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LEEDS-GRENVILLE the Brockville Hospitals Campaign for
Care has reached its goal, campaign chairwoman Jean Macintosh
announced last Thursday. The campaign was launched in May 1999
to raise funds to upgrade hospital structures and purchase new
equipment. An earlier donation of
$1 million had been received for the purchase of a CAT scanner.
On April 30, the campaign reached its challenge goal of $6 million and since then, donations have continued to arrive, bringing the total to $6,112,105, Macintosh reported.
"These hospitals belong to the people, and they have demonstrated their commitment to them through their generous pledges of support in the past year," she commented. "People have shown they really care about their hospitals."
She noted that the "incredible success" of Campaign for Care is due to the hundreds of volunteers who have worked on the campaign as well as the hundreds of donors who have shown their support.
PRESCOTT The number of employment insurance clai-mants at the Prescott office dropped 15.5 per cent between April and May, Human Resources Development Canada reported. In May, 1,121 people collected benefits in Prescott, compared with 1,326 the previous month.
The drop reflects a trend throughout Eastern Ontario. In the region, the number of claimants dropped 13.5 per cent from April to May. HRDC reports that the numbers reflect the fifth consecutive month of job growth in the area and notes more job seekers have joined the labour force. The unemployment rate for the region is 8.3 per cent.
PRESCOTT The Kiwanis Soap Box Derby will be held Saturday, June 24 on St. Lawrence Street this year rather than on George Street, Kiwanis member Jim Holmes reported Tuesday. Holmes said the location had to be changed because the paving of George Street will not be finished in time for the annual event. Anyone who wants more information on purchasing a kit can call club member Chris Slater, 925-3404.
You'll find a special section in this week's Journal advertising the Sidewalk Sale for Father's Day this Saturday, June 17. The downtown shops are offering many special deals during this event, which is being held to coincide with the Prescott Highland Band Tattoo. Tattoo spectators are encouraged to take advantage of the sales before they line up to watch seven highland pipe bands march along King Street at 1:30 p.m. en route to Fort Wellington.
By CHRISTINE ENDICOTT - Journal Editor
MAYNARD After 12 years on Augusta township council, Reeve Adrian Van Schie is stepping down.
Van Schie, 50, announced Monday evening that he will not seek re-election this November and would leave municipal politics after nine years as the township's reeve and three as the deputy reeve.
Twelve years ago, he became a municipal candidate due to his opposition to a toxic waste incinerator that a company called Ensco had proposed for Augusta. The issue became so heated that voters did not re-elect a single member of the council of the day and the incinerator was never built.
Van Schie began his municipal career as a deputy reeve and took the unusual step of earning certification as a municipal clerk-treasurer at St. Lawrence College, "so I knew how a municipal government was run and could gain insight. I felt that was a necessity."
However, he acknowledges that he is "one of a very few" councillors who have taken this step.
His next and subsequent terms have been as reeve, a position he will continue to hold until a new council is elected this fall.
Asked about his greatest success on council, Van Schie's reply is: "the general running of the municipality."
He is also proud of his work on United Counties subcommittees, including the group that recently worked a cost-sharing agreement for the region's municipalities on social services, social housing and ambulance services.
Van Schie proudly points out he has served as chairman for several Counties committees. "I have been recognized by my peers as being able to provide leadership."
His greatest challenge as reeve was during his three-year term as chairman of the South Grenville Economic Development Commission. When it began to falter years ago, Van Schie said he was instrumental in developing new partnerships with groups such as the chamber of commerce in order to keep the commission alive. This year, "it was certainly disheartening when we had to disband the group."
After 12 years on council, Van Schie said his personal priorities have shifted. "I feel that there is a time for change."
He hopes to spend more time with other, non-political community groups and also more time with his family, including his wife Sandra, and his sons Derek, 28, and wife April, and Craig, 25, and wife Jacquie. All have been very supportive during his term on council, he pointed out.
Van Schie also hopes to redirect more of his energy into work. He is in a supervisory role in maintenance services at DuPont's Maitland site and credits his employer for allowing him the opportunity to serve on council so many years.
Van Schie said it's now a good opportunity to step down and allow younger people with new ideas to join council.
However, he said he will miss talking to the many people he meets as reeve and he'll miss the council discussions.
"I've certainly had the opportunity to meet some very unique personalities."
When he began on council, he wanted to represent citizens in a non-partisan, unbiased way on many issues. Despite his leadership on the incinerator debate, Van Schie said he was never a one-issue candidate and had always hoped to serve on council for many years.
After three years as deputy reeve and nine years as reeve, "I've fulfilled that dream. It's just time to move on."
By CHRISTINE ENDICOTT - Journal Editor
The Fort Town's first Highland Band Tattoo is shaping up to be one of the biggest events of the summer.
This Saturday, June 17, seven highland pipe bands that's 130 pipers and drummers will assemble at 1 p.m. at Centennial Park at the west end of town. At 1:30 p.m., they will play and march along King Street to Fort Wellington, where they will give two hours of performances.
Everyone is invited to line King Street and shop during the downtown Father's Day Sidewalk Sale while waiting for the procession, then later bring their blankets or lawn chairs to the fort field to sit on the hills and listen to the music.
Mike Boyles of Tourism Prescott said the fort is a great venue for the tattoo. "It's a perfect place for people to watch. They can sit on the slopes on both sides and see the bands in the centre. The roped-off area in the middle is larger than an arena."
The bands will be introduced by Peter Bevan-Baker, who will be dressed as Col. Red George Macdonell, Prescott's most famous military hero of the 19th century.
Macdonell was born in Glengarry and attended military school in Britain. After serving as an officer of the 8th King's Regiment of Foot, he was sent to Canada. He led the Fort Wellington troops in the capture of Ogdensburg in 1813, making him a hero of the day, said local historian John Morris. Macdonell later played a major role in the Battle of the Windmill of 1838 as commanding officer of the Glengarry Fencibles.
The Ottawa City Police Band will be the first to entertain the crowd. In addition to the pipers, the band includes 20 drummers and six highland dancers.
Each band the Spencerville Pipe Band, Kemptville Legion Pipe Band, Almonte Legion Pipe Band, Brockville Legion Pipe Band, Arnprior McNabb Band and the Picton Legion Pipe Band will play for about 15 minutes, Boyles said. At the end, all the pipers will gather for a mass band performance (the tattoo) for about 15 minutes, then the Spencerville Pipe Band, as hosts, will line high along the ramparts and play as the other bands march off toward the Prescott Legion, where they will be treated to a dinner compliments of the local legionnaires.
The Prescott Highland Band Tattoo is being organized by Tourism Prescott, with additional financial support from the Prescott BIA, Prescott District Chamber of Commerce, Town of Prescott, Fort Wellington, Prescott Legion Branch 97, Prescott Kiwanis Club and the Prescott Rotary Club.
"We just can't say enough about the people who have donated their time and especially their money. These things cost a lot," Boyles said. Tourism Prescott is paying about $5,000 to $6,000 for the bands, plus advertising costs, he noted.
Although the event is free of charge, Tourism Prescott is hoping more people will give donations to volunteers who will be carrying donation pails on Saturday.
"It looks like a good event," Boyles said. "If it goes well, we'll plan for next year. We hope to build it up to holding a highland games here in four to five years. It will always be on Father's Day weekend."
By JEFF LEE - Journal Staff Writer
Reading her first book cover to cover was a turning point for TR Leger's star graduate this year, Gail Shaver of Spencerville.
After getting through her first novel, there was no holding her back, says Brenda Whiteford, one of three teachers at the Prescott campus of TR Leger School, an adult alternative and continuing education program at South Grenville District High School.
"This whole world opened up after reading the book," Shaver says. "[I was] actually spending time in the library."
Now Shaver says she reads anything she can get her hands on.
"I love to read," she says.
Up to that point, Shaver, who had decided to quit her job as an office administrator for a local company and return to school full-time in the fall of 1999, was struggling.
But now this year's valedictorian will be one of 102 graduates of the school's central campuses, which includes Brockville, Prescott, Gananoque, Elgin and Kemptville.
She even seems a little sad the whole high school experience is over.
"I love coming in here," Shaver says. "I want to go to college, but I don't want to leave here either. I'm really comfortable here."
Shaver completed the four credits she needed in order to get her Grade 12 diploma, achieving a 95 per cent overall in computers, entrepreneurship, Grade 12 English and a business merchandising course.
In the fall, Shaver will attend Algonquin College to begin the three-year Child and Youth Worker program.
In high school the second time around the first time was in the late 70s at D'Arcy McGee Secondary School in Hull Shaver says she has a better understanding and appreciation of the importance of education.
"You need to believe in yourself," Shaver says, "and anything in the past doesn't have to dictate how your life is going to turn out. My life did a 90-degree turn." She added that the past is where you learn, not where you live.
When asked if she had any regrets about unearthing this passion for learning later in life rather than sooner, Shaver is philosophical about the turn of events.
"I guess I have regrets," she says. "But I guess if I hadn't been through things that I did, I don't think I would be going to college and taking the [Child and Youth Worker] courses."
Shaver says that she didn't have to come to school. She was working full-time but felt unfulfilled in her job.
"I had a job, but it was important for me to have an education.... I wasn't where I wanted to be, and I knew I could do better."
On top of achieving high marks, Shaver, who is a district commissioner with the Guiding movement, was involved in a variety of aspects of the school, including ambassador to new students and hot lunch volunteer.
"She was instrumental in setting up the student council," Whiteford added. "She did a lot of things. She set up the student newsletter."
Although Shaver blossomed into an ideal student, the first day and the first exam weren't without tribulations.
Shaver says she was petrified walking in to the school, and taking the first exam required the help of two teachers, Kim Raycroft, who teaches math and science, and Whiteford, who teaches English. A third teacher, Marc Nadeau, teaches personal life management courses.
Shaver says it was difficult because her self-esteem was so low, but Kim Raycroft and Brenda Whiteford helped her through it and she received a mark in the high nineties.
In her last exam, Shaver says, it was "no sweat" to get an 88 per cent.
"They [the teachers] make you feel comfortable."
Because there are adults returning to school and other students
who want an alternative to high school, the hours are flexible,
with the availability of one-on-one help. A full-time course load
is
17-1/2 hours per week.
The school has a rolling enrollment but does offer three semesters per year as well as correspondence.
Shaver says that her husband, Vernon supported her decision to return to school full time.
"He's been great," she said.
Her daughter Cassandra, a SGDHS Grade 10 student, is also proud, Shaver says. "For the first month, she brought her friends in."
A lot of the time, Shaver says, you don't know how much support you have until you undertake a challenge.
"The only negative thing has been my husband has to do more laundry, and my daughter has to do more dishes," Shaver says with a smile on her face.
This is Shaver's second attempt at getting her Grade 12 diploma. She started correspondence courses about three years ago.
"It was too difficult for me," Shaver said. "This was better for me. I had the opportunity to come to school full-time. I decided to take it."
So on Thursday, June 15, Shaver will speak at the graduation for the TR Leger central campuses. The ceremony will be held at Brockville Collegiate Institute at 7 p.m.
To sum up the experience Shaver says: "I feel so good about myself. I can't believe I'm going to college. Wow. I'm doing this. I get my high school diploma [on June 15]. Never say never."
Anyone interested in getting more information about the school can call 925-1834.
MAYNARD They helped us, so we'll certainly help them.
That's the response of Augusta Township council after Brockton, the municipality representing the town of Walkerton, Ont., asked for financial help in the wake of the E. coli water contamination crisis that has resulted in the deaths of 11 people and illness of hundreds more.
"It's absolutely catastrophic, what has happened there," commented Coun. Jane Fullarton. She noted that other Ontario municipalities were quick to send funding to help Augusta cope with the ice storm of January 1998.
Deputy Reeve John McCrea proposed that Augusta send $500 to Brockton, the municipality that represents Walkerton.
"Five hundred dollars seems like a lot, but we received a lot of support during the ice storm. We don't want to look cheap."
Other councillors agreed, so Augusta will send $500 to help Walkerton deal with the crisis.
However, Augusta did not support a resolution from the township of Ashfield in southern Ontario, which called for a moratorium on new liquid manure facilities to protect drinking water. Augusta councillors said no one should jump to conclusions about the cause of the E. coli crisis before a provincial inquiry is complete.
MAYNARD Augusta township's animal control officer has announced her resignation.
Ruby Stevens and her family, Tony, Anthony, Connie and Charles, who operate Byde-A-Wyle Kennels, said they regret having to leave the position due to illness and loss of family support now that the children have begun work and college.
Stevens will remain in the position until the end of July.
"She's done a very good job for us. It's too bad that her health is such that she's not able to do this," said Coun. George Vail, who noted that Stevens suffers from back problems.
Reeve Adrian Van Schie suggested that council contact Elizabethtown, Prescott and Edwardsburgh to see if they would like to jointly advertise for the position. Stevens had served both Augusta and Elizabethtown, and Augusta councillors say expanding the territory might make the contract more attractive.
MAYNARD - Augusta Township council has accepted a tender of $623,675.72 from George Tackaberry and Sons Construction for several road projects, including the paving of the Domville subdivision and several streets in North Augusta, as well as the reconstruction of Lords Mills Road. Reeve Adrian Van Schie said that paving is still planned for Lords Mills. "We'll see what monies are left over and tender separately at a later date," he said. Also Monday, Augusta has decided to ask real estate agent Frank Whiten to sell four building lots in the Domville subdivision for $16,500 each. The money will be used for the paving of the streets after the developer failed to do the paving.
MAITLAND Nitrochem is holding a community forum at MERC Hall in Maitland on Wednesday, June 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. Jim Cavers, the site manager, said the forum is being held to fulfill Nitrochem's commitment under the Responsible Care Program and share information about the potential risks to the community from its operations. The company has had a quantitative risk analysis commissioned by Norsk Hydro and would like the opportunity to discuss the most probable and worst-case scenarios, Cavers said.
PRESCOTT Town council has agreed to research the costs of a study on renovating the current town hall.
On Monday evening, council met with Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce directors Ken Durand, Robert Lawn, Bob Sonier and Garry Dewar and decided to set up a terms of reference before asking for cost estimates from engineering firms interested in conducting a study on the present structure.
Council has not committed to doing a study, and the chamber, while it supports such a study in principle, wants to know what the cost would be before deciding how much funding it could provide.
Town clerk Andrew Brown and town engineer Clyde Solomon are expected to meet with the chamber committee again on Friday to set up terms of reference and begin obtaining quotes.
"Once we know the cost, we'll determine what we do," Durand said Tuesday. "If it's going to be a huge cost, the chamber can't do it."
The BIA will also be asked to contribute toward the study.
"Council's first choice is still the parking lot location, but they would consider changing that decision if a renovation is feasible and would show significant savings," acting clerk Lori Kirkby commented Tuesday.
"Basically, what they would like to know is: Is the building structurally sound? What would it cost to bring it up to standards?"
The study would report on the feasibility of putting the town offices on the first floor, Kirkby said. However, if the building was renovated, all three floors and the library would have to be repaired to meet building code standards, she added.
Regardless of whether the town renovates, demolishes or sells the current building, the town must also conduct an environmental assessment study, Kirkby added.
The chamber directors asked Mayor Doug Hayes to reveal where new parking spots would be created to replace the spots taken by a new town hall by the clock tower, Kirkby added.
Hayes has been invited to speak at the public meeting the chamber is organizing for June 22 at the Prescott amphitheatre, where he could discuss council's plans, Kirkby said.
The chamber also invited the mayor and councillors to attend the chamber's regular monthly meeting this Thursday at noon at the Legion.
PRESCOTT Town council has completed the first and second readings of a bylaw to create a new partnership with Brockville, Gananoque and the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.
On June 5, council read the bylaw to create a Joint Services Committee for the United Counties and the three separated municipalities. The committee will allow the municipalities to work together in several areas, including social services, land ambulance service, provincial administration act administration and public housing.
"In my mind, we made history by signing an agreement on shared services," commented Coun. Craig Worden. He commended the chief administrative officers of the municipalities and counties council. "The CAOs put a lot of work into this."
The bylaw is expected to go through its third reading during the next Prescott council meeting June 19.
PRESCOTT The South Grenville Horticultural Society will hold its next meeting this Thursday, June 15, 7 p.m. at the Prescott Medical Centre. Robert Corrigall, a certified horticulturalist, will speak about natural insect control using beneficial nematodes. Corrigall will also discuss other environmentally friendly ways of controlling insects and gardening organically. Call Michael Laking at 345-0660 for information.
PRESCOTT The Hospital Tag Day held last Friday was a success, organizers report. Prescott people donated $1,435.65, while Cardinal residents beat last year's record and donated $552.26. St. Vincent de Paul Hospital Auxiliary and Brockville General Auxiliary will also add in the Brockville donation of $1,254.09 and Athens' $175.00 and divide the money between the two hospitals to purchase specialized equipment.
By CHRISTINE ENDICOTT - Journal Editor
PRESCOTT The Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce has invited Mayor Doug Hayes to be one of the speakers at the public meeting planned for the Prescott outdoor amphitheatre Thursday, June 22 at 7 p.m.
The mayor has been asked to speak about the option of the clock tower square, said Dan Throop, a chamber member who is chairman of the committee organizing the meeting.
Other speakers will discuss various options for town hall, including the vacant Daniel's Hotel lot, renovating the current town hall, building a new structure on the Dibble Street site, or "creating a plan that investigates those options and choosing the best one that meets the economic future needs of Prescott," Throop said.
Following the first five speeches, audience members will be invited to speak about other possible options, then fill out a ballot indicating their preferred option or to indicate other options worth exploring.
Throop said the organizing committee has plenty of activity planned during the next week to promote the meeting. The first set of flyers has been sent out through the PUC, he noted, and more flyers will be sent later. Volunteers are planning a phone campaign during the few days leading up to the meeting, and organizers also plan to drive a truck through town with a megaphone to call everyone out for the June 22 event.
In case of rain, the meeting will be held at St. Mark's Parish Centre.
Throop expects a good turnout. "The response that we have been receiving around town has been very positive."
The chamber is still looking for more volunteers to help during the meeting. Anyone interested can Dan Throop at 925-4626 or Sharon Spychi at 925-5700.
PRESCOTT Central Public School's parent committee has asked town council for funds for new playground equipment. Like many other organizations, the school must replace part of its playground structure so that it meets the new safety standards. The committee has been fundraising for the past two years and has raised $8,260 to date, chairperson Karey Larmour-Gould reported in a letter to council. Central needs $22,000 to replace the structure. Larmour-Gould pointed out that Central's playground is used not only by its students but also by other children in town. However, on June 5, council deferred the request until further information could be obtained on the possibility of provincial funding.
By CHRISTINE ENDICOTT - Journal Editor
MAYNARD - Augusta council has agreed to pitch $1,600 to each of five recreational committees in the township so they can upgrade ball diamonds or invest in other capital projects.
Coun. George Vail spoke out in favour of equally dividing the remaining $8,000 budgeted for capital recreation projects between the committees in Domville, Roebuck, Maitland, Algonquin and Maynard so they can move ahead with projects already under way.
However, councillors acknowledged that for some groups such as Domville's, which is planning a $17,000 upgrade at its ball park, the money will be a mere drop in the bucket.
Coun. Jane Fullarton said she hopes some of the groups use the money to incorporate, which will make them eligible to continue to fundraise through bingos and Nevada tickets and also make them eligible to apply for the provincial government's Trillium lottery funds. The recreational committees in Maitland and Roebuck have already incorporated.
"If we just mail out cheques or say it's here ... the money just gets spent," Fullarton said. It's the difference between giving them seeds or giving them bread."
Vail argued, however, that Augusta council should also give extra money to the groups to help with incorporation costs. Augusta is lucky that its recreation expenses are so low, he said. "We're getting away cheap. ... We don't have a pool to look after, and we don't have an arena to look after."
He said it's time to give support to the many volunteers who give "hours and hours" each year to run recreational programs.
"These people put in a lot, and they're putting it in for the kids of this community. ... If we paid them $2 an hour, we'd owe them a fortune."
Also Monday, council agreed to cover the costs of 280 feet of fence materials for Algonquin's ball park after representative Lorrie Dejeet asked for the township's help. Volunteers will have to fundraise to pay the labour costs for the fence or put up the fence themselves.
Dejeet and other Algonquin representatives said they hoped that upgrading the ball park will help attract ball players back to Algonquin and spruce up the community as a new subdivision is being built.
The Algonquin ball volunteers hope to upgrade the ball diamonds and later install a playground and canteen at the park, Vail noted.
Deputy Reeve John McCrea noted that with the new subdivision being built, Algonquin is Augusta's highest growth area.
PRESCOTT Internationally acclaimed jazz artist Ranee Lee will perform at St. John's Anglican Church in Prescott Thursday, June 15.
Lee will perform highlights from her new CD, Dark Divas: The Musical, which is a tribute to seven jazz legends including Pearl Bailey, Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald. For the past several years, Lee has made time to fundraise for St. John's, where her brother-in-law, Rev. Gerry Ring, is rector.
Aside from jazz, Lee is also an award-winning actress. She's on TVO's Studio 2 and Open Mike with Mike Bullard.
Critics are raving about Dark Divas, a musical journey exploring the lives and times of the women who helped change the course and the complexion of show business.
Toronto Star arts writer Greg Quill called Dark Divas "one hell of a fine live CD by one of the great jazz artists of our time."
Macleans allows, "Lee moves with ease from the French repertoire of Josephine Baker to Bailey's comedic delivery of Toot-Toot-Tootsi to Fitzgerald-style scat."
Calling Lee "a one-diva sensation," The Toronto Star's review of the CD says it delivers "all the thrills of her trade."
The songs include Stormy Weather (Lena Horne), Makin' Whoopee (Dinah Washington), Misty (Sarah Vaughn), and a medley of Fitzgerald favourites.
Lee, who grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y. but moved to Montreal two decades ago, admits she never met these jazz legends, "but I have known these women in my heart since I was very young. I don't mimic these women in performance. The show ... is a tribute to their energy and craft."
Tickets are available at the door for the 8 p.m. performance or by calling 925-2748.
Proceeds will go to the church restoration fund.
ALGONQUIN: A Scholastic Book Fair will be held on Thursday, June 15 in the gym. The fair will continue into the evening, from 3:30 to 7 p.m. for parents. The Grade 1 publishing party will held in the afternoon from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
BOUNDARY: On Thursday, June 15, our Grade 5 French immersion class will travel to the Thousand Islands Playhouse to see the production of Oliver. We are very proud of one of our students, Campbell Hennessy, as he has the lead role as Oliver. On Friday, June 16, the hot lunch is pizza. There is a Spirit Assembly in the gym at 1 p.m. and at 2:30 p.m. Mrs. Sugarman's Primary Choir will perform a musical entitled The Golden Rule. Also, the Grade 1 and 2 classrooms will walk to the Forwarders' Museum in the morning and the Grade 5 immersion class will walk to Kriska to visit the head office and be greeted by their Kriska buddy in the afternoon.
CENTRAL: The Grade 3 students will travel to Upper Canada Village on Wednesday, June 14. Thanks to all who donated food for a very successful bake sale, which helped offset the cost of the trip. Everyone is welcome to attend a performance by Grades 4 to 8 called Music through the Ages, to be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 21. A bake sale sponsored by the School Parent Committee will coincide with the performance, beginning at 6 p.m. Grade 1 students visited the fire hall, police station and the post office Thursday, June 8, and will be accompanying the kindergarten class to the Gaie Glen Farms on Wednesday, June 21.
MAYNARD: Junior classes went on a field trip Monday, June 12 and another group went on Tuesday, June 13 to the Bio-Dome Space Camp. Grade 4 to 6 students participated. On Thursday, June 15, Grade 4 to 6 students will be going to Science Quest. On Friday, June 16, a gymnastic club will be visiting the school to put on a demonstration.
ST. MARK: St. Mark's Volunteer Tea will take place today (Wednesday) from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. to honour the many community members who assist in the school. This evening, Wednesday, June 14, parents of young children are invited to attend the Reading Workshop, which is being hosted by two of our kindergarten teachers. Ms. Tait and Ms. Wilson will share some ideas and strategies for promoting early reading development in children. Parents of Grade 3 students are reminded of the orientation meeting at St. Joseph school on Tuesday, June 20 at 7 p.m. St. Mark's Play Day will take place on Friday, June 23, weather permitting. Activities are different for kindergarten students, and teachers will be keeping parents of kindergarten students informed. The last day of school for children is Wednesday, June 28.
ST. JOSEPH: Congratulations to the peewee track and field team, which performed wonderfully at the track meet at South Grenville District High School. Following is a list of winners in various events: Brittany Morier first, Shanly Beatty fifth, Stephanie Beatty third, Jennifer Bernard sixth, Gavin Bush first, Mark Wynands fourth, Josh Whelan fifth and sixth, Jamie McFarlane fourth, Nick Allard fourth, Brandon Amell first and Kory Chamberland sixth. Special congratulations to Kayla Munnings, who placed first and second in several events and also won the trophy for top female athlete. The winners for the school DuPont Electrical Safety poster contest were: first Nick Fransceca, second Alina Smith, third Elise Tomalty. Congratulations.
