The Lucknow Sentinel, 1993-04-28, Page 1PUBU USHE lltit
t.CUCKNOW, ONTARIO
Wednesday,
Agri! 4111993
included
470 °r
plus 3` G.S:T.
Budget axe
falls on
Centralia
by Patrick Raftis
Centralia College of
Agriculture and Technology will
close it's doors on May' 1, 1994,
the . Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture and Food announced
Friday.
The move, part of the
provincial government's
spending cuts in, an effort to
reduce the deficit came as "an
absolute surprise," said Kathy
Biondi, director or Centralia Col-
lege.
"We knew our government
was looking at ways to reduce
the deficit, but that's all you
•hear," said Biondi, adding that
she was advised of 'the move
through a telephone call; 'late
Thursday afternoon.
Biondi said the college will
operate for one more year, but
no first year • students will be
accepted this year. She said it
affects all operations at the
college, including agriculture,
veterinary technology and food
services programs. The
veterinary services lab at the col-
lege will also be closed.
Biondi said the veterinary
diploma program at Centralia is
the only one offered through
OMAF in the province, although
there are other schools offering a
similar course.
The move obviously has
serious implications for the local
economy. The college employs a
total of 85 full and .part-time
staff and has enrollment of about
170 students,.Biondi said. '
In addition, the college
operates a 150 acre research
farm in the area and is an
integral part of the Huron
Industrial Park.
}Lots of rain
Harold Greer informed The
Sentinel staff that last week
between. Monday night and
Tuesday night (April 19-20), 40.
mm of rain fell, in addition to 2
cm of wet snow.
OPP apprehend
thieves as they
ditch the goods
Both Buffy's Burger Bar, in
Lucknow and the Ripley -Huron
Central School were the scenes
of break, enters and thefts' on
Apr. 24.
The break and enters were dis-
covered after OPP officers on
patrol came across a car driving
erratically on Concession 10 of
Huron Township.
Staff Sergeant Al. Neville said
the car turned onto Highway 21,
made a u -turn and tried to , pull
away from police on Concession
12. • r
While trying to get the car to
stop, OPP saw a VCR and a
number of packages of cigarettes
thrown from a window of the
car.
Police called for back up and
arrested two men for possession
of stolen property.
•turn to page 2
Code of ethics "goes a�step too far": MacKay
A newly -instituted code of ethics
for Bruce County employees puts
too much control in- one person's
hands, according to the county's
social services committee.
The code says "no statement of
future county policy or future,
planning may be issued without
prior approval from the county ad-
ministrator -treasurer." It also urges
that statements to the media be
written if possible.
Social service committee chair
Ann MacKay said that the new
code "goes a step too far." She
wants all department heads to be
free to give the press and the public
their professional opinion on policy
and trends.
"That's why we have them," she
said.
MacKay raised •.concern that
comments on the impact of
provincial welfare policy and even
discussion of.the county's five year
capital forecast could be muzzled
under the new rules.
Mother Earth visits LCPS
by Pat Livingston
Mother Earth. (Anne Range of
Walkerton) visited Lucknow Central
Public School last Thursday. It was
Earth Day and she was there to
share with•the prirnay students how
pollution is affecting her.
Mrs. Range has ' a wonderful
rapport with children resulting- in
interesting interaction between the
students and Mother Earth.
Her Mother Earth character came.
into being three years ago when a
friend asked her to do it as a favor.
Word spread and since then, Mrs.
Range said ,she has visited almost
every school in Bruce and Grey
counties. Most schools are putting a
"good, overall effort" intomaking
students more aware of the planet's
problems and how to make it a
better world, said Mrs. Ranke.
Anne Range, of Walkerton, brought her `Mother Earth' character
to LCPS last week. Thursday was Earth Day and Mrs. Range
discussed with primary students hoW the various aspects of the
three is affect the earth. (Pat .Livingston photo)
Administrator Wayne Jamieson
denied the code's provisions on
public comments is a muzzle for
either staff ,or the media. He said
the intent is to put elected officials
on the spot for policies they adopt.
Staff will still be able to provide
information if asked to do so by
their committee chair, he said in an
interview.
Jamieson added that under .the
new code of ethics, he "would not
expect" a department head to
publicly disagree with a county
policy.
