The Citizen, 2006-06-08, Page 7HURON PERTH HEALTHCARE ALLIANCE
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETINGS
Clinton Public Hospital
St. Marys Memorial Hospital
Seaforth Community Hospital
Stratford General Hospital
Hl.•"RON PERTH
HEALTHCARE
ALLIANCE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Meetings of
the Members of Clinton Public Hospital, St. Marys
Memorial Hospital, Seaforth Community Hospital and
Stratford General Hospital will be held at the Mitchell Golf
and Country Club in Mitchell, Ontario, on:
Thursday, June 22, 2006
at 7:00 p.m.
to:
1. Receive Annual Reports of the Board of Directors.
including Financial Statements, together with the
Auditor's Report thereon. The Financial Statements will
be available after June 12' on the Huron Perth Healthcare
Alliance website - www.hpha.ca - Reports and
Publications section.
2 Amend each of the Hospitals' Professional Staff
By-Laws.**
3. Appoint Auditors
3. Receive the Ad Hoc Nominating Committee Report on
New Directors
**The amendments to the Hospitals' By-laws relate to
amending the Professional Staff By-laws to ensure that all
information required to be provided by-privileged health care
professionals is provided to the Credentials and Resource
Planning Committee. in order to process any application for
reappointinent.
Members who pay their fees annually shall not be entitled to
vote at any meetings of the Corporation unless their
membership fees were paid in full at least thirty (30) days
prior to the date of the meeting..
Copies of the propOsed amendment to the By-laws may be
reviewed or picked up at the Administration Office. Please
contact Brenda Mitchell, 272-8205.
Members of the public' are welcome to attend.
Are we next?
Belgrave residents who are excluded from the village's new water system discussed their
options during North Huron council's meeting on May 31. (Carol Bums photo)
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 8, 2006. PAGE 7.
M-T presents new proposal to residents
By Andrew Smith
Wingham Advance Times
The council of Morris-Turnberry
received a better reception as they
presented a new cost-sharing
proposal for the Belgrave water
system.
"We listened to all the people and
the comments, and we think we've
come up with a good proposal," said
mayor Dorothy Kelly, as she opened
the meeting.
Among the main concerns of the
public after the first meeting was
that every property should have
access to the new system, and the
municipality should offset the total
cost of construction. Although it was
thought all costs needed to be paid
by the users, a call to the ministry
cleared the matter.
"For the capital cost, the
municipality can contribute, but for
operation and maintenance that is
still user pay," Kelly said.
It was the second meeting of the
week for the Belgrave system, as
residents in North Huron had their
own meeting the previous night.
"The two areas had different
issues, theirs were a little different
than ours," Kelly said.
Councillor Neil Warwick made the
project proposal, indicating the
current cost of the construction is
$2,267,877; an over expenditure of
$96,582 split between the two
municipalities.
Getting into the details, Warwick
explained that additional lines were
proposed to give access to all lots in
Belgrave, and that Morris-Turnberry
has agreed to offset the construction
cost by 12 per cent. Even with line to
all properties in Belgrave, it will be
up to them if and when they join the
system.
"You will have the opportunity to
hook on to that system when you
want to," Warwick said.
However, clerk/treasurer Nancy
Michie explained that all residents
will need to pay for the system even
if they don't hook into it. Paying an
initial service fee of $1,000, the 85
potential customers will then have to
pay $5,500 with the option of
financing the cost over 30 years.
In 2022, all potential customers
have to commence payment of the
capital cost plus interest over a 15
year period. The 73 existing
customers will also pay the $5,500,
minus a $500 credit per user from
the McCrea and Jane system
reserves. •
invoices for the project will not be
sent out until early to mid 2007, but
prior to that all customers will be
asked their preference of either
financing or paying a lump sum.
"We need to know the amount of
money that will be debentured, or
the amount that will be paid," Michie
said.
The floor was then opened to
questions, with Paul McKee serving
as moderator. Harold -Jardin got the
ball rolling on a positive notes saying
Morris-Turnberry council had
returned • with an improved plan of
giving everyone a fair shake.