SAINTE-MARGUERITE-BOURGEOYS: Career Day was a lot of fun for Grade 7 and 8 students. On March 23, they went to the CKWS television studios in Kingston. Also, the students visited Southeastern Telecommunica-tions and the Hotel Dieu Hospital. Multicultural Day was held March 31. Our students placed first, second, third and fourth in different categories at the Legion public speaking contest. Also, two students placed second and won the Le Choix Des Merchants trophy at the District Science Fair for their project on the environment. On May 3, students and teachers raised $284.25 for Heart and Stroke.
SOUTH EDWARDSBURG: The Terrific Kids assembly is Friday, June 16 at 11:15 a.m. The all-day Science Quest workshop is Tuesday, June 20. Fun in the Sun is Wednesday, June 21 at the school from 1 to 3 p.m. The Hepatitis B clinic for Grade 6 students only is Thursday, June 22. The Grade 8 graduation is Wednesday, June 28. Social hour is 6 to 6:30 p.m., with dinner beginning at 6:30.
By Willy Sieling Heuvel
We had a wonderful time in Stratford last week. If you have an opportunity to see Fiddler on the Roof, please take it. It's one of the best shows we have seen.
We also stopped at the Archibald Winery just north of Bowmanville, which was great! This could be done on a day trip, and of course the Mennonite market and village of St. Jacob's are always worth a visit.
Thanks to all who attended and to our bus driver George Panciuk, who could not have been better. George, you're a gem, see you in September.
Our weight wisdom group, on Tuesday mornings (10 a.m.) is going well. We keep each other on the straight and narrow and lost 31 lb. last week. It does say that we needed to do this for ourselves. Keep it up!
Reservations are required for the steak barbecue coming up on Wednesday, June 28. It begins at 5 p.m. The deadline for reservations is Monday at 4 p.m.
Winners at the card tables last week were:
Monday bridge: Harry Nesbitt 7370 and Isobel Barrigar 5980 points. Mary Typhair won the door prize.
Tuesday cribbage: high hand Evelyn Johnston, high score Myrtle Shahan, second Hilda Hutton, door prize Jeannine Marion.
Wednesday bridge: Marjorie Kingston 4250 and Ed Zachon 3770. Ted Crosbie won the door prize.
Thursday euchre was cancelled due to the bus trip.
Jane Fullarton
Registration for the Maitland Summer Parks Program will take place on Wednesday, June 14, from 7 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, June 17 from 9 to 11 a.m. This summer's program will be supervised by Kristen Schaub, assisted by Sarah Price and junior helpers Allison Johnson and Kayla Wharton.
The program runs for six weeks this summer, including July 3-7, 10-14, 17-21 and Aug. 8-11, 14-18, 21-25. Late registrations will be accepted on the Monday of each week.
The Maitland Parks Program is designed to provide fun and educational programs for children aged 4 to 11. The program runs at MERC Hall and offers children a place to meet friends and engage in fun, supervised activities including games and crafts. The program is not day care. It runs from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Lunch is not supervised or provided.
This summer's program will feature theme days such as Olympic Day, All Around the World Day, and Ancient Civilization Day.
Each week there will be a guest speaker or instructor to teach things such as line dancing.
Supervisor Kristen Schaub will be available at the registrations to answer any questions, or you may call Suzanne Jensen at 348-3074 for more details.
Corporate donations have been gratefully received from DuPont, Nitrochem, 3M and Sithe Industries for the MERC Hall kitchen renovation project. A letter has been received from the Trillium Foundation acknowledging the receipt of the MERC application but no word yet on approval. Fundraising events such as the Pasta Night held recently are continuing, and the MERC committee thanks the community for its continuing support.
An Open Letter to Premier Mike Harris and Minister of Education and Training Janet Ecker
In the May 31, 1999 issue of Macleans, the lead article was entitled: "The Best & Worst Jobs." A description of the worst job included the following description: "It's the one where the boss treats you like an idiot ... and opportunities for personal growth and development are non-existent."
When I asked a former administrative colleague of mine if those characteristics sounded familiar, he replied that they described the conditions under which the educational community of Ontario is currently working because of the policies, actions and rules enacted under your current government's regime.
Most of us who entered teaching in the late 1960s were driven by a desire to make a difference in the lives of our students, further believing that what we did in our schools mattered to our students, their parents, our communities and eventually to our bosses at the local school board and the Ministry of Education.
Today, that sense of commitment to a higher ideal has been replaced with an overwhelming angst brought about by a well-organized public relations campaign mounted by your government. That public relations campaign uses our taxpayers' hard-earned dollars to portray, through inference and otherwise, that teachers are lazy, overpaid workers who take too many holidays!
To add further insult to this injury, a new piece of legislation has recently been introduced which will make education workers second-class citizens without the fundamental human rights enjoyed by most people throughout the civilized world. Bill 74 is yet another thinly veiled threat to "put teachers in line" and fine, up to a maximum of $5,000, any of those "slackers" who do not follow the commands of the central authority known as the Ministry of Education and Training.
The state of education in Ontario and the treatment of the important care-givers in our society, such as teachers and health care workers, has reached the stage where qualified people are leaving those jobs to relocate in other provinces and countries because of the lack of respect and support afforded by your government.
As a proud member of the educational community for the past 32 years, I am unable to fully understand the motivation in treating your teachers with such disdain and a lack of respect. I can only offer you my opinions of what you are doing to education in this province through the educational reforms you have enacted since coming to power as the governing party of Ontario. Those reforms have been characterized by the two Cs: control and confrontation.
Through Bill 64, you have effectively assumed complete control of educational funding in this province. Further, you have created such large school boards through the amalgamation process that those once effective and efficient organizations have become mere messengers for your directives to the educational workers.
As for confrontation, your latest series of taxpayer-sponsored radio advertisements really take the prize. Imagine the nerve of your "reader" in these ads, asking the listener to support this latest legislation because you "don't want our children to be used as pawns." That train left the station quite some time ago, when you decided to take on the teachers of Ontario and make education a political football! Any thought that you just might have involved the students in your vendetta with educators? Any problem recognizing how you have disrupted their lives over the time you have been in office?
If the students of Ontario could choose, they would unanimously support their teachers and their schools over the group of faceless bureaucrats in Queen's Park who have caused so much discontent over the past five years. These students understand what good work is done on a daily basis in their schools and how much their teachers and administrators care about them. I am heartened whenever I see programs such as the Toronto Sun's Teacher of the Year Awards. The responses to a call for nominations for these awards are overwhelming because the people most affected by the work of teachers the students, parents and the school community all recognize what a good job is being done in the schools of Ontario.
When was the last time that the Ministry of Education and Training offered any award program similar to the federal government's Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Teaching? The answer is never in my 32 years of experience!
How do you attract the best people to your profession, when both extrinsic and intrinsic rewards are missing, when you have taken away collective bargaining rights and constantly engage in the politics of confrontation?
This past Saturday, I spent a beautiful June day inside a gymnasium, along with many other teachers who were coaching and officiating, so that our students could improve their basketball skills through an off-season competition with their peers. That same scene of teachers working on one of their days off with their students was repeated this past Saturday on soccer fields, at the All-Ontario Track and Field Championships, in auditoriums where students were preparing end-of-year dramatic productions and in several workshops which the student leaders of Ontario traditionally run at this time of year to prepare their successors for the next school year.
I wonder how many of those same activities will be taking place at this same time next year when the teachers who volunteered their time this weekend are required to put in their mandatory "volunteer" hours! The irony of my example is that the basketball tournament I attended this past Saturday was held at an American university where our Canadian players were treated royally and where all the coaches from the U.S. are paid to coach!
My coaching colleagues in the U.S. are always so amazed when I tell them that our coaches in Ontario volunteer their time to work with young people. How much longer will I be saying that, after volunteering becomes mandatory due to your legislation?
As you go about the process of re-engineering the education system in Ontario, please add to your "things to do" list additional support for three initiatives: more emphasis on developing an environmental consciousness among our students; the promotion of the arts as a means to higher thinking skills; and the establishment of safe schools through a re-investment in those care-givers who work most closely and effectively with our at-risk students the student services and administrative staffs in our schools.
The area of special education has been especially devastated by your government's cutbacks to funding, with the guidance counsellors, youth workers, learning resource teachers and other care-givers for our youth who have been given more to do with less resources!
We are already seeing that doing more with less leads to burnout and job dissatisfaction and thus diminished effectiveness. Take some time to carefully review your allotments for these three areas of your funding model and see how you could at least get us back to where we were before your cutbacks began!
