The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

V • Total Market Coverage of Clarington from the Publishers of The Canadian Statesman A James Publishing Community Newspaper Saturday, March 14,1998 144th Year Fire Services Won't Merge Pickering councillors want the Durham Region to look into the amalgamation amalgamation of fire services across the Region. However, the idea hit a brick wall on Wednesday morning, March 11, after a half-hour debate during the regional council meeting. meeting. Pickering had been asking for a feasibility study into merging fire departments. Costs Kept Down Most councillors were not in favour of the concept, concept, staling their municipalities municipalities have been able to keep their costs down and do not want the regional government taking on the management of lire services. services. "Does council not have enough on its plate? It would be ridiculous - for the Region to get involved in this," stated Ajax Mayor Steve Parish who led the wave of opposition. opposition. Oshawa Mayor Nancy Diamond said "I support the amalgamation of services services where cost savings can be achieved." However, she rejects the notion of combining fire departments, noting major differences in fire protection protection services across the Durham Region. She said Oshawa's bill for full time firefighters is $16 million, while Uxbridge's 1997 budget was $350,000. Mayor Diamond added, "we're not even talking apples and oranges here." Councillor Gray said be would not support an amalgamation of fire services services because "the cost will migrate up to the highest level." He predicted predicted tremendous costs would be added to the tax bill. "Huge amounts of money would be spent to bring everyone up to a common standard," he said, Councillor Maurice Brenner of Pickering, in an impassioned speech to councillors, observed: "I think this is important. You don't want to do things differently, you want to do things the same," In a recorded vote on establishing a committee to examine the feasibility of Region-wide firefighting, firefighting, councillors voted 18- 8 against the idea. There were two councillors absent from the chamber, A vote to receive and file Pickering's suggestion was approved. This means no further action will be taken. Festival Maple syrup season has arrived. Forester Andy Gryg collects sap in preparation for a maple syrup festival festival commencing at Purple Woods Conservation Area in Oshawa. Tree buckets and tap lines have been set up throughout ten acres of forest. Once boiled and filtered, the spring harvest will produce an estimated 1,00Q liters of delicious maple syrup. There should be lots of it flowing for the festival which runs March 14 to 22. -photo by Lorraine Manfredo Circulation: 20,600 Durham Rejects Mega-Region Durham Region councillors don't want to see the formation formation of a Greater Toronto Services Board (GTSB), and passed a resolution declaring that position on Wednesday, March 11. Prior to the vote, Regional Chair Roger Anderson explained to the council that on Thursday, March 12, this issue was to go before the Provincial Legislature. "There is no doubt in my mind that there is an opportunity opportunity for this to be changed or...even not happen," Anderson said. 'They will take over items like waste management and then they will dump their garbage on our agricultural • lands...in the rural municipalities." Clarington Mayor Diane Hamre The resolution was brought forward in an effort to let Premier Mike Harris know where the Region stands on the question of forming a higher level of government linking the regional municipalities of the Greater Toronto Area, plus the Toronto mega-city. During council's discussion, Clarington Mayor Diane Hamre said she clearly sees the GTSB as leading to the introduction of a new level of government. "I would never support another level of government, especially the GTSB and having the Region removed," the mayor stated. And as far as she is concerned, the GTSB would have the power to assess taxes on residents in the 905 Regions and in Toronto. She doesn't want to see that happen. "Do we want the GTSB to be another level? They will take over items like waste management and then they will dump their garbage on our agricultural lands. ..in the rural municipalities," she said. "The rural municipalities provide your food, your aggregate -- everything for healthy communities," Mayor Hamre said. Scugog Mayor Doug Moffatt agreed with Mayor Hamre, and observed that "the provincial government should act like a provincial government -- we don't need a GSTB!" Councillors voted 22-4 against the Greater Toronto Services Board. It's the Kowortha Pine Ridae District School Board New School Board Name by Laura J. Richards Slaff Writer or Region Clarinah on Councillor to Join Organizing Committee by Laura J. Richards Staff Writer Clarington Regional