The Times Advocate, 2008-04-16, Page 22
Times -Advocate
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Enrolment expected to rise
By Stew Slater
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES -ADVOCATE
SEAFORTH — Thanks to
the combined effects of new
Ontario legislation keeping
kids in school until age 18,
and mandating alternative
programming for students
who are suspended or
expelled, the Avon Maitland
District School Board is now
projecting a temporary turn-
around in its trend of
decreased high school enrol-
ment.
"In the past, long-term sus-
pension was a pretty good
indication of dropping out of
school prior to graduation,"
explained education superin-
tendent Ted Doherty after a
regular meeting April 8.
"Now, the culture is chang-
ing. „
Doherty told trustees that,
"up until recently, if a stu-
dent was suspended or
expelled, a letter would go
home saying, `you're not
allowed on school proper-
ty.- But, in accordance with
Feb. 1 amendments to the
province's Safe School Act,
alternative programming
must be provided for stu-
dents subject to such disci-
plinary action.
Education Ministry funding
was forwarded to school
boards in conjunction with
the amendments. Doherty
says some larger boards
used that money to physical-
ly create program spaces
separate from existing
schools. But the Avon
Maitland board chose mainly
to strengthen partnerships
with social service organiza-
tions, thereby placing sus-
pended and expelled stu-
dents "at the front of the
line" for out-of-school sup-
port.
The board also created a
new position — a director of
student support services —
and redirected the efforts of
other staff. As a result, many
expelled or suspended stu-
dents continue to attend
their school and sometimes
see outside service providers
on-site, but have their days
managed to limit interaction
with the rest of the building.
"Now, with the new legisla-
tion, we have some teeth to
deal with those students," in
a manner other than just
sending them home, Doherty
explained.
He added that a separate
piece of legislation,
"Learning to 18," dictates
that students must receive
some sort of education for a
longer period than in the
past.
Also as part of Doherty's
presentation to trustees, fel-
low superintendent Marie
Parsons described Avon
Maitland's participation —
along with five other boards
across the province — in a
pilot project aimed at devel-
oping new strategies for
dealing with disciplinary or
relationship disputes sur-
rounding students with spe-
cial needs. Planning is ongo-
ing for the Avon Maitland
version of the pilot project,
which will get under way
next September.
According to Doherty, the
combined effects of these
provincial initiatives means
the board is no longer pro-
jecting decreased numbers
of high school students over
the next couple of years;
instead, high school enrol-
ments are expected to rise
slightly.
"And I think the long-term
impact will be greater grad-
uation rates," he comment-
ed.
Plant to close by the end ofApril
Continued from front page
South Huron chief adminis-
trative officer Roy Hardy said
the municipality's primary
focus is the employees who
have lost their jobs.
"That's been our immedi-
ate concern, making sure
that these individuals get
access to retraining or those
types of supports...and we'd
like to see something get
back into the plant as quickly
as possible.
"There's still going to be a
plant there in terms of
taxes...and assessment based
on the value of the land. For
the foreseeable future, that's
not going to change.
"Our intent is to get anoth-
er producer in there because
the plant is first rate.
Initially, there's not going to
be any direct impact, it's just
the longer that it goes, the
potential for an impact is
there."
Hardy said the municipality
will look at water rates later
this year and the closure will
have an impact on what the
rates will be over the next
five to 10 years.
Hardy said the plant is still
a marketable commodity and
he hasn't heard of any
plans for the equipment
to be removed from it.
Calls to CanGro vice-
president David Hoyle
were not returned.
Crime Stoppers `Crime of the Month'
HURON — Huron County Crime Stoppers
and the Huron County OPP are asking for
assistance in curbing drug use in Huron
County.
Many people who use illicit drugs such as
methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana
have a habit that requires large amounts of
money to feed their need, yet many of these
addicts do not have jobs.
They turn to lives of crime to support their
habit.
Vehicles are entered in the search for
spare change and buildings will be broken
into with the stolen property being pawned
for money.
If you have any information about someone
using, selling or manufacturing drugs, call
Crime Stoppers at 1 -800 -222 -TIPS (8477).
REGIONAL
Health Unit
director fired
HURON — Questions are being asked after
Huron County Health Unit executive director
Penny Nelligan was recently fired after an in -
camera committee of the whole meeting in
March.
