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Huron Expositor, 2002-10-30, Page 10Opinion A �! i lb Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 Tom Williscraft - Publisher Dionne McGrath - Subscriptions/Classifieds Susan Hundertmark - Reporter 11/1°5444‘30) 4 Sr. Mdw Cwpr+tr. - A Q4.1Q4.164.4..iCwpaay F -moil srirst cEsnlnrtiteisnwr+cns4t ram Visit our home page at www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES: LOCAL • 33.50 o year, in odvance, plus 2.35 G.S.T. SENIORS: - 31.00 o year, in advance, plus 2.17 G.S.T. USA & Foreign: 29.44 a year in advance, plus $78.00 postage, G.S T. exempt Published weekly by Signal -Star Publishing at 11 Main St., Seaforth. Publication moil registration No. 0696 held at Seaforth, Ontario. Advertising is accepted on condition thot in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the Toss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes. Changes of address, orders for subscriptions and undeliverable copies are to be sent to The Huron Expositor Publication Mail Registration No. 07605 Scott Hilgendorff - Editor Bernie Pugh Office/Sales Anne Roden - Distribution Bowes Publishers Limited Wednesday, November 21, 2001 Idltorial and 5aslaass OMkes - 11 Malta litseet.,Seelertl. Telephone 1519) 537-0240 Pax (519) 537.21155 Mailing Address - P.O. Sex 69, Seaforth, Ontario, NOK 1 WO Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association, Ontario Community Newspapers Association "We acknowledge the financial support of the Govemment of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs." Editorial Council seeking solutions to keep Huron East strong There are some tough baffles ahead as Huron East works to protect the communities within its boundaries. The former towns and townships with schools now face losing them and the Brussels Medical ainic is in danger of closing if financial help or more doctors aren t found. Despite these hurdles, Huron East staff and council are taking strong stands on the issues they are facing and looking hard at finding solutions to help keep schools and doctors in the community. Huron East is trying to help the community be designated underserviced in terms of the number of doctors it currently has which would gain it funding from the province to offer incentives to new doctors. Council is preparing to lead a fight against the Avon Maitland District School Board to keep more of its schools from closing after losing Walton and Vanastra Public Schools last year. And council is looking seriously at how to offer financial support to the Seaforth Medical Clinic to help offset a $20,000 deficit that might cause the clinic to close its satelite office in Brussels. Although faced with some controversy, plans to hire an economic development officer are also a sign of a council that is trying to be forward thinking in finding ways to help the greater community grow and be strong. While Seaforth has the' largest urban population and was the cause of concern in other more rural areas of Huron East when amalgamation first took place, a well-rounded group of councillors seems to be trying hard to find solutions that benefit everyone. And not everything is grim. A team of recruiters from the medical community, led by Gwen Devereaux, have successfully managed to attract a new doctor who will come to the town later next year and the hospital is forging ahead with plans to create a seniors wellness centre, expanding the services available. There may be bumps along the way, but community leadership continues to be strong and looking for ways to bolster all of Huron East. Scott Hilgendorff How to access us Letters to the Editor and other submissions can be made to us by noon on Mondays at: seaforth @bowesnet.com All letters and submissions must be signed and accompanied by a day -time telephone number. All submissions are subject to editing for both length and content. Don't forget to check out our homepage at: 4 Letters Smith takes stand on public's right to know To the Editor: In an earlier letter I reported that I had boycotted a second Avon Maitland District School Board board meeting on October 9, doing so because the topic of the meeting was accommodation review, a topic that must be discussed in open session. Advice was given that this meeting would be "a public forum" but the media and the public were given no notice that the meeting was to take place. My earlier letter at least let the public know that the meeting had occurred. At the very next closed session of the Board a lawyer hired by the board's staff made a presentation on "The Role of a Trustee." I objected• to the inclusion of this presentation in closed session both before and after the lawyer arrived stating that a presentation and ensuing trustee discussion does not qualify as a closed session item as they clearly do not meet any of the five criteria for closed session meetings, set out in the Education Act. No written material was included in the presentation but a short synopsis has been included in the minutes of that closed session. After recording my own extensive notes of this meeting I informed the board that I would be obtaining my own legal opinion at my cost, as to the propriety of having this "Role of a Trustee" item in closed