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-- renetanGauisne! wi ee | Vien in ow ee W@W B/A 24 8 D Se | . 15 No. 17, Folio 34 Tuesday, April 28, 1987 Hospital well on way to $125,000 goal The Penetanguishene General Hospital (PGH) is well on the way to reaching its goal of $125,000 to buy new heart monitoring equipment. The new monitors, made by Hewlett Packard, are state-of-the-art technology and will replace the machines which the hospital has been using for the past 10 years. It will cost five times the the $25,000 price of the original equipment to purchase and in- stall the new monitoring system. But says hospital administrator Doris Sheriff the new machines will allow the pa- tient to be mobile while wearing the monitor. Unlike the older equipment it will also keep track of the patient's blood pressure and temperature. The main part of the monitoring system will be located in the Special Care Unit (SCU) at PGH. The SCU provides intensive care for both cardiac patients and those recovering from major surgery. Dorion condemns board Basile Dorion, chairman of the French Language Eduaction Council has condemn- ed the Simcoe County Board of Education's (SCBE) move to extend French as a Second Language Courses (FSL) at Ecole Secondaire Penetanguishene Secondary School (ESPSS). Dorion was speaking at the regular SCBE meeting on Wednesday night. FLEC was created last year when Bill 75 came into effect. The bill gave French school trustees complete jurisdiction over French- language instruction. In February, this year, FLEC made the deci- sion to phase out French-language courses at ESPSS, the bilingual high school in Penetanguishene. It cited declining enrollment in French- language instruction as the reason for its move. However reaction to FLEC's decision drew strong opposition from many parents in the community. Dorion described the relationship between FLEC and the SCBE as a 'shotgun wedding' and charged the board with interfering in FLEC's jurisdiction. Dorion added the SCBE had clashed on almost every issued with FLEC but added that FLEC had no authority to oppose the ex- _@ tension of FSL courses. SCBE board member Charles Shanks says the FSL courses are being offered as a maintenance program for students coming to ESPSS from Ecole St. Joseph, the French- language junior school in Penetanguishene. However, French-language suprerinten- dant Denis Chartrand said later that the FSL courses would not ensure a student would be functionally bilingual. He noted a student needed only 840 hours of instruction in FSL to graduate from high school. Chartrand added that French-language in- struction is already avialable at Le Caron. Last year the unit handled 274 patients. Combined with the central monitoring unit are smaller mobile units which the patient is able to carry: The patient monitor sends a radio signal to the central monitoring unit which keeps track of up to six other people. It will alert nursing staff with an audible signal if there is any change in the patient's condition. Nurse Bev Dyce says she is looking forward FY Special care Amelia Nightingale receives some special General Hospital currently have to stay in care from Bev Dyce RN. Patients in the Special Care Unit (SCU) Penetanguishene to working with the new equipment. "The new machines will benefit the pa- tients as well as making it easier to work by the bedside." Unlike the older equipment which was placed on a table by the patient's bedside the new monitors are completely portable. Funds for the new equipment have been raised, in part, by a community effort, a re- cent donation by the Knights of Columbus their beds if they are hooked-up to heart monitoring equipment. But the new radio- brought the hospital $500 closer to its goal. The annual Health Walk planned for May 9, is hoped to raise a further $25,000. The Health Walk, which starts at the Town Dock at 9:30 a.m. will feature local celebraties along with Russ Howard's World Champion- ship curling team as chairmen for the event. People or organizations wishing to support the Health Walk should contact the PGH, the Richelieu Club or the Lions Club. operated monitors the hospital is planning on installing will allow patients to move freely about the floor. Ratepayers hit with 7.4% The Town of Penetanguishene unveiled its 1987 budget during the regular meeting of council last night. The budget presented by Don McNee, chairman of Administration and Finance, provides for a 7.47 per cent increase over 1986. This means a home owner with a three bedroom bungalow will be paying a $75.46 increase on his assessment this year. MeNee said he believed it is a cautious budget. Initial requests from various depart- ments, boards and committees would have resulted in a 32 per cent increase over 1986, "T am pleased to report that these estimates, although worthy and truly justifiable were pared down by $322,000 to an 8.5 per cent increase over 1986." The town's gross spending for 1987 has in- creased by $316,706 with the largest increase being education at $109,768. The county and town departments have only increased by $30,000. McNee stated that part of the increase was due to the fact that provincial government transfer payments had not kept pace with in- creasing cost. "In 1980 the government transfers represented 20 per cent of our revenues, whereas in 1987 government transfers repre- sent only 14.9 per cent." Other factors which caused the increase in spending are education, the cost of capital projects and policing. Police department costs have risen by more than 40 per cent since 1984, McNee said this increase is due to wage settlements and benefit packages. Recreation and cultural facilities have also increased during that three-year period, from $43,007 to $88,385. Further improvements to Bayfield Park, this year, are expected to cost $50,000. The cost of reconstructing Peel St. from Wolfe St. is estimated at $212,700 and the construction of a storm sewer outlet on Fox St. is pegged at $112,000. The levy the town has to pay to the county for education has risen on average 5.5 per cent. However, the fee levied for public secondary schools has risen 7.38 per cent. In his address to council McNee also noted the budget for 1987 included funds set aside for the repair of the roof and brickwork of the municipal offices, which is set at $20,000. And an increase to the fire department to cover the cost of replacement of the 1953 Lafrance pumper in 1989. This year the Town of Penetanguishene plans to complete the North End Sanitary Sewer Project, which although it has receiv- ed funding from the Ministry of Environ- ment, cost $4 million and will have been com- pleted in three years instead of the estimated 10. McNee noted that in spite of the increases this is a restrained budget. "We could have used a 10 to 12 per cent increase he said. Orser declares candidacy... see pg. 3