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Times Advocate, 1994-06-08, Page 1SEIP'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 The Garden Centre Bedding Plants $8.99 r------011 S UBSCRIBE! ' 11 you aren't subscribing to The' Times -Advocate. you're missing out. Use the coupon below and subscribe today! 1 Name: _ ' Address City Prov. IPostal Code SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada Within 40 miles • (65 km) addressed to non letter carrier addresses $30.00 plus $2.10 G.S.T. 'Outside 40 miles - (65 km) or any letter t carrier address $60.00 + $4.20 G.S.T. Outside Canada -$99.00 00d sae 40 poe.q.) USE YOUR CREDIT CARD ' ODDDDDDD 1 ODODDDDD Card No. 1 I Expiry Date 0 Visa 0 Master Card 0 Cheque enclosed Return to: TIMES ADVOCATE ' 424 Main St. Exeter, Ont. NOM 1S6 gm 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Announcement, pages 21-22 Experts page 25 Plus Home Locator SEIP'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 Fresh Baked from our Bakery •99 pkg. of 8 Hotdoo or Hamburg Buns Local unemployment soaring? 12.2 percent jobless rate can't be right, say employment officials EXETER - While other centres in Ontario are reporting lower unemployment rates this spring, the picture for the jobless appears to he darkening in South Huron County - or is there a problem with the statistics? Laura Overholt, manager at Exeter's Canada Employment Centre, said she is trying to determine whether or not the 12.2 percent unemployment figure for the area is a true pic- ture of the problem. In February, the local jobless rate stood at 10.8 percent, with the overall Huron County rate at 7.7 percent. Is is pos- sible that the unemployment problem has worsened from one in 10 people looking for work to nearly one in eight? "We're a little concerned that might not be correct," said Overholt, adding that an un- employment problem that bad should be far more visible, with many more people trying harder to find work. "We have some programs going on that really aren't being utilized," said Overholt, referring to the PACE and construction industry adult education programs being offered at the high school. A possible source of errors in the jobless rate data is that some people may still have active Unemployment In- surance claims, while having started a new job. "We're a little concerned that might not be correct." • In fact, Overholt says the Exeter centre is hav- ing a hard time finding skilled workers to fill certain positions, including in the electrical trade. Consequently, the employment centre will be attempting to discover just what cat- egories local unemployed workers fit into. Overholt said the local manufacturing sector has been hit hard in recent months with layoffs or closures at factories. "There has been significant hiring in certain kinds of the industry...but then again, you don't know how long-term those positions are." Nurses support hospital's stand They warn deaths or hospital closure could result from emergency cutbacks EXETER - Nurses at South Huron Hospital say that patients lives will he at risk, and the closure of the entire hospital may be the out- come if negotiations between doctors and ad- ministration fail. A deal is being sought to keep local doctors on call to the hospital's emergency ward. The hospital hoard says it is prepared to pay up to $100,000 over and above the OHIP fees col- lected by the emergency doctors, but that would be considerably Tess than the $60 per hour temporary agreement made last fall. The nurses' union, Local 112 of the Ontario Nurses Association, says that signs directing people to the hospital emergency would have to be covered or removed during the weekdays the ward would be closed. Staff layoffs in emergency would follow, they say. Other services would be cut back, including x-rays, casting, and lab work. "Given today's climate in the provincial health care system, this might easily lead to the closure of the whole hospital, which was originally funded and built by this com- munity," states a release from the nurse's un- ion. If the emergency staffing issue is not re- solved, and the unit closes, deaths might re- sult, they warn. Last weekend, about 200 people made use of the South Huron Hospital, state the nurses, and say they "fully support the Board of Di- rectors and Administration in their endeavor to keep emergency open". Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health is saying that the province cannot afford to pay doctors more than the $3.85 billion already allocated to OHIP billings. A letter from health min- ister Ruth Grier to small hospitals states that the ministry wants to re -open negotiations with the Ontario Medical Association to try and divert more funds to smaller communities where doctors are not as well compensated for working long hours in emergency wards. "I have asked the OMA for a commitment that doctors will maintain their essential ser- vices without requiring payment above and be- yond the $3.85 billion already agreed to," states Grier's letter. Negotiations are continuing at the hospital nonetheless. An offer from the physicians was reviewed by the hospital board Monday after- noon, and it is expected a final arrangement will be found before the next deadline for pos- sible emergency closure arises by next Mon- day morning. "I cert;.inly am hopeful we'll have some- thingrr said hospital administrator Don Cur- rell. Town taxes cut' two percent The bad news is you're paying the extra for garbage tags, and your tax bill will still go up