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The Huron Expositor, 1997-11-05, Page 1Elections Tuckersmith Reeve returns to seat acclaimed. See page 2 i November 11 Special Remembrance Day pages to honour those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. See pages 9-12 EP1EHuron ositor Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 - Seaforth, Ontario November 5, 1997 — $1.00 includes GST Mayor's race_ in Seaforth to be decided Monday Incumbent is Challenger is political veteran " .: ` committed to around town future for youth BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff Seaforth Mayor Irwin Johnston is a veteran politi- cian who walks a lot. He tries to get in 10 miles a day and is a familiar sight in the morning light, striding through Harpurhey. Johnston, who is seeking a second term in the Nov. 10 municipal election, says he walks to relax, and for the exercise, and that walking and watching nature gives him a different perspective on things. He's been doing it regularly since 1987. Johnson has been a member of Seaforth Council longer than that, for 18 years, since the late 1970s. ' He says he's "still interest- ed in holding the line" on taxes and the mill rate here. The portion of the municipal rate this town can do any- thing about hasn't risen in six years. He adds his interest in municipal politics was first whetted when he would go to ratepayer's nomination meet- ings in McKillop Township, which were well attended in those days, with his father. A PLEASANT PLACE From Mayor Johnston's perspective, he wants "to make sure Seaforth is an attractive and pleasant town to shop and visit", and "pro- mote tourism" here in a sec- ond term "with tours, events, museum, heritage activities, etc." He says restructuring is the biggest issue facing town and it is going to happen here next year. He wants to remain part of it. "My experience and deep involvement with the town will provide the town with sound and stable government in dealing with budgetary and cost-cutting measures in the municipality," his platform reads. "The main purpose will be to provide efficient services in all departments. "My rural background will provide me with extensive knowledge and skills which will be very beneficial in communicating and develop- ing relationships with the sur- rounding municipalities in restructuring and shared agreements." MAJOR BOARDS As Mayor the past three years, Johnston has been a town representative on the hospital and fire boards, the PUC and the Central Huron restructuring committee. "Perth County has made some good moves, basically we haven't done very much' in Huron County and its something that has to take place," the mayor said in an interview last week. "We (the Central Huron municipalities) talk back and forth on the situation and we've a stalemate now... a lot of things to work out and not very many figures from the province yet." Mayor Johnston is 65 and CONTINUED on Page 20. IRWIN JOHNSTON DAVID SCOTT Math problems indicated in Huron by results BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff • Huron County Board of Education Grade 3 students were below the Ontario aver- age in reading, math and writing and had the highest (or tied for highest) percent- age of students performing at "not acceptable" standard by comparison with their coun- terparts in both separate and public schools in London. and , Middlesex, Elgin, Oxford, Lambton, Kent and Perth counties in controver- sial province -wide tests. Most Ontario educators question the validity of the test, given over a 10 -day period last spring to all Grade 3 students in the province. However the Huron public school system trailed all the above systems with 67 per cent of Grade 3 students per- forming at what is copsidered an acceptable level €and 28 per cent not acceptable) in mathematics, compared to a provincia4 average of 76 per cent. Huron public also tied for last among the area public and separate school boards in both reading, at 75 percent compared to a provincial average of 80 per cent, and writing, at 78 per cent com- pared to a provincial average of 82 per cent. Huron -Perth County Roman Catholic Separate School Board Grade 3 stu- dents were at or above the provincial average in reading (80), math (77) and writing (85), and did better than the public schools in this county in all three categories. The results of province - wide testing were released Friday. `EXCELLENCE' "Huron County schools, parents and students should be pleased with the results," states Friday's HCBE press release. "Whereas there are CONTINUED on Page 20. Carter says rural boards `kicked around' BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff Provincially -appointed arbitrators and not school boards are to blame if the public thinks teachers get paid too much around here, Huron County Board of Education Chair and Tuckersmith trustee Allan Carter told last Tuesday night's all -candidate's meet- ing in the township. He said in 97 per cent of the cases these arbitrators