Huron Expositor, 2001-05-09, Page 1814 -hie HURON EXPOSITOR. "UV S. 2001
News
Citizens may patrol themselves
From Page 1
"This is not vigilante justice.
You don't stop or confront
people - you're just trying to
collect as much information as
possible," she said.
Patterson said the Bayfield
Mobile Watch program,
involving citizen patrols, has
"stymied a lot of people and
there's not as much trouble
there are there used to be 10
years ago."
While Patterson praised both
programs, she said getting
people involved who will stay
involved is the challenge.
"It's just like minor sports. In
Clinton, a dozen people came
out at first but after a few
months, it was only the same
four or five who kept coming,"
she said.
She recommended the
Citizens on Patrol program for
Seaforth.
"If you're feeling victimized
by the fires, that's the way to
go," she said.
People involved in Citizens
on Patrol must let police know
what car they're driving and
their licence plates before they one is out.
go out on pawl. However on warm weekends
"We need to know you're the Main Street is active with
good guy and not the bad guy young people throughout the
or you might end up getting night.
wheeled yourself," she said. "Seaforth doesn't have as
Patterson also suggested many problems as other towns
well-known local business in Huron County. Historically,
people borrow someone else's this is a pleasant town, a quiet
car - "A car with tinted community," she said, adding
windows would be better yet," that without going through the
she said - vary the hours of their town's police statistics, she
pawl and keep the membership believes crime escalates on
of the patrol committee secret. weekends and during summer
Patterson also said getting holidays.
local people involved in While Seaforth receives 20
policing could put more hours of police presence every
pressure on local parents who day under its present contract,
are letting their children wander the shifts which used to end at 4
the streets at night. a.m. became staggered after
She said curfews don't work several break-ins to downtown
very well because they're hard businesses a few years ago.
to enforce. Patterson said Seaforth could
"There are some parents who benefit from the new contract
say, 'Just leave my child alone which will see an increased
if he's not doing anything police presence in all of Huron
wrong. Weren't you young Fast.
once?"' she said. "You'll probably end up with
Patterson added that in her 24-hour policing in Huron East
experience, curfews aren't and with the office and the
needed in Seaforth since most computer in Seaforth, you're
nights, "you can shoot a cannon probably going to benefit from
down Main Street " since no that," she said.
Report purpose was to gather
data needed for further study
From Pogo 1
"There are very few
schools that aren't named in
the report," said Gerth who,
along with Director of
Education Lorne Rachlis,
were recommending to the
Avon Maitland District
School Board last night, that
community accommodation
study committees be formed.
Those committees would
be tasked with making
recommendations on how to
handle the problem of
schools with dwindling
populations and those facing
crowding as the provincial
government's funding
formula continues to force
the board to address
accommodation issues or
face less funding.
For example, the funding
formula requires a high
school to operate with
approximately 900 students
to receive proper funding.
He said there's only one
high school in the district that
has more than 900 students.
Gerth said they are trying
to put a committee structure
in place that treats each
community fairly after being
found to have treated
Seaforth unfairly by the
courts almost a year ago.
If the board approves his
and Rachlis'
recommendations,
committees will be formed
this month and be required to
report back to the board by
Sept. 30, starting the official
process that will lead to
eventual school closures.
But Gerth stresses the
committees and board are
looking at more than just
closing schools.
He said the committees
will be looking at where
space is both over and
underutilized.
"We've got a ton of surplus
space in this district," said
Gerth.
However, Smith said none
of the people, including
school councils and
municipalities were made
aware of the consultants'
report or that accommodation
committees were up for
recommendation at last
night's meeting, despite
being key players in the
committees.
"It's a ramrod process
again," said Smith.
"As things happen, the
vote will go down before
anyone has a chance to
respond," said Smith of his
expected outcome from last
night's meeting with the
formation of accommodation
committees.
"We're starting down a
path in a fashion that doesn't
give the respect to the people
involved," said Smith.
But Gerth said the
formation of committees
should come as no surprise as
the board has been dealing
with how to rectify the
problems with last year's
accommodation review
structure for the past several
months and that the
formation of accommodation
committees was to be
expected at any time.
"We're a long way away
from making any decisions,"
said Gerth.
Once those committees
make their recommendations,
Gerth said administration
will prepare a report pointing
to schools for further
accommodation review
including those that may
need more space.
By February, 2002, Gerth
said the board will have to
make a decision on
consolidating schools if that
is to be in place by
September 2002.
However, he hopes the
entire process will be
distributed between 2002 and
2005 so that consolidations
take place more gradually.
All this takes into
assumption that the board
approved Gerth and Rachlis'
recommendations last night.
"There's no intention here
to play games. Our first
obligation is to the kids,
including those of Seaforth,"
said Gerth.
"We aren't hatching plots.
We're trying to be fair and
reasonable and we hope the
community treats it the
same," said Gerth of
Seaforth.
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