Davis miffed at being left off parade list CYNTHIA GAMBLE Staff Writer Ward 3 Councillor Mike Davis plans to celebrate Canada Day in the Glen, but he won't be marching in its noon parade. Davis brought the issue up at the end of Monday's council meeting. He wondered if the Town should be giving money to groups who do not allow everyone to participate in their events. The Town's Community Affairs committee recently approved a municipal assistance grant to the Glen Williams Town Hall Board which puts on the annual event. The $1,757 included the waiving of facility fees (such as the park), marketing and promotion and the loan of Town equipment (such as extra picnic tables and benches). MIKE While Davis inDAVIS sisted he doesn't have "a problem" that he wasn't included on the dignitaries' list, he stated that since taxpayers' money is helping to fund the day, and anyone who wants to, should be allowed to walk in the parade. But Janice Giles, Glen Williams Canada Day committee co-chair said Tuesday, "we don't refuse anyone who wishes to walk in the parade, but it was pointed out to Mr. Davis that he would not be allowed to make any political statement (while walking). And I don't think it was his intention just to walk." The committee, she said, had made the policy about keeping the event apolitical years ago after one candidate in another election year used the parade as a political platform, embarrassing organizers. The decision was made from then on to invite only the elected representatives of that community, the MP, MPP, the mayor and Ward 2 councillors (Joan Robson, Bryan Lewis, Clark Somerville). Robson said the councillors' role is low-key, with the aim to celebrate this family day with their constituents without political overtones. "For someone who apparently it doesn't bother for not being in the parade, (Davis) is sure raising an issue out of it," said Somerville. "We should not be turning something as nice as the Canada Day parade into a political event." Meanwhile, councillors and Town staff will face Glen Williams' citizens in a softball game at 10 a.m. School boards boost EDCs Continued from pg. 1 The public board's facilities superintendent said prime land scarcity in this area, due in part to greenbelt legislation coupled with high demand for housing here and a good economy, is driving rising land costs. Cullen said developers have known about the board's EDC intentions for about a month. He said they have an appeal period of about 40 days if they disagree with the figures, although he doesn't think that will happen. He guessed that most or all of the EDC increase will be passed on to homebuyers by developers. "I suppose in a lot of cases that's what they do. That would be part of their (price) negotiating process." And that's what has upset Acton Councillor Mike O'Leary. A member of the Town of Halton Hills Economic Development Committee, he fears the increase will have a detrimental effect, especially on non-residential development, in Halton Hills. O'Leary had intended to introduce a motion at Monday's council meeting asking school boards to phase in the increases over three years to allow the Town to remain competitive with other municipalities' development charges. But O'Leary withdrew the motion after learning both boards had already passed their bylaws. "It (the motion) would have been like closing the barn door after the horses had got out," he said, adding, "None of the other municipalities (Oakville, Burlington and Milton) seemed concerned and for the life of me I can't understand why." --With files from Cynthia Gamble, staff writer It's all yours John Martin, (left) Halton Hills Fire Protection & Prevention Service Chief of Operations, recently accepted the keys to the new 2006 Freightliner heavy duty rescue unit from Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette, while councillors (from left) Jon Hurst, Mike O'Leary and Clark Somerville, and firefighters Dave Ford, Dave Bouskill, Tom Robertson, Steve McKnight, Bryce Marshall and Dave Pratt looked on. The new unit, costing just over $200,000, is stationed at the District One (Acton) fire station, replacing the 1994 International medium rescue unit that has been in service there since it was new. The old unit will be assigned to the District Two station for other duties. The new state-of-the-art unit, equipped with improved equipment to aid the firefighters in doing their job. Photo by Ted Brown Police blotter Area thieves targeting unlocked vehicles Halton Police remind residents to keep their vehicles locked after a number of theft and wilful damage incidents were reported recently. Several vehicles parked overnight this past weekend in the Shelley St., Prince Charles Dr., Byron Cr., Greystone Cr. and Moultrey Ct. areas were rifled through by thieves. Residents reported to police the loss of items such as small change, CDs, cell phones and sunglasses, as well as a satellite radio receiver valued at about $400. "In all of these cases, the vehicles were left unlocked and the culprits are just looking for easy targets like those," said Detective Sergeant Peter Hodgson. "If cars are locked up, they'll leave it and move on to the next one." Petty thieves weren't suspected, however, in the removal of the entire front-end assembly from a Chevy Trailblazer early last Wednesday morning (June 21). Hodgson said that the $3,500 theft from the Georgetown Chrysler lot on Mountainview Rd. North was likely the work of professionals. A Ford Winstar parked at a Joycelyn Ct. residence was entered in the early hours of June 16 through an unlocked trunk hatch. Several compact discs were taken and a portable CD player was damaged. Damage to a 1994 Ford Mercury is estimated at $2,000 after a cement block was thrown on to the hood of the vehicle, which was in a Park Ave. underground lot on June 19. A Chevrolet GMC was vandalized and a DVD taken from it after a break-in to the rear lot at Hassell Automotive on Mountainview Rd. during the overnight hours of June 14-15, causing $1,300 damage. In Acton, a school bus parked at Tyler Transport on Queen St. was entered on the weekend of June 16-18 and a safety axe was stolen, worth approximately $200. ··· A 72-year-old Georgetown woman was charged with careless driving and failure to remain at the scene of an accident after a stop sign was struck Sunday just after 10 a.m. in the intersection of Delrex Blvd. And Weber Dr. A 2004 Toyota driving westbound on Delrex failed to stop at the intersection, went off the road and knocked down a stop sign before driving away. The vehicle, bearing minor damage, was found at a Maple Ave. residence a short time later. Pape Hildegard was issued a summons to appear in court Sept. 25. ··· Approximately $5,000 worth of horseriding equipment went missing at an equestrian show held on the Third Line of Halton Hills sometime between June 18-20. A saddle and bridle strirrups were apparently taken from an unlocked stall in the stables.