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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1979-09-26, Page 1w Au[CJeAR7 FIRST SECTION Winghm, WedpMdsy, September 26, IM JJ R , Winghom h spita nces bed cl sings Wingham and District Hospital has D. Wilkins, voted to resist by every Mr. Hayes said the hospital had an we're giving them a hard time". announced the closing of 14 of its 82 ac- means at its disposal the closure of a estimated budget deficit of more thea Earlier this year Mr. Hayes warned tive treatment beds and the layz)ff of 12 single bed, even if it meant running into $46,000 as of the end of August and if the board members they could be held in - full -time staff, effective last Friday. the red, and five months after Mr. Hayes cuts had not been made it would have dividually responsible for any deficit The decision to cut back the number of assured the board and members of the faced a deficit in the neighborhood of incurred by the hospital, however Dr. beds and reduce staff was made by the Citizens' Action Committee there would $150,000 by the end of its fiscal year next Wilkins scoffed at the threat, com- hospital board of governors in a elt," be no layoffs or reduction of services at March. By making the cuts now he menting: "If any government locks up session last week. Following the meeting the hospital this year. estimated the total deficit could be held this board, God help them!" Hospital Administrator Norman Hayes At that time Mr. Hayes reported the to about $50,000. Mr- Milosevic reported last week's issued a press release announcing the Ontario health ministry had promised The cutbacks come at about the same vote to close beds and lay off staff was closures, which are blamed on an ever- adequate funding to allow the hospital to time the board announced it will take the unanimous. He said he hopes to reopen growing budget deficit. continue operating 100 beds for at least health ministry to court in a last ditch the beds if the hospital wins its court another year; the ministry subsequently effort to regain full funding. Following case. In the release the board says it denied this and the funding was not another closed meeting Sept. 12 it was Bed -cuts at the Wingham hospital first "deplores the reduction in service to restored. announced the hospital board has in- became an 'issue last January when those cared for, the hardship to the structed a member of a Toronto law firm Health Minister Dennis Timbrell an - families of those laid off and the Recently the ministry repeated its to prepare a case against the ministry nounced the funding formula for the economic loss to the communities in an offer to let the hospital convert seven of order to be heard in''the Ontario Supreme province's hospitals. Under the formula, area where employment is difficult to the 14 active treatment beds scheduled Court. which set health care levels on a beds -to - find". for closure to chronic care and added However Board Chairman Bora population ratio, Wingham was ordered It also promises to continue to press for more than $54,000 to the budget. The Milosevic said last week board members to close 14 active treatment beds and restoration of both beds and jobs through board accepted the offer, but by that time felt they couldn't await the outcome of $168,000—$12,000 per excess bed—was court action. it was so far into the red it decided to the court case before making their withdrawn from the budget. Emergencies will continue to be dealt close 14 beds anyway, Mr. Hayes decision. The hospital board and the Citizens' with immediately, but elective surgery reported. "We don't know how long the case will Action Committee, a group which formed cases will be placed on waiting lists In effect this means a reduction to sl last or what the expense will be," he said. to lead the fight against bed closures, had q_ . ..t !, to priority, the statement says, from 82 active treatment beds and an "The general feeling was we have to put a number of meetings with ministry concluding that: "The board requests the increase in chronic care beds to 25 from the clamps on now before we go into a officials- and the social development support and understanding of the com= 18. This brings the hospital into line with very heavy deficit." committee of the provincial legislature munity at this very difficult time for your the ministry formula of 3.5 active "As chairman I'm not prepared to put during the early part of the summer but, hospital." treatment beds per thousand of referral the institution into a heavy deficit," he except for winning seven extra chronic This action comes just six. months after population, which it had been ordered to added, noting the hospital can't depend beds, were unable to get the funding the hospital board, at the urging of Dr. R. meet by next year. on the government to bail it out "because reinstated. i Board recommend recommend The Wingham Planning Board has recommended that town council pass an amendment to its zoning bylaw to permit development of the proposed plaza at the south end of