Safe schools are built on trusting relationships between staff and students. Since the cutbacks, more and more of our at-risk students have "fallen through the cracks" simply because the 0.66 vice- principal in a secondary school of 800 students, or the 0.4 principal in an elementary school of 350 pupils, do not have the time to deal effectively with all the problems which walk in through the doors of those schools each and every day.
The time to stop this madness is now! The students of this province deserve to have role models that they can admire. The taxpayers of this province deserve effective, honest leadership from their elected officials.
David P. Dargie, principal (retired)
By MONICA WHITNEY - Journal Staff Writer
JOHNSTOWN This small community has recaptured its more than 200-year-old past with the creation of a park, bringing history to life.
Volunteers Allan Gillis, Lorne Bender, Bob Lucey, Jim MacDonald, Paul Jollymore and Sandra Robertson, through the South Edwardsburgh Community Association, have recreated an important part of the history of Johnstown.
The park, located at the intersection of Highway 416 and County Road 2, was more than a year in the making and commemorates the courthouse that once stood near this site.
Johnstown was founded in 1789 by Sir John Johnson, and in 1793 it was made the administrative centre of the Eastern District. Eastern Ontario's first courthouse and jail were constructed there between 1795 and 1797, and the court of quarter sessions, which administered the district's local government, met alternately in Johnstown and in Cornwall.
The original complex included a chamber for the district court on the upper floor as well as cells and a room for the jailer on the lower level. Later, a pillory and stocks were erected next to the courthouse. The entire area was enclosed with a picket fence constructed with cedar posts eight feet high.
In 1810, the court and jail were moved to new facilities in Brockville, despite the protests of the Johnstown residents. The structure later served as a place of public worship and as a barracks and jail during the War of 1812. It fell into a state of disrepair and eventually burned to the ground in 1875.
The park committee expects to come in under its $10,000 budget for the project. All funds were raised by a team of about 15 people through bingos.
While the park was the community's millennium project, no government assistance was requested or received, which makes the committee very proud, said volunteer Gillis.
The community association will continue to maintain the park under the Ministry of Highway's Adopt-a-Park program.
The site includes an $800 historical plaque researched by volunteer Sandra Shouldice of the Grenville County Historical Society. A partial stone wall recreates the original courthouse, and a replica of the stocks that once stood in Johnstown were made by Gillis.
The stocks are enhanced with an authentic lock and catch, dating from between 1790 and 1810 and donated by Ken Lawless. Chairman of the park committee Sandra Robertson, who is also the supervisor of the local Tourism Ontario office, said she knows of no other place in Ontario where you can put your head and hands through a set of stocks.
In the works is a plaque with a photograph of the original coat of arms, which once hung in the courthouse and still hangs to this day in Brockville. A flagpole and benches will also be added.
Robertson, who is also on the Historical Society board of directors, tells how Johnstown lost its coat of arms. "The story goes that the Johnstown courthouse was being closed [in 1810]. So the lads from Brockville came down" to steal the coat of arms, she said.
"The Johnstown lads were a tad upset with this and they chased them. It took a couple of days to make it back to Brockville because both parties kept stopping at the pubs and taverns along the way."
The incident was recreated during Johnstown's bicentennial celebrations in 1989. At that time, a group camped out on Blockhouse Island and then demanded the stolen coat of arms back.
"An important part of Johnstown history is being put into that little park," Robertson said. "It's amazing what a small group of people can do if they want to. They're giving so much back to the community. I think it's marvelous. They worked on their hands and knees laying that stone, and there was no glory in that."
The committee also received several donations of labour, equipment and supplies, such as sand and topsoil.
Volunteer Lorne Bender said that through this park, he "hopes the story of Johnstown will become more prominent and leave the impression in people's minds" that this is a caring community.
The park is open for anyone to stop and relax, and an official dedication ceremony is planned for Sept. 10, marking the date of the 1810 closing of the courthouse.
PRESCOTT On June 5, the Prescott Rotarians met in their clubrooms above the office of Barry Laushway and enjoyed a fine meal from Chef Ray Martin.
Special guest assistant district governor John Warner from Cornwall made a presentation to member Colin Vickers for his outstanding contributions to the Rotary Foundation.
President Gauri Shankar received the presidential citation on behalf of the Prescott Rotary Club, which was one of only two clubs in the entire district which met the strict criteria for achievement as set out by the district governor.
A donation was presented to Joanne Harris and Karen Rideout to assist with this year's annual picnic for the Leeds and Grenville Foster Parents. This association places 150 foster children in 85 homes throughout the united counties.
A donation was also made to the Brockville Hospitals in support of the Student Artwork Program.
The club will be cooking hot dogs and hamburgers at the Fort this Saturday for the highland tattoo. We hope that the weather co-operates.
The Rotary meets every Monday at 5:15 p.m. For more information, please contact any Rotarian.
Marinus Raas, 72, of Prescott died suddenly June 5, 2000 at Brockville General Hospital.
He was born Dec. 13, 1927 at Heer Arendskerke, Holland to Marinus Raas and Elizabeth Boudens.
He was raised in Holland, and served with the Dutch army in Indonesia.
Mr. Raas married Maria Francina Van den Dries, and in 1953, they moved to Canada.
Mr. Raas was a dedicated family man, and he enjoyed spending time at his cottage and playing cards with his friends. He was also an avid gardener, tending at least two gardens at a time.
He lived in Spencerville for 24 years prior to moving to Prescott in 1985. He worked as a mechanic at DuPont until his retirement, and he was a faithful member of St. Mark's Roman Catholic Church.
Mr. Raas is survived by his wife Mary; by sons Maurice (Susen) of Prescott, John (Miley) of Brockville; and by daughters, Margaret (Bob Beattie) of Prescott and Elizabeth Daly of Johnstown. He also leaves five grandchildren: Laura (Jamie Deck), Richard Raas, Nicholas Beattie, Taylor and Michael Raas.
Mr. Raas is also survived by three brothers and eight sisters in Holland.
He was predeceased by his parents, his brother Machiel and his sister Annie, all of Holland, and by son-in-law John Daly.
Friends called at the Chris Slater Funeral Home in Prescott June 7. A funeral mass was held June 8 at St. Mark's Church by Father Appelman, with burial following at St. Laurence O'Toole's Cemetery in Spencerville.
The pallbearers were Richard Raas, Bob Beattie, Jamie Deck, Maarten Weststrate, Gerry Jansman and Fred Visser.
Memorial donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be appreciated.
Augusta Deputy Reeve John McCrea, on sending $500 to Walkerton, Ont.
Few municipal councillors can match the dedication of Adrian Van Schie, who will step down as reeve of Augusta township this fall following the municipal elections. Van Schie has served 12 years on council, the first three as deputy reeve and the past nine as reeve.
In that time period, he has had to deal with many issues and personalities and from the start, he decided to do so with a professionalism rarely matched in rural municipal politics. Van Schie, who works in a supervisory role at DuPont, took courses at St. Lawrence College to earn certification as a clerk-treasurer in Ontario even though he had no intention of pursuing a career as municipal staff. He decided it would be the best way to learn how municipal governments work, which would make him more effective as a reeve.
He was right. Van Schie handles meetings with an ease that can only come from knowledge and experience, and his abilities and dedication will be missed when he calls an adjournment to his last Augusta township council meeting later this year.
Congratulations on 12 years of community service, Mr. Van Schie.
This Saturday, Tourism Prescott will host its (hopefully) first annual Prescott Highland Band Tattoo. Seven pipe bands will march from Centennial Park through the downtown to Fort Wellington, where large crowds are expected to gather to hear the tattoo. This event was made possible by a town coming together co-operatively to create something great. Tourism Prescott along with the BIA, chamber of commerce, town, fort, Legion, Kiwanis and Rotary clubs all pitched in donations to bring the bands here. Many volunteers are also donating their time. It's another show of Prescott Pride. Christine Endicott
Monica Whitney
You just can't get better than this! A little speck on a map, our corner of South Grenville and in particular Prescott and the communities surrounding it, is big on all the things that make an area a great place to be.
The sun shines here even on cloudy days. Sound corny? Not at all! Set aside beautiful old buildings on tree-lined streets, a dynamic river and pastoral fields. We're left with something so vital and incredible, the life of a community: powerful people who care.
They're people with character and stories to tell who want you to share a minute of time; they're our business owners who have made their stores glow with personality and service; they are volunteers who make our communities and its residents shine; and they're the people who fight to make our living places even more perfect.
A walk into any area business is pure delight. They're places where everybody knows your name, and if they don't, they find out really quickly.
