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By Oksana Buhel Georgetown and District Memorial Hospital board mbers ate anxiously await- ing provincial correspon- dence to determine how diffi- cult adjustments will be to obligatory OHA (Ontario Hospital Association) and OMA (Ontario Medical Association) social contract “Rae days,” as Dr. Don Trant, chief of staff at GDMH, refers to the social contract days, were not sup- posed to affect the hospital staff because of expected funding from the Ministry of Health for pay equity. This changed Tuesday when he was notified by iDMH executive director, John Oliver, that changes be 8. Trant insisted emergency ' services at the hospital will not be completely suspended. He explained two doctors be constantly available for emergency surgery, although less serious am tions would not be scheduled those days. The same cedure would be applied to the X-ray department, where Dr. Alex Furness a technician would be on call only for the most serious situ- ns. “We already do this over the Christmas season,” Trant said, He insisted the situation in Toronto, where various hos- pel are reported to be clos- g. their emergency services, would not be mirrored in Georgetown. “First of all, those hospitals are a stone’s throw away from each other so what can’t be done at one hospital can be done at one Trant pointed out. imagine closing our emergency ser- vices — it would put our patients at a considerable tisk.” Oliver agreed, saying there was “no foreseeable need to close this year.” Trant added that even if hospital staff is required to take time off — a skeletal staff would be left at the oe to take care of patient If emergency wees at GDMH have to close down, patients will have to go to the nearest hospital — Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga — a 20-minute ie not accounting for traf- dsbnoaadéd required time off for hospital staff members is not the only prob- lem the hospital faces. OMA elected council decided last Saturday that doctors must take nine social contract days a year — without pay -, which would decrease government payments to physicians by $130 million over three years. Oliver announced Tuesday he had not yet been advised by Dr. Alex Furness, presi- dent of the medical staff and of the Georgetown chapter of the OMA, which physician Tense times looming at Georgetown hospital services will be cut. the nine days, doc- tors’ offices will be closed and doctors will only be available for emergency ser- vices. Thesé same nine days will apply to all Ontario doc- tors. Trant said he hoped that if hospital staff must take time off, it can be coordinated with the nine days, but Furness did not believe it would be possi- ~ ble. “OHA usually takes Mondays or Fridays off,” he pointed out, “but we don’t have the liberty to pick our days. One week it may be Monday, the next week it could be sot Negotiations with the hos- pital board, regarding which days, if any, will be taken off by hospital staff, have not yet begun, but Oliver said they will begin in the next few weeks, “If the Ministry decides to give us the promised funds, we’ll make a decision accord- ingly,” Oliver said. “If the Ministry does not respond in the next few weeks, we’ll also have to make a deci- ion.” g. Ready to roll Awake and anxious to go, Dale Holman and HHTW reporter Oksana Buhel depart on their 14-hour trek to Toledo, Ohio. For the full story, please turn to page 12. photo by Simon Wilson/HHTW ~ 24hr. oa Brenda 877-5165 Jotinson s_ BRENDA PAYTON ASSOCIATES Sales Hepresentatve ss team goes up for a spike Tuesda} Halton championship onship win, please turn to page 25. . ae : David Sands of the beat District High School senior Rebels boys volleyball at Sheridan College against M.M. Robinson in the Anal, won handy bythe Rebs. For the story onthe champ photo by Mike Zrostek/HHTW and all th If youre looking for the perfect gift, youll find it right here in Acton! Fine leather gloves, rugged sheepskin mitts or a great pair of western boots. the olde 50 cents includes G.S.T. Halton Mesion tightens belt By Johanna Powell Special to HHTW Halton region is planning to hold the line on its bud- get into the next century. A forecast released last week shows the region does not plan to raise the mill rate on its portion of the property tax bill in 1994 or 1995. Increases of about One to two per cent are fore- cast for the years 1996 to 2 Oakville and regional councillor Fred Oliver, who sits on the regional budget committee, said he would like to see a decrease in the mill rate next year, but he would “settle” for a zero per cent increase. However, the rates charged for water and ‘wastewater will be going up next year by 2.7 per cent. That’s an increase of abut $10 for a typical Halton household and it will show up on next year’s utility bills. John Burke, chief admin- istrative officer for Halton region, said a fundamental goal for the region is to keep the mill rate increase at or below the rate of infla- tion. Property taxes, which are based on the mill rate, pay for services such as the regional health and social services department, the regional planning depart- ment and:the police. The finance department says the region needs.to collect $57.9 million in property taxes. No layoffs are anticipat- ed, although staff numbers will be reduced by 80 through attrition. In its forecast, Halton’s finance department said there are a number of pres- sures on the regional bud- get,.including a slow eco- nomic recovery, which has kept welfare costs, paid par- tially by the region, signifi- cantly higher than in 1992. Starting in the 1993-94 period, the region also has to pay a new provincial sales tax on insurance and has to meet the require- ments of the provincial expenditure control plan, or ECP. Burke renewed warnings that the provincial govern- ment may be considering a second expenditure control plan, since the province is expected to overshoot its forecast deficit of $9.5 bil- lion. “There’s a strong possi- bility they’ll come back to the well,” he said. Regional officials believe the province views municipal governments, which have not rung up the huge debts seen at provincial and feder- al levels, as rich resources. All of the budget recom- mendations will have to be approved by council. “Vyas the month before Christmas ough the House O00 The best selection and exceptional Canadian-made values: Drop by an browse. the coffee is on the House! H 0.9