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WITBY FRUEPRESS;,WEDNESDAYMARCH 23, 1j988, PAGE l PAGE SEVE-N HEbz2, H'/R ASV - A couple of weeks ago when the Town struck its budget for 1988, the issue of grants to community groups reared its head........... again. The main issue then was the granting of $1,000 to the' Social Planning Council. A couple of weeks later the issue was a $100 request from the Block Parents. For years, Town Council has made a concerted effort to reduce grants to community groups flot because the causes were unworthy but rather, simply to keep the taxes down. 'We can't go giving money to every Tom, Dick and Harry - we have a responsibility to the electorate." According to some councillors, most notably Joe Bugelli, Council bas a "policy" about grants; Town clerk Don McKay says there is no "policy" only a "practice" used for the Iast few years not to give grants to United* Way agencies. Bugelli leaves the impression that if he bad bis way there would be no grants to anybody. Bugelli's position (and those councillors who support bim) is acop-ot. We elect councillors te oversee the provision of essential services te the community.» If a community group can provide services at a lower cost te the taxpayer, then council bas an obligation te, see the service provided in that way and to belp ______________________________________ them wben necessary. "Policies" are simply a rationalization for__________________________________________ council's reluctance to cooperate. The Social Planning Council, for instance, was going te use the money for computer equipment te help them wi th a study on the buman service needs of the community in order, in the long run, to allocate funds more effectivel . Tbey get most of their funds from the annual United Way campaign but anyone who bas every worked with any of those agencies knows that budgets are incredibly tight. Cbaity is usually not as generous as we rnight like and it is tbe poor and otber less fortunatesthat pay the price. Up until about a century ago, the. function of government was simply çmanai.oret the poor, the belpless and the sick we*r'e left te othÏé,care of tbe cucsand 'otber charities. But gradually politics acquired a social conscience and old-age pensions, family allowances, youtb programs, cultural and recreational facilities, bospitals, nursing bornes, unemployment insurance and welfare bave gradually been added to tbe realm of governrnent. Now in the eigbties, the number of wortby causes far outstrips the ability of govemnment to pay for tbemn and se, once again, volunteers and private charities are assuming more importance. Our councillors need to recognize that volunteers provide , - services at Ieast as valuable as their own or tbat of tbe Town staff. Their attitude is an insult to the selfless contribution of countless bours for the betterment of tbe cornmunity. Not only ~ tbat but Council is missing tbe opportunities tbat cooperation 1. could create X4 Years ago, as President of the Historical Society, I badCOTGSA M AR CNVL CETH PI L,18 occasions to stand before council iooking for grants. I.CYAE TMLTR OVLSETHSIA,11 represented a group who coliectively had contributed some The Whitby Psychiatric Hospital served as a mihitary convalescent hospital for soldiers in 30,000 hours to provide Witby with a museum. I was not tbe First World War, from 1917 to 1919. In 1920 it was turned over te the Ontario, ashaxned te be asking for financial assistance. Yet I can stili Governiment as a psychiatric bospital. More than 1,500 soldiers at a time were cared foras recall the inane questions of the councillors trying to appear to this hospital during the war. WhihyAchivsphoo understand the balance sheet in front of them. If they applied ratinaiized a "policy" that allowed tbem to give the gallery HFarod Wickett, on Anderson Street. seme realistic tbough still inadequate funding. Senater Arthur Roebuck wili be the keynote speaker at a Liberal rally at Henry Street Even a group like the Wbitby Youtb Concert Band w-dh b igb Scbooi in supporty of federal election candidate Norrn Cafik. represented Whiùtby at- the Calgary Olympics was expected to raise most of its own money. 100 YEARS AGO Council is more than just stingy wben deaing with from the Friday, March 23, 1888 edition of the community groups - it is fickle as well. A few years back, WHITBY CHRONICLE council rejected an offer by local soccer clubs to build a large* Dr. Frank Warren bas placed a bell in *the tower of St. John's Anglican Churcb, Port compiex of soccer fields at little cost te the taxpayer witb the Wbitby, in memory of bis late father, William Warren. help of one of the service clubs. I suppose it wasn't fancy enough e The congregation of St. Andrew's Pre-sbyterian Cburcb plans te build a gallery and renew or something like that. the interior at a cost of $2,000. It sure is nice te bave ail these volunteers to provide, se le The tewn council bas received a sugge stion from F. Howard Annes to remit the taxes of many essential services. If it weren't for tbemn, our politicians persons planting shade trees en their property. would find it awfuliy embarrassing te expiain how taxes bad e King Brothers Tannery at Brock and Dunlop Streets bas started producing sboe laces. gone up se mucb. Give us al a break, guys. Give credit wbere credit is due. And show a littiecureyrspect and hu ility._____________________________________