People are interested and they care, and they're generous with a wave and a hello. That's a good feeling. I see people laughing and having fun, and they're showing their sunny sides, even when the skies are gray.
To borrow Tourism Ontario's motto, we have all the best right here. Cardinal, Spencerville, Maynard, Maitland, North Augusta, Algonquin, Johnstown and Prescott are all jumping with community spirit and pride, and they're bursting with the best neighbours.
We've lived in several different places, and I've never known neighbours to beat the kindness, generosity and caring of the people who live in this area. And neighbours aren't just the people who live beside you who pass treats and greetings over the fence. They worry if things seem not just quite right, like when your son's travelled beyond his set limits on his bike, or your attic light's been left on too long.
Neighbours are all those who care enough to send an e-mail to wish you well and brighten your days; they are the ones who will chase you several kilometres out of their way to return a floor mat that flew off the roof of your van (it's a long story); and they are people who are always ready with a cheery '"good day" and a pat on the back.
Great things are happening with youth, as well. I recently had the chance to attend annual review ceremonies for the Cardinal Sea Cadets and Prescott Air Cadets. These impressive young people seem to know exactly where they're going and how to get there. They address adults with a polite Sir and Ma'am, and many cite the training in discipline and respect as the top reasons for belonging to the group.
These, and many other area youth programs such as the guiding and scouting movements and the Legion's youth dart league all thrive on volunteerism that keep teens interested, involved and vibrant.
Living in this area is like being wrapped in a warm fuzzy blanket.
John A.H. Morris
We've had our monopoly natural gas supplier playing financial games with the delivery charges and with unjustified hot water tank rental increases over the past year, and it seems the next monolith in the energy field that we have to prepare to do battle with during the next couple of years is Hydro One and Ontario Hydro Energy Inc.
Hydro One is offering to supply us with electricity, an Ontario Energy Board regulated product, while Ontario Hydro Energy Inc. will be handling services that are no longer regulated by the OEB, such as hot water heaters.
Our beef here is that Ontario Hydro Services, the mother of all Hydro entities at present, added a hot water heater on to our June bill to the tune of $19.80 plus GST for the past month. Not only is the rental price about 250 per cent above their regular rate, but we do not even have a Hydro rental!
And now the frustrating part: We called Hydro's 888 number and 22 button-pressing commands later, we got a human on the other end of the line. She was a very polite lady who told us to call the water tank rental division and tell them we don't have an electric hot water tank and they will cancel the charges.
We argued that it was a long, frustrating exercise playing 20 questions and animal, vegetable and mineral with Ontario Hydro's non-human phone system, but we were assured that with this new 800 number it was easier to access a human being because it was a new department and it wasn't very busy as yet.
In fact, Hydro One was so proud of Hydro Energy Inc. that they told us the Energy folk, as of June 1, had made the transition to a services supplier and was all caught up as of June 1.
One thing was right, it was much easier to contact a human at Energy Inc. than at Hydro One, but they had progressed so rapidly in the conversion that they had out-stripped the capabilities of Hydro One's computer files and explained they could only make a note of our problem because they could not make a change in billing at this time.
Something nicked a nuclear nerve in this matter, however, because within an hour our call to Energy Inc., Hydro One had corrected our bill ... or so we were led to believe.
* * *
We also have to remember how these same Hydro administrative gurus made a complete shambles of their communications with the public (their customers) in our area during the ice storm power outage in 1998.
Another reason to be cautious is that these Hydro One and Hydro Energy organizations are waiting not-so-patiently in the wings to take over the Prescott PUC, and it is rumoured council is cozying up to them, maybe with the thought of getting enough for the sale of the PUC to pay for a new town hall and a new municipal parking lot.
* * *
While council has been quite vociferous and single-minded on the town hall issue, it allowed the Ontario government to dump an out-dated, broken-down sewage disposal plant onto the backs of the Prescott taxpayers, with barely a whimper of dissent.
Yup, dear fellow taxpayers, Mike Harris and his good burghers of Queen's Park turned the ownership of the broken-down sewage disposal plant over to Prescott council at the first of the year. Like primary-treated noodles, our mayor and council accepted the gift graciously and with quiet good manners even though they knew from a previous study that to build a new sewage treatment plant would cost Prescott taxpayers $14 million and to upgrade the present one would cost $16 million.
Premier Harris and his sewage disposal experts (not to be confused with his cabinet) knew the sewage disposal plant was only a primary treatment facility and that it needed millions of dollars in repairs when they dumped it on Prescott.
Within weeks of this gift, the Harris government sent councillors a directive ordering them to bring the facility up to snuff or suffer the consequences.
There is no time better than now for council to bring this heavy-handed action by the Ontario government to the attention of the entire province. After the Walkerton tragedy, everyone in Ontario is suspicious of their own water supply, so we should capitalize on this mistrust.
Why not add a few exclamation marks to this scare by pointing out that the Ontario government has just walked away from a sewage treatment plant of their own that is dumping raw sewage into the St. Lawrence River near Johnstown? Not a pleasant situation for downstream swimmers, boaters and water drinkers. But who cares, as long as it is in Eastern Ontario?
By MONICA WHITNEY - Journal Staff Writer
CARDINAL - The Environmental Services transition committee involved in planning the Edwardsburgh and Cardinal amalgamation has recommended the township cancel its contract with another town for water and wastewater operations.
Chairman of the committee, Edwardsburgh councillor Peter Martin, explained at a transition board meeting held in Cardinal June 7 that Edwardsburgh currently has a contract with Merrickville for the operation of the Spencerville wastewater treatment facility, collection system, and the water distribution system in the front part of the township. The Merrickville staff tests the lines for chlorine residual and flushes water mains to maintain acceptable chlorine levels.
The water main ends at Pirelli Drive and water flowing to the township is metered in New Wexford. Merrickville currently spends eight hours per month on the water system and 100 hours per month on the wastewater system.
Martin explained Cardinal already has two employees qualified to operate this system, and suggested Edwardsburgh cancel the contract effective December 31. Six months notice is required to cancel with Merrickville.
Discuss garbage collection
The transition board is also planning further discussion on the possibility of a township-wide curbside solid waste collection program.
Edwardsburgh residents are now able to use the Pittston Road landfill site three days per week, or use a private hauler at a price-per-bag fee. The average cost of a hauler is $10 per month, a report from the environmental committee explained. Businesses within the township have to make their own arrangements for waste pickup and disposal.
Cardinal provides curbside collection and sixty free bag tags per year per household. Garbage collection costs are included in the tax rates. Curbside collection for businesses is provided twice per week with no tags and the cost is included in the tax rate.
Cardinal clerk Jack Walsh was asked to provide the current cost for garbage collection in Cardinal and to get an estimate of fees that a private hauler might charge for the new township.
Site testing continues
Edwardsburgh Township will be continuing its agreement with the consulting firm Water and Earth Sciences, which monitors the Edwardsburgh landfill site and the testing of its wells on the site.
The transition board passed a resolution approving the environmental monitoring program, which cost $14,995 for 2000. Edwardsburgh Reeve Dave Dobbie said this testing has been ongoing since about the mid 1980s
New fire truck needed
Cardinal will also require a new fire truck to service Edwardsburgh's rural areas after amalgamation is effective. The village's aging 1972 pumper needs to be replaced, said the fire chief, Graham VanCamp, and one truck is needed to serve as both tanker and pumper.
VanCamp presented two quotes for trucks to the board. A 2,300-gallon tanker with a six-man crew cab is $230,352, plus $15,000 for a phone system.
A tanker with a 2,500-gallon capacity and a two-man cab with a phone system included rings in at $246,821. These are basic model, bottom-of-the-line trucks with no special features, VanCamp said.
It would take more than a year to have a vehicle delivered after a decision was made, he reported.
Costs may be paid
The two municipalities are also eligible to receive funding of up to 75 per cent to help cover their restructuring costs for amalgamation.
The new assistance program under the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is strictly for costs resulting from amalgamation, and not ongoing costs. Edwardsburgh clerk Russell Trivett said the greatest cost will be the consolidation of the two municipal offices.
The municipalities must make application for the funding by June 23.
CARDINAL - Benson Public School principal for the past five years, Jerry Hough, is retiring at the end of this school year, and he says his many rewarding and exciting years in the teaching profession have kept him young at heart.
Hough is completing 35 years as a teacher and principal in several elementary schools. Following his Grade 13 graduation from South Grenville District High School in Prescott, he completed the Ottawa teachers' college program in 1965. The life-long career began at Tincap Public School at the age of 19, for a yearly salary of $3,300.
