The Citizen, 2009-09-03, Page 1Round the bend
How successful the rider was on the curve is up to interpretation depending on the angle you
see it. Unlike the competitors, the motocross season is slowly winding down as Auburn Hills
hosted its last race of the season this past weekend. (Vicky Bremner photo)
While the Avon Maitland District
School Board has promised a steady
decline in enrollment, area schools
will look very much the same this
year.
However, while student bodies
will remain largely unchanged, there
will be many new faces at the front
of the classrooms.
Grey Central Public School will
grow by two students this year,
going from 196 students up to
198.
There will also be a new principal
at Grey Central, Jim Binns, who
came from Central Perth Elementary
School in Sebringville.
There are also three new teachers
there. Amy Bedard will take over the
Grade 1 class, Melissa Heffer will
teach the Grade 1-2 class and
Maurice Wilson will take over the
Grade 7 class.
Blyth Public School will play host
to 177 students this year, down by
five from last year.
There are several staff changes at
Blyth Public School as well, starting
at the top with principal Jane Morton
heading south to take on leadership
duties at Exeter Public School. Alice
McDowell will be Blyth’s new
principal.
There will also be several changes
to the teaching roster. Rob Holland
will be the school’s new SERT,
Jaclyn Hulley will be the new Grade
3-4 teacher,Vanessa Laye will be the
new Grade 4-5 teacher and Abby
Armstrong will be the new Grade 7-
8 teacher.
Brussels Public School’s student
body will be down by one, going
from 211 down to 210.
Brent Lingard will be teaching the
Grade 4 class, while Melissa
Campbell will be working there
part-time, teaching the Grade 3
students in the afternoons.
East Wawanosh Public School is
showing the area’s biggest decline,
going from 170 students down to
152.
Susan Jamieson is back from a
maternity leave and will be teaching
the kindergarten class, Sydney Elder
is also back from her maternity leave
and will be working part-time with
the Grade 6-7 class, Danielle Watson
will be teaching the Grade 1 class
and Krysta Goodall will be heading
up the Grade 3 class.
Bobbi Hebert will also be taking
over the secretary duties.
Hullett Central Public School is
expecting 156 students, which is
down from 163 last year.
The school will have a new French
teacher as well. Tina Zembashi will
be covering a maternity leave, until
Julie Maver takes over permanently
in January.
Schools get new principals
Hundreds of people lined the rainy
streets of Blyth to pay their final
respects to Murray Nesbitt last week.
Nesbitt, a North Huron councillor,
was killed last week when he was
working at the Sifto Salt Mine in
Goderich, where he had worked for
30 years.
OPP say that Nesbitt fell into a
chute that sent salt to a trench
conveyor system and that upon
emergency services arriving, he was
showing no vital signs.
Nesbitt was later pronounced dead
at Alexandra Marine and General
Hospital in Goderich. He was 57.
In his eulogy Maurice Nesbitt said
his brother, who was also a Blyth
Lion and a Blyth Mason, thought of
himself as an average man, in touch
with his peers. However, he said
Murray was far from average,
elevating himself through his
countless efforts in the community
and towards his fellow man.
Nesbitt’s efforts began as a
councillor with Blyth council and
continued in 2001 with North Huron
after amalgamation.
“North Huron council loses that
institutional history and intelligence
that Murray brought to the table,”
says Greg McClinchey, Nesbitt’s
fellow Blyth representative on North
Huron council. “We all lose a
friendly face. The community loses a
friend, a neighbour and someone
who has been politically active for a
generation.”
“It’s a loss. There’s no doubt about
it.”
McClinchey added that Nesbitt
was one of the most active members
of the Blyth community, but that he
did so without flash and without
looking for recognition.
His approach to politics was
similar.
“I wouldn’t have pegged him as a
consensus-builder. But I was
mistaken,” McClinchey said. “When
we had a problem at council, Murray
saw it and he fixed it with me over
coffee. And I know my experience
was not unique.”
Reeve Neil Vincent agreed, saying
that Nesbitt was council’s “ear to the
ground” in Blyth.
“He would make a point to stop
into the coffee shop three or four
times a week to know what council
wasn’t doing well and what we
hadn’t even got to yet,” Vincent said.
“He was an extremely good listener.”
Whether in the community, or at
council, Nesbitt, said Vincent, was
thoughtful, conscientious and always
gave it his all.
“When I think of Murray, I think
of Legion dinners and any number of
things that he would help out with at
the Blyth Festival. He thought it was
important to be a part of his
community and that he belonged,”
Vincent said.
“Very seldom, however, was
Murray the first to speak at a council
meeting, but when he did, it was
already well thought through and
reasoned and he was ready to back
up anything he said. He always had
reasons for leaning the way that he
was on an issue.”
John Stewart, former clerk for
Blyth and North Huron, and a Blyth
Lion, said that Nesbitt’s first concern
was always the employees of the
township. Stewart said Nesbitt
viewed himself as an employee, as a
councillor and at Sifto, so he wanted
to make sure other employees were
taken care of.
“He always wanted to make sure
they were treated fairly. He always
looked out for them,” Stewart said.
“He was a working man and he was
looking out for the other working
men.”
Nesbitt felt a strong connection to
his community, Stewart said,
especially after amalgamation. He
felt that representing Blyth and its
best interests was the most important
task he was charged with.
“He always had Blyth on his
mind,” Stewart said. “He had a real
sense of commitment to making
Blyth a better place.”
Stewart has known Nesbitt since
their high school days at Central
Huron Secondary School in Clinton.
“I have always considered Murray
a good friend. He will be very much
missed,” Stewart said.
Stewart said that with the Blyth
Lions, Nesbitt was always willing to
work and get his hands dirty. He was
a staple at meals, meetings and
events, but when it came to heavier
projects, like the Blyth Lions Park,
Nesbitt would not only donate the
use of his back hoe, but his labour to
run it for the duration of the
project.
Nesbitt’s memorial service on
Saturday, attended by an overflow
crowd at Trinity Anglican Church,
was Vincent said “appropriate,” with
kind words coming from many
people Nesbitt had touched over the
years.
CitizenTh
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$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009
Volume 25 No. 34SPORTS- Pg. 8Blyth Bantams WOAAchamps!THEATRE - Pg. 21 Blyth girl takes the Grandstage in ‘Grease’SURVIVOR - Pg. 6Kincardine man leadshometown Terry Fox RunPublications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 PAP Registration No. 09244 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0INSIDE THIS WEEK:
Well after a few days back to school, the kids can enjoy the long weekend.
Staff at The Citizen will be joining them, meaning that the offices will be
closed this Monday.
Advertising and editorial copy to be included in the Sept. 10 paper, must
therefore be into our offices by Friday, Sept. 4 (tomorrow). Deadline is 2
p.m. in Brussels and 4 p.m. in Blyth.
Hope your Labour Day weekend is blessed with sunshine.
Hundreds turn out
to pay final respects
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
MURRAY NESBITT
Community leader passes