The Goderich Signal Star, 1976-02-26, Page 111
The 'Goderich ' •Police Walls, also the secretary of
Commission • offe'red the the association police corn-
, Goderich police force: an eight . mission, ' told the board that
• percent . salary • increase all .the monetary benefits the
under the terms of .,the. ,l'9�75 police received were• -to. come
. contract between the Corn- under . the ..scrtttiny, of. the
• mission and', the._ • Goderich Price Review Board, and were
v. Poke:e A-s.sooiationy ' tQ ' thus'sub)ect toAth:e guidelines; ,
, establish x:.'•,.1976. •working.. He said than, an eight percent.
agreement. The increase was Increase in all the• items in the
made to amour, with federal : contract would. be disallowed
wage: and ..price guidelines,.• by the federal review board,
and is `the same percentage • and only the clothing benefits
other town -employees were, .could be 'negotiated ' in..: •
offered in a. package deal depe.nde7itly by the Goderich -
from.town council: - ,. commission. . `
.The . eight percent is` a' Under the present contract;
rettirn offer 'made. after the the officers receive 'frorn, the
police association',, of' which ---town 10 shirts a•year,..two ties,'
the Goderich policemen are • two pair of. trousers, one,
members, submitted a fist of ,tunic; one pair pf boots,:oat,
. 1976 contract negotiation pair of gloves,; one pair of
items ..in...November of 1975 .mitts, one pai•r..of overshoes,'
The list' of monetary and, one pair -of toe rubbers, a'
• Working condition clauses winter patka every three
would' result in about a 30 years or :when required and
percent increase -in 'salaries ..one Yukon type fur -cap every
and benefits for the officer's,three years or when, needed.
an Increase far out of line of. • Under the- 1976. contract the •
the federal guidelines. officers wanted : the sane .
The commission's'offer'was clothing 'adding an extra pair ,
made to expedite securing •a of trousers and a new Antron
contract agreementwith the : jacketto the lista
police association 'allowing •a police. chief. Pat King, who'
the commission to strike. a is not under • the officer's
1976 budget. The three man • contract, told. thecommission'
board were "waiting for. a' recently that the - clothing.
return submission of.requests , benefits the.town gives can be
from the -Goderich officers cut aback if the commission .
after ruling out the initialsees:fit. The ctitef said. that
----•-=package • the association very few if any departmei ts•
asked for, The'•eommission, get similar • clothing .from
. realizing all the increase'for their. employers adding that
•the year could total`was.,10 •he,.saw no need,' for the of -
percent. at a maximum, fivers to receive -,1a shirts •a
' .:decid'ed.• to offer the eight year whether they needed it
percent increase- under•the or not The chief suggested
terms of the 1975 contract • tat ',in , the .interest. of
"The :deal- is Very"s.imple•' a r y the ' commission
the way I see it,', said corn- may want to'.clothe the of-
mission 1 chair=man Deb ."•f tiers as they needed it rather
than on a standin basis
Shewfelt: Astraight_ eight . standing
basis-
, the guidelines . The, officers asked for about
:'and we can stay 'away from :a 25 percent salary increase
negotiations • that would only under '. their . November
bea farce.°' requests. The increase would
The eight percent was not jump _a sergeant's .salary
'formally agreed to, by the from :$15,196 to $19,784; fist
police • association but tki.e. • class constables .would jump
• commission . had received from -$.14,500 to $18,850, second
hints that the 'policerealized class from $13,2?4 to'$1I,191,,.
that they would . have .no ` third class from $12,190. to
' choice but 'to stay • within the • ,$15,847; fourth. class , from
: federal wage guidelines. The $9;500 to $14;293 • after six .
commission asked that a
months service: An officer
letter be sent '• off to the would start' on the Goderich
association stating ;the Police force' at $12,740 under
mmissi:on's feeling s ori the the. as'saciation's :suggested
• 19
'
1'976 working terms and• pay rate, ••
askin that"',the association'; Other items in ` the
g ... association requests were an
reply as soon as possible,
The association ree(uests.of.•extra •$5 a day for officers
November included base tting poli
. aendce courses o
t
salaries, meritorious "pay, further their•. •education, an
Sick leave, shift` premiums;
- increase•that:would:mean-$25
vacation time, and clothing, ;a da•y per man- at.• college.
requests. Town clerk Harold, (continued on page', 22)
f�.
