The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

-. i 4-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, January 20, 2004 ~We believe... in helping. Anyone. Anywhere. Region is looking to hire ý&By JASON MISNER mosquito-borne illness. tie with a budget includ ing a potlen- s -' 4 Miranahas ben acarefoteMiltonChampon up lier route at the end( of January. SWe wish Miranda success in her new venture, and! than< lier for lier man)' years of Ii4 dedication to the Milton Champion. 10m50% OFF For a limnited time get unlimited savings at La-Z-Boy Fumniture Galleries Factory Authorized Clearance. ecnes i Solas Recllnlng Sofas Tables & Lamps tram 1398* tra Im 8 8* 10 1198~ 'ro $98* t's aur once-a-year avent where you'Il tind remarkabte deals on the largesi selection of genmne La-Z-Boy turniture in Ontario. lncluding one-ai a kind diseontinued items and tioor models. With 1 vo0s of colours and styles to choose tram, and No lnterest, No Payments far up ta One Year* yau can have the beautitul turniture you need. right now' O,, h.i,, - -t nf nthis mannitudeR mnt taqt lovai Thne Cnampion Halton Region is the largest public health unit in Ontario without an associ- ate medical officer of health and regional officiais want to change that. As part of its proposed 2004 budget, Dr. Bob Nosal, Halton's medicai officer of health and com- missioner of thse healtis departrnent, iv asking politicians to approve the hiring of an associate medical offi- cer of healtis to deal witb increased workload. The position would psy about $160,000 a year witb benefits. Dr. Novai unveiled bis depart- ment's budgetary requirements 10 thse bealtis and social services com- mittee last Tuesday. He said tbere's no guarantee be would be successful in filling tbe position, but an associate medical officer of bealth would prove use- fui in a region that bas been del- uged by bealtis pressures, like West Nule virus and SARS. SARS bit in late March and remained a public bealtb issue until May, wbicb meant staff bad to intensely monitor for thse illness in local residents. And West Nile kept bealtis staff jumping narnely because of the intense virus protection program the Region enacted 10 combat the won't go away, Dr. Nosal said. "t was fortunate to bave an expe- rienced communicable diseases management staff," be said. "If there were no emerging mnfectious diseases, 1 probably wouldn't be coming te, you rigbt now." The position primarly would involve overveeing the administra- tive needs of the healtis departrnent when tise medical officer of healts iv dealing witb a public health issue. Ballon CAO Brent Marshall, wbo's responsible for aIl thse regional departments, bold tbe cornninee the reconunendation for tise position wasn't made lightly. Mr. Marsisall said be loves bis rigbt arm wisen Dr. Nosal iv occu- pied witb a healtis issue. Addressing emerging infectious diseases, be said, wili continue 10 weigh down staff and tbe medical officer of bealtis, Wben SARS and West Nule emerged, other departrnents were impacted in addition 10 bealts staff, be said. -Wr tapped every resource in ibis corporation," Mr. Marvsall said. "T'Me stress was significant. This community iv cisanging." The associate medical officer of healtis i one of 13 staff positions the healts departruent iv looking 10 bring on board as councillors wrev- increase doesn't include tbe I-lton Regional Police budget. Halton Cbair Joyce Savoline said the associate medicai officer of bealtb position is "necessary." 1I watched bow staff worked (laut year) and they were fully stretched," shte said in an interview iast week. "We need tbat kind of back-up when tihe medical officer of bealth is havmng to work 24 hours around the dlock." At yesterday's budget review committee meeting, Burlington Regionai Councillor Mike Wallace brought forward a motion 10 delete a few healtis staff positions, incluti- ing tbe proposed associate medical officer of bealts position. He said couniciliors sbould bave been provided a report detailing thse need for the extra staff earlier last year. "1 tbink tbese are major changes we are asking for," he told the corn- mittee, noting be understands thse pressure tbe healts departrnent bas corne under, "If we didn't ask the questions, tbere would be no report on tbese positions." Mr. Wallace's motion was defeated. Jason Msner r un br reached or jmisner@miltoncanadianchampi- on.com. 2003 COMMUNITT AWARDS GALA CALL FOR NOMINATIONS pho inesm ero of the oieadmsr motnl theireas s hy the deere2 tenin tion. ompn aloiae hmevs N~ ~~~Sedyu ominations to:icue h ae ddesan M Milton Chamber of Commerce 251 Main St. E. Suite 104, Mifton, ON L9T &P1 or fax to: 905-878-4972 Award recipients wilI be announced at the Annual Gala Awards Night on Saturday, April 17, 2004 at Granite Ridge Golf Club. 'Please note the Citizen 0f The Year selection wilI no longer be a public selection process.