He had a choice of teaching for four different school boards, and several schools within that area, at the instruction level of his preference.
"At that time opportunities seemed to be tremendous," he said. Now, the field is "highly competitive. Extremely well-qualified candidates are vying for relatively fewer positions."
The next several years would take him to schools in teaching, vice principal and principal roles in Brockville, Toronto, Kemptville, Maitland and Frankville.
Two of the last five years at Benson included a shared-administrative role with South Edwardsburgh school in Johnstown.
Hough prefers to call his retirement a "career transition," similar to his moves from school to school. He said he's never been one to "pitch a chair and soak up the sun's rays," but needs to be moving, exploring and learning in his professional and personal life.
These changes are "stimulating and refreshing for all," he said. "Each community, each school, have their own particular qualities, attributes and personalities.
"I always go into a new school with the viewpoint I'll do my best and enjoy what the community and the area has to offer, and give what I can in my little role, and seek new sunshine." Hough explained his several moves have made his teaching career enjoyable and satisfying.
Teaching junior high school in Toronto was a profitable experience from a career perspective, he said.
The change from teaching in the provincial capital to more rural schools "gave me a broader perspective of education."
The school area in North York was booming at the time, and he saw what "tax dollars can do to enhance a child's education. It gave me an appreciation for the various opportunities children have.
His solution at less affluent school boards was to become creative "to make learning meaningful and exciting for children. Money is not always the answer. To me, learning is being creative and how we can problem solve."
Drawing on people in the community and other resources was the answer at Benson, he said, where the school partnered with individuals, service groups, industries, parents and politicians to enhance the physical environment, both inside and outside the school.
"This is how children better understand the society in which they live."
The principal praised Benson's strong partnership program with various organizations.
"The community has embraced their youth and a quality facility by devoting time and energy. Cardinal doesn't have to take a back seat to anyone" because of the "community pride and value they have in their school.
Hough has also seen many changes in education in 35 years. "Learning is a process. It's no longer good enough to have a bit of information at your fingertips. Learning is about thinking now, not regurgitation." There are "enhanced opportunities to gather information.
"Knowledge is expanding at such a phenomenal rate. There is a tremendous amount of information out there with techniques available to us.
" The task is to retrieve the information and make wise decisions with the information, and apply it to our task."
In his first years in teaching, Hough said there was little availability of information and technology, and students therefore looked to others for information.
"It is very gratifying to see students who want to learn and do something with the information they've acquired," Hough said. "[The Benson community] has worked in an ongoing endeavour to establish and develop a science centre. The whole area of science and technology is going to become a critical component of a child's academic development.
"We're leading the way with students interacting with resources in these areas of a child's future."
Hough's short term plans involve a summer of relaxing and winding down.
He said he expects to pick up some long-lost hobbies, such as a childhood stamp and coin collection.
And he would like to rekindle an interest in painting, photography and woodworking.
He explained he would like to devote more time to volunteerism
And he wants apply his skills and knowledge to another career.
CARDINAL - Hydro One, the new name for the Ontario Hydro Services Company, has made a pitch to Cardinal council members to purchase its electrical distribution assets.
Under provincial law, the future of Cardinal's utilities, and those in other areas, must be decided this year. All municipalities have the option to either retain, sell, lease or partner their existing services. The village is well into discussions with five other utilities in the area on the feasibility of merging their operations.
The village is currently considering a merger with the utilities in North Dundas, South Dundas, Prescott, Westport and Mississippi Mills.
Hydro One director of projects Phil Connor presented a selling option plan at the June 5 regular Cardinal council meeting. He said the company could guarantee rate stability for three years and local employment continuity. Selling now would also exempt the village from paying a 33 per cent capital transfer tax, which would come into affect after Nov. 1, Connor said.
Employees would receive training and development to the Hydro One skill level, with the option to apply for other positions within the company.
Councillor Jim Pakeman, an electrical contractor of 21 years, said he has great concerns in the areas of Ontario Hydro's accessibility and accountability. He cited the personal example that a simple service change requires several telephone calls to hydro offices in Markham, Kingston and Brockville, with the work order finally being received three days later.
In this case, Pakeman said, the company finally showed up on a date it had said the work couldn't be done. The same job order could have been handled in five minutes with one phone call three years ago, he said.
In another case, it took almost four months to arrange for the relocation of one hydro pole, Pakeman said. "I have grave, grave concerns of selling to Ontario Hydro," he commented.
Connor asked the council "to have some faith and trust. We'll get there. We can't avoid getting there."
He said Hydro has a young and skilled workforce, and that the company is in a good position to have rates decline.
BROCKVILLE It was a tie for top junior athlete at the Leeds-Grenville Elementary School Athletics Association Championship (LGESAA) Saturday at Thousand Islands Secondary School.
Geoff Millard a Maynard Public School student tied with Lance Kerr of South Crosby for the trophy
To capture the title, Millard, who represented the East region, which includes area schools in Prescott, Cardinal and Kemptville, took three firsts in the junior boys 400 metres in a time of 1:06, the 800 metres in 2:34.24, the 1500 metres with a time of 5:10.85. Kerr took first in the sprint events.
LGESAA is broken down in to four regions-the East, West, North and South. The top six athletes in each of the Regional meets move on to LGESAA, except in the relay events, where the top three teams advance.
The East took the title again this year with 360 points, followed by the Central division.
Junior girls
Junior girl Jennifer Lamoureaux of the East team took first in the 400 metres with a time of 1:09 flat. She finished second in the 800 metres behind teammate Heidi Reinstra with a time of 2:45:30. In the 1500 metres, it was Lamoureaux in second, followed by Megan Collins.
In the junior girls long jump, it was one-two for the East with Kyla Kelly's jump of 4.06 metres, followed by Kayla Charland.
In the high jump, Amanda Blue took third spot.
Junior boys
Brandon Duffy finished second in the 200 metres, followed by William Sharpe.
East teammate Jamie Sarginson finished third in the 400 metres. Matt Leader finished third in the 1500 metres, while in the long jump, Brandon Duffy finished first with a jump of 4.22 metres, followed by Kurtis Summers. Duffy also picked up a third in the triple jump. It was one-two for the East in the high jump: Drew Kinnear took first with a jump of 1.56 metres, followed by Kurtis Summers.
In the shot put it was a clean sweep for the East. First went to Kinnear with a throw of 10.72 metres, then Josh Amell and Josh Rupert.
The East's team of Maynard Public School took third in the relay.
Senior girls
The East was shut out of the top three in the sprint events, but Jullian Brody took third in the 800-metre run. In the 1500 metres, Stacy Jones took second.
Alex Ward of the East took first in the triple jump with 9.57 metres. The second and third spots in the high jump went to the East region's Erin Durant and Amy Pitchers respectively. The top two spots went to Stephanie Connell with a throw of 10.23 metres, followed by East teammate Nikki Stewart.
Maynard's relay team took first with a time of 57.76.
Senior boys East
Matt Millard, Geoff's older brother, continued his strong season with a second in the 400 metres and firsts in the 800- and 1500-metre runs. East division's Ryan Fisher took a first in the high jump and third in the long jump behind Ken Meikle, who also took third in the triple jump.
In the shot put, the East's Justin Selleck claimed first.
In the relay, Central took second spot.
The Under-11 Boys Prescott Gunners smoked the Nepean Red Devils 4-0 Thursday in the Ottawa-Carleton Soccer League (OCSL).
The Gunners divided up the scoring with Josh Whelan, Matt Leader, Nick Francica and Kyle Lavery each scoring a goal.
In Monday's game for the Under-13 Girls Prescott Gunners of the OCSL, the girls played the Ottawa Royals to a 1-1 tie. Jenna Beatty scored for the Gunners.
Under-16
On Tuesday, June 6, in the Prescott and District Minor Association play, Watermark Printing beat Nitrochem, 7-3. Scoring for Watermark were Alan Robertson with four, David DeDekker, Lorna Thain and Sarah Rust each with one. For Nitrochem, Logan Gillard had two goals and Brandon McFarland had one.
In the Gateway Packaging, Kriska match up, Gateway shelved a 2-0 win over Kriska. John McIntosh and Miguel each scored one goal.
Kriska managed a 2-2 tie Thursday, June 9 against Playit Star. Kory Van Hyning scored the deuce for Kriska, while Mike Todd and David Code split the duties for Playit.
Nitrochem took the win Thursday over Gateway Packaging, 4-2. Brandon McFarland was on fire scoring three of four Nitrochem's goals. David Thornhille pitched in for a single. For Gateway, Ryan Davy and Cory Madden each scored.