The code of ethics also sets out
guidelines on accepting gifts, taking
outside jobs, running for politics,
private use of county property, and
dealing with relatives who contract
for county business. Jamieson said
there have been no problems with
unethical behavior by employees in
the past.
Bruce county schools will
delay destreaming process
Students entering Grade 9 in
Bruce County this fall will likely
have one destreamed subject, but
there won't be changes in every
.course at every "school.
Bruce is one, of only a . small
handful of.. boards across the
province that applied for and won
approval to delay the destreaming
process for Grade 9. -
Superintendent John Lennon says
that's'a big victory for the board.
"We consider this a real boost to
the general -feeling, among our
parents; our teachers and staff,"
Lennon said.
Instead of destreaming on a coun-
ty -wide, basis, the board will
provide pilot projects in each of its
six high schools. Those pilots will
involve" a variety of core. subjects
and some optional ones.
After viewing the, plan, the
Ministry of Education agreed it will
.give ."useful resources •and
meaningful, insights" that will help._
destream all subjects by 1994.
Ministry spokesperson .Carola Lane
also reminded trustees that the.
approval to slow _down on
destreaming is conditional - on
"increased movement" to destream
other subjects.
Trustee Gord Thompson said he
is "really pleased" with the delay in
destreaming the county's Grade 9
classes.' In a press. release,
Thompson said there was "strong
agreement" among parents, teachers
and supervisors t� ask for the, delay.
He said that with the• pilot projects
approved, "teachers will' know
exactly what they're doing in Sep-
tember." '
Ashfield's 1993 budget
represents a 2.26% increase
Ashfield Township council passed
its 1993 budget during its Apr. 20
meeting. The budget represents, a
2.26 per cent increase over last
year's total municipal levy, which
will raise an additional $7,821 to
meet projected expenditures. ,
Council gave approval to a re-
quest from the Ministries of En-
vironment and Energy to conduct a
pesticide container recycling and
disposal program in Ashfield
Kinloss. 'council reaches
Township.
Approval was given to' Superior ,
Propane's request• to install' a
propane dispenser at Cook'.s Am-
berley Elevators subject to
clarification of use of the dispenser.. •
Three tile drain loan applications
were approved subject to
availability of provincial funding.
Council decided not to proceed
with the paving of the municipal'
office and public works parking lot.
• ment-*th rat -e -payers --
Kinloss Township council reached
an agreement with Raymond and
Constance Harris to correct a water
problem on the corner of their
property resulting from reconstruc-
tion on the second concession. Ten
• loads of pit run will be delivered to
raise the property level and alleviate
the problem.
Harry and Gerry Donegan, of
Donegans Haulage, discussed with.
council the proposed rezoning and
OMB, proceedings regarding ' their
property on concession S. No date
has been set yet fpr the hearings.
Subject to the building inspector's
approval, a permit will be issued to
Paul and Julie Wainwright to erect
a drive shed.
Graham Cassidy and Clayton
Bell, of the Teeswater Culross Fire
Department discussed with council
fire coverage along the boundary.
Mark Becker, clerk treasurer,
gave a brief report on the Joint
Bylaw Enforcement Of 'icer
Steering • Committee. The
municipalities represented are the
Villages of Mildmay, Teeswater,
Lucknow and ,Ripley, and
Townships of Kinloss and Culross.
Three meetings have beenheld to
date with no official change.
forthcoming as yet.
Council agreed to hire the same
contractors as last year • for grass
cutting. Steve Eadie, using tractor
and mower style equipment will cut
the grass at the Municipal Building
for $38 per hour, while Murray
Irwin, using a 60" cut rider mower
will tend , to the ' grass at the
Whitechurch Ball Park for $30 per
hour.
Council was informed that union
negotiations will begin shortly,
since the contract for the road
department employees is up for'
renewal at the end of May.
Mr. Becker informed council of
the public meetings being held on
the proposed rezoning of Canadian
Agra Farms and Ronald Stanley.
In response to a letter from the
Wingham and District Hospital,
council recommended some who
may be interested . in acting as a
director for the area. Mr. Becker
was instructed tocontact the in -
•turn to page 2