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

Clarington Community/A7 Taking aim at Kendal Community Centre Sports/B1 Eagles lose leading scorer durhamregion.com ♦ Pressrun 24,150 ♦ Founded 1854 ♦ JANUARY 18, 2006 > 54 Pages ♦ Optional 3 Week Delivery $5/$1 Newsstand Regional chairman referendum rejected I really think we'd be making a City of Durham ... and I don't ever want to see that happen." -- Jim Schell Clarington Council votes not to pose question at election time By JENNIFER STONE Staff Writer CLARINGTON - Local residents won't be asked if the regional chairman should be elected at large on the municipal municipal ballot, unless the Region decides to pose the question. Clarington council voted Monday Monday night not to support a resolution resolution from Ajax, which would include a referendum question on the local ballot asking whether whether residents supported asking the Province to make a regulation regulation requiring the chair of the Region be elected by general vote. The matter stems from the last election of Regional Chairman, Chairman, in 1997. Current chairman Roger Anderson, fresh from an election defeat in Ajax, defeated then-Pickering Mayor Wayne Arthurs for the position of chairman. chairman. Since then, ; many have raised concerns over the selection selection process. . The Region recently changed its policy so that the chairman must come from the ranks of council, but the Province didn't alter the legislation to reflect that change, said Mayor John Mutton. But, some Clarington councillors councillors weren't sure election-at- large was the way to go. Running Running a campaign over a jurisdiction jurisdiction the size of Durham would be difficult, suggested local councillor Adrian Foster. "Democracy is a good thing, and there may be a knee-jerk reaction why electing the regional regional chair may be a good thing, but there are problems," he said. General election of the position position could give the chairman too much power, said Regional Councillor Jim Schell, who is currently serving on a committee committee at the Region that is looking into the selection process. "My greatest concern is that the power of the Region will overshadow" the power of the local municipality, said Coun. Schell. "To have an elected official who can walk into this municipality and have say and sway because he is an elected official isn't good. I really think we'd be making a City of Dur ham ... and I don't ever want to see that happen," he said. Though Clarington 'council voted not to have it on the ballot, ballot, it could still come up at the Region, said the mayor. "I understand the vote is coming coming up at the Region ... so there could be a Region-wide referendum," referendum," he said. Such a referendum would not be binding, but would gauge the attitude of the public on the matter, matter, he said. "There's nothing wrong with gauging the public on it," he said. CAW boss endorses Durham Liberal candidate A.J. Groen/Metroland Durham Region Media Group Winter fun at Kids Snow Fun Contest NEWCASTLE - Shelly McGuey puts the finishing toiiches on her snowman while her children John and Crystal watch. They were taking part in The Kids Snow Fun Contest which is part of the Town of Newcastle's Sesquicentennial celebrations. Vandals damage charity's bus But the endorsement is ■'irrelevant' locally, says NDPer BY JENNIFER STONE Staff Writer ; CLARINGTON - Canadian Auto Workers' boss Buzz Hargrove Hargrove has endorsed Durham Liberal candidate Doug Mof- fatt. But his endorsement is "irrelevant" "irrelevant" locally, said NDP candidate candidate Bruce -Rogers, noting what he's hearing from constituents constituents indicates that Mr. Hargrove has misread misread the riding. «A Jan. £l letter on CAW Doug Moffatt national letterhead gives Mr. Moffatt the union leader's endorsement as "our best hope to defeat the incumbent incumbent Tory, Bev Oda, as she and her party have not provided any support for our industries and our automotive communities." The letter goes on to say that, in ridings where the NDP has a shot, like neighbouring Oshawa riding, the CAW continues its traditional support of that party. But, keeping the Durham seat out of the hands of the Conservatives Conservatives seemed key to the CAW boss. "Strategically, in Durham region, we endorse your candidacy candidacy as the best option to win the seat from the Tories," said the letter to Mr. Moffatt. Mr. Moffatt was pleased to get the -support from the union, in spite of its traditional support of the NDP. "Obviously, we are' pleased that he's chosen to take this route," said the Liberal candidate. candidate. "He's standing up for his member's jobs." Mr. Rogers said, though the national union leader may not support him, he feels he does have support of the executive of Local 222, as well as a lot of the union's rank and file. Endorsing Liberals like Mr. Moffatt during