will be getting more French instruction - if instructors can be found. The Huron County Board of Education passed a mo- tion resolving to make a commitment to strengthen the core french program in its elementary schools by adopting a goal of 20 minutes of instruction per day in Grades one to three, and 40 minutes of instruction per day in Grades four to eight. In an effort to reduce flooding in the Town of Seaforth, council has given per- mission for the enlargement of the CNR culvert. TheSeafortb Community Hospital's first baby of the new year was born to Gary and Ann Cronin of RR 2 Dublin. Melanie Marie Cronin came into the . world on January 14, 1989 at 5:41. She weighed seven pounds, one ounce. Seaforth Town Council has ,adopted a report from its Streetscape C'oinririttee Turn topage .BA e Wed., Dec. 27 1:00-3:00 p.m. — Moms and Tots and Public Skating 1:00 - 3:00 — Moms & Tots Skating 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. — Junior & Belles Ringette 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. — Pee Wee I Practice 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. — Minor Broomball 8:00 - 10:30 p.m. — Ladles' Broomball Thurs., Dec. 28 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. — Penguins vs. Leafs 11:30 - 12:30 p.m. — Whalers vs. Flames 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. — Mites 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. — Novice Ringette 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. — Public Skating 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. — Mitchell vs. Novice Hockey 5:00 - 6:15 p.m. — Wingham vs. Pee Wee 6:15 - 8:00 p.m. — Milverton vs. Pee Wee 12:00-1:30 p.m. — Moms and Tots and Seniors Skating 3:00-4:30 p.m. — Public Skating 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. — Figure Skating 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. — Atom Hockey Practice 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. — Minor Broomball 8:00 - 11:30 p.m — Man's Broomball Fri., Dec. 29 2:00-4:00 p.m. — Public Skating 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. — Petite & Tweet Ringette 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. — Junior Houseleague Hockey 6:00 - 7:00 p,m. — Senior Houseleague Hockey 7:00 -.0:00.p rn- — Junior Belles Ringette 0:00 p.m. — Tavisteek vs. Centenalres Sat. Lg aO 8:30.9410.a 11—Nortb:Sfarsva Canadians 9:30 - 10 3i3 at m. — 0 Mrs vs. kings Sun., Dec. 31 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. — Novice Ringette 2:00-4:00 p.m. — Public Skating 8:00 - 2:00 a.m. Seahawks New Year's Eve Dance Mon., Jan. 1, 1990 HAPPY NEW YEAR 6:30 - 8:00 - Tues., Jan 2 8:00 p.m. — Clinton vs. Bantams 10:00p.m. —Zurich vs. Pee Wee "DD" Wed., Jan. 3 1:30 - 4:00 p.m. — Senior Shuffleboard 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. — Ringette 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. — Pee Wee "CC" Practice 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. — Minor Broomball 8:00 - 10:30 p.m. — Ladies' Broomball 4 1