"I think they have done their job.
they went back, rethought, and I
think it's going to help a lot of
people," Jardin said.
One question brought up had to do
with federal funding, and what affect
it might have On the cost to the
residents. According to council, the
only unconfirmed funding was
$230,000 in federal OSTAR grants
applied for. In the case that the
money isn't approved, it would
amount to approximately $1,500
more per lot.
"That would haVe to be dealt with
when we find out if it's coming or
not," Warwick said.
Engineer Andy McBride made a
comment that both the municipality
and residents should make a plea to
their MP to show how important it is
to receive the grant, knowing that the
Money is there.
"Our federal government had a
considerable surplus in the billions
last year, .I'm sure they can spare a
few hundred thousand for Belgrave,"
McBride said.
McBride also explained the
increased cost in-construction due to
the line extension. Although the
original tenders created a fixed
material cost, the contractors
advised the committee of a 15 per
cent increase in the cost of six-inch
water pipe since the pricing of the
job in February.
"Costs like that in materials have
increased over 100 per cent since we
did our estimate in early 2004,"
McBride said.
Kelly informed the public -that -the
increasing costs of material was one
of the factors in wanting to extend
line to the whole hamlet, as it's never
going to be any cheaper.
A question of .user pay was
addressed to McBride, over what
kind of maintenance fees residents
would see over any repairs to the
water system.
Without knowing the exact
wording of the contract, McBride
said there is at least a one-year
warranty on the total project, with
separate warranties on other
equipment.
• Morris-Turnberry employee Kelly
Tiffin said that as a resident of the
North Huron portion, she was given
very few options at their meeting,
and saw a very different amount of
thought given by Morris-Turnberry.
r "I plan on going back to my
council based on what I've heard
tonight. This council has given a
great deal of consideration for your
needs," Tiffin said.
, Despite the praise for council.
other residents weren't as pleased.
One complained that council had
gone through the process wrong
from the beginning, of not notifying
the people involved, to asking why
lines are being extended to all of
Belgrave.
"You elected your council to make
decisions for you, and that's what's
been done," Kelly said. "We did it
for the long-term plan for Belgrave
to have safe water."
McKee added that in the case that
a well goes bad, or a mortgage
requires the house to be on a public
municipal water system, the up front
fee will give everyone that option.
"For $1,000, it's an insurance
policy for everyone to get water
whenever they need it." McKee said.
Another complaint said the
municipality would have had an
easier process with the public if they
had-given more notice. McBride said
that there was plenty of notice given
for the 2004 public meeting of the
environmental assessment.
"If you didn't know about it, I'm
not sure why," McBride said.
With the questions coming to an
end, Kelly said that council would
take any new information back to
their meeting, but feel confident the
proposal is to be accepted.
"If there's anything we feel is
critical, it could be changed, but this
is our proposal and we don't feel we
can do any better on it," Kelly said.
Michie gave -a notice on a water
ban for the current users of the water
system following the question
period. To ensure there is sufficient
supply during the system upgrades, a
ban has been put on watering of
lawns and gardens except between
the hours of 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. each
night. Residents with an even-
numbered house are permitted to
water on even days, and the opposite
for odd-numbered houses. The
restrictions will • stay in place until
further notice.
Stick With the Classifieds,
you're shopping for something special. keep looking
In the Classifieds. Every week, you'll find a great selection of
listings for everything from apartments for rent to
things to buy and see.
The Citizen
"BABY AND I
PROGRAM" cd i --il CLINTON PUBLIC HOSPITAL
June 2006, 10:00 - 11:30
CONFERENCE ROOM 2nd Floor
WHEN ATTENDING FOR THE FIRST
TIME PLEASE REGISTER IN ,
ADMITTING - .
PROGRAM TOPICS:
Wednesday, June 7 - Infant C.P.R. Choking & Safety
Wednesday, June 14 - Infant Car Seat Safety
Wednesday, June 21 - Babysitters & You
Wednesday, June 28 - Romance After Baby
For more info call Veronica Farquhar - 482-3440 Ext. 304