Under-12
In Monday's game against Giant Tiger, D.W.J. Plumbing held steadfast for the 3-0 win. Denis Heldens scored a pair for D.W.J., while Jen Cameron picked up a single.
In other June 5 action, the Shriner's beat the Techcan Titans 4-2. Scoring for the Shriner's were Clayton Dunnington with three and Carry Cardinal with one. Sam Whitley and Hailey Francis each scored for the Titans.
On Wednesday, the Seaway Valley Pharmacy must have taken their vitamins because the Techcan Titans fell 7-2 to the Pharmacy. Each with two goals were Brittany Byrd, Joel Joudoin and Jamie Cote, while Michael Marchand had a single. The Titans' scoring was done by Nathan Fahrngruber and Stacy Kenney.
The match up between D.W.J Plumbing and the Shriners ended in a 2-2 tie. Scoring for the Plumbing was Denis Molson and Josh Joudoin. For the Shriners, Tim Haymen and Cody Sargent each scored singles.
Delphi Solutions beat Giant Tiger 5-2. Solutions' Adam Kelly and Chad Hyland each had a pair, while Joel Haystead had a single. Ryan Armstrong and Joel Joudoin split the scoring duties for Giant Tiger.
Under-8
D.B.L Computing beat Prescott IDA 6-1 in Monday's game. Scoring two goals each for IDA were Josh Pitt, Ryan Van Stralen and Brad Laker. Austin Murphy scored the lone goal for IDA.
In other action, The Windmill Web Spiders beat the Johnstown Duty Free 4-0. Dillan Render and Sean Perrin each scored two.
Playit Star beat S.L.P. Printing 3-0. Scoring for Playit were Jessica Francica, Nathan Purvis and Scott Stephen.
Freer Electric beat Grenville Pharmacy 2-0. Keith Ditchburn scored both goals.
Under 10
On Wednesday, June 7, Prescott Kiwanis tied the Royal Bank 2-2. Kyle Lavery scored both of the Kiwanis' goals, while Justin Sutherland doubled up for the Bank.
Hansen Cavity Kickers beat Mac's 3-2. Andrew Bernard scored the Kickers' three goals and Michael Thomas scored both of Mac's goals.
TD Bank couldn't make a deposit on Kriska, losing 1-0. Chris Nolan scored for Kriska.
Beach Home Hardware beat Prophet's Trophies 5-1. Payton Williams scored two as did Josh Perrin. Thomas Polite scored one goal. The lone goal scorer for Trophies was Curtis Biccum.
Splash Well Drilling score indicated a drubbing of Hansen Cavity Kickers. Drilling won 6-2. Josh Perrin was the Drilling's top scorer with three goals, followed by Thorpe with two and Thomas Polite with one. The Kickers goal scorers were Chris Rice and Jacob Temple.
The Bank of Montreal beat the Prescott Kinsmen, 3-0. Scoring for the Bank were Jordan Grootjans, Joshua Newton and Reilly Grootjans.
By Heather MacKay-Kelso
PRESCOTT Opening Tournament was held on May 3. There were more than 100 golfers and their guest playing under sunny skies.
The format was four person scramble. An evening of dancing followed the barbecue special that was put on by the Kitchen staff. Paul Irvine, the tournament chairman presented the prizes to the participants. The big winners of "Closest to 4 Over" were Don Metcalfe, Marilyn Metcalfe, Jamie Lee and Norma Martineau. " Closest to 8 OVER" were Larry and Peggy Devine, J and S Devine. Ann and Sheldon Gill and Janice and Lee MacDonald. "Closest to 12 Over" were Marg Barton, Fay Daborn, Candy Alexander, and Pat Hansen. Bob and Joan STeele, and Ron and Irene Kuhnle. "Highest of number 14" went to Pat Duffield, Shirley Kelley, Jean Randall and Lillian McNamee. " Team with Guest Closest to 4 Over" was Tom and Euny Murdock, and Ron and Grace Patterson. 2. The Border League has been in existance for 51 years. Mr James MacKay has qualified for all 51 years, including this year's team. He has missed only one year playing because his work took him out of town to Eygpt during the tournament. Congratulations Life Member Jim MacKay. This year's Border League Team is Chris Veltcamp Jeff Ferguson Mike Lynch Dale Walker Rob Kimmerly Claude Labranche Paul Pidgeon Bill Watson Senior: Jim MacKay Junior: Adam Miller For your information, two of the qualifiers for the team are the club's very own Proshop staff, Chris Veltcamp and Adam Miller.
3. The area Hall of FAme Tournament was run this past Saturday.
NEPEAN The Junior Gunners captured a tournament title over the weekend.
On June 10 and 11, the Under-11 boys Gunners of the Prescott Minor Soccer Association made it a clean sweep through the round robin to the finals where they defeated the Ottawa Internationals 4-0 to claim the Nepean Pride Invitational Soccer tournament championship.
In the Junior Gunners opening game, they defeated Petawawa 8-1. Mike Froom exploded for four goals to lead the offence. Kyle Lavery, Nick Francica, Gavin Bush and Josh Whelan chipped in with single markers.
The Junior Gunners followed up the impressive victory with a 1-0 shut-out against Nepean City. In the impressive victory, Matt Cockshott scored the lone goal. Cody Hache registered the shut-out.
On Sunday, the Junior Gunners avenged an earlier season tie by downing the Ottawa Internationals 4-1 to end the round robin as the only undefeated team. Gavin Bush fired in two goals to lead the Junior Gunners' offence. Kyle Lavery and Josh Whelan chipped in with singles.
Semi-final game
The Gunners won the semi-final game with an impressive 6-2 over the team from Opeonga. Gavin Bush lead the way with three goals. Kyle Lavery, Matt Leeder and Matt Cockshott all added singles to advance to the championship game.
Championship game
The final game featured a rematch between the Junior Gunners and the ever-tough Ottawa Internationals. But it was the Junior Gunners that stuck first for an early lead, holding on for an exciting 4-0 victory to claim the tournament title. Cody Hache recorded his second shut-out of the tournament. Gavin Bush fired in two goals, with Matt Leeder and Mike Froom added singles to stun the Internationals.
The Junior Gunners' defence, which consisted of Steve Joudoin, Zach VanAllen, Jamie McFarlane and Joe Murray, stymied the opposing teams' offence over the course of the tournament. They helped lead their team to the best goals against average of the entire division.
Head coach Joe Francica and assistant coach Vince Francica helped guide the team to their first tournament victory.
Great determination, solid goaltending and a commitment to team play provided the Junior Gunners with the ability to outdo the opposition and bring back the trophy to Prescott.
PRESCOTT The Prescott Expos double the Osnabruck Orioles 8-4.
On the Wednesday, June 7 game, Tyler Libby took to the hill for Prescott and went 3 strong innings, allowing no hits, striking out seven, and giving up just two walks.
Tyler Dukelow came in to relief Libby and earned the save. Dukelow went three innings, striking out three, and giving up just two earned runs. Dukelow and David Harrington had a pair of RBI's each, while Libby, Darren Deslauriers, Shane Francois and Bryan Roles all had single RBI's.
In the Sunday, June 11 Game Prescott Expos took a beating at the bats of Morrisburg.
The Expos lost 12-4 to Morrisburg. Josh Kirkby went four innings and was tagged with the loss. Kirkby had six strikeouts, three walks and surrendered eight earned runs.
He also scored a run on a past ball.
Although the Expos were shutdown at bat, they had some good defence from outfielders Dustin Drury and Jesse Valkenier. Ryan Mellon used a good eye to draw a walk in the third inning but would later be left on base.
PRESCOTT Willing to work a bingo this summer? The Prescott Figure Skating Club is calling all parents who plan to enrol their children in figure skating for 2000-2001 to consider working bingos this summer before the season begins. Anyone who is able to help is asked to call second vice-president Dave Travis at 925-2338. Registration sessions for the next skating season will be held in August and September.
Kemptville The Knights of Columbus council 5333 is having an outdoor volleyball tournament on Saturday,June 17, 2000.
Proceeds are to aid a local girl that is in need of an expensive operation for her arthritis and for the local Catholic High School, St. Michael's. The tournament is being held at the Township of North Grenville Park Hwy. 43
For more information, call Vince at 258-3501.
PERTH A fastball tournament will be held in Perth at the Colon Farm Park, July 21 to 23.
It is a family oriented event that promises some of the best fastball in North America.
Teams from the American Midwest will be entered in the tournament. Action start at 4 p.m Friday, with 29 games scheduled. For more information, call 613-267-2049, evenings.