> West Lincoln hopefuls address all-candidates session / Pgs 9-11 > Town Hall, rally to support WLMH Pg 5 > Hildreth Farms/Kinettes’ squash ALS Pg 13 > DeSantis open house scuttled by Town error Pg 21 Thursday, October 18, 2018 Vol. 7 Issue 23
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Decaying facility causes “pause” on WLMH service
Smithville CRC unveiled
Smithville Christian Reformed Church formally opened its doors Saturday with a wellattended open house. (L to R) Pastor Peter Tuininga, long-time member Arie Versteeg and Andrew Vangeest, chair of the building committee, were among those on hand. For full details, please turn to Page 12. Williscraft - Photo
By MIke Williscraft NewsNow Several months ago, Hamilton Health Sciences officials pushed the “pause” button on a key service at West Lincoln Memorial Hospital. What happens next could prove critical to not only the shortterm care and the venerable institution, but also to the long-term viability and possible rebuild of the facility. Due to the aging infrastructure, endoscopy services were removed from WLMH when new provincially mandated guildelines proved to be more than WLMH could provide. The new guidelines deal with how the equipment is sterilized.
Noting what most in the community know full well, Dr. Wes Stephen, executive vicepresident, clinical operations and chief operating officer for HHS, said WLMH is “very old and very tired.” Aaron Levo, HHS vice-president, communications and public affairs, said HHS would never compromise patient care or safety, so the endoscopy services had to be relocated to another location while a solution is sought. “HHS strives to meet the highest standard of hospital care, as set by Accreditation Canada. The work required to meet the See WLMH, Page 3
Hydro financials “should” be released: Bentley By Mike Williscraft NewsNow Mayor Bob Bentley acknowledged a “truth” Monday night, one many in the community have known for years. “If truth be known, the information could and should be made public,”
said Bentley of Grimsby’s hydro utility financials, but he added the public would not understand them and they would be used for subversive means. Bentley made the comment in an extended jousting match with Aldermen Joanne Johnston and Dave
Kadwell. Johnston had suggested council consider passing a motion telling hydro officials to release its financials. She stopped short of moving the wmotion, though. Kadwell got the ball rolling by questioning the availability of information
even among council, the shareholders of Niagara Power and all its subsidiary companies. When the lateness of the Town’s own financial statements was being discussed - council just approved the 2017 audited statement on Monday - it
was suggested the delay was partially caused due to waiting for financial information from hydro. Kadwell noted that there had been no discussion of an AGM for hydro and asked if there was, indeed, an AGM held? See HYDRO, Page 7