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Hospital service will suffer Morris By MICHAEL Herald taxpayers will be faced with greatly reduced hospital service If changes to hospital financing announced Friday by tb minister of health come into effect according to the chief ad mini it rat or at be Georgetown and District Memorial Hospital Minister of health Dennis Timbrel told a meeting of hospital executives last week that funding to hospitals for the 197ft- fiscal year will be increased by per cent Mr also announced that effective April 1 chronic care patient and psychiatric patients hospitalised for more than will be charged 80 for each additional day of Ion chief administrator Fred Morris said that the province funding announcement does not take into con sideration Canada nine per cent inflation rate He said that once inflation is taken into consideration the province funding level is really a cutback Mr Morris also said last years budget was based on annualized figures that take account the level to which costs to the hospital rise by the end of the fiscal year Annualliatton Is not being taken into account in this year budgeting he said We are running with no hidden costs now now fat on the budget Show me where we are wasting money said Mr Morris TO THE WALL When you get to the wall with cuts where do you go from there Mr Morris said that Ontario has been opera ling under a program of reducing costs since and hospitals have been cutting costs steadily since that time He said the Georgetown hospital has no maneuverability to cut any further Mr Morris was also critical the government decision to begin charging chronic and psychiatric patients for ex tended stay in hospitals I would use other methods to in crease revenues It a poorly conceived Mr Morris said that chronic care patients make up 17 per cent of the hospital a patient days during a year He said there are approximately 10 chronic care patients currently in GDMH and he la unsure how many of them will be dally capable of paying the new charge once it cornea into effect on April 1 Mr Morris said that Lome of the chronic care patients in the hospital could be properly cared for In nursing homes but added there Is not a single nursing home bed in Helton Hills despite repeated appeals for the construction of such a facility Nursing home beds are cheaper lo operate than hospital beds he said Mr Morris maintains that it la lm to deliver the kind of health service promised by the politicians to the people of Ontario under the current funding constraints Mr Morris accused the government of doing nothing to come to grips with the lack of money to fund hospitals He said that Instead of trying to deal with the problem the government continues to expect the same level of service but for less money If they aren t prepared to come up with the necessary money they should be looking at raising OH1P rates or charging user fees for hospital services Otherwise you will not be able to get the service people have come to expect OFFER PREMIUMS He said that insurance companies would likely offer premiums towards usee fees If such a system was in Ontario Mr Mortis also maintained that there arc other areas within the ministry of health a budget that could be cut before mm Losing Your Mud One tourist went to Lai Vegat with no money a variable to gamble Alter watching the for a few hours and gambling mentally the man had hat his mind Home Newspaper of Hills WEDNESDAY JANUARY- big paper with the I big circulation read I first by everyone Reaching more than J 13350 homes in J Halton Hills j This Week Colorful builder Georgetown builder A came to Canada from his native Italy back in 1951 with nothing but the hope of getting a Job Since that time ho has been In volvcd In constructing over 200 buildings The colorful developer speaks with Her aid writer Maggie Hannah In this weeks edition of People and of some tongueincheek solutions to the worlds problems Pages Acton executive Acton So ciety members elected a tough talking new live last Tuesday night Brent Marshall was elected president Sweat box trial The trial Into discredit able conduct charges a gainst two police officers charged in the sweat box Incident is expected to end today The first five days of the trial saw prisoners present their charges against the officers while the defense followed by presenting ex perls and other police as witnesses Page 15 DAVE BURROWS Hockey speakers Two of the Toronto Maple Leafs newest players Dave Burrows and Walt have been named as guest speakers at George town Hockey Heritage dinner to be held Tuesday February IS at the Holy Cross church auditorium Pages Georgetown taxi union is now certified becomes Ontarios first ends controversy By MAGGIE HANNAH Herald staff writer The battle between the On Taxi Assoclaloin and the owners of Georgetown a Glen Taxi ended Monday with the verbal cert if cation of On a very first taxi union Union members met Sunday to unanimously ratify two- year contract which took effect Monday The contract which covers drivers owners owner operators and dispatchers in eludes a number of items on wages holiday and working The contract Increases the rale for dispatchers from a minimum of an hour to as as on hour tor overtime a union source said It also provides for paid statu holidays and paid voca lions for nonowners and guar ant vacation time without compensation for it specifies that drivers may keep tips and limits a full work week to five consecutive shifts of not more than 12 or less than eight hours Monday to with least 12 hours between shifts ORIGINAL MEMBERS Although seven of the origin on membership were absent from Sunday meeting the contract was ratified by the membership present In addition to the contract the union and management also reached agreement on a couple separate issues which had been behind rices which piloted a pack plaza meeting show support STEVENS SNOWMAN SMILE Steven Hay dm proudly shows off his sly of cam snowman projects Monday and were eager to show them off to anyone to a Herald photographer Monday afternoon at Park Public willing to admire school Steven and his fellow grade one students completed their Herald photo by Lor I Taylor Library board members busy chairman assures town council Herald staff writer The need for improved library facilities in Georgetown will be among the facets examined as part of the feasibility study proposed last week by the town Arts Plus committee If a suggestion by the Halton Hills Public Library Board Is accepted by the committee and town council Library board chairman Dick attended Monday night council meeting to bring the members up lo dale on the board efforts thus far to meet the need for better facilities He expressed hope that the library Issue can become part