The Citizen, 2008-03-27, Page 20Despite it being nearly April,Huron East council is still saying anew Brussels Library in 2008 is notout of the question, but a few things
have to happen first.
At the March 11 public library
meeting, deputy-mayor Bernie
MacLellan, said he hoped council
would discuss the issue at its March
18 meeting and finally decide
whether the library would be a 2008
project, or if would be held off until
2009.
However, last Tuesday when the
issue came up, MacLellan said that
yet another step should be taken
before a decision is made.
After confirming budget deadlines
with treasurer Brad Knight,
MacLellan suggested that council
take the month of April to collect
pledges from local service groups
and citizens before a final decision is
made.
Councillor David Blaney and
several other citizens are already in
the process of forming a fundraising
committee and council passed a
motion that will see the project
scheduled based on residents
fulfilling their commitment. Councilexpects 20 per cent of the final cost,$125,000, when taking the mostcurrent estimate into account, tocome from residents.In addition to that motion, councilmade it official that they intend to
build a new library, as opposed to
renovating the current Carnegie
building, by passing a motion.
“The Carnegie library was a great
gift to the village of Brussels,”
MacLellan said. “But with today’s
standards, it just doesn’t fit. A new
library is the easiest, most cost-
effective way to have a library in
Brussels.”
Mayor Joe Seili was adamant that
council should move on the project
as soon as possible. Seili estimated
that delaying construction until 2009
would add another eight per cent to
the final figure, adding that when the
price tag goes up, it should be
council who pays for the increase, as
it caused the delay, not the people of
Brussels.
Seili reiterated his confidence in
the residents, saying he is certain
they will raise what they need to, but
that the time constraints may not be
fair.
“Two and a half years have gone
into this project and you just askedthe community to raise their 20 percent in 30 days,” Seili said.After discussion, council decidedto wait until the fundraisingcommittee found funds and pledges.Then that committee will come back
to council to present what they have.
At that time, a decision will be made
on whether the library will be built
this year or next year.
With several decisions made into
motions and passed, council now has
a firm direction on the library
project, but there was also talk of a
policy that would see this
fundraising situation set a
municipality-wide precedent.
Several councillors spoke in favour
of making 20 per cent of a project a
universal policy for projects that see
localized use.
However, this idea became
instantly complicated when
discussing the next big project on
Huron East’s agenda, a recreation
centre in Vanastra that could carry a
pricetag of over $2 million.
Between the size of Vanastra
compared to the possible bill they
would be faced with and the
differences between the two
projects, the mayor spoke against
such a policy immediately, sayingthat each situation will have to bejudged individually.There had already been a differentprecedent set with several projectsthat were funded on a 50 per centbasis. Both the Ethel ball field and
the St. Columban soccer fields were
funded 50 per cent by themunicipality. Clerk-administrator JackMcLachlan called a policy thatwould establish the 20 per centfundraising figure premature, andsaid that more research would have
to be done.
PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2008.
Three elementary schools in
Huron and Perth Counties have been
recognized by Canadian socio-
economic think-tank, the Fraser
Institute, for what it describes as
“academic achievement in excess of
expectations.”
But don’t necessarily expect
officials from East Wawanosh
Public School in Belgrave, Holy
Name of Mary Catholic School in
St. Marys, or Seaforth Public School
to attend the awards ceremony later
this week in Toronto.
A news release from the Fraser
Institute, known for its independent
ranking of schools across the
country, suggests several hundred
“educators” will be in the audience
for the presentation of the Ontario
version of the Garfield Weston
Awards for Excellence in Education.
The awards, which are handed out
“after a thorough analysis of student
results data,” are also up for grabs in
British Columbia and Alberta.
The three Huron and Perth schools
are all among 24 publicly-funded
Ontario schools nominated in the
same category; other categories
include overall academic results and
“improvement in academics.”
Top winners in each category
receive $3,000, while two runners-
up in each category receive $1,000.
Funding is through the Garfield
Weston Foundation.
According to Avon Maitland
District School Board
communications manager Steve
Howe, Hullett Central Public School
in Londesborough was a top prize-
winner a couple of years ago in the
“improvement” category. At that
time, the school’s principal and
some staff members attended the
awards dinner.
The cheque was treated in the
same manner as fundraising money,
and put towards special projects
outside the existing curriculum.
But last year, when Seaforth
Public School received a nomination
in the “improvement” category, no
one went to Toronto.
“We got a beautiful certificate and
an opportunity to go to the awards
dinner,” recalled former principal
Kim Black. But no one from the
school went.
According to Howe, neither the
Avon Maitland board nor the
province-wide lobbying
organization for public school
boards appreciates the way the
Fraser Institute ranks schools.
“And we’re not the only board that
feels that way,” he said.
So no one from the administrative
offices attends if particular schools
are recognized, and no support is
offered to help principals or teachers
attend.
“It’s not our intention to prevent
schools from accepting recognition
when solid progress is being
recognized. We just don’t like the
process that the Fraser Institute uses
to decide which schools to
recognize,” he said.
Howe cited the use of results from
provincially-standardized tests –
which he suggests provide only an
incomplete “snapshot” of a school’s
achievement – as one reason “there’s
not a lot of respect for the way the
Fraser Institute ranks schools.”
Council still sees new library as best option
An Easter egg
Carson Bromley had this plastic Easter egg to keep him
entertained between bites at the Blyth Legion and Auxiliary
pancake breakfast at Memorial Hall on Sunday morning.
(Vicky Bremner photo)
Looking for local heroes
There are so many people out there who do
so much to improve their community.
Now you have a chance to say thanks.
Nominate that special person for the 23rd
Annual Citizen Citizenship Awards.
Each year a committee chooses an outstanding citizen from each of the Blyth and area
and Brussels and area communities to receive an award for contribution to the
community. If you know someone you think should be honoured, please fill in the ballot
and send it in. You may attach a longer explanation of why you think your nominee
should win, if you like. If you have nominated someone before and he or she didn't win,
please feel free to try again.
I nominate
as Citizen of the year for
I feel she/he deserves this award because
Nomination Deadline April 30, 2008.
Name and phone number of nominator
❑❑Blyth
& area ❑❑Brussels
& area
By Shawn LoughlinThe Citizen
Local school gets top marks
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen