W C Relaxing in retirement BY TRACY MCLAUGHLIN The first thing Leighton Thompson probably did today is sleep in. Second, who knows? He's a free man now. Today is the first Monday in years that the Regional Assessment Commissioner won't be rushing to his office on Division Street to take on another day-full of chores at the Assessment Office. Today is the first Monday of his life that Mr. Thompson is a retired man. Thompson of Belleville, retired Regional loner at the Assessment Office on 80 Division St., says he plans to do some golfing, reading, and a little "He's leaving the office in good shape," said Mr. Richard Deschenes, office manager, who has worked with the man since he began in 1970. "We hold him in high esteem." Mr. Thompson's job as a Commissioner was responsible for the assessment of property for all Hastings, Prince Edward and Northumberland Counties and included 54 municipalities. He became Commissioner with the Ministry of Revenue's Hastings, Prince Edward As- sessment Office when the Province took over the function in 1970. He began his career in 1947 as an assesser for the City of Belleville and became Commis- sioner for the Belleville assess- ment office in 1954 until the end' of 1969 when he came to Trenton. He was also past-president and a founding member of the Association of Assessing Of- fices, which he is still a member of. To pay tribute to his years of hard work, the office staff threw a dinner party in his honor at the Knights of Columbus Hall last Tuesday night. "I always have fun at parties," he said, "and wasn't that a party." Along with staff members and friends from Belleville, where he resides, and Trenton, guests from as far as St. Catharines joined for the occasion. He was presented with an Institute of Municipal Assessors lapel pin, of which he is a member, and a Router wood- working machine so that he may indulge in his favorite hobby. He also received a special gift of a photo album with photos of every member of the staff, with a "funny looking guy on the front page with a big cowboy hat, three sizes too large, that needed my big ears to keep it on," - who, of course, was Mr. Thompson, enjoying a Trenton Hawks hockey game in 1979. He says he is not worried about becoming bored or idle now that he is retired. •• "It will be hard to turn off, but I'm a busy person," he said. '"There are a lot of books I want to get at. I like reading technical books but I've never had the time." On the job he was a busy man, with little time for play. "I never had a chance to sleep in, I was too busy thinking about those 54 municipalities." He says he has always taken his job seriously. KRAZY 2 ROOM Ft 1