town. At a meeting last week board members discussed the draft RECEIVES DEGREE Douglas Lameron Ru**, *we of Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Ross of Pembroke, recently graduated from the Univer- sity of British Columbia with an honors Bachelor of Science degree. He plans to enter the field of medicine. His father was a pupil at the Wingham high school and he is a nephew of Mrs. Olive Boss. zoning bylaw drawn up by Gary Davidson of the county planning department. The bylaw would change ' zoning of the land from highway CA!ltmercial to a special zoning permltting\the ,intended uses. Mr. Davidson had earlier explained that although the town official plan had been amended to allow the plaza it was still necessary to amend the zoning bylaw to conform with the plan amendment. Mr. Davidson also presented two site plans for the proposed building and the board selected the one it would like to see built. The plan chosen calls for a 15,000 square foot supermarket to be built initially, with possible expansion to 20,000 square feet. The other plan called for a 20,000 r v ire aestroys ppP a o l square foot supermarket. Board before construction is allowed to Howick' home in � discussed permitted proceed. uses of the other stores in the In other business at the A Tuesday mbtsiing fire plaza and added business or meeting the board reviewed the destroyed the >;oynlct 4%. out.. professional uses and" ir' photo bylaw,, amendiaaw#he seaitt6 of , dome of Mr. aitd 16 ; kiosk to the list. Cruickshank Park to permit **Arthur. The cause of tiN A letter from the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority set out its conditions for any development in the area proposed for the plaza. The conditions require that the main floor of any buildings be above the flood lines for a regional storm and that no building be allowed a basement below this elevation; that the elevation of the parking lot be not more than 18 inches below the main floor level and that a storm water management plan be submitted and approved by the authority meeting with Wingham Day in Standish happy occasion. everyone on this and agreed to recommend that council pass it as presented. Open house for 90th birthday BELGRAVE — On Sunday open house was held at United Church Sunday school room for Mrs. Etta Cook on the occasion of her 90th birthday, September 24. Mrs. Cook spent all her life in Belgrave area and for the last year she has resided at Pinecrest Manor at Lucknow. She received many cards and best wishes from a large number of relatives and friends. Mrs. Cook enjoyed Nearly 20 local residents travelled to their sister city last weekend for Wingham Day in Standish. They were received with the hospitality which is becoming legendary here and were treated to a dinner and dance at the Standish VFW hall Saturday night and to a smorgasbord lunch on Sunday. Between times the Wingham- ites were invited to tape part in a number of activities such as shopping in Standish or nearby_ centres, touring the area or canoeing on the Rifle River, a popular and very enjoyable pas- time. Wingham and Standish have enjoyed a sister city relationship for two years now, with a number of visits back and forth during that time. Taking part in the latest visit were Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gerrie, Mr. and Mrs. Harper English, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Rintoul and sons, Philip and Michael, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hess, Mr. and Mrs. William one was home at the time t broke out.: The alarm was turned u neighbor . and Win firefighters responded qt but by the time they reach house on Con. 12-13 nor Gerrie the flames, whipp the breeze, were complete of control. The heat was so intense r was able to approach building; grass in the fronl was scorched and blacl several trees beside the caught fire and even a Hydr along the road caught fire Firemen and neighbors only stand by and watch i two-storey frame and brick was gutted and event collapsed. Howick youth is killed in bicycle -car collision Walden, Mr. and Mrs. Ron Wal- A Howick Township youth lost den, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Wild, his life on the weekend when he Ross Doll, Leneita Statia and was struck by a car while riding John Strong. his bicycle along a road in the township. T- John G. Watson, 13, of RR 1, Vorrecuon YWruxeiel, was ^-+ ,1PAd on -arrival at Wingham and The problems Mr. -and Mrs' District Hospital following the George Underwood experienced accident Sunday afternoon. with Ontario Hydro' occurred Sgt. Roy Anderson of the On - several years ago, not this year tario Provincial Police, as reported in last week's story Wingham detachment, reported on the Turnberry secondary plan the Watson boy and a friend were meeting, Mrs. Underwood riding their bicycles north along reported they are currently County Road 28, north of Con. 4-5, getting along well with Hydro, when a car driven by William Krotz of RR 1, Gorrie, can behind them. Mr. Krotz sounded his before overtaking the pair Anderson reported, but