The incentive money, to be paid over four years, is part of the provincial government’s new Northern and Rural Recruitment and Retention Initiative, replacing the former Underserviced Area Program.

Ministry Official Ivan Langrish says the program is available only in designated rural and northern communities. There are also provincial incentives for doctors to set up in Cramahe, Madoc and Marmora and Lake Townships, Tweed and Trent Hills.

The Chief of Staff, Doctor Paul Williams told the hospital board physicians are upset about losing one of their diagnostic imaging services. The service involves doing follow-up work on patients when any abnormalities are found during routine breast examinations under the Ontario Breast Screening Program.

The follow-up work was mainly carried out by consulting radiologist Doctor Ehab Rafail,  but it is time-consuming, and Rafail got no support from other Peterborough radiologists. The initial screening is still done in Campbellford, but patients have to go to Cobourg or Belleville for follow up.

The North Hastings and Area Farmers, decided at their annual meeting to create a website and an education program as a way of telling their story.

Communications officer Elson Ruddy says many local residents see the animals as cuddly creatures, and they have no idea what a nuisance they are to farmers. The elk were reintroduced to the area over ten years ago, and their numbers have grown ever since.

Leo Finnegan held an impromptu meeting with the rest of council to discuss what happened at the March second budget meeting. He said some very good staff people have left Prince Edward over the last three or four years, and part of the reason was they had been attacked by councillors.

Some councillors questoned Dan Taylor’s request to increase the economic development department budget by 63-thousand dollars, and there were two unsuccessful recorded votes to reduce the budget by 250-thousand and 100-thousand dollars before the 63-thousand was added.