THE
SERVING THE MAPLETON COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY NEWS Volume 48 Issue 02
Drayton, Ontario
1 Year GIC - 2.25% 3 Year GIC - 2.43% 5 Year GIC - 2.70% Daily Interest 1.45%
638-3328
Friday, January 9, 2015
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Pitching in - The Alma Optimist Club’s community ice rink has become a popular place during the recent cold spell. Community members pitch in to clear the ice so everyone can enjoy some ice time. ABOVE: Dave Thiessen, left, and his father Alf Thiessen were out early on Jan. 2 cleaning the newly fallen snow off the rink. RIGHT: Bryce Creamer, left, and Tyler Creamer took advantage of winter’s first deep freeze to practice their hockey skills later that day. photos by Patrick Raftis
Board commends NWHC staff for response to provincial Ebola directive MOUNT FOREST - The North Wellington Health Care (NWHC) board of directors met here on Dec. 11 to discuss the hospitals’ Ebola preparations, LEAN training and positive feedback from the public on learning about a misleading children’s book campaign. The board congratulated staff on the protective measures instituted at Palmerston and District Hospital and Louise Marshall Hospital following an Ebola virus disease directive issued by Ontario’s interim chief medical officer of health. The Ebola virus disease is a rare and severe viral disease. It
is spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, not through casual contact. “The chance of the Ebola virus making its way to any of our communities is slim,” stated NWHC CEO Jerome Quenneville. “Our hospitals staff and physicians are ready.” “One of the most important precautions being taken is in doing the initial assessment when the patient comes to the hospital,” NWHC officials state in a press release. Staff has also been re-training for putting on and taking off personal protective equipment. Appropriate communi-
cation has been complimented with the necessary supplies for protection of care teams and the public. “While there have been no known reported Canadian cases to date, it is comforting to know our local hospitals in Mount Forest and Palmerston are prepared just in case we are the first to discover such a case,” explained Quenneville. LEAN training NWHC staff is continuing to undergo “LEAN” training to learn how to look at a process, break it down into parts and eliminate waste. A LEAN initiatives update provided for the board, high-
Mapleton moves to electronic signatures by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - The township is moving to electronic signatures on cheques. At the Dec. 9 meeting, council approved a report from finance director Yufang Du recommending a switch to the practice. The township currently requires two manual signatures on cheques for payables: either mayor or CAO and the director of finance or deputy treasurer. “Electronic signatures have become common practice in the business world. Implementing electronic signatures will increase the efficiency and reduce the administrative burden from the existing process, given the number of cheques that are processed through
accounts payable,” notes Du in her report to council. She also noted finance department staff are working on updating the software to enable electronic signatures to print on the cheques, as well as updating internal control procedures to make sure effective controls are in place. Controls will include: - two staff members other than the account payable clerk will review and validate the cheques to ensure the continuity of cheque numbers from the previous cheque run and tracking voided/missing cheques; - electronic access to the e-signatures will be properly monitored; and - consideration will be given to manually signing
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cheques over $50,000. “Implementation of electronic signatures and internal controls for all accounts payable cheques will result in improved efficiencies and appropriate accountabilities at the staff level for the accounts payable process,” the report states. Mayor Neil Driscoll said he wasn’t sure it would be necessary to manually sign cheques for higher amounts either. “I’m viewing them all. I’m not opposed to them being automatically signed,” said Driscoll. “This is honestly mayor driven,” he added, noting he has already spent considerable time manually signing cheques since becoming mayor.
lighted that 44 per cent of NWHC staff have completed the first level of training. An additional five local health care providers successfully completed their Black Belt “advanced” training. NWHC board chair Tom Sullivan stated, “This is translating into a strong team of problem solvers that are found throughout our hospitals. Staff members are now encouraged to continue being part of the positive, patient-focused team to support systematic change to reduce waste and improve care.” NWHC is working with other health care partners, such as local Family Health Teams and the Canadian Mental Health Association, to provide the introductory LEAN training.
“The health care partners have provided positive feedback of these joint LEAN sessions and all partners continue to draw on the collective energy to continuously improve,” states Quenneville. NWHC is considering further training for more staff over the next few years by continuing to draw on the Small, Rural and Northern Hospital Transformation Fund provided to the hospital for this work. Warning appreciated The NWHC board was pleased to hear that the corporation’s recent media release regarding unauthorized solicitation of local vendors in the Mount Forest area by Healing Hands Busy Books, has resulted in calls to Louise Marshall Hospital (LMH) Foundation thanking the organization for
the warning. “This has also been an opportunity to invite a renewed commitment to more appropriately connect directly with the foundation for donations in future. “This is especially important as the LMH Foundation continues their major capital campaign fundraising effort for the redevelopment of the LMH emergency room and ambulatory care department,” the board states in the press release. North Wellington Health Care operates two fully-accredited, acute-care hospital sites in Mount Forest and Palmerston. The corporation currently operates 14 beds at each hospital site, employs 213 staff, 94 professional staff and over 200 dedicated volunteers.
Township gets perfect ministry reports on water systems in Drayton, Moorefield by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - Residents of Drayton and Moorefield can take comfort in the latest reports on the quality of their drinking water. Public works director Brad McRoberts advised council at the Dec. 9 meeting that Ministry of Environment and Climate Change reports on both systems came back without a single non-compliance issue
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recorded. “This is a good news story. We got 100 per cent for both water systems,” McRoberts told council. “So with this report you would say that our drinking water is safe?” asked Mayor Neil Driscoll. “Absolutely,” McRoberts replied. Driscoll said receiving a perfect report is impressive
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because, “they can pick the smallest thing out of their report and make you look like you have bad water.” The ministry conducted annual inspections on municipal water systems in Mapleton in September. There are 1,800 residents connected to the Drayton system, while the Moorefield system supplies water to 550 people.
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