`'05. PSA ,ry
MMb(TY.0
' 1.29 YEAR -9
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 2 6,
974 -
Si
GLE COPY'
f
Snagfar-Nell :'
An employee of the: Clinton. Public Hospital isrushed away • were pelted with snowballs by a grogp ofeangry
from the car of Health Minister Frank Miller by Wayne outsi.de:the hospital.. (staffphoto)
McFadden of the Clinton Police Force. Miller and his aides --
•
The needs of •-the psycho
geriatric patients. now in the:
Goderich. Psychiatric
Hospital have been met' and ,
their transfer' to London and
Owen • Sound hospitals
arranged but according to a
reliable' source at GPH the
crunch -of the problem with
the elderly will not be `felt
until GPH is closed. .
The 33 bed unit for geriatric
patients at GPH has been.
operating ata 93 to 100 per-
cent occupancy rate since its.
establishment and is. usually.
filled with people from. Huron
and; Perth counties. The unit,
has a'very high',turnover-rate
.' and very few.of the'patients
admitted are from outside the •
citizens two '•cdunti.es. , Bruce -County,,
.patients usually go to.. the
Owen- Sound Hospital while
Middlle:s.ex :residents are
placed_. .in: the: -: London
Psychiatric. -
The ,problem according .to;
the ,GPH-`sour-ce_is_-going to
• affect '• future, patients :.in
Huron and Perth. The units' in
London :and Owen Sound are
.both filled 'to capac�i-ty- a-nd•
usually: have waiting lists of.
Patients, referred there and
with the addition • of the
• patients• from• 'GP•H both
hospitals- are filled to
--"capacity. `
• People train here will just
not have any 'place ,i0 go,"
patients because they.are
simply .riot equipped to. The
public hospitals usually can't
afford the length of,stay most
patients require nor are they
staffed or equipped to handle
the m problem the people
create. Senility is the major.
problem affecting The aged •
and according to the source :.'
about the only way the
problem can be handled in the
public hospitals is to heavily`
sedate, the patients • to. quiet
them and then tie them to a
•
:chair or bed to prevent. them
from injuring themselves in
'the. sedated condition.. -
I3y Jim Fitzgerald
The community around
Clinton - is up in ' arms
following the order last week
that Clinton's 62 -bed hospital
be closed down by April 1st,
throwing 75 full-time :' en's-
ployees • and • 35 part-time
employees mut of work and
threatening the health'.
A ' •crowd eimated at
-Secondary School Tuesday per day in Clinton, he said., 'testified they. wouldn't ' be said the source. "We are very
night to protest the closing of Not' only does the'Clinton- alive today were it not for the `concerned. here •about "their
hospital serve about 10,000 in easy accessibility .and.' fine -future and' so are the staff of
,the Clinton facility. It was the
largest crowd ever assere- the •Clinton area, but Dr. scare available at the Clinton Owen: Sound and London but
bled . in Clinton for such a Baker said the large influx of ; Hospital.: there"s• just:, nothing we can
in e : .After the speakers, a panel
discussion was set up on the
were the bleachers along the suffer' from poorer health stage and., following . an ad- general hospitals -Cannot care
side. The crowd spilled out ' care. , dress by each of the eight for. 'the -°psycho-geriatric
into the hallways where the Jack Riddell, Liberal panel members, questions; -
public addres-s system had to • Member of Legislature for were heahl from the floor. ' - -
' purpose. The gymnasium •cottagors . and tourists th
floor was completely filled; as summer months 'w.ould also
do.'' ' •
T.he source' said that
nearlyy000 elbowed' their be 'turned an to reach all those : Hugon-Middlesex,-1esex, told the
w.ay in 'to Central. Huron present: Cars 'were parked crowd• he would resign his
•
ti • an Pinkney, concentrates on lighting the 'candle to kick off the Goderich -Second
Br' wnie ack celebration of Lord Baden Powell's birthday as Mary Beth Aiexander.looks
o p
,on, The Brownies dressed in native costuni.Vs of the world to honor the anniversary of the
founder of the stout and(tuide movement which is' now over 106 years old, (staff -photo)
i"" .A 1...-''i. ...•.•sem.-..Wx.aw.�: .wn":uL. 41L :YiL'::. es
bumper to bumper for five • 'seat and give it to the, Con -
blocks around . the. high servatives in a by-election: if
school. it,meant saving the hospital.
