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THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2006 THE NEW TANNER 3 FITNESS CENTRE HOURS MON/TUES. 5AM-1PM, 3:30PM-10PM FRI. 7AM-1PM, 3:30PM-9PM WED. 7AM-1PM, 3:30PM-10PM SAT/SUN. 7AM-3PM THURS. 5AM-1PM, 3:30PM -10PM GRAND OPENING SATURDAY JAN. 21 *Space still available for CPR Course Sunday, Jan. 22* ????????????????? ????????????????? ??? ????????????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ???????????? ???? ???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????? ????? ????? to celebrate