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Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, December 71994. Page 3 Current DBIA board members not seekinig remelecfio Downtewn Business Improve- ment Area outgoing chair Sean Hogue said a "cou ple cf reasens» were behind bis decision net te seek election. «Primarily because of the con- troversy and turmeil cf the last year or se, I felt it was in the DBIA's best interest that 1 step dewn and lot semeone new b. chesen,» said Hegue. "Not that I didn't do my best, but I think that in this circum- stance, a change will be posit- ive," ho said. Hogue wishod the new board "well" and asked that it net forget the wishes of the "sulent majority" of the DBIA member- 5h'*think it would be devastat- ing if the DBIA is not retained,» ho added. Troasurer Grant Souter who aise chose not te hoe a canidate, said it was time for ethers te become involved. "I put three years in donatinq my time and that was enoufgh, said Souter. "I have a business te, run and have te, devote the majority of my timo te it » ho said, adding that his invivement with the Rotary Club's cominunity polic- ing program consumes many of his free hours. Souter stressed that the DBIAs recent difficulties had no bearing on his decision. "Everyone has their ewn feel- ings, but definitely the probleme of the past few years hadnething te do with it,» he said. «rm not saying everything was 100 per cent, but we definitely do need something like the DBA downtown or else everything will go te the plazas. Lack of time -was also a factor in Maureen Jones' decisien not te be a candidate. "I feel that Ive put in three years of goed, hard work and I don t findl that I have t ho time now te p ut in more » she said. The DBIA's problems did not influence her thinking, Jenes added. Questionnaire 0on DBIA boundaries Campaigning by the varieus candidates is well underway. In a letter te DBIA members, Doug Andersen is soliciting their views on whether the boundaries should ho revamped. Centered at the intersection of Dundas and Brock streets, the DBIA geographic area juts and jags threugh the downtewn as far north as Walnut Street east te Hickory Street, soulto~ t Ontario Street and west te High Street. ln his letter Anderson states the current DBIA is toc large. «There are areas on thé peri- phery which get ne benefit, hoi said. If elected, Anderson promises to make "redefinition cf the boundaries» the new board's first order of business "even beforo it officially takes efto" in January. "The Municipal Act requires that changes in BIAs occur as of Dec. 31 and se I would hope te persuade Town council to make changes by then,» ho said. "The greater the response te, this question, the more persua- sive our case." Anderson insists the new board wiIl be «very different» from its Predecessors. «I can t speak for other candi- dates butI can safely predict that the new board will be very open, wilI spend far less money and wiIl spend it on things of direct benefit to business dlown- .1.erkn.No..n...d.to. .exp .....DBTA..d...n.se Althoughthe majrity.ofcan-......some.e..r..g.f.rwar didaes fr.te.D.n....Bu.- .isuesandconcr.s.hatdo...fi nes Iprveen Aeabordther wnphloopywege caPecniee DI rtci laele sDIe poet would howrcng tepredi.tthe.saidPerk.n. withog tha objec tfsaidPe- «chns heae prping»shewr thdats whatthe memwnBsi-pisbes anud cnt obetht o'ttai ns the board te »bseoadthey toug h thywe evn "ut Ibe don' t thi anyoe somd erbonft m t Dwaitmrmiventdei Pt.»"A 'draighlt ladess' ale Thrins wbe te othtiedoes n ohing forpoeonal PerIns ldhsough aneton he offices. Thrarealot of peoplea SThe aplie nthnre occasins ge ans thi ot f isemid hen vacancie es ccreringbersI thnt if c t the dtaesia wsthe p a terndout»ws er- psitve aproac hywitha refulin "Buokedon' thceunciPek ns said. plnf tefutreit cnaciv ShThargil e that ounch i didmoe fo isso.» oesio not want hanysong eat ntheeboard Wie shees ot ownopa wh was citicao themcaniner businesshich payf i,"sthe sDBI ihn hic i ope red tax, Perktins is telibaedto ea not antanyo o theb cadndidae sine oset wasnma- 1 0 ted by Thruway Muffler whicl cfion does pay the tax. FROM PAGE 1 levied aLgainst downtown businesses le held in abeyance for two years._________ Despite receiving a petition signed by 85 per cent of DBIA members, council voted to retain C R S both the association and the tax. However, council agreed to set up a mechanism for direct elec- D C R tion of the management board by Ribbons, Bc the memborship. Ail businesses within the& ra DBIA boundaries, whether retail or professional, must pay the tax whieh is used te improve the es downtown's appearance and te sponsor promotions aimed at attracting shoppers. After several delays, caused by critics challenging various aspects of the budget, the 1994 DBIA budget of $130,895 was B ia fnlyapproved by council inDo ga ROTARY CASH CALMVAR$ in ô!41 .2809~ town,» ho said. [n a press release anneuncing his candidacy, Joe Butsen expresses cencern about "further eresien cf the downtown busi- ness district." Butson, nominated by National T7rust, feels that «fr tee long new, the long-term interests of the investors in downtown Whitby have been ignored by al levels cf government. "The private sector must lead the renewal cf downtown Whitby and must be supported by sen- sible policy fromn government and gositive contributions fromn the usiness community. "The strategic plan recently initiated by the Town cf Whitby is long overdue, however, it should only proceed with the elected board of management as anceqal partner." Inapress release declaring his candidacy,, hobby shop owner Paul Savage welcomed the flirst DBIA election. Savage said that for many years, downtewn business per- sons have had to "grapple» with many issues such as 'taxation without representation" and "governmnent forcing upon a busi- ness community something which they do not want." An elected board will enable DBIA members te have a stronger voice in dealing with these concerns, Savage added.