Q PEOPLE Scrappy politician now faces fight for life against | cancer Former Deseronto mayor never one to back down means getting involved. Tt can also mean a lot of politi- cal scraps, as Neal can attest. But after many of those, during his 23 years as a public official, Neal is now panting was a school dat for the for- mer Deseronto ‘That waa frst ob, on top of time lineman with trustee ani ber, he was also active in the Boy Scout He recalls when the former Sheller Globe bus factory moved eid ogpgharia ee ipes Can m a much-needed spurt o! growth and ity. hard times later claimed that plant. ~ In the early 1970s, the Minis- tion system ant totally out of cna he eae a friend while terving as mayor for ars (a further eight ders, from time to time, ting eats of his fel- ‘kers, But after hours, he i itor. John R. Neal fary Lou gave try of the Environment had an agreement with the town to in- i pues lei Seats! stall a new sewage treatment and/ time committments, and the help OS Melee He comcolex for of other family members, a son, cost 338, ee hildren. one-third of the cost, and lear daughter and ie grandchildren. the loealliaees with on annual 4 bill And during those years he of $90. made many friends, such as for- Because of cost over-runs dur mer council member Clarence Zi- ing construction, the ministry fi-- °™2"- nally bat the he Deseranta customers in of adh that originally bu budgeted. Zieman recalls some of the many accomplishments of the town council during Sect ten- as mayor then, fought ure, and sums him up as one of that ‘a for Boyer jeata, re rejecting those individuals “that auietly go even compromise al that still about oie business and get th were sharply higher. job don “The jae is pulling for him,” Zieman says. Neal actually spent most of his early life in Belleville, and would have stayed, but could not find a suitable lot when it came time build, so moved to Deseronto. curred ensuing with Neal eelistify ihe chal ofthe ite the provincial Liberals barass the ate pane tives into a better deal. acceptable and on a basis Dese- ronto residents could afford, com- pared to earlier offers. Intell 5: 2/4 ? ' "3