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Wingham Advance-Times, 1981-11-25, Page 1tti ON 1100.0 Wingham, Ontario, Wednesday, November 25, 1981 & District Hospital and nurses, manage er cent raise in two Or DOES it MEA v hila l t[ TER +Q otg. geod rsolry of RR 2, Wroxeter had sortie unexpected arrivals at his farm at the eridof September and the first week of Oc- tober seven new lambs. He says it is only the second time in his many years of farming that he has seen lambs born in the autumn rather -than -the spring. Mr. Sander- son doesn't remember what the winter was like the last • ,. time the autumn lambs arrived. Whatever the weather, the lambs are a source of enjoyment to both Mr. Sanderson and his little neighbor, Jonathon, four-year- old son of • Hilbert and Janneke Vanankum. The lambs in this photo are Suffolk; Mr. Sanderson also has some Dorsets. (Staff Photo) Town sets guidelines for 1982 wage reviews Employees of the Town of Wingham can expect to receive pay raises ranging between 10 and 14 per cent next year under new- wage and salary guidelines set during a special town council meeting Monday evening. The guidelines, which provide for raises to be given on a sliding scale according to merit; follow the practice established by council last year. Councillor Richard LeVan explained the numbers were arrived at by assuming an inflation rate of 12 per cent for the year and then adding or subtracting two per cent based on merit. The actual raises for individual em- ployees will be set following reviews with the appropriate department heads. There was some discussion at the meeting about whether police salaries, which are negotiated separately with the police association, also should fall under the guidelines. Several councillors argued that they should, since the police also are town em- ployees. However Councillor James Currie, who heads the committee which will be conducting the negotiations with the police, objected that to impose the guidelines would be binding the com- mittee's hands. "I agree it should (include the police), but it doesn't," he said. "Council can't impose this on the police." He then went on record as abstaining from voting on the motion which set the new -wage guidelines. Council adopted the sliding scale last year, deciding it is a fairer way of handling raises than an across-the- board increase. It is not fair when your worst employee gets exactly the same raise as your best employee, Councillor William Crump noted. Last year the raises Canvass planned for Wingham band A canvass is being planned to raise money to buy instru: ments for the new Wingham Community Band. Members of the Wingham Optimist Club will be co.i- duct.ing the canvass the week of Dec. 3-10. Because of the 'high cost of instruments, they are aiming to raise $4,000 for the band. Bill Henderson Jr., who has been spearheading the drive to organize a new community band, reported this week that the response has been very good. To date the group has 10 players, five prospective players and 15 beginners. in the event that the band did not continue, the money being collected for in- struments would not be lost. he added. if the hand should fold, the instruments would he sold and the money turned over to the Optimists for community work. Anyone who is missed in the canvass who would like to donate to the hand is in- vited to contact Mr. Hen- derson at Box 943, Wingham. ranged between eight and 12 per cent. In other business at the special meeting, council agreed to Approach the Wingham and rural fire committee with a proposal for construction of an ad- dition to the fire hall and a review of the rental fee for the existing building; based on operating costs and value. All discussion of the matter was conducted in committee -of -the -whole, as Mayor William Harris ex- plained it was felt members of the rural fire committee should have a chance to look at the proposal before it is made public. .h Set; superviy medical < .. person' and Diei been aj. salarySalar}f71.1t to 30per term • �� { nurses, rid para- anagement e Wingham tispital have wage and s amounting er a two-year The sealt follows the terms ;; ���.,: arbitrator's award a hers of the Ontario- . Association (ONA) eft' ,his fall. Over the tWo„ , will raise the Or a full-time to $22,800 a , while the go to $25,980 minima register year fir; maxim from Salariessupervisors and e =1'nt and para- medica tl, v: tory, physio- thera ' : . diology) staff at the 1 Hospital are. basetlon the t sing salaries and Will ri 'rhy the same percentag u ' The rat approved by the hose w; board last Wednesdays# t following a , discussion 'hind • closed doors, coo e;period 'Oct. 1 1980, to S 0 1982 with wages and '�' wising i four steps d that -time. The arbitrator's award, which the hospital has adopted, provides for a raise of 9.92 per cent on Oct. 1, 1980; a further 3.46 per cent on April 1, 1981; 9.48 per cent on Oct. 1, 1981, and 4.08 per cent on April 1, 1982. This totals 26.94 per cent. However because the 'in- creases are compounding the true, increase is on the order of 30 per cent, of which nine per cent already has been awarded as an interim • raise approved by the board last April. In addition, the hospital board has agreed topay part-time employees a 10 per cent wage premium in lieu of benefits, and the shift premium paid to employees rotating through three shifts has been upped to 28 cents an hour from 24.6 cents. The part-time wage premium is retroactive to April 1 of this year, while the higher shift rate is retroactive to Oct. 1, 1981. Also, the ceiling on wage progression for regular, part-time re'ttered nurses has been raised ri 1,400 tours from 600, eff 't tive Oct. 1, 1981. Each tour is equivalent to a 7'/2 -hour shift, and for No parade this year There will be no:. Santa Claus parade yin. Wingham this year. Following a meeting, the Wingham Junior Citizens decided to cooperate with the local business association on a different type of promotion in place of the parade. The association plans to offer special.attractions such as .free moviematinees and free skating on the three Saturdays leading up to Christmas. The Junior, Citizens had pntemplated going ahead :4e4th the parade on their own, ut announced • they have abandoned that idea. • Murray Gaunt will present task force report Murray Gaunt will present the report of • the OFA's Emergency Task Force on the financial,. crisis in agricultural industry at the 'December member's meeting' of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture. The meeting will be held Dec. 3 at the Blyth Public School at 8:30 p.m. The task force has been holding