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Times Advocate, 1998-12-02, Page 5morning. "1 think they put the cart before the horse," Hackney said, adding she and Johnston should have been told they would be laid off before attending the staff meet- ing since it was apparent with the job structure chart their positions were eliminated. • She said everyone attended the meeting thinking they were being offered the buy-outs but that no one was going to be termi- nated. Johnston also felt the situation could -have been handled better. "I thought it would hap- pen more discreet than this," he said. Vednesday, December 2. 1998 Exeter Times—Advocate In the News Laid off employees upset but moving on LUCAN — The three employees who took it on the chin due to the Lucan-Biddulph merger are looking on the bright side. Lucan public works superintendent Doug Johnston and assistant tax collector Linda Hackney as well as Biddulph administrator Larry Hotson will be out of work after Dec. 31 due to the Jan. 1 Lucan- Biddulph merger. The amalgamation transition board made the decision last week which was approved by both coun- cils. None of the votes were unanimous. Johnston, with Lucan for over 26 years. has no plans after his time runs out. "It's a kick in the head,". he said. "It's a -real let down." Johnston, 54, said there is no pension or retire- ment plan at the village, though there are I1RSPs available. Johnston did, however, • Fisher will run in new Huron -Bruce riding KINCARDINE-- Bruce MPP Barb Fisher has offi- cially announced her intention to seek the nom- ination for the Progressive Conservative party in the new Huron -Bruce riding in the next provincial elec- tion, The new riding reduces three current provincial - ridings to •the two con- stituencies of Huron -Bruce and Bruce -Grey. Fisher said in -a press release she was enthusias- tic for the opportunity "to work with the people in the new riding from Southampton to Grand Bend, 'to Brussels to Wingham." Huron MPP Helen Johns could not be reached for comment at press time, but she told the '1'-A in August she intends to seek A second term in the PC party's Huron -Bruce rid- ing. look on the bright side and said several job leads have been thrown his way and he's confi- dent he'll find work. Hackney, a part-time worker with Lucan for 18 years. Is saddened by the news. "1'm distressed because 1 love my job and 1 love the people," she said, adding she too is confi- dent she'll find another job. Hackney also .does book-keeping out of her home. Hotson, 55. said he is sending out resumes and is actively looking for Another job. "1 am hurt and disap- pointed," Hotsensaid about being let go six months earlier than expected. "1 will survive and I will do the best job • 1 can till the end of the year." Hotson has been with the township for eight years. Hackney, 44, said she doesn't know how the existing stall at the two municipalities will han- dle the workload after the merger since Lucan's three office staff (two full-time, one part-time) were busy enough already. The lay-offs will leave three office staff for the merged entity. "You are taking on another company, dou- bling the work and no extra workers," she said. "A human can only do so much. My heart goes out to them. They have a let in front of them." Hackney also has a problem with how the terminations were han- dled. She said she and Johnston were first offered the buy-out pack- ages all of Lucan and Biddulph employees were given and asked to attend a staff meeting after a transition board meeting last Monday. At the meeting they were shown thenew munici- pality's job structure. They weren't told their their positions were ter- minated till Tuesday Have a ntws tip? 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