session rather than in public session. The content of the presentation and discussion among the trustees gave me cause to raise my other eye. A great deal of the lawyer's emphasis was placed on discouraging individual trustees from speaking any individual opinion that varied from the board of trustee's collective decision. He repeatedly stressed the personal liability of individual trustees who made public declarations out of step with board decisions made in concert, noting that defamation suits are alive and well in the school board/trustee sector and giving opinion that the public almost always misconstrues that an individual trustee's personal political opinions are the opinions of the board in concert. Much of the board's discussion on the matter revolved around the notion that a trustee's inclination to offer individual opinion should be constrained by obligation to other trustees and to the board in concert. My response to this was that having arrived in my position of trustee by the electoral process it is my firm belief that my primary obligation is to my constituents; the ratepayers, taxpayers, parents, students and to the communities at large comprising my "area" (ward). In additional discussion of school closure and an individdal trustee's liability, the lawyer's and my fellow trustee's discussion focussed around the possibility that a dissenting trustee's expressed opinion could in some fashion lend to the success of a court challenge mounted against See NOT, Page 5 Grades 7 and 8 should be moved to high school To the Editor: 1 cannot understand why our elected officials on the Avon Maitland School Board do not see the need to move Grades seven and eight public school students to the high school. 1 sure can see the need. I dread the thought of grade 7 and 8 students in with 4 and 5 year old children who are in junior and senior kindergarten. An example of why comes from a 13 -year-old boy in a local public school and was suspended for selling drugs at the school; to whom did he sell them and where did he get them from? Another 14 -year-old boy in another local public school was suspended for threatening a teacher. That's two very good reasons to move grades 7 and 8 to the high schools. In Lindsay, grades 7 and 8 students are in junior high school and grades 9 to 12 are in senior high school. If some parents are afraid the older high school students would be a bad influence on the younger public school students, think again. Many grade 7 and 8 students, 13 to 15 -years -old can and will teach the older students quite a few things. Following reports from an October board meeting, trustee Charles Smith was harassed for proposing an amendment to stall the review of schools for closure. Closing schools is not the issue: the almighty dollar for the board is. Smith said all the public has every right to know and find out where the $1.38 million dollars, allotted to the Avon Maitland District School Board, goes. Why was Smith chastised for releasing board information, (so some administrators said) why the hush, hush at board meetings? If no one has anything to conceal, the public should know what goes on at board meetings at all times. Our street is 2 1/2 blocks long. Why do two school buses drive up this street? There are not 20 students on the whole street. There is a large waste of money there. Mitchell only had a handful of parents out to their meeting with board staff member Bill Gerth. Why few people? Most parents already have their minds made up to send their children to Catholic schools rather than go See BOARD, Page 5 First sleighs and cutters appear on streets November 24,1876 The plow exhibited at the Centennial by Messrs. Munroe and Hogan, of this town, was purchased and has been forwarded for exhibition at Sydney, New South Wales. Robert Govenlock of McKillop, presented the Huron Expositor a fine large cauliflower, which he had 'taken from his garden. We understand that James Beattie is now in the field as a candidate for the mayoralty. It appears that while some of the workman were engaged in moving planks one of the planks slipped and fell, striking James Murphy on the head. He was removed to his residence and he improved in a few days. J. S. Porter of town has disposed of the house and lot south of the market formerly occupied by Geo. Forsythe to Thos. A. Sharpe for $750.00. The house and lot in Harpurhey, recently occupied by Mr. Snowdon, has been purchased by Michael Carty for $400.00. Mrs. Wright has purchased from Miss Sparling the two lots on John Street in the rear of Albert Sparling's residence for $400.00. November 22, 1901 Wm. Whitesides, a native of Hensall, was killed recently while driving logs in one of the rivers near Duluth, Minn. Alex Smillie, the genial clerk of Tuckersmith, received by express, a little thoroughbred Yorkshire pig, the father and mother of which were sold for nearly $400.00. While returning from Kippen, where he had been conducting anniversary services, Rev. Mr. Gifford of Clinton, met with an accident which might have proved serious. One of the wheel came off the buggy and he was thrown out, under the horses feet. However, he escaped without injury. On Monday of this week, Richard Pollard of Walton, received the, news of the death of