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Volume 73, Number 2 GST Included $1.25 Wednesday January 13, 2010 Orono Town Hall Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 Agreement No. 40012366 Serving Kendal, Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone since 1937 Ballot count revisited It seems we have not heard the final word on how ballots will be counted in the October municipal election. Councillor Willie Woo, Chair of the Clerk's Committee, introduced a Notice of Motion at Monday's council meeting to allow for the reconsideration of the way ballots will be counted in October's municipal election. At the October 26, 2009 meeting of Clarington council, it was decided that the next municipal election would be conducted using a voting method similar to that used by the federal and provincial governments. This included a return to a traditional style of voting, and the manual counting of ballots, rather than the vote-by-mail system used by Clarington in the past three municipal elections. Municipal Clerk Patti Barrie recommended a combination of traditional style voting and internet voting be used in the 2010 municipal election, in a report issued for the October 26th council meeting. She also recommended electronic vote counting machines continue to be used, and included a cost of $63,000 for the rental of the machines. Woo's motion will be discussed at the next council meeting, to be held on January 25, provided twothirds of the seven councillors vote in favour of re-opening that discussion, as it is a reversal of direction approved by council at the October 26th council meeting. Two other Notices of Motions were introduced at BALLOT see page 4 Mayor Jim Abernethy greeted Orono resident Carol Bailey at the Mayor's Levee held on Sunday at the Newcastle Recreation Complex. Home invasion in Newcastle Police are appealing to the public for their assistance in identifying two suspects from a home invasion in Newcastle Monday night. On Monday, January 4, at approximately 11:00 p.m., two male suspects attended a residence on Mill Street in Newcastle and rang the doorbell. The male homeowner answered the door and encountered two male suspects, one armed with a weapon. Both suspects attempted entry by force into the residence but fled the premises on foot after a physical altercation occurred with the male homeowner. The homeowner sustained minor injuries and required medical attention from responding paramedics. No other injuries occurred to occupants present in the home. The police K-9 unit attended the scene but did not locate the suspects. Police canvassed the neighbourhood for witnesses and forensic evidence. It is believed the suspects fled in a nearby motor vehicle but a description is not known at this time. The suspects were last seen running west down Wilmot Trail. Suspect #1 is described as: male, white, 5' 10", 170 lbs, with a slender build, and wearing a black balaclava, black jacket and black hooded sweatshirt. Suspect #2 is described as: male, black, 5' 9", 180 lbs, short black hair, with a medium build, and wearing a black sweater and black pants. The investigation is ongoing and investigators are appealing to the public to identify the suspects responsible. Anyone with new information about this incident is asked to contact Det. Paul Dobbs at 16 Division Criminal Investigative Bureau at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 1606. Anonymous tips can be made to Crime Stoppers at 1800-222-8477 (TIPS) and tipsters are eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000. What's Inside See page 8