two percent in education tax increases EXETER - Property taxes will go up two percent for Exeter property owners this year, despite a two per- cent decrease in town taxes. The blame for the tax hike lies squarely with both education boards. The County of Huron had no tax increase for 1994. The puhlic school board's in- crease of six percent, and the separ- ate school board's five percent in- crease both translate into an overall two percent increase on the quarter- ly tax hill. Exeter's two percent decrease came about through the removal of waste management budget figures from the general tax levy. Virtual- ly the entire program is being fi- ',Please see Council, page two Huron County facin road repair money crunch by 1996 GODERICH - Huron County road repair may not be up to present standards in the coming years as money for the work is slowly dry- ing up. That was the message given to Huron County councillors Thurs- day morning by the Public Works engineer. Dennis Mcrrall said government funding for repair work has been dropping since 1987. "The 1994 level of funding is below the 1987 level and is SI, 40,1,400 below the revenues in 1991," Mcrrall told council. He went on to say that "this dramatic loss in funding will lead to long term service reduction on the county road system." Mcrrall told council they should start preparing for a real money crunch in 1996. That means changing the way the county deals with its road repair needs, he said. Pooper scoopers now law for dog owners in Exeter, after close council vote EXETER - Town council passed a "pooper-scooper" bylaw Monday evening. Under revisions to the town's dog licensing bylaw, all dog owners in Exeter are now required to pick up after their animals when they defe- cate on either puhlic or private prop- erty. "My question is, if we have a by- law we're going to vote on, is it en- forceable?" asked councillor Bob Spears: - There was some debate amongst council members as to whether the police, town staff, or the dog catcher would be involved in a complaint about a dog owner not picking up. There was no clear conscnsus on en- forcement. "When you walk your dog, you'll have to take your little pooper- scooper along with you," said depu- ty -reeve Lossy Fuller, chairing the meeting in the absence of the may- or. However, when it came time to vote on the bylaw, only three of the council members present voted in favour, three did not. Fuller decided to break the tic. "I'm going to vote, and I'm going to vote in favour of those two by- laws," said Fuller. The other bylaw was to appoint a new dog catcher, Joan Weiss of • Hensall. Pulling together The OPP team won the second annual tug of war with the firefighters In wood team Invited to take on the winners of the evening's match. Of MacNaughton Park Thursday evening. The firefighters won the Fltweek course, at the time of the Fltweek tug of war, the OPP and Town Police were event last year. However, the OPP were no match for the competitive Dash- two separate organizations. Catholic and Public Secondary school put on hold See page 2 ' Five contestants' Vying for Hensall Fair Ambassador See page 3 Bluewater Recycling i Facility creates 10 new jobs See page 5 Student of the Year Nominees See page 9 Therapy dogs Visit Blue Water Rest Home See page 12 Field hockey reunion Hosted by South Huron District High School See page 14 Classifieds pages 18-19 Announcement, pages 21-22 Experts page 25 Plus Home Locator SEIP'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 Fresh Baked from our Bakery •99 pkg. of 8 Hotdoo or Hamburg Buns Local unemployment soaring? 12.2 percent jobless rate can't be right, say employment officials EXETER - While other centres in Ontario are reporting lower unemployment rates this spring, the picture for the jobless appears to he darkening in South Huron County - or is there a problem with the statistics? Laura Overholt, manager at Exeter's Canada Employment Centre, said she is trying to determine whether or not the 12.2 percent unemployment figure for the area is a true pic- ture of the problem. In February, the local jobless rate stood at 10.8 percent, with the overall Huron County rate at 7.7 percent. Is is pos- sible that the unemployment problem has worsened from one in 10 people looking for work to nearly one in eight? "We're a little concerned that might not be correct," said Overholt, adding that an un- employment problem that bad should be far more visible, with many more people trying harder to find work. "We have some programs going on that really aren't being utilized," said Overholt, referring to the PACE and construction industry adult education programs being offered at the high school. A possible source of errors in the jobless rate data is that some people may still have active Unemployment In- surance claims, while having started a new job. "We're a little concerned that might not be correct." • In fact, Overholt says the Exeter centre is hav- ing a hard time finding skilled workers to fill certain positions, including in the electrical trade. Consequently, the employment centre will be attempting to discover just what cat- egories local unemployed workers fit into. Overholt said the local manufacturing sector has been hit hard in recent months with layoffs or closures at factories. "There has been significant hiring in certain kinds of the industry...but then again, you don't know how long-term those positions are." Nurses support hospital's stand They warn deaths or hospital closure could result from emergency cutbacks EXETER - Nurses at South Huron Hospital say that patients lives will he at risk, and the closure of the entire hospital may be the out- come if negotiations between doctors and ad- ministration fail. A deal is being sought to keep local doctors on call to the hospital's emergency ward. The hospital hoard says it is prepared to pay up to $100,000 over and above the OHIP fees col- lected by the emergency doctors, but that would be considerably Tess than the $60 per hour temporary agreement made last fall. The nurses' union, Local 112 of the Ontario Nurses Association, says that signs directing people to the hospital emergency would have to be covered or removed during the weekdays the ward would be closed. Staff layoffs in emergency would follow, they say. Other services would be cut back, including x-rays, casting, and lab work. "Given today's climate in the provincial health care system, this might easily lead to the closure of the whole hospital, which was originally funded and built by this com- munity," states a release from the nurse's un- ion. If the emergency staffing issue is not re- solved, and the unit closes, deaths might re- sult, they warn. Last weekend, about 200 people made use of the South Huron Hospital, state the nurses, and say they "fully support the Board of Di- rectors and Administration in their endeavor to keep emergency open". Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health is saying that the province cannot afford to pay doctors more than the $3.85 billion already allocated to OHIP billings. A letter from health min- ister Ruth Grier to small hospitals states that the ministry wants to re -open negotiations with the Ontario Medical Association to try and divert more funds to smaller communities where doctors are not as well compensated for working long hours in emergency wards. "I have asked the OMA for a commitment that doctors will maintain their essential ser- vices without requiring payment above and be- yond the $3.85 billion already agreed to," states Grier's letter. Negotiations are continuing at the hospital nonetheless. An offer from the physicians was reviewed by the hospital board Monday after- noon, and it is expected a final arrangement will be found before the next deadline for pos- sible emergency closure arises by next Mon- day morning. "I cert;.inly am hopeful we'll have some- thingrr said hospital administrator Don Cur- rell. Town taxes cut' two percent The bad news is you're paying the extra for garbage tags, and your tax bill will still go up two percent in education tax increases EXETER - Property taxes will go up two percent for Exeter property owners this year, despite a two per- cent decrease in town taxes. The blame for the tax hike lies squarely with both education boards. The County of Huron had no tax increase for 1994. The puhlic school board's in- crease of six percent, and the separ- ate school board's five percent in- crease both translate into an overall two percent increase on the quarter- ly tax hill. Exeter's two percent decrease came about through the removal of waste management budget figures from the general tax levy. Virtual- ly the entire program is being fi- ',Please see Council, page two Huron County facin road repair money crunch by 1996 GODERICH - Huron County road repair may not be up to present standards in the coming years as money for the work is slowly dry- ing up. That was the message given to Huron County councillors Thurs- day morning by the Public Works engineer. Dennis Mcrrall said government funding for repair work has been dropping since 1987. "The 1994 level of funding is below the 1987 level and is SI, 40,1,400 below the revenues in 1991," Mcrrall told council. He went on to say that "this dramatic loss in funding will lead to long term service reduction on the county road system." Mcrrall told council they should start preparing for a real money crunch in 1996. That means changing the way the county deals with its road repair needs, he said. Pooper scoopers now law for dog owners in Exeter, after close council vote EXETER - Town council passed a "pooper-scooper" bylaw Monday evening. Under revisions to the town's dog licensing bylaw, all dog owners in Exeter are now required to pick up after their animals when they defe- cate on either puhlic or private prop- erty. "My question is, if we have a by- law we're going to vote on, is it en- forceable?" asked councillor Bob Spears: - There was some debate amongst council members as to whether the police, town staff, or the dog catcher would be involved in a complaint about a dog owner not picking up. There was no clear conscnsus on en- forcement. "When you walk your dog, you'll have to take your little pooper- scooper along with you," said depu- ty -reeve Lossy Fuller, chairing the meeting in the absence of the may- or. However, when it came time to vote on the bylaw, only three of the council members present voted in favour, three did not. Fuller decided to break the tic. "I'm going to vote, and I'm going to vote in favour of those two by- laws," said Fuller. The other bylaw was to appoint a new dog catcher, Joan Weiss of • Hensall. Pulling together The OPP team won the second annual tug of war with the firefighters In wood team Invited to take on the winners of the evening's match. Of MacNaughton Park Thursday evening. The firefighters won the Fltweek course, at the time of the Fltweek tug of war, the OPP and Town Police were event last year. However, the OPP were no match for the competitive Dash- two separate organizations.