hearings 'all over the province this fall to find out exactly what the situation is in the farming community. Its detailed report and policy recommendations will be presented officially at the OFA's annual convention' Nov. 23-26 in Toronto. There'also will be reports on the rest of the annual.cool vention by the delegates. All members of the farming community are invited to attend. GIRLS FROMGRADES 5 AND 6 at the Wingham Public School were keen to have their pictures taken Monday afternoon. The young people all said they are happy that winter is here and are looking forward to Christmas, which is one month from today. every 200 tours the nurse moves up a step on the wage % scale. This change too springs from the arbitrator's award to the ONA, In other wage -related matters, the board agreed that, effective Oct. 1, 1981, any full-time nurse who transfers to regular, part- time work will be slotted into the part-time wage scale at her present level on the full- time scale. While the increases have been approved by the board, hospital employees will not see much of the money until the provincial Ministry of Health agrees to provide funding for them. Hospital - Executive Director Norman Hayes , estimated the increases for ., nurses and supervisory,' paramedical and manage- ment staff will add $100,000 to the hospital's operating budget for the current year, while the earlier increase promised to service em- ployees to bring them into line with the CUPE settle mill: add additional $300,000. The hospital.has requested supplementary funding from the ministry to cover both items, but so far it has not received an answer: However the board has approved payment of retro- active pay to all employees for the period from "Oct. 1, 1980, to March 31 of this year, Mr. Hayes reported. He said this will be paid as soon as it can be processed into the payroll, hopefully before Christmas. • "A further retroactive adjustment will be con- sidered as soon as the hospital knows the cash flows from the Ministry of Health related to the CUPE and ONA settlements." . In business • conducted during open session at the Wednesday night meeting, trustees heard that .the hospital is showing a deficit of about $104,000, on its operating budget `to ' date. The figure is climbing a little each month, Treasurer Gordon. Baxter reported, but he assured them it should turn around when the ad- ditional funding comes through from the ministry. The board also approved some changes to the hospital policy manual. From now on, expenses for attending conventions or seminars require board approval any time the figure exceeds $750 per person, and the finance committee will receive a detailed, quarterly state- ment of the executive director's expense account. The committee already receives quarterly reports from the treasurer on ex- pense ' accounts, but its chairman, Dr. Alan Williams, said the report is, too general and a . more detailed report is needed to allow the,#p . Ir�dto fu1Wi11 pits responkibiIitiea. , r The board also. heard from Isobel 'Arbuckle, ci airitiara ; of the ad hoe Hospital ,Ad:, ministration. 4, Evaluation Comm ttee,.-thnt the group iS: proceeding wi>fh its; •. job: carrying out an eval tion O ' the .executnite director . and' - should be ready to Ire b o the board early 1nd#ie new year. +. ursing s chieve Graduates of the nursing assistants' course, at Wingham and District Hospital again were among the cream of the 'crop in Ontario .this Yeatr: At their meeting last week, hospital trustees heard that the Wingham school' placed second out of 29 in the province in the results of the exams written 'by, registered nursing assistants ,y • This school, kch ���;: s the 't'irst 'Of 1 rlw� has developed a tradition of producing graduates who rank at or near the top in the provincial exams. Board Chairman Jack Kopas announced he will: send 'a letter to Mrs Jean.' - Ellacott, director of ; the training Se ool, lating the. school nits ex; cellent achievement...J.. Trustees alsotirgre'µ " formed that the Winghath; Kinsmen Club has offere tt; buy ,a cardiac recorler `' the hospital`at a c+o t:ofn'ot than$3,000,;and thatltiii trsin hats "1`1een eh ed to the T$1_ vincial execu hoe of the 'On- tario Hospital Association ' ntirsing,group. :44 • MARTHA WILL BE 104—Martha Cathers, a resident of the Fordwich Village Nursing Home will be 104 on Nov. 26. Mrs. Cathers was born in a log house on the 14th concession of Howick Township and retains a keen memory about her early life in the township. Her hus- band, David James Cathers died in 1957 at the age of 87, when the couple resided in Wingham. Martha has resided at the Fordwich home since September 1976. (Staff Photo) • federation rejects toxic waste disposal site in Huron County Huron County's prime agricultural land and rural communities are incom- patible with a large-scale toxic waste disposal site, according to Gerry Fortune, president of the county fed- eration of agriculture. Ashfield Township or a location in the south end of the county have been mentioned as possible alternatives to the now - rejected -South Cayuga dump site. Mrs. Fortune reported that at'meeting held last week at Clinton, federation direc- tors unanimously approved a resolution urging that any disposal plant should be located close to major waste - producing centres in Win- dsor -Sarnia and Hamilton - Toronto. 10 minimize trans- portation hazards. They also urged that it be adjacent to major rail and road routes to reduce costs of upgrading and trans- portation. The resolution further called for the site to conform to all the criteria set out in the Maclaren Report to the Ministry of the Environment in 1979, and for full environ- mental assessment hearings to ensure public par- ticipation and safety. The directors noted that according to the Maclaren Report. Hrunn County is one of the few counties in south- western Ontario with no producers of toxic liquid wastes The Huron federation has been follow mg the develop- ment of the site selection process since the need for a toxic waste disposal site was announced more than a year ago. Lag°t December it sent a letter to the environment minister at that time, Harry Parrott, asking for informa- tion on the procedures used to select disposal sites and the studies of actual sites in Ontario. The minister never responded to the request and no information was ever received. Jim McIntosh, a federa- tion vice president, sum- marized the discussion by saying. "We produce and sell beef. pork, poultry. milk and eggs into the urban areas and don't ask them to take our waste products. Why should we have to take their wastes out in the country?"