this election, "Buzz has hurt his own credibility," credibility," said Mr. Rogers. "If there is any sort of strategic voting going on in Durham this time around, what I've felt at the door is that it's in favour of the NDP," he said. In the letter endorsing Mr. Moffatt, Mr. Hargrove is harshly harshly critical of the Conservative record on aiding the ailing auto industry. "I believe strongly that a vote for the Conservative candidate anywhere in Durham region is a vote against our members' jobs at GM and the many auto parts in Durham region," said the letter, letter, pointing to what the CAW felt was an unsatisfactory meeting meeting between CAW leaders and the Conservative auto caucus, which includes Ms. Oda. But, Ms. Oda said she has See VOLUNTEER, page A5 Clarington Project facilitator floored by discovery BY JENNIFER STONE Staff Writer BOWMANVILLE » A bus used to transport people with intellectual disabilities to activities activities was extensively vandalized at some point over the weekend. The Clarington Project's bus, which was parked at the organization's organization's facility at 132 Church St., was found with seats slashed, fire extinguisher foam sprayed around the vehicle and into the gas tank, and other damage. As well, vandals had urinated in the vehicle. "I was just floored when I pulled in the driveway" and saw the damage Monday morning, said Project Facilitator Warren Lamondin. The bus was purchased using funding from Bowmanville's Rotary Club, and transports about 20 to 25 people to a variety of activities, including bowling and swimming, every week, said Mr. Lamondin. "The Project is run by volun teers and we fundraise to pay off expenses," he said, noting now, the organization will have to try to come up with the money to fix the vehicle after the "disrespectful "disrespectful and juvenile" actions of the vandals. Police were called and fingerprints fingerprints have been taken, said Mr. Lamondin, who hopes anyone who has any information on who may have committed the vandalism vandalism will call police. ft T©-- ONTARIO'S • SERVICE • PARTS MON., WED., FBI. 7:30 am - 6:00 pm TUBS. A THURS. 7:30 am - 8:00 pm SAT. 9:00 am - 4:00 pm ACCREDITED TEST A REPAIR FACILITY WHITBY OSHAWA Honda 300 THICKSON RD. S. WHITBY 666-1772 0 HONDA. «vww.hende1.oem . Bale wrap recycling program growing Initial period diverted more than 12,000 kgs from landfill BY ERIN HATFIELD Staff Writer DURHAM - The perceived success of a bale wrap recycling pilot program here lias not only prompted its continuance but its expansion. Bale wrap is a plastic material used to seal hay and help it fer ment, making better feed. But once used, farmers had no way of disposing of the plastic, which doesn't breakdown. Farmers ended-up storing it in their barns, sometimes burning it or burying it in the ground according to Nancy Rutherford, senior planner with the Durham Region planning department. So members of the Durham Agricultural Advisory Committee Committee (DAAC), which is made up of people from the agricultural community, brought disposal of the wrap up as a concern. "We were successful in having the works committee work with the DAAC," Ms. Rutherford said. By Jan. 2005 Durham launched a 12-month pilot program to accept the white bale wrap at its waste transfer station on Reach Street in Port Perry and have it picked up by Think Plastics Inc., a company that recycles it. According to Peter Watson, manager of waste management for the Region's works department, department, now, one year later, Durham Durham council has approved a recommendation recommendation to continue and expand the program. "The farmers will bring it for nothing and (the company) are taking it away for nothing,".Mr. Watson said. "We think it is a good program." From January to September 2005, 11,825 kilograms of bale wrap was collected from 103 area farmers. The Region will continue to collect bale wrap at the Port Perry site and will .also begin collecting it at the waste management management facilities in Oshawa and Brock Township. "I will be meeting shortly with on-site staff to set up the two expansion sites," Mr. Watson said. He explained farmers can take their white-on-white plastic bale wrap to one of the large roll-off containers. "We are the collector, storage group," Mr. Watson said. When it accumulates to between six and eight tons of plastic, Think Plastics picks it up. The Waterloo company uses the wrap to make a product called baleboard, which is used in fencing, barn floors, docks, outdoor tables, and benches. 903-436-2227 Servira 905-436-2221 My l Point 903-436-2229 2728 Courfit# Id., HWY. «2 Courtke 905-436-2222 Toll Free 1-866-885-8822 roynkholiinolonQgnKaiMda.com www.roynicholjmotors.com See (Mir tore jpr HWY. «2 -- i " / „ Y*. NICHOLS Q K U) ti * » o ♦- S 401 O O GET INTO THE 2006 $i IMPALA LS TODAY 111 I III 1 IMI'Al A SS AS SHOWN M. 1 0 ■ i Starting From 24,685 )