his sn in law, Mr. Grey of Sheldon No. Dak. Mr. Geo. Dundas who has been out in the Western States since last spring has Years agone... returned home. Mr. Morrow of Brucefield has disposed of his lease of the Dixon Hotel, to Geo. McDonald of Chatham and Mr. Morrow intends going to Vancouver to reside. James Grainger and bride of Brucefield have taken up housekeeping in the house occupied by Wm. Nevin. F. Smallacombe, known as the onion king of Hensall, recently shipped a carload of onions from this station. A meeting for the purpose of organizing a hockey team was held and the following officers elected: Hon. Pres. W. O. Reid? Pres. H. R. Jackson: vice pres. T. Stephens: Manager W. McDougall: Secretary W. H. Baker: Treasurer James Dick. Wm. Ament of town was in Wingham purchasing grain for shipment to New York. The first sleighs and cutters appeared on the streets for this season on Friday last. A very happy event took place in the township of Hullett when Miller Adams and Mary Wheatley were united in marriage. The citizens of Kippen were alarmed by the cry of fire. It was found to be in the residence of Robert Mellis. It was caused by the upsetting of a lamp. November 26, 1926 A. H. Neeb was the Conservative candidate in South Huron. Messrs. Ray McDonald, Earl Kinsman, Jas. Wright and Jon Simmons of Cromarty motored to Toronto and spent the week at the Royal Stock Show. Wm. Manley of Manley is busy residing his home with Nepold roofing which adds greatly to its appearance. Mrs. John Rattenbury of Brucefield had the misfortune to fall on her way to church and break her hip. Peter Gingerich of Zurich has purchased the farm north of Blake, from the owner, R. Boyes, of near Seaforth and gets possession in the spring. Mr. Butler of Clinton, who has been employed in D. H. Stewart's butcher shop has moved his family into Mrs. Livingstone's house. Messrs. D. L. Reid and M. R. Rennie, were in Brussels taking part in the program at the concert of the United Church. Sam Rennie, Hensall, was in Brucefield this week where he sang pleasing solos at the chicken supper in the United Church. Dr. A. R. Campbell, Hensall, was in Toronto taking in the stock at the winter fair. An interesting and unique event took place at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Gillespie, James St. when they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Chas. Finkbeiner of town has purchased the residence of John Gemmel in Egmondville. November 23, 1951 Thos. Pryde, Progressive Conservative was re-elected for his third term with a majority of 1428 over John Armstrong, Liberal on Thursday's election. T. Roy Patterson, Huron Co. Engineer, for 32 years, died suddenly in Alexandra Marine and General Hospital. He was known as a pioneer road builder. R. S. McKercher, R. R. 1, Dublin was elected president of the Huron Federation of Agriculture at the annual meeting in Clinton. John Caldwell of Exeter, a native of Tuckersmith, died in St. Joseph's Hospital. Born in Hensall, he was in his 67th year. Mrs. R. H. Sproat was a sister. At First Presbyterian Church, Seaforth, Alma Smith of Brussels, became the bride of Joseph Laverne Hugill. Rev. D. Glenn Campbell preformed the ceremony. Mrs. Frank Novak was organist and Jas. T. Scott sang "For You Alone" and "Because". Mrs. Wes. Nichols received by Mr. and Mrs. James Love of Tuckersmith, that their son Sergeant Douglas Love, has sailed from Wolf's Cove, Quebec, on the steamer Columbus, for Germany. Among those attending the funeral of the late Roy Patterson , Goderich, included Mr. and Mrs. Jos. Riley, and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Riley of Constance. A group of hunters, comprising, Fred Beer, Bert Horton, Geo. Beer, Garnet Mousseau, Thos. Dougall, David Sangster, John Sangster, Harold Parker and Howard Lemon of Hensall and Clayton Horton of Seaforth, brought home seven deer from their hunting expedition on Manitoulin Island. November 25, 1976 Main St. Seaforth, was turned into a movie lot for much of Thursday when a film crew from TDF Productions, Toronto, shot a commercial for national television outside the local Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. According to Ed Sumner of McKim Advertising who was supervising the production, Seaforth's bank was picked out of several in the province because of its excellent old architecture. The Seaforth Bank, and at least a corner of the Post Office next door, will be first seen on TV in March or April. Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Norman Kistner who celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary Saturday evening at when friends, relatives and neighbors gathered at the Orange Hall in Mitchell for a social evening when progressive euchre was enjoyed. Karen Regier, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Regier of Seaforth, a student at the University of Waterloo in recreation, is sending a work term at the Chateau Annex Nursing Home in Kirkland Lake. A prominent resident Samual G. Rannie passed away in Westminister Hospital, London on Sunday, November 21st, in his 71st year. A life long resident of Hensall, he was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Erastus Rannie, a prominent businessman and widely known for his musical talent.