have found in favour of the teachers, yet now the board is being blamed by the govern- ment "for something we didn't do," with the province arguing boards haven't con- trolled these costs. Carter, from Harpurhey, sounded bitter and his criti- cisms were pointed. He•is not running again in the upcom- ing municipal elections. Ha said the school board is being "kicked around" and the provincial government has painted all boards with the sante brush. "We have not received any recognition for a job well done in rural Ontario," the HCBE Chair said. PAY 'BIG TIME' He said the Huron board remains one of the lowest spending in this province. He predicted Ontario's tax- payers are "going to pay big time" for educational restruc- turing that is now going on. The Huron board will cease to exist at the start of next year, when it amalgamates by government legislation with the Perth County public board into what is at present called District School Board No. 8. The retiring Carter was reporting to ratepayers in the first half of last week's public meeting at Brucefield United Church, before all candidates for the Nov. 10 municipal elections in attendance later spoke to the 17 people who were there. One of these candidates actually wondered out loud what he was getting into after hearing what Carter had to say. The public education chair said the Huron board can't try and force teachers back into the classroom during their current illegal strike, becausethe legal fees would break them. Perhaps it could ALLAN CARTER be done on a regional basis later, he said. TAXES INCREASE Carter reported education taxes have increased about 12 per cent for Tuckersmith ratepayers since 1994, identi- cal to the 12 per cent reduc- tion in Ontario government transfers. He said the Huron board's budget has actually decreased by about $3 -mil- lion in that span, and salaries and wages here have gone down by about $l -million. Meanwhile, an oil tank to gas upgrade of some schools at "tremendous savings" has happened, among other accomplishments, and Carter said he was proud that partic- ularly in the area of technolo- gy the local public board is second to none. The board itself is now "basically paperless across the county," he pointed out. Carter said much credit was due to teachers and staff who helped the board stay abreast of technological change and get two major (TIFF) grants totalling about $1.3 -million, a situation unique in this province. BOARD -TEACHERS He said local teachers have sometimes gone "against the grain" of what their unions wanted to work with their local board. Now the government wants to move into this arca, the on Page 19. BY GREGOR CAMPBELL Expositor Staff This is David Scott's first shot at municipal politics. The 32 -year-old playwright and editor of The Huron Expositor admits he'll have to brush up on his rules of order if he's elected mayor in Monday's municipal election, but says he thinks "it's healthy for council to have a new voice." "I don't think its healthy to have the same people on council time after time," he says. "Seaforth needs a mayor who is enthusiastic and an effective communicator. I think I can do a better job than the current moor and provide a fresh outlook on the issues facing town." Scott is an intense young man who isn't afraid of tak- ing chances. He sees no con- flict with being and editor and mayor. "I would not be walking into council with a reporter's notebook," he says. "I know what is privileged information and in no way would I jeopardize the town's position for a quick news scoop. It all ends and begins with me. I trust myself to do a good job in both positions. I'm an honest person." AGAINST ALL ODDS The challenger took another chance that paid off against long odds earlier this year, when his first play, There's Nothing in. The Paper, was put on by the Blyth Festival. He was unemployed when he started writing it, but figured he wasn't just going to sit around and do nothing. Itis not easy to write a play, when you've never done it before, and produce what turned out to be a hit. Scott was born in Ottawa but grew up here starting at about three months. He comes from a pioneer family in the area, from Roxborough way. He is married and lives on Ann Street with his wife, Kathleen and their two chil- dren, aged three -and -a -half and five months. He thinks young families are Seaforth's future. And if there is one thing he would like to achieve as mayor of this town over the next three years, he says he hopes it will be "to assure that Seaforth not only sur- vives into the next century but provides support for young people to move here and raise families." THE NEXT CENTURY "Anything that would make opening a business on Main Street more attractive to entrepreneurs rather than run- ning a business out of their home. "to keep the downtown business Core alive I would focus on filling up the vacant stores. Maybe council could consider giving new busi- nesses a tax break in their first year?! would like to see j;ONTINUED on Page 19.