Picton Gazette May 18, 2017

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THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2017

THE PICTON

Gazette

7

Volume 187, Week 20

Canada’s oldest non-daily newspaper

on Main collective 10 years CREATING Artscelebrates CLEARING

29

PECI pole vaulter makes golden leap

Municipality may install pay-and-display machines instead of bringing meters back to downtown curbs

Council to consider new system to collect parking revenue in Picton CHAD IBBOTSON STAFF WRITER

VOICING CONCERN Queen Elizabeth School parent Ryan Aldred offers his table’s concerns at the Ministry of Education’s remote and rural consultation session at Isaiah Tubbs Resort and Conference Centre in West Lake on Friday evening. About 100 people attended. (Jason Parks/Gazette staff)

County parents share frustration with process Ministry of Education hears concerns over school consolidations at well-attended meeting Friday JASON PARKS STAFF WRITER

If the Ministry of Education wanted input into the uses of school space, the process of school closures and the funding formulae that supports school boards, they certainly received an earful on Friday evening. The hastily organized remote and rural education consultations hosted 10 ten various districts across the province came to Isaiah Tubbs Resort and Conference Centre Friday with about 100 people attending.

And while there were plenty of concerned parents from Sophiasburgh and Picton amongst the crowd, attendees came from Belleville, Centre Hastings and even Kingston to offer their input as well as voice their concern that school consolidation and closure driven by the ministry was happening far too fast with dire consequences for both communities and students. Education minister Mitzie Hunter set up the travelling road show to start a discussion and hear from constituents

Proudly serving Prince Edward County since 1830

about how the Government of Ontario can best support rural and remote communities and ensure students have access to a full range of learning opportunities by seeking input on use of school space, the process to be used to close and consolidate schools, and the way the funding system and formula can better work for rural communities. That feedback will be gained through plenary sessions, roundtable discussion and through workbooks that were made available to attendees Friday. Those unable to attend can

still provide input through the Ministry of Education web site until June 9. Northumberland-Quinte West MPP Lou Rinaldi said the sessions were about finding a way forward and developing solutions. “We have a challenge here and I think we can all acknowledge that. We might come from different ends of the spectrum but that's ok,” Rinaldi said. “Every community has its own sets of issues and concerns.”

See EDUCATION, page 36

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PARKING CHANGES A motion to be considered by council next week could see the return of pay and display machines to streets in Picton’s downtown core as well as Market Lane. (Chad Ibbotson/Gazette staff)

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Return to parking meters or move to pay stations in downtown Picton? That is the question council will debate at their next meeting following a discussion at last week's committee-of-the-whole meeting. Last Thursday staff brought forward a report recommending council approve the replacement of single space parking meters with pay stations. The 2017 budget includes $225,000 for the purchase of pay stations to replace the 84 single space parking meters and 50 posts that were removed from Picton Main Street during the reconstruction project as well

as 45 single unit meters elsewhere in the downtown core. The removed meters are currently in storage. The move would see 11 pay stations installed on Main Street, eight more shared between Walton, Elizabeth, Ross and King streets and three in Market Lane. Following discussion, committee voted to defer the issue to the council meeting on May 23 when it is expected the Picton BIA will bring forward comments and suggestions on the proposal. Councillor Lenny Epstein brought forward the deferral motion, saying it's an issue of great importance to the members of the Picton BIA.

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