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Public school board spends $70,000 to join provincial education lobby group confident they followed proper procedures after a female student at the Oakville college campus contracted meningoccocal meningitis. â€" "I didn‘t have any complaints (from students). All students that came into contact we‘re treated," said Trudie Tumber, the college‘s director of counâ€" selling, health and special needs. alton Region and Sheridan College health officials feel Public school trusteeswill spend close to $70,000 to join a provincial public education lobby group despite not yet knowing the Halton Board of Education‘s 1993 budget. By SAL BOMMARITO Oakville Beaver Staff Ward 6 trustee Linda Lane attempted to refer the memâ€" bership fee for the Ontario Public School Board Association (OPSBA) to the board‘s finance committee (which begins budget debate Feb. 15th), but her motion lost in a tie vote, ladt week. The membership fee for the Ontario Public School Board Association (OPSBA) is $66,389 plus GST of $4,647.23. Business services superintendent Jerry Jenkins told trustees that OPSBA membership fees are due by March 1st. If late, a 1.5% charge/month is applied. "I feel that I‘m being forced into a decision as a trustee without seeing all the other (budget) priorities," complained Burlington trustee Anne Barbu. "It‘s been 10 days (since the student was admitted to hospital). It‘s way over College says swift action prevented meningitis outbreak : Young Ambassador Contest! 11 sociql skills, personality, poise and artist?c’ ability competition for boys and girls, ages 6 â€"12! 110 Fine Stores and Services Just north of the Q.E.W. and 4A crowm’n? achxevemgnt or any child! --------------------- Young Ambossador Entry Form _ the (time) limit. If anyone was infected we would know about it," she said. The student, a resident of Mississauga, was admitted to Credit Valley Hospital on Jan. 22nd, after conâ€" tracting the potentially lifeâ€"threatening disease. She was reported to be in good condition three days after being admitâ€" Soon after the meningitis case was reported health officials at the college took immediate action to prevent the disease from spreading, she said. Tumber said on Wednesday (Feb. 3rd), the student‘s condition was unchanged. Burlington trustee Don Cassidy agreed but said OPSBA will speak on behalf of public education whether or not the board joins this year, so the board had a "moral obligation" to pay its membership dues. "It does represent a fair amount of money and these are politically trying times. However, they are the only voice at the provincial level that I respect to speak on our behalf. They will continue to speak on our behalf whether or not we pay the membership fee. I believe we have a moral obliâ€" gation to fulfill our obligation to them," Cassidy said. "It‘s very difficult for us to get an appointment with the Minister of Education and make our views known, but OPSBA does it for us. It‘s in there fighting for things public boards believe in," said Burlington trustee Marg Bullock. "Everyone is talking about this organization speaking on our behalf: I have just one question, "Who‘s listening?"" asked Burlington trustee Noel Cooper. To enter, complete entry form and submit to e Place lnf:gnfion Booth | _ by Saturday, February 13, 1993 Final Interviews Tuesday, Feb. 23, 1993 (evening) Fitting Rehearsal Thursday, Feb. 25, 1993 6:30â€"8:00 p.m. Team Sports Activity Friday, Feb. 26, 1993 6:30â€"8:00 p.m. Pageant Saturday, Feb. 27, 1993â€"1:30 p.m. Entry Deadline Saturday, Feb. 13, 1993â€"6:00 p.m. Oakville residents only. Preliminary Interviews Tuesday, Feb, 16, 1993 (evening) Contest Schepouus The college worked closely with the Halton and Peel region health depart: ments to determine the identity of all students that may have come into "close" contact with the student, she said. Once the identities of those students were determined, the college passed the information on to regional health offiâ€" cials, who in turn advised the students to seek immediate medical attention. Maryanne Carson, the region‘s comâ€" municable disease program supervisor, said because meningococcal meningitis can be lifeâ€"threatening, the health department "was very aggressive" in Opi!fljn Fri. 930 amâ€" 9 pm Saturdays 9:30 am â€" 6 pm Sundays 12 noon â€" 5 pm (some store hours may vary) QMale OQFemale it determining the identity of students had "nrimary" contact with the infected stuâ€" Since the disease can only be spread through close contact, such as the exchange of saliva, the general student population was in no way at risk, Carson said. Carson said all "primary" contacts were identified and contacted by the health department and advised of what medications they should take. Once the region had the names of the "primary" contacts, those students were immediately interviewed to deterâ€" mine if there could have been any more students that may have come in contact with the infected student. "We were involved in trying to identify whether any of the students had significant exposure through the sharing of cigarettes or drinks. That‘s where the bacteria can be found," Carson said. "We ask every single person if they can think of anyone else, then we get a ‘< couple of more names and we ask them 6 ‘Can you think of anyone else?"" said t By using the procedure, Carson said Z é a pattern begins to develop so many of J the names provided by the students are fn Any other students who were conâ€" = cerned they may have come into conâ€" tact with the infected student were told to call the health department immediâ€" ately. in a 9 a "I feel very positive on how the colâ€" lege handled it. They provided the supâ€" port services needed," Carson said. Tumber said the student population was in no way put at risk by the colâ€" lege‘s decision to conceal the infected student‘s identity. She said the college has to adhere to Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy legislation, which prohibits the college from releasing the name, program and campus location of the student.