The Citizen, 2006-10-05, Page 7to proposed funding for
months before allowing it to
finally flow.
The Perth East trustee was
eventually convinced to
support a motion accepting
retroactive payment
"providing funds are
available."
But Perth South
representative Carol
Bennewies cast the only
dissenting vote in an 8-1
approval. Bennewies wanted
more specific wording
stipulating that the Education
Ministry must provide the
funds.
Colouful day
It was a crisp, clear day for the annual Fall Colour Tour at the Wawanosh
Nature Centre on Sunday afternoon. Among the many activities which
people could enjoy, were wagon rides around the area to take in autumn's
beautiful colours. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Ontario is investing in programs to
keep us globally competitive.
Ontario is supporting businesses throughout the province with resources,
such as the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Strategy Program, to help
them sharpen their competitive edge. By investing in business development,
Ontario is helping to build a healthy economy. And that works for all of us.
To find out more about Ontario's Business
Development programs and services,
please visit www.ontario.ca/worksforme ..r
Paid for by the Government of Ontario Ontario
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2006. PAGE 7.
Trustees raise pay against recommendation
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
After much discussion at
their meeting Tuesday, Sept.
26 about boosting their own
remuneration for the past
year, trustees of the Avon
Maitland District School
Board went against the
recommendation of a
committee of community
members.
Instead, they followed the
*-end already set by other
Ontario school boards and
accepted a retroactive raise,
pending the provision of
funding from the Education
Ministry.
Now, if funding is made
available, they'll receive an
extra $5,450 each, over and
above the $5,000 annual
honoraria which had been in
place provincewide since
1999.
As had been the case the
previous evening at a meeting
of the Huron-Perth Catholic
District School Board, it
appeared as if Avon Maitland
trustees might cruise through
a set of five remuneration-
themed resolutions -- newly
required by the provincial
government under an
amendment to the Education
Act — in a few minutes.
The amendment aims to
follow through on the ruling
Liberals' promise to
adequately recognize the
contribution of trustees. It
provides a formula —
including a base amount, an
enrolment factor and a
distance-to-meetings factor —
which gives rise to a different
maximum remuneration level
for each school board. It also
requires boards to run the
formula and relevant
information past a "citizens
advisory committee" for
input.
Sept. 25, the Catholic board
methodically followed
through on all five
recommendations from its
advisory committee,
including remuneration for
trustees following the Nov. 13
municipal election,
remuneration for board chair
and vice chair, per-meeting
rate for attending Special
Education Advisory
Committee (SEAC) meetings,
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
Members of the Grey
Homecoming committee met
on Wednesday night, Sept. 27
for a wrap up of the event.
Brad Knight, committee
member,.said that about 20-25
people were present at what
was a very positive meeting.
"Everyone was really happy
with the way the weekend had
gone and I think the
volunteers appreciated that."
The Ethel euchre was held
on Monday, Sept. 25 with 7
.1/2 tables in play.
Winners were: share-the-
wealth, Adrian Verstoep, Joan
Jacobs; high, Judy Hahn,
Adrian Verstoep, Marg
Peebles: lone hands. Beryl
and elevated retroactive
2005-06 pay for already-
serving trustees. The only
stipulation was that the
retroactive pay be made
available only if the
Education ministry provided
the funding, and it's not to be
taken out of board coffers.
On Sept. 26, initial
discussion at the Avon
Maitland meeting proceeded
in similar fashion, and there
were unanimous votes in
favour of the first three
resolutions. Following the
Nov. 13 municipal election —
and in keeping with the
recommendations from their
Citizen's Advisory
Committee — Avon Maitland
trustees will now receive
$9,352, with an additional
$5,888 if they serve as chair
and an additional $2,944 if
they serve as vice chair.
"We have certainly said for
a very long time that we are
paid a minuscule amount for
a very responsible job," said
Trustees
now receive
$9,352
chair • Meg Westley, in
supporting the resolutions.
And Stratford trustee Doug
Pratley noted the provincial
government is committed to
providing funding for
increased remuneration for
future trustees. "It strikes me
that -if we don't (accept the
maximum) amount, tax
money from Huron and Perth
Counties will be used
elsewhere, perhaps to pay for
trustees in downtown
Toronto." -
It was then, however, that
the recommendations of the
Citizen's _ Advisory
Committee came under
scrutiny.
"We could have a situation
where a community member
sitting on SEAC would not be
getting paid, and they'd be
making the exact same
contribution as a trustee,
who's getting paid $50 to
attend," Pratley said, in
reaction to the advisory
committee's recommendation
to accept the province's per-
meeting rate. (Only two
Proceeds from some of the
events were also dispersed at
the meeting. While the church
barbecue and Legion fish fry
had been handled by those
organizations, the breakfast,
sponsored by the hall boards
with the assistance of the
Grey firefighters, raised
$1,300. This, said Knight, has
been divided among the
Ethel, Cranbrook and
Moncrieff hall boards.
After expenses, the church
service netted $585, which is
Smith, Keith Turnbull, Helen
Cullen, Walter Seiler; lucky
tally, Marguerite Beirnes,
Mary Craig, Allan Edgar,
Verna Crawford, Eleanor
Stevenson, Murray Hoover,
Iola Subject, Joan Jacobs,
Isabelle Bremner, Florence
committees qualify for per-
meeting amounts under the
Education Act amendment:
SEAC, and a committee
dealing with extraordinary
disciplinary measures.)
"That's absolutely foolish."
Other trustees agreed, and
the board unanimously
approved $0 in per-meeting
pay for future trustees.
The vast majority of the
discussion, however, was
devoted to retroactive pay. In
the case of the Catholic
board, the advisory
committee recommended
current trustees accept the
retroactive raise for 2005-06.
But the Avon Maitland
committee recommended
otherwise, to the discomfort
of trustees.
"It's (municipal) election
time and, for some trustees,
there could be a race," said
Central/East Huron
representative Shelley
Kaastra. "If we take (the
retroactive pay), it will look
like we're giving ourselves a
raise just because we can. But
if we don't take it, it will look
like we don't think we
deserve it. I find it very
frustrating that this is the
timing (the government) has
chosen."
Others echoed that
criticism. Perth East trustee
Tina Traschel said increased
remuneration "was dangled in
front of us" by the Education-
Ministry at the beginning of
the current electoral term, in
2003-04. Education director
Geoff Williams supported
that statement: "I believe a
number of (trustees) were at a
meeting when (former
Education Minister Gerard)
Kennedy said he would pay
for it out of his own back
pocket."
"Other boards are going to
take (the retroactive pay), and'
we're going to be sitting here
thinking we should have done
that too," Traschel said.
Much further discussion
revolved around the exact
wording of a resolution aimed
at accepting the retroactive
pay pending government
funding. Traschel initially
argued a decision should be
made now in order to "send a
message" to the government
about its habit of holding on
being donated to - the
Cranbrook and Mount
Pleasant Cemeteries.
A total of $400 from the
parade is bejng donated to the
Brussels Legion pipe band.
While there are still
souvenirs remaining, Knight
said it is hoped that these will
be purchased for such things
as Christmas gifts. Anyone
interested can contact the
Municipality of Huron East,
Leona Armstrong or Alvin
McLellan.
Holmes.
The next euchre will be
held on Monday, Oct. 9 at 8
p.m.
BUY? SELL?
TRY CLASSIFIED
Grey committee donates
7 tables in play at Ethel