The Times Advocate, 2006-06-14, Page 35Wednesday, June 14, 2006 Exeter Times–Advocate
35
EarlyYears loving Leprechaun Hall Welcome Wagon awards
After making a move to the Lucan Memorial Community Centre's Leprechaun Hall, a deci-
sion made by Lucan Biddulph Council, Lucan's EarlyYears Centre is much happier with the
larger location.The program, formerly in a hockey dressing room was seeing a huge decline
in attendance, with only about five children participating due to the inadequate space.The
Perth -Middlesex EarlyYears Centre, which has its main satellite in Ilderton and outreach
programs in Lucan and Ailsa Craig, caters to babies and children up to six years old as well
as parents, grandparents and caregivers who must supervise their children.The weekly pro-
gram now has between 20 and 30 children in attendance every Monday. Many events and
activities are a part of the EarlyYears Centre like workshops, field trips, crafts, toys, reading
and more.Above, Leanne plays with her children eight -month-old Ashlyn and two-year-old
Gabriel Garrett of Denfield on a large carpet filled with toys. (photo/Nina Van Lieshout)
Decision could help tradespeople
By Stew Slater
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE
SEAFORTH — It's expected
there will be an increase in
the minimum value of con-
struction projects for which
the Avon Maitland District
School Board must seek ten-
ders.
And according to South
Huron trustee Randy Wagler,
who proposed the change at a
regular meeting April 25, this
could help increase the
chances of local tradespeople
securing work at schools in
Huron and Perth counties.
"There hasn't been a
change in the policy in about
eight or 10 years," said
Wagler after the meeting,
confirming a reporter's ques-
tion whether his motion was
meant to reflect inflation. He
suggested major contractors
are becoming less and less
willing to submit bids at the
low end of the current limit
because costs of materials
and labour mean such pro-
jects are increasingly minor in
scale.
The chairperson of the
Finance Committee, Wagler
brought forward the motion
asking Avon Maitland staff
and trustees to consider
upping the tendering limit of
$100,000. Under current
board policy, any project
which is predicted to cost
more than that must be put
through a tendering process.
According to Wagler, part of
the impetus for suggesting the
change is an ongoing renova-
tion at Stratford
Northwestern Secondary
School (NWSS), aimed at
improving some teaching
space and washroom facilities
for students with special
needs. A separate motion
regarding NWSS was also
brought forward from the
Finance Committee at the
April 25 meeting, suggesting
staff go ahead and seek con-
tractors for the project with-
out going to tender.
Wagler explained the origi-
nal estimate for the project
was around $700,000, but the
desired scope of work has
since decreased significantly
— to about half that value. In
addition, owing largely to the
number of education -sector
projects being funded by the
provincial government, there
has been difficulty in securing
commitments from the type of
well-rounded contractors who
typically submit bids in ten-
dering processes.
So at the April 25 meeting,
trustees authorized staff to go
ahead seeking contractors for
NWSS without a tendering
process.
Wagler also suggested
broadening the board's list of
"pre -qualified" contractors —
for such work as plumbing or
electrical — who can be hired
for such non -tendered pro-
jects. He says this will benefit
local tradespeople who might
not be affiliated with a com-
pany large enough to submit
tendered bids, but might still
have strong reputations
which would make them ideal
for working on either small
projects or portions of larger
projects.
Local Welcome Wagon representative Faye Van Oss was recently hon-
oured by South Huron council for receiving the Welcome Wagon 2005
Ontario Representative of the Year award for a community with a pop-
ulation less than 8,000.Van Oss received her award at the Welcome
Wagon Spring Conference in London in April. She was honoured "for
her community and sponsor service, her overall co-operation with all
Welcome Wagon programs provided within her community, her sales
ability, enthusiasm, dedication and her personal performance in addi-
tion to her respect for growth accompanied with the highest standard
of business practices and company policies." Van Oss has been with
Welcome Wagon since 2003.Also at the conference, Exeter received
the 2005 Ontario Region Community of the Year award for a popula-
tion under 8,000.Above, South Huron Mayor Rob Morley congratu-
IatesVan Oss during council's June 5 meeting. (photo/Scott Nixon)
The Exeter Fire Department responded to a call early Sunday morning with a fire in a stor-
age shed that fire chief John Morgan said is considered suspicious.The fire resulted in a loss
of equipment for Exeter Baseball valued at $1,000, according to president Dave Reid.
(photo/Pat Bolen)
Staff at the Exeter Post Office were having their annual yard sale June 2
with draws and discounts. From left are customer Glen Davidson and
Canada Post employees Ron Kenney, Dorothy Greenaway, Pam De Jong,
Cathy Beal and Melanie Thomsen. (photo/Pat Bolen)