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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2005 THE NEW TANNER 3 Acton woman wants child welfare law changes BY FRANCES NIBLOCK The New Tanner Acton's Amanda Reed, a self-described crusader, has a new target -- the Canadian child-welfare system. After reading about the horrifying life and death of five-year-old Jeffery Baldwin of Toronto, who died of septic shock after a long period of malnu- trition, Reed became an "angry citizen." That anger has evolved into a three-point pro- posal, which she hopes to present to the appropriate authorities, that calls for all agencies that deal with children to be accountable for their actions, for chang- es in laws, legislation and the judicial system, and an amalgamation of the Cath- olic and public Children's Aid Societies. Jeffrey Baldwin-was- placed in the care of his grandparents by the Catho+ ' lic Children Aid Society (CCAS), which realized after his November 2003, death that their own files contained information that both the grandmoth- er and grandfather had convictions for assaulting children. Both have plead- ed not guilty to first degree murder in his death and the unlawful confinement of another grandchild. Recently, Reed and To- ronto councillors arranged to have a tree planted in Jeffrey's memory, and at the ceremony, a plaque was unveiled at a park near his home. "The stories I read in the papers (from his grand- parents' trial) hit hard. I became consumed with the circumstances about his death -- so many of the aspects of his death are wrong -- it could have been prevented," Reed said, adding -her- feeling were fuelled by the fact she has a two-yearold-son, Reed HAUNTING MEMORIAL: Acton's Amanda Reed, with son Reed DeBard, holds a copy of the marker placed re- cently on a tree and bench in Toronto in memory of Jeffrey Baldwin who died while in the care of his grandparents, who are now being tried for murder. -- Frances Niblock photo Bedard, and knowing that when Jeffrey died at four years of age, he was half the size of her boy. "The length and sever- ity of the-falleged] abuse is just incomprehensible, so I just felt I had to do Town has $929,000 surplus A building boom means a projected $929,000 year-end budget surplus -- and some decisions how to spend the money already not earmarked for the operating budget and reserve funds. At Council on Monday, Georgetown Councillor Mike Davis asked how the "sub- stantial surplus" -- most of it from revenues from building permits -- could be used. "There is currently some debate, technically, whether the last six months of any surplus in the building permit section is going to go into a special reserve or the gen- eral Town surplus," DeSouza said, adding he favours the general reserve. Under questioning from Davis, DeSouza also said after $250,000 is set aside from the surplus for the 2006 operating budget, the bal- ance equates 3.5 per cent in taxes. Georgetown library plans Town Council will build a new modern library in Georgetown, but, at this time, will not close the exist- ing downtown facility, even though it will cost $440,000 more each year than a single facility, which is a library board consultant's choice. Council also said no to the Dominion Gardens site --the first choice -- for a new loca- tion, and asked staff to report back on how and where to improve library facilities and services. Consultant Jim Morgen- stern said Councillors need to make a "quick determina- tion" about what model of library service they want -- one branch or two in Georgetown -- because the situation is "al- most desperate with service and facilities not enough and not good enough." Although the consultant's report deals with library services and facilities in Georgetown, Morgenstern noted that Acton's River Street branch also feels the pressures of growth and requires an additional 9,000- square-feet of space. Economic development search The Town is searching for Firefighter Education and Trawning. Love Mem, Dad, Lisa & Cotin, Mark & Shaun a new economic develop- ment officer now that Al O'Neill has announced his retirement, effective January 13,2006. "T've been here five-and-a- half years, and that's probably a little longer than I intended to stay, and I've had a great time, but it's time to move on to the next phase of my life," O'Neill said recently, adding he's not sure if he'll take on a fourth career. "| have a retirement home in Stratford, and have agreed to be the chairman of the Communities in Bloom (program) in Stratford and I'm also on the (Stratford) environment and city beau- tification committee and when the springtime comes I'll have my garden -- there are a million things to do," O'Neill saids He said he's glad he had enough time in Halton Hills to see development begin in the 401 industrial corridor. something and the memo- rial is my first step," Reed said recently. The recent unveiling of the plaque, tree and bench in Jeffrey's memory drew a large crowd including Toronto's deputy police to downstairs at McK- enzie-Smith Bennett School. Acton Coun- cillors Mike O'Leary and Jon Hurst helped celebrate with Kathy Wallas, general man- ager of Halton child development. -- Frances Niblock photo Lositig your grip? Take this test: Are your dentures........ OLeose? OCracked or worn? Oim your pocket? OMissing teeth? OMaking your gums ' sore? If you answered "yes " to any of these give us a call! Tragy Mitchell D.D. 130 Mill St. E., Unit 103 Acton, ON L7J 1J1 Telephone: (519) 853-0079 Fax: (519) 853-1134 ic chief, the emergency ser- vice workers who tried to revive the emaciated boy, elected officials and some of his family members. The city donated the tree and bench, and the plaque will be paid for with public donations that were sent to Reed after a Toronto newspaper wrote about her efforts to prevent another death like Jeffrey's. Reed said her next step is to try and get meetings with the people who can change the laws to overhaul the agencies that deal with children. "The agencies must be accountable for what they do and they need a more strict, clear set of rules of what is required of their agents. Jeffrey Baldwin's (Toronto Catholic Chil- dren's Aid Society case) worker should be facing criminal charges as well as being fired, and she is still actively employed," Reed said, adding a child care worker can not be charged if they place the child in "good faith." "They (the CCAS) didn't even need to go the police for these people's files. It was in their own file fold- ers," Baldwin said, adding she is not trained as a child- care worker, but "this just seems like logic." Reed is gathering support for her proposed changes in the child-welfare systems with petitions that she has left in two Acton stores. She said there are too many loopholes in the Criminal Code and the Family Act of Canada, and wants the code changed to add a "death by child abuse" charge with a mini- mum sentence of 10 years upon conviction. "This boy should not have died. The people who were put in charge should have looked out for him but did not. I want to try to make sure that doesn't happen again." CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH « ACTON & Sacred Music Concert (LinC service) The Jubilation Male Chorus 65 voice Male Chorus from K-W and area Sunday, Nov 20, 6.30 pm Christian Reformed Church 369 Queen St. E., Acton Quality Child Care Available -- Freewill Offering