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Two teens arrested Whitby's guide Election '94: Meet some of after hold-up to growth the candidates_ page 21 page 2 1 pages 105,14, 42 Made-in-Whitby horror game pagel7 By Mike Kowalski Some Whitby councillors are enjoying a «aigri advantage» over their municipal election chai- jlengers, opponents dlaim. in this year'a election carnpaign have been able to ereet sigris in violation of "supposed" rules dis- tribu'ted by t he Town clerk's office, non-incumbent candidates charge. However, the regulation governing the size of election aigris erected on public property was baaed on a false assumption by Town clerk Don McKay. As a resuit, incumberits were urifairly guided by Whitby's existing aigri bylaw which per- mita aigus in exceas of the one- aquare-metre size specified in the election information package distributed by McKay's office, their opporients contend. The challengers, meanwhile, were foroed to comply with regu- laions drafted on the erroneous assumption that a new aign byl aw would be in place prior Vo teelection. Although a letter clarifying the mistake was iaaued by McKay last week, rion-incumberits aay it is too late to have ariy effect on their campaigu strategy. Decisions on the size and q uantity of aigus to make were determnined aome time ago, hey say. 'WVe were kind of given some misinformation,» sai d regionai council candidate Jim Priest. «It's no big deal and 1 don't want to be seen as whining about election igus, but if we're going to play games, let'salal be on a level playing field," said Prieat. McKay, who also doubles as electiori returning.officer, wili- ingly accepted responsiblity for the incorrect information being given out. As he explained, a report pre- >a red for Town council laat December described the pro- cedurea Vo be foliowed in this year's election. he report was apyroved and made available in Jaruary to r rsons registering as candidates frthe Nov. 14 election. But at the same time, a draft version of Whitby's propoaed aigu bylaw was also before council. "I anticipated the provisions of it eing instituted, " said McKay. Te proposed byiaw would have restricted election aigus on public property Vo one square metre. Undler the existing bylaw, aigus up to five square metres in size are permitted on both public and private property "I anticipated the new bylaw would be in effect for the elec- tiori,» said McKay. «AÂs it urna out, council is not fdealing with it this year. There- fore it goes back Vo the old bylaw." A letter advising candidates that the existing byiaw aVilI appiies was sent to candidates after McKay iearned of the mis- take, he said. While it is a "non-issue" with respect to hier own campaigri, mayorai candidate Pat Perkins aympathized with those who dev- ised their aigu strategy based on the false information. "I find it very unfortunate for SEE PAGE 42 Trustees turn down Schis "~pay.hike Study proposed fior downtown By Mike Kowalski The future of downtowri Whitby could be thé subjeet of yet another consultant's report. Developmerit of a "comprehen- sive strategie plan» that would make recommendations aimed at enharicing the downtown was eridorsed in principle and with- out discussion by Town council Monday. if approved during next- year's budget proceedinga, the study will conceritrate on measures to improve cultural, recreational and commercial activities in the dowritown. But before council corisiders the matter further, Town staff wilI meet with uparticipating .takeholders» -- downtown busi- ness owners and mercharits -- Vo diseuse various aspects of the study, including its terms of ref- erence and cost. As a staff report indicated, severai studies and plans have been prepared for specifie ele. ments of downtown Whitby in recent years. Reports included the Down- town Community Improvement Study, Heritane Canada Main Street Project, Downtown Urbari Desig.n Study, Dowritown Com- munity Streetacape Enhance- ment Study, and t he Centennial Building Feasibiîity Study. But as Whitby grows, the downtown has "transformneâ from being the 'entire' community anid focal point, te being a component SEE PAGE 42 By Mark Reesor Durham Board of Education trustees apparently lost their nerve Monday. night when it came to approv'ing a $6,200 raise for the board chair. The salary increase motion, which was moved b board vice- chair Duncan Read, died after failing to.attract a seconder. That occurred despite the fact six of the eight trustees on the chairpersons' committee had pre- viously voted in favour of it. Read argued Bowman's cur- rent salar of $23,800 a year doesn't adequately compensate her for the increased workload and responsibility the chair handles. He com pared Bowman's salary to that.,of the chair of the Scar- borough' board ($45,000) and Oshawa Mayor Nancy Diamond ($72,000). In discussiorn after the failed motion, several trustees suppor- ted the concept of giving Bow- man a raise, but sai d the timing is wrong. "I think it's something we al should be thinking of mnto the future,» Ajax trustee Colleen Jor- dan commented. SEE PAGE 14 Ottenbrite enters sports hall of lame Whitby's Olympic champion officially becomes a member of Canada7s Sports Hall of Fame this week. Anne Ottenbrite will be indue- ted into the hall during ýcere- monies to be held in Toronto on Thursday. .Ottenbrite, who was. named to the hall last June, won'the gold medal in the 200-metre breast- stroke at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. It was a's first gold medal in women s swlmming at the Cames. Ottenbrite also won silver in the 100m breaststroke and bronze in the 400m medley rela1y. Ottenbrite, 28 is now a swim- Ming c ach t he University -of Jining her in the hall are four-time world figure skating champion Kurt Browning, hocke legend Bernie (Boom Boom) Geoffrion, laVe basebal gr eat James (Tip) ONeili and broadcaster Rene Lecavalier. business news See pages 11