weekly message Good morning all, Bonjour tout le monde. While I love the snow, I only love it in short spurts and admit to being concerned to it’s early arrival. Last year we got our first snowfall on November 2nd and it never stopped snowing until the spring. I am hopeful that is not the case this year ! THE HOT TOPICS HEALTH CARE Our efforts to find a prime tenant continue, our town staff have chatted with several health care professionals to better understand our area needs. Staff have also visited with a business group who may be a good fit. A subsequent meeting with this group will occur shortly. We also reviewed our plans with the Deputy Minister of Health and they are certainly willing to assist us wherever they can. Ownership of PGH is not clear, the Deputy Minister was not sure if it was in fact PGH was a provincial asset, she is checking into this for us. CAO Ted Walker and I met with Mayor Gord McKay, Mayor Scott Warnock and Tiny Mayor elect George Cornell and Tiny Deputy Mayor elect Steffen Walma so we could update one another on local health care efforts. While health care is outside of our municipal mandates all four communities saw the need to engage in a joint health care effort along with the need to formally engage with GBGH and whether you like them or not, the LHIN are guaranteed to be here for at least the next four years and we need to engage with them. This is not a short term, one off effort. We see the need to address immediate issues such as funding and the need to secure our areas health care future for the next 20 years. Health care will be on our to do list for quite a period of time. There is a meeting set with GBGH for next week and we will be arranging a similar sit down meeting with the LHIN. We are striving to have a few pieces of the health care puzzle in place quickly as we have the Deputy Minister of Health coming to town for a meeting with us on December the 18th . One of the things that could make you go hmmm, is that in Montreal they are trying the opposite tactic of our LHIN and looking to drive health care closer to people, not further away. montreal.ctvnews.ca/mobile/quebec-to-cut-specialists-at-muhc-superhospital-by-10-per-cent-1.2088913 PSS Now that the election is over I am hosting a meeting with the 54 communities supporting our efforts to keep small town schools. We need to get organised, set up a strategic plan and engage with the Provincial government. The meeting is set for November 20th. Over in the Township of Zorra, after almost two years of work the area school board debated and voted on a school closure. Similar to our situation the Superintendents of the Board recommended, again, to close the school despite the fact that the ARC recommended closing none of the schools in the area. The Trustees not only voted to keep the school open, it was a unanimous decision. And, when the vote was concluded, one of the Trustees went as far as to make a motion as a result of this decision That the Chair write to the Ministry on behalf of the Board to express the complex concerns related to capital and ongoing funding for community schools that have been identified in the accommodation review process.” This motion was also unanimously passed. Decisions like this are encouraging and certainly prove community engagement can matter and make a difference. THE WEEK TO COME A light week meeting wise. Monday 9:00 a.m. Deputy Mayor Pat Marion and I can be found at the County of Simcoe offices for a county council meeting. The agenda is business as usual in nature. We will be taking a second look at the 2015 budget. Tuesday 11:00 a.m. Remembrance Day Ceremonies occur at the Cenotaph. I hope you can attend; the recent tragedies in Ottawa and Quebec are recent reminders of how important it is for us to take the time to honour those who have given there all, including their lives, on our behalf. Wednesday 7:00 p.m. Council gathers at townhall for a second look at the 2015 budget. Thursday 12:30 p.m. The four local Mayors meet with GBGH CEO Karen McGrath to discuss a variety of health care issues and to address next step strategies. That’s all for now, I promised Jan a day of working on my every growing honey do list, so I best get to it ! Speak soon ! Mayor Gerry
Posted on: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 15:29:25 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015