Dr. Brian ,Baker, chief of • ' He said he asked Health
medical' staff at the Clinton' Minister Frank Miller if the
Hospital received the biggest . closing was •a political`move,'
response at the'.rneeting when and was assured it was not:,
'he was given. a standing Mr.. Riddell said that all of
ovation at tthe meeting. the hospital closings = ten so:
:Dr,•Baker, who has been in far' - were done without
consultation and . without
warning, and while the
Clinton hospital as no more legislature was not meeting.
than "a mere `pin in the ' He said Premier William
map," -r Davis h•asnever replied to
He said that closing the ' any letters he has, sent.
Clinton facility represented a ' "Davis doesn't Want any•
threat to• the health care of input, ' Mr. Riddell said. •
people irr the Clinton area The 21/2 hour, meeting,
town since' 1972, said the
health` minister regarded .the
• Clarence Denomme,
president of the Clinton Retail
Merchants' Association, said
the' less of the hospital .w'ill
rnean quite an economic
to the town because it is t
town's biggest employer:
The loss' of the .$800,000
annual hospital' payroll would
have a.. very determental
effect on Clinton because the•
.town •rias so. few jobs in the
manufacturing area:•
"We are ,. in ,=an unique
position in that many jabs are
. in the service industry," Mr.
Denomme said., •
'Entire families mcoiries
have been 'wiped out by the
closing: of the ;Goderich
(psychiatric) and 'Clinton,
,he ts.t , ',arid _these people
won't be able to find ,jobs in '
Huron County, Mr:.
Denomme said.
Mr Denomme also added
that he was afraid. rn.any
retiring person --Would have
second .thoughts '- about
moving to Clinton if there was
no, hospital available. Mr..
Denomme said his.
Association was pr•epari:ng a
loss_.
-becsir e truer `four— ga? .ed-. b ._. the Clizttnn_
hospitals in Huron -Goderich Concerned -.Citizens' •
Alexandra, Seaforth, Exeter Coalition, was chaired by
and Wingham'- had no room -Clinton Councill'or• Ji'n'n
for patients from Clinton. : Hunter and started off w-ith a
"We have the best medical mock .funeral service skit put_
team :in Huren County," Dr. on by the prefects of the high
Baker said. school. • •
. Mariy of the operations This was followed • by ' a
carried out at Clinton ."can dozen speakers representing
only bedone in London where citizens-': various institutions,
d costs $100, to and business groups, and
The 20 bed unit toremainin;:'
operation at GPI -I ' after the
major closing on April 1 will
handle,.a' .pittance of the
elderly 'patients- and will not
be conducive to their care
much.. more than public
hospitals according to, ,the
source
The _patients can 'cause
utter chaos in the •hos, pita[ ff
their care is 'not 'geared ' to
their problems. According to
the :source" the patients . are. u.
suffering. from ' senility and
tend to wander about the
hospital, •may 'Strike .mit at.a •
patient or •staff : member if
they are :angered,' eat
irregularly ', and create
problems for: other.. patients.
and .staff ii 'they. . are not .at= .•
tended to properly. '
`•:,W e have 'beds for .all'.our',
patients now.," said the
source.. `But with:the number
of older people. in Huron and.
Perth the problem may be
tragic in the very near future.
T'heme's simply no 'place for
them to be treated.
(Ijnj1on siJi'
prise
-Ontario'- Health Minister
Frank Miller eame to town
last-Thlrrsday morning ,arid
told officials of Clinton Public
Hospital that they must close
down. their 62-hed hospital as •,
soon after April 1 as possible.
...It_.was-,. the. tenth , -.anal -last. -
hospital that Mr.. Miller said
he was -closing down to' save
some 'of the provinces • 3.4
billiopheal:th care budget.
