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Whitby Free Press, 16 Nov 1994, p. 1

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ELECTION '94 ELECTION '94 ELECTION '94 Emm hm, Batten out Scott i, Doistra out Ross i, Guliver out Page 30 Page 27 Page2 7 ELECTION '94 Fox, Mitchell returned Page27 HE'S BACDIK Edwards wins second ternsm ayo By Mike KowaIsi Veteran Whitby politician Tom Edwards, wili be back te lead Town council for a second term. In a much dloser race than many people anticipated Edwards survived a spiriteâ challenge froni political newce- mer Pat Perkins te win re-elec- tion as mayor of Whitby on Monday. With ail 180 polis reporting, Edwards defeated Perkins by a fairly comfortable margin of 8,473 votes te 7,837. But for most-of the eveninjg, the ouitcome was very much in doubt. From the tume the first resuits were flashed on the giant video screen in the council chambers shortly after 830 p m. it was apparent that the last iew polils teý report would deterrnine thé winner. Lees than 50 votes separated the two candidates after more than haif the polils had reported. <In fact, Perkins led the incuni- bent by 3',358 votes te 3,344 at Not untl 96 polis had been counted did Edwards regain the lead and it was one he would net relinquish for the reniainder of the nîght. Shortly before midnight Edwards addressed the 100 or se people still waiting for the, final returne te be postedi. "The first thing we're going te do is find a quieker way -te count the votes," the 68-year-old for- mer labour union lofficiai said te laughter and applause. Mfter thanking bis family and friends for their help and encouragement in net only this, but al his previous campaigns -- Edwards has been a member of council since the 1960a -- he cemmended Perkins1 for her "aggressive" campaign. 'Of course I helped eut by providing her with a number of issues she didn't have when she started eut,» said Edwards. These issues which Edwards referred te in lus speech, indlu- ded the controversial Lynde Shores development proposai and the uncertain future of Whitby General Hospital. On the latter eubject, Edwards said the new council muet con- SEE PAGE 4 Voters opt for mild change By Mike KowalskI Although many voters were in the mood for change, moet Whitby residents appear to approve of the way their cern- munitisrn 0fthe 18 council, echool board and hydre positions at stake in Monday's municipai election, oniy four will be filled by people wowere not incumbents. In fact, two of the four pre- viously eerved in the sanie capa- city and will return te their 'old jobs for the next three years. [n a race that was much closer than many observeras expected Tom Edwards, a fixture in local pelitie since the 1960s, held off a strong challenge from newco- mer Pat Perkins te win hie second term as mayor. After aIl the ballots were ceun- ted, the former labour union officiai enjoyed a 636-vote mar- gin over Perkins, a four-year Whitby resident making her firet attempt at publiceflice. At the regionai council level, former councillor Gerry Emni returne after a eix-year absence fromn the pplitical wars. Emni, who was first eiected te Town council in 1969, joins in- cumbents Marcel Brunelle and Joe Drumm along with Edwards, as Whtby's represen- tatives on Durham Regien coun- cil. Emm'e comeback, after two un- succeseful runs for mayor, resul- ted in the defeat of veteran incumbent Rose Batten. Firet elected as north ward couniller in 1980, Batten had been a regionai counillor since 1991. Three of Whitby's four ward ceuncillors wili aise be back. West ward incumbent Judi Longfleld had the easiest time of it as she was acciaimed te her second terni. In the north ward, Don Mit- chell had ne difficuity winning a second terni as he coilected more than 50 per cent of the votes cast in a three-way race. Two-terrn east ward councillor Dennie Fox had a siightly teugher battie on hie hands, but emerged with a 690-vote victory SEE PAGE 30 No psych joýbssrie ~wib eut, MPP poie By Mike KowalskI Ne jobs or services will be, lest as the resuit of a pending ,$2.5- million budget cut at Witby Mental Health Centre, MPP Drummond White promises. Money can be chopped froni the hospital's $44-million operat- ing budget -without jeûpardizing' proig rame or eliminating employees, the Durham Centre repre sentative insiste. "There will be ne jobs, no services cut. That's the direction froni the minister," said White. "There will be extensive money for community services and job securit for OPSEU members,» he eaid. The New Democratic Party MPP was responding te fears expressed at last week's public forum eonscred by the Ontarie PbiService Employees Union (eee etory on page 26). Although Health Minieter Ruth Grier has backed off hier original demand that Ontario's psychiatric hospitais chop $53 million froni their budgets, wor- kers and patiente are concerned that semething will still have te go because of slightly scialler cuts stili facing hospital adminis- trators. But their fears are greundiess, White gays. uThe ad a reasor' te be con- cemned prier te the announce- ment a week and a haif ago," lhe said, but net now. "There will be ne layeffe,» hie repeated. White admitted that Whitby Mental Health Centre adminis- trater Ron Ballantre has a "ver diffic uit» task ahead te find $2.5 mlion in savinge. inm sure he can find it. How he'Il achieve that I don't know,' but it won't be with layoffe, » he said. "I've talked te Mr. Ballantyne and ne pro~rm r urnl threatened.grrsar uenl White eaid hie government'e decision te inveet another $20 million in community mental SNE PAGE 30

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