of the feasibility study being launched by Arts Plus and council to examine alternatives and possibilities for the establishment of a mulli use cultural centre In Hills Mr also asked council to arrange a meeting between the town planning department and the board preferably next month at which board members could update their own Information regarding local developments that could affect their final decision on the library Public opinion about the type of community needs that should be served by libraries particularly about the range of activities and programmes will also Additions announced for Actons YMCA By JIM VERNON Herald special A planned twostorey add Hon to the Murray Memorial in Acton will stimulate use of the Y and add a much needed recreational facility to Acton Keith Bobbins dent of the Murray Memorial YMCA said Wednesday at the annual meeting Mr said the lion is only In the planning stages at present but tentative dales for completion and type of facility have been include two squash courts a weight lifting and boxing area and several games room It will be built at the rear of the Murray Memorial and adjoin the gymnasium Tenia live date for completion If December I960 FILL VOID The facility will void of recreational facilities in and stimulate use of he ray Memorial YMCA he said I personally have a feeling the Y facilities are not being used by the community in the way they should be lie said The planned facility will provide an attraction to draw Interest and be extensively used he said The facility Is needed in the community because There are very few facilities of any type in Acton said Mr Rob- bins Ho said feasibility studies determine the viability of the planned addition are sen to be by September 1979 A community fund raising drive and applies Hon for grants such as Win tario would begin as soon as the addition is deemed viable and construction is scheduled lo begin in the summer of 1980 Though definite cost Continued on page be surveyed Mr said Recently reelected chair man or the board Mr reminded council that the board felt it necessary to return to square one in Its planning for the improved library facilities after the Ontario Municipal Board vetoed Its proposal to build a new library in Georgetown Cedar vale Park Since last fall he said the board has been striving to define the kind of community needs that must be served by a public library It may appear to the public and to members of council that we re wasting time and that wc re failing to come up with some decis on Mr said we need until we know what council and the community wont in terms of facilities end activities It isn t Just a question of books The board involvement in the Arts Plus feasibility study already a topic of discussion between Mr and Arts Plus director Rex Heslop could force the board lo revise its timetable for finding a n to the library problem the chairman ad milled The board hopes of placing a finalized report on the Issue before council by mid May he said could be as a result By PAUL Herald staff writer About packed the Trafalgar Road municipal centre lost Tuesday as if to verify by their number the results of a recent survey which showed that per cent of Acton shoppers believe Landawn Shopping Centres Ltd should be permitted to follow through with Its to build a loo foot commercial plaza on the com unity s eastern boundary Confronted by the survey results the town planning board yielded to a request by the to reconsider the plain proposal in light of the newly demonstrated public support and to hold a special meeting on the matter In Act on The location of that meet ing which will take place Feb if will bo advertised in The Herald and elsewhere once municipal staff makes the range merits Although several downtown Acton merchants were on hand at last week meeting to hear former municipal planner Ron Burnett oppose the plaza sch etneonthelrbehalf the major ity of those in attendance were clearly supportive of develop er Jerry intenl ions lohave the planning board overturn lis previous decision rejecting his proposal ROUND OF APPLAUSE Brandishing the results of a survey conducted In Acton by high school students hired by Landawn Mr Sprackman won a loud round of applause from Ihose in Ihe gallery when he urged the board to heed the will of the people According to survey taken by Acton high school on behalf 1 adults were Interviewed at random and asked whether they would like to sec a modern supermarket built at the intersection of Queen Slrect 7 and Churchill Road North in Act on a cast end Mr Sprackman reported per cent of those surveyed answered in the flrmativc The results closely corroborate those of an earlier smallerscale survey ken by Acton housewife June who told the board at a recent meeting that she decided to consult public on herself after learning of the board initial rejection of the proposal The supermarket chain has signed a lease with Landawn to locate a new branch the proposed plaza according to Mr Also interested in the site is Canadian Tire which with would take up most of the plaza s floor space Several smaller stores are also proposed Mr told the board last week that Continued on page recent hearing before the On tario Labour Relations Board The agreement calls for Ihe reins totem of Wayne Bar union vice president and a cash settlement of to cover legal expenses and back pay owed five union employees allegedly fired for attempting to organize a un As a result of these agree ments the union dropped all charges infringements of the Labour Relations Act level led at the company during ihe hearings the company recognized the union and the board automatically gave the Ontario Taxi Association certification Written iflcalion is expected by the end of this week A previous attempt by the Canadian Labour Congress to organize cab company em outside of Georgetown In fell through because th cOLRB refused to give union slot us the drivers Once written certification is received however a spokesman said there was no question attempts will be made begin a new organ Iz drive in the industry CLC director of lions Ralph said many many calls have come In as a result of publicity over the fight to get the asso ciation established here and once we get It certified In writing our people In the field will start following them up 11 probably go Into an advertising campaign too I don t know where we estab lish new locals but I m sure that It will grow now that we hove It begun Continued on page two BIRTHDAY BOUNCE January Is Robbie Burns birthday of Mary Street was practising up for it with her sword dance Christine whoae grandmother Scottish has been studying Highland dancing for the l six months and hopes to compete la the Highland Games this year Her teacher is Cathy Herald photo t