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Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, November 9, 1994 , Page 17 Marsh, hospital issues dominate forum FROM PAGE 5 attended Wednesday's session which involved just those candi- dates running for the local seats on council, plus the Whitby Hydro Electric Commission (see separate story). The following evening more than 200 people heard from the two candidates running for mayor and the eight regional council contenders. (The mayor and Whitby's three regional councillors are members of both Durham Region. and Town councils. The four local or ward councillors sit on Town council only.) But while Thursday's meeting drew more people, Wednesdas forum may have provided the better show. Sponsored by the Whitby Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees), those who attended Wednesday's meeting were able to ask questions of any or all candidates, either directly from the floor or in written form. At Thursday's session, spon- sored by the Jaycees' parent )rganization, the Whitby Cham- mer of Commerce, only written questions were allowed and then ;o just one candidate. Although this format preven- ed audience members from mak- ig their own speeches, it put oth incumbents and challengers t a disadvantage. Questions of a 'technical ature' in which only someone lready on council would be fam- iar with the details, were occa- ionally posed to non-incum- ents. While the incumbents could ot challenge statements made y their opponents. Still, more than 75 questions rere asked during the three- .our meeting. Topics ranged from the serious - future growth, a new arena, axes the role of women in Vhitby's government (see eparate story) -- to the not so erieous, such as the type of idvertising used by a local ;avern which offers exotic dan- ,ers. The majority of questions were iirected to incumbent Tom Edwards, a veteran politician seeking his second term as mayor, and his opponent Pat Perkins, a political newcomer hoping to pull off an upset and become Whitby's first woman mayor. Edwards listed several projects undertaken by council or brought to fruition during the past three years, as well as touting the arrival of 46 new businesses and 844jobs. «All of this without an increase in taxes and the worst recession in 60 years,» Edwards noted. (Whitby's portion of the muni- cipal tax bill was held to a zero per cent increase in 1993 and a 1.2 per cent decrease this year.) Although her first attempt at public office, Perkins has 17 years experience working in the City of Scarborough's finance department. She called for a more open decision-making process, accus- ing the current regime of con- ducting "too much" of the publie's business behind closed doors. "I will do the town's business in public, where it belongs," said Perkins, who likened her cam- aign to one of "taking on the old s ' network." ile there were questions on other issues, the candidates, especially the incumbents, had to keep returning to the hospital and Lynde Shores. Councillor Ross Batten read a portion of his speech from a 1991 election meeting which dealt with the marsh. Earlier that year, council approved the environmental management plan which sets out measures to protect the marsh from the impact of nearby deve- lopment, Batten recalled. 'It will be protected as a class one wetland," Batten read, while adding that "we're still commit- ted to the goal of protecting and enhancing the Lynde Marsh." Councillor Joe Drumm echoed his words. Describing the issue as one in which "emotion has taken over from reality,» Drumm cited the number of provincial government agencies and ministries which endorsed the management plan. Including former environment minister Ruth Grier's exemption of the project from an environ- mental assessment hearing. "These are the very people we rely on to protect the environ- ment," said Drumm. "Tc separate emotion from rea- lity...this will be preserved as a class one wetland, 'he said. Gas station is robbed A lone man drove off with gas and money after robbing an Esso gas station south of Brooklin village Saturday afternoon. Police say the man stopped at the station around 2:45 p.m. and p ut $20 worth of gas in his gray, late 70s' or early 80s' mid-size car, possibly a Chevorlet Malibu, which was described as having a thin red strip along the side. He then entered the station, approached the 17-year-old attendant and said "This is a robbery. You don't want to die, give me all your money," says inspector Walter Hall. The attendant, who wasn't in- jured, didn't see a weapon but handed over an undisclosed amount of cash from the till. The bandit, described as white with short curly black hair and a moustach, around five feet 11 inches and 180 pounds, and wearing a greyish lumber jacket and light, blue-gray faded jeans, was last seen heading south on Highway 12 in his car, which had no plates. Brunelle, however, noted that Grier objected te the develop- ment in her days as an opposi- tion MPP and only "changed her tune" after becoming cabinet minister in a government deeply involved in the project. (The province, Durham Region and Rose Corporation are the principles behind different parts of the development scheme.) "Putting 5,000 people next te a class one wetland just won't work," said Brunelle. Regional council candidate Vata Gopinathan was even more direct. "All the studies in the world can't be taken as foolproof, nature is net predictable," said Gopinathan, a crowd favourite. "Te greed fer development must stop somewhere. It should stop at the entrance te the marsh," he said to loud applause. Former regional councillor Gerry Emm praised Brunelle for his consistent opposition te the Lynde Shores development. But Emm, who is seeking to return te his old job after two unsuccessful mayoralty bids, said he is net a latecomer te the marsh issue. Reading from a 1988 newspa- per clippng, Emm said at the time that it would be "hard te justify development in that area" and that he stands by his ori- ginal position. Although all candidates pro- mised to fight for Whitby General Hospital remaining an active treatment facility, council was criticized for waiting to long te voice its opposition. But Drumm claimed this argu- ment is without foundation. He referred te minutes, of meetings of the health council steering committee which under- took the study of acute care health services in Durham Be gi on. According te Drumm, area MPPs werebriefed on the consul- tant's recommendations in Octo- ber 1993, but "this council knew nothing about it." Whether this was a shot at Brunelle, Drumm did net ela- borate. (Brunelle is Durham Region's representative on the health council, but has always insisted he had no knowledge of the consultant's recommendations until release of the steering com- mittee's discussion paper in May.) "Don't look at this council and say we didn't do our best," said Drumm. "Lay the blame squarely where it belongs, at the provincial government." On other issues, regional can- didate Jim Priest surprised the audience with his promise te eut costs, even if it means getting rid of his own job should he be elected. "There's tee much bureaucracy and too many councillors," said Priest. "I would like nothing better than te get rid of mine and other seats and perhaps we could hire 1. " a couple more policemen." Regional candidate Doug Anderson called for more openess and accessibility at Town hall. "I want to return democracy to what it's supposed to be, govern- ment by the people," he said. "People are better gôverned when they're better informed.~ Finally, businessman Steve Szuhai advocated a more businesslike approach to munici- pal government. This will pay off in more in- vestment, thus creating jobs and reducing the tax burden on homeowners, Szuhai said. "In short, you have a life-long businessman running against life-long politicians," he said. Authorized by the CFO for Gerry Emm Bill Lawler to a fourth term to the Whitby Hydro Commission. A lifelong resident of a, fourth generation family in Whitby. Authorized by the CFO for the Bill Lawler Campaign. RE-ELECT Now is the time to vote for... A STRONGEI EXPERIENCED VOICE on Council. REGIONAL COUNCIL Durham Board of Education Authorized by the CFO for Tanya M. Gulliver