" 'bout 1.50 persons picketed
in, front of the' hospital when
•
•4
the health minister arrived at ' •
9:45 a.m. and two hours later
when he=':Ie€t -he was lustily
--L--
..booed, with several •members -•
of the crowd :hurling.
snowballs and eggs at his car.
T•he'Clinton Public Hospital ,
was the tenth and'final
'hospital -that Mr: Miller said
he was closing, :and he
clammed his ministry would
save $800,000 of the 81,150,000 .
that it would cost to run'the
hospital last .year, with: the
(contin.ued on page 2 2,)
Lewis��to: visit
Clinton and GP1
a hospital be
-.,$-1.50-ta- n er than .the ,$icost..... included several persons who brief and would present it .to New ' Democratic leader
the Ptemier. ' . Stephen Lewis wili,be back to
Paul Carroll. chairman:of Huron County tomorrow ,on
the Concerned' Citizens' what is believedko be another
Coin mittee • for Goderich fact finding mission on the
Psychiatric. Hospital, said a hospital, closings in Clinton
meeting would 'be held in and Goderich. :
s
u;Stratford on Wednesday night" Mr. ,Lewis . will meet -with . 1,.•l
• )
. 'with. represc•ntatives•of.six of the Clinton Hospital board in
Meter$ tO
�faxi`rutes April lm
Thee 'Goderich • Police
Commission passed the '1976
taxi hylaw for the town at
their last 'meeting making it
law for cabs: to be hired ona
metered. rate - and setting
down that rate for the year.
-The bylaw was passed after
seecral weeks of research on
what the rates .should 'he and
on what . hours taxi; cabs
service should be provided in
the town of Goderich.
The • law do•rnes into effect
on April 1 of 1975 when the
annual 1•icenses for ,taxis in
Goderich are handed Out. At
that lime only cabs with
rrrpl°orc ' incthl)ed will he
the •' provincial; government
'and he-a•lth-- istet F -i nk---
Miller to task on the closings
when'the Ontario'legislature
resurhes in•Ma.rch..
cen.
the closed hospitals.. present. Clinton .at four o'clock Friday . •
He said ' they would be . afternoon ' and discuss 'the • '
considering seveA•al : alter- public hospital closing with
native plans, including a the hoard 'and concerned
granted operating licenses. mass march on Queens Park citizens. The ni•eeting will be
�adline
The rates for the year Will in Toronto when the in the Clinton hospital.
legislature" reconvenes on The, opposition lea er in- � ����h�
he one dollar. for the first " d s
three quarters of a mile and
March . tends to make a return trip to
ten cents for each additional, Hospital administrator Goderich on. Friday and will
one eighth of a mile. Waiting Dotig Coventry released, •meet with members of the'
time will be based on an eight r figures that showed, the Concerned. Citizens • ' Com -
dollar an hour rate.. • . Clinton Hospital was one of mittee and the Huron Medical
The taxi companies are the most efficient hospitals -in Society in the CCC•,office at
'now compelled to provide 24 Huron Cpunty and'oneof the the Suncoast Mall. That
hour service on a daily basisbusiost. encounter is set for about half.
'
according to the new law.He said it cost:about $74 a ; past five Friday af.ter.noon.. '
Failure to provide round the day: to keep, a.. patient in Me. Lewis' is gathering
,clock service .can result in. .Clinton„ . compared • to a "'"feelings, opinions and facts on.
cancellation, of the license to pro'vincial.average of $111, the :-closure of- the Clinton
operate. A break of any of the :p - average length of stay , Hospital and the Goderich
r.prov,isions .of, bylaw ,a . the "river—age cost of Psychiatric ,llos'pital, He' has,
6'earries a maximumthe fine•. of'' 'patient stay were also • well ptoinised ' citizens. in ' the
$1,000. w (continued onpage 2 2) 0' communities fiTat ho will take
Goderich "•motorists ' who
have delayed purchasing
their licence plates for 1976.'
have little time -to
procrastinate with the Feb: 28.
deadline approaching.
Tote 'licence bureau on
Church' Street in Goderich-
will be open all day Saturday
to \accommodate the last
minute shopper, This marks
'the third year the small
dornei• plate stickers will be
used
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