Councillor John Mutton was named co-chair of the Durham Region's 25th Anniversary Committee along with Norm Leigh of the Economic Development Commission. The announcement was made Wednesday morn ing, March 11, at the Region's regular council meeting in Whitby. ■ Regional Chair Roger Anderson told The Clarington/Courtice Independent that Councillor Mutton "has the enthusiasm to lead a group of people in this task." Anderson cited Councillor Mutton's energy energy and "good ideas to bring residents together" as being his main reasons for asking him to take up the challenge. The councillor says lie's looking forward to working on the committee which will create a marketing marketing strategy for what will be a major "celebration "celebration of the traditions and heritage of Durham Region." There will be "an aggressive marketing promotion" promotion" to "highlight innovation in the Region and promote our proud past and our promising future," Councillor Mutton said. He hopes the 1999 celebrations celebrations will lead into the 2000 summer games which the Durham Region may consider hosting. And the festivities will certainly certainly lead into the millennium celebrations. Leigh says the celebration celebration will be similar to that of 1994 when Durham Continued on page 2 "Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board" has been selected as the new name for School District #14. The district was created by the amalgamation of the Northumberland Clarington School Board with the Peterborough School Board. Until the decision by the school trustees on Wednesday, March 11, the board had been known only by the number it was assigned during the amalgamation process. The name picked by trustees was recommended by the board's Ad Hoc New Name Committee. It also meets the criteria set by the Education Improvement Commission (EIC) to establish a geographic identity for the board. The EIC asked that names use the words District School Board and not contain the word 'public.' Local trustee Bob Willsher told The Clarington/Courtice Independent there arc members of Continued on page 2 Easter Seals Needs $ 15 Million by Lorraine Manfredo Slaff Writer Nobody wants to tell a kid there's no money to send them to camp. Certainly not the Easier Seal Society's Executive Director Charlotte Gibson, who is taking the provincial charity into one of the most important campaigns of its 75-year history. A $2 million shortfall in last year's revenue means the Easter Seal Society will have a harder time helping physically physically disabled children and their families, "Working with a $13 million budget, a $2 million shortfall initiates a major change in your organization," Gibson notes. Easter Seal programs help handicapped kids reach their.full potential, she says, Funding allows families to retrofit their homes, pur ■ chase wheelchairs and send kids to camp. But rising costs for care, coupled with fund-raising woes, have forced Easier Seals to reassess what it can promise in future. The need will still be there, Thirty per cent of Easter Seal families have incomes below the poverty line, Yet the price tag for mobility aids and care is rising dramatically. It now costs up to $20,000 for an electric wheelchair, $400 month for medication, and up to $40,000 to retrofit retrofit a home, It costs nearly $1,000 per week for a child to attend Easter Seal camp. Last year, 1100 children attended camps across the province, The cost was $1.1 million. Only 800 will go this year, "The society has some bitter medicine to swallow this year," Gibson told a group of Bowmanvillc Rotarians on Thursday, "For the first time in 75 years not all children who want to go to camp will be able to do so. The reserves arc not there." But, the Easter Seals Society is already taking steps to ensure funds arc available in the future. The charity is now investigating setting up an endowment fund or investments investments and using interest to support the camp program, Continued on page 2 /lllsiafer _eayer Lumber SAAN © lÎDdîoShuclt Independent Flyers 'Allstate Insurance (Darlene Ferguson 987-1611) A&P (Prices in effect from Sun., Mar. 15 to Sat., Mar. 21/98) 'Beaver Lumber (Prices in effect until March 29/98) 'Bowmanville Rotary Club (Easter Seals Campaign) Canadian Tire (Prices in effect until Fri., March 20/98) ' 'Chemlawn 'Graham's IGA (Prices in effect from Sun., Mar. 15 to Sat., Mar. 21/98) 'M&M Meats (Prices in effect from Sun., Mar. 15 to Sat., Mar. 28/98) 'Port Hope Valuemart (Prices in effect from Sun., Mar. 15 to Sat., Mar. 21/98) 'SAAN (Prices in effect from Sun., Mar. 15 to Sat., Mar. 28/98) *VCR Clinic (Sale ends March 28/98) Home Renovations & Helpful Hints (Special Supplement) (*Indicates partial distribution) For information about inserting flyers in SIjc ClartnQtpu/Couvttce 3nbepeubcnt, please contact our office at 623-3303. ■SumuoM •mm Twmttn, mamm I fr.'fwrgrginKmnum