The Goderich Signal -Star reported last
week that members of the Health Board are
wondering why the decision to terminate
Nelligan did not go through their board.
Nelligan had been with the county for seven
years.
Of those who spoke favourably of Nelligan
were medical officer of health Dr. Beth
Henning and Goderich Mayor Deb Shewfelt,
who said he voted against her firing.
Budget in progress
HURON — County staff have been asked to
"go back to the drawing board" and do some
more work on the 2008 budget.
The Clinton News -Record reported that
Coun. Dave Johnston of Bluewater said more
WRAP UP •
expenses can be trimmed from the budget
after recent infrastructure funding of $3.68
million was announced by the province.
Johnston said he doesn't support a pro-
posed five per cent levy increase, while Coun.
Ben Van Diepenbeek (Ashfield-Colborne-
Wawanosh) said county administrators
should rehash the budget in light of the
provincial funding.
The county was scheduled to revisit the
budget during a committee of the whole
meeting yesterday (April 15).
Centre receives
grant
SEAFORTH — A new medical research
centre opening this spring in Seaforth has
received a $500,000 grant over five years
from the McCall MacBain Foundation.
The Seaforth rural clinical research cen-
tre will be the first in Canada.
Marcy McCall MacBain, visiting from
Geneva, Switzerland, made the donation
to Dr. Claudio Munoz and Gwen
Devereaux at Seaforth Community
Hospital.
Upgrades for Victoria
Continued from front page
Mayor Ken Oke said council appreciates the efforts the Lioness have
shown to improve the community.
Mousseau added of the park, "It's a gem and I think we should improve
it." She said Lioness members are "enthusiastic" to go ahead.
Other council notes:
Building permits
Council approved the March building permit report, which saw nine
building permits issued at a value of $755,470, with permit fees of
$8,653.20.
So far in 2008, 18 building permits have been issued in 2008, for a value
of $1.77 million and fees of $15,726.80. At the same point of the year in
2007, 19 building permits had been issued for a value of approximately
$1.07 million.
Grass
Low bidder C&M Landscaping was awarded South Huron's grass cutting
tenders at a cost of $6,072. The municipality received nine quotes on the
job, from the low C&M bid, to a high bid of $31,744.
Trivitt celebration
Council is accommodating road closure requests from Trivitt Memorial
Anglican Church as the church holds its annual Thanksgiving Celebration
Sept. 26-28.
As a result, Baldwin Street will be closed from 5 p.m. Sept. 26 until 8
p.m. Sept. 28. Gidley Street between Andrew and Main will be closed
Sept. 27 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wells to go out of service
Continued from front page
taxes and hydro will have to con-
tinue, leading to Giberson's conclu-
sion that savings will be "negligi-
ble" in 2008. Once the wells are
decommissioned, the savings will
start to be realized in 2009, he
added.
Some of the savings by eliminat-
ing the wells include reducing
repairs and maintenance by
$25,000 in 2009 and reducing
hydro by $45,000. Labour costs of
about $57,000 will be transferred
to the sewer department in 2009.
Added costs include an increase
in buying water from the Lake
Huron Primary Water Supply
System. South Huron will also have
increased maintenance costs relat-
ed to inspecting hydrants, valves
and leak detection.
Costs are also increasing in the
sewer systems, due to an expan-
sion of the infrastructure in
Crediton and Centralia, a pumping
station installed at the Oakwood
Links condos outside Grand Bend,
a new sanitary pumping station in
Crediton and the expansion of a
sanitary pumping station in Huron
Park.
Regarding the decommissioning
of the wells, the municipality has
hired B.M. Ross and Associates for
$10,000 to do the engineering
work for the decommissioning.
B.M. Ross has suggested a budget
of $87,000 for the decommission-
ing of the wells, which includes
four sites and five buildings.
Other notes:
New water charge
Giberson also informed council of
a provincial charge of $3.71 for
every million litres of water used
by industrial and commercial
water users. The charge comes
into effect Jan. 1, 2009, and applies
to industrial and commercial users
who consume more than 50,000
litres in any single day, Giberson
said, adding the owners of the
municipal system are required to
inform the Ministry of the
Environment of such users.
In South Huron, the closing
CanGro is the only such large user
and Giberson said the charge
would only amount to a few hun-
dred dollars per year. He said the
province is targeting major water
users such as water bottling com-
panies or breweries.
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