whi one lad swerved to the right the car pass, the Watson be some unknown reason, sw to the left in front of the c The driver had. no char avoid the collision and ther be no charges laid and no inquest, the sergeant said. John Watson was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John G. Watson Sr. of RR 1 Wroxeter. LAND-SWAiR PACKAM TOM Business or pleasure - book now! rAPAVA&ZSEItVla Listowel, Ontario .'e "1-2111 Call Toll Fro* 1-•00.25-3220 Single CoPy Not Over 86c EXPRESSION OF THANKS—Bill Rintoul of the Wingham Centennial Committee pre- sented Dave Kiellberg, leader of the Standish high school band, with a beautiful sweater as a token of appreciation for the band travelling to Wingham during the summer to lead the centennial parade. Mr. Kiellberg was also honored by Standish groups during a banquet in the sister city last weekend. ROARING INFERNO—Wingham Firemen stood no chance of saving this Howick Town- ship home which burned Tuesday morning. The house was a blast furnace and could not even be approached. ' The home belonged to Mr. and. Mrs. Garry McArthur of RR 1, Wroxeter. itfzen group leads campaign to pay hospital court cost. The Citizens' Action Committee, a group formed earlier this year to fight cutbacks at Wingham and District Hospital, is now spearheading an effort to raise $50,000 for the hospital's legal costs. The hospital board decided in a closed meeting Sept. 12 to go to court against the Ontario health ministry in an attempt to force the ministry to give it enough money to continue operating all 100 beds. (At a meeting the following week the board voted to close 14 beds and lay off 12 staff when it found it was running into the red, as reported in a separate story in this Isom.) Toronto lawyer Warren Seyffert is now preparing the hospital's case, which should be heard by the Ontario Supreme' Court sometime this fall. At a meeting Sept. 18, which was also attended by Bora Milosevic, chairman of the hospital board, and Norman Hayes, hospital administrator, members of the citizen group agreed to send letters to the 15 towns, villages and townships which account for most of the hospital's patients asking them to chip in toward its legal defence. The letters point out the decision to take court action was made after a series of meetings with health ministry officials and the legislature's social development committee failed to produce the desired result. They set the sum of t%.000 as necessary for the court action and ask for a donation based on the number of ad- missions to the hospital from a particular municipality during the past year. The letters also note that while money may not be available in the 1979 budget, municipalities can promise to donate the money from their 1980 budgets. A separate sheet accompanying the letter shows the breakdown of 1978-79 hospital admissions by municipality. Wingham ranks first with nearly one- quarter of the total admissions and it is asked to contribute $12,425. Howick and Morris Townships rank second and third and are being asked for $4,740 and $4,460 respectively. Turnberry Township and the village of Lucknow are asked, to contribute about VAN each, while Teeswater ranks fifth in admissions and its share is $.4,175. East Wawanoah, with about 5141 per cent of admissions, has its share set at $2,755, followed by Culross at $2,700, Brussels at $2,665, Kinloss at $2,490 and West Wawanosh at $2,195. Other municipalities are aksed for smaller amounts ranging down to Carrick Township with one per cent of admissions and a share of 5505. The citizens' committee decided at an earlier meeting to approach the municipalities rather than individuals for contributions when several of its mem- bers, who are also municipal councillors, suggested this would be fairer. The hospital is here for everyone and this would ensure that everyone contributed, they pointed out. At the Sept. 18 meeting Mr. Milosevic told the group a hearing before the Supreme Court of Ontario could cost between $25,000 and $30,000 for lawyers' fees and court costs "if it goes smoothly". If the case is appealed and goes before the Supreme Court of Canada the cost could rise to 5!10,000 or more, he said. The group decided to aim for $50,000 as a round figure and Mr. Hayes said he thinks that should be sufficient. The hospital has several hundred thousand dollars in an endowment fund which it can use to pay its legal expenses until contributions start to come. Hovevbr J 'the board hopes not to have to dip too deeply into the fund, which is built up from donations and bequests as well as money the hospital gets to keep from the dif- ferential rate charged for private and semi -private accommodation and ac- cumulated interest. Any donations received from municipalities or individuals will go into a special 'Save the Hospital' fund to be administered by the hospital board. In- dividual donations are tax deductible. The Citizens' Action Committee is a 'volunteer organization with members from Wingham and many of the other municipalities served by the Wingham and District Hospital., _--