Estevan Mercury

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Sacred Heart Hosts Mini Relay

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This Little Light

June 5, 2013

WEDNESDAY

The Saskatchewan Conference of the United Church of Canada’s annual meeting closed at Spectra Place on Sunday. The service involved some of the attending youth as part of the lighting of the Christ candle. For more on the conference see page A3.

Meals On Wheels Volunteers Honoured

Despite Rain Speedway Program Goes Forward

www.estevanmercury.ca

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Issue 5

Sun Country’s $141 million budget expected to get the green light Theatre Season Back After Two Years

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The governing body of the Sun Country Health Region has approved a $141 million balanced budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year. The document still requires the approval of the Ministry of Health, but it is expected that the tightly knit budget, that contains a 2.6 per cent increase in revenues will get the nod of approval. The modest increase includes a target of improving access to primary health services and strengthened mental health and addictions services to reflect increased populations, said John Knoch, Sun Country’s vice-president of finance and corporate services. “All priorities will be carried out in a manner consistent with the Patient First approach

to care, while continuing our strategic work (hoishins) and adapting to a lean system of management,” Knoch said. “We are already starting to see a return on our investment in the lean system and will see more of it in the upcoming year.” In response to an inquiry from the Mercury as to who and how the monitoring is carried out with regards to the lean management and administration system, Knoch said “some areas have clean indicators where in other areas it’s difficult to estimate the initiatives throughout. When assessing, we use our own data but in some sections, such as the Saskatchewan Surgical Initiative, there is provincial data to

determine success, and that’s what we can use to develop strategies.” The costs associated with implementing lean initiatives are borne within each department, he said. He added that there are additional costs associated with training under the lean model and some are paid by the health region while others are met at the provincial level. “We are very careful with pulling frontline people off work details to take training in efficiencies,” said Knoch, since it would defeat the purpose of the program. Although the exact amount assigned for St. Joseph’s Hospital in Estevan, as an affiliated facility, Province ⇢ A2

Traffic committee to look at enforcement WEATHER & INDEX Thursday

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Business .......... A12 Energy ........A13-14 Services Dir. .... B13 Sports .......... B1 - 6 Community ....... B7

Mailing No. 10769

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A committee has been formed to look at ways to help drivers feel safe on the road again. After seeing a spike in fatalities last year, an allparty traffic safety committee was struck by the legislature to improve traffic safety and reduce fatalities by examining factors such as impaired driving, distracted driving, excessive speed, intersection safety and wildlife collisions. The committee will also provide recommendations regarding education and

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public awareness issues related to traffic safety. Sask. Party member Darryl Hickie is chairing the committee, while the NDP’s Danielle Chartier is acting as deputy chair. At the Estevan meeting on May 28 at the Days Inn Fireside Room, the Time to Twin committee made submissions to the provincial committee, as did Estevan resident Don Kindopp, who gave testimony on personal experience driving on the local highways, and Greg

Darryl Hickie Wallin, Town of Lampman administrator, who spoke about some of the road-safety concerns in his municipality. Wallin also

indicated to us that they believe additional highway traffic enforcement through the RCMP would be important as a means to reduce overall fatalities. Presence, right? It’s a deterrence,” said Hickie. He said the policing division of the Ministry of Justice believes that immediate redeployment of officers, as well as hiring new officers committed just to traffic safety in the short term, is a quick step that can be taken. Goal ⇢ A2

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talked about the enhanced RCMP program that will add an officer to patrol in the RM of Browning and RM of Coalfields. From the submissions, it was clear all witnesses to the committee considered a greater number of police cruisers on the road would be helpful. That’s something Hickie was expecting after previous meetings in Regina and consultation with SGI. “(Enforcement) is a factor we have to give consideration to. SGI has

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Ford Sales Ltd. 118 Souris Ave. N., Estevan 306-634-3696 Parts: 306-634-5653 E-mail: sales@senchuk.com www.senchuk.com

CALL FOR ALL THE DETAILS! 2013-04-30 2013-04-30 11:14 AM 11:14 AM


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