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Wednesday, December 8, 2004 Chris Heath (L) and Sandor Csikos of Maple Lane Nursuries cut down all the dead trees on the Main Street last week. They will be replaced by Locust Trees. The Region of Durham is responsible responsible for the tree replacement project as Main Street Orono is a Regional Road. HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA Loveyourfamily Attention CLARINGTON VETERANS To obtain a Veterans License Plate contact: John Greenfield - 905-623-3151 Veterans Service Officer R.C.L. Br. 178 Monday Night TTPHOI STERY CLASSES Commencing January 10, 2005 for 12 weeks from 7pm - 9pm $10.00 per night plus supplies. AY \ Call GRUNDY'S COUNTRY UPHOLSTERY for more info: 905-983-9874 x Newcastle Adult Day Program Social and recreational opportunities. 20 Robert St. West Newcastle, ON LIB 1C6 By-law deals with encroachment For More Information call: 905-987-3000 The municipality is looking looking to clean up some back yards. There are 44 areas in the municipality where encroachment onto municipal property has become a problem. problem. This stemmed from a municipal policy which did not require developers to erect fences between residential subdivisions and open spaces, between 1990 and 2000 . The by-law office has found that over the years many private property owners, whose property abutts open spaces, have begun using this land as their own property. A by-law report before the General Purpose and Administration Committee, claims these encroachments ranged from placing garden furniture on the flood plain, to cutting trees, clearing brush and altering physical terrain, in order for the adjacent homeowners to have more land for their personal use." One of the problematic areas is the east side of Foster Creek in Newcastle. In addition to trespassing issues, the municipality can also be held liable for injuries to the public caused by accidents accidents on municipal property, according to the By-law report. The by-law department has decided that the destruction of this green space cannot be allowed to continue. These green spaces could be areas of deep slope, or flood plains, or buffer lands between residential residential area and hazard or environmentally environmentally protected lands. "It seems to me we're using liability issues since 9/11 at great expense to the municipality," stated Regional Councillor Charlie Trim. "This is just one facet of the encroachment issue" says Trim." What about merchants using municipal sidewalks to display their wares,?" he asked. T cut a fair amount of regional grass to keep our property looking good, he stated. "Is that an encroachment encroachment on regional property?" We are looking at an issue we can't control," he stated. . Councillor Gord Robinson brought up the issue of farmers farmers planting fields out to the shoulders on roads in areas where there are no fences. If farmers stop looking after this land, the municipality will have to maintain their roadside roadside grass cutting, indicated Robinson. Mayor Mutton assured councillors that a common sense approach would be used in enforcing the encroachment by-laws in problematic areas. The by-law report suggests that summer students be hired to investigate the 44 areas in question and determine if enforcement action is needed. Once the problem areas have been cleaned up, the Municipality will monitor them to ensure the encroachments encroachments do not reoccur. The by-law report was approved by all the members of committee except for Councillor Trim. Counicllors seek term extension Clarington councillors have started a campaign to lengthen their terms of office from three year to four year terms. Mayor John Mutton presented presented a resolution to that effect, at Monday's General Purpose and Administration Committee meeting, which was approved by committee members. Mutton said he got the idea from a Pictou County politician, politician, who, while visiting the area last month, sat in on a Clarington council meeting, and introduced himself to a Wedding bells Continued from front with the Municipal Clerk to go over the paper work and the marriage ceremony procedure. procedure. As the provincial legislation legislation has authorized the municipal municipal clerk to perform the ceremony, ceremony, Clarington's Clerk, Patti Barrie will be in charge. Ceremonies will take place in the council chamber, Monday to Friday. Barrie says she will make herself available few council members. The provinces of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Quebec all have four year terms for their municipal councils. The change would be a very substantial cost saving in the municipaliy's election costs, according to the Mayor. The municipality would have three elections in a twelve year span rather than four, he pointed out. The Mayor's resolution also stated, "the position of municipal councillor is evenings to perform the marriage marriage ceremony The committee approved a six month trial of the new system. system. "We will monitor the system system for six months," said the Mayor. "I don't think it will be too onerous, and it will probably probably generate some revenue. In June, council will take a look at the procedure and decide if the service should be continued or expanded to include weekend weddings and other locations besides the Bowmanville Town Hall. becoming more complicated, thereby requiring a longer learning period for new councillors." councillors." Prior to voting, Mayor Mutton removed the clause stating, "the three year term of council does not provide adequate adequate time for a new councillor councillor to properly learn the job and deliver quality representation representation to their constituents prior to the next election period." If the resolution is adopted at next Monday night's council meeting, the municipality would begin to petition the Province of Ontario to ammend the Municipal Elections Act to provide for four year terms for municipal council members. Councillor Jim Schell asked the Deputy Clerk, Marie Knight Stanley if there was enough time between now and the next election to have the changes in effect. While Knight Stanley said she could n't speak for the government, she did think there was sufficient sufficient time to change the legislation legislation before the next municipal municipal election in November of 2006. - HAPPENINGS - TmirsflHYi preymreiuz - -v--- Q vp Qns 003.5006 and seniors to attend their tea at 1 p.m. at the school. R.S.V.P. 905 98 Tomlinson 905-983-9642. oZi^SteÆta Skate - Orono Arena from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Candy canes from Santa °nd hot chocolate for the kids. Merry Christmas from the Orono Firefighters Association. Orono Crown Lands New Year's Eve Gala Dinner & Dance - at Orono Town Hall. Cocktails 7 "m Dccadcm buffet and dessert table. Tickets $65 call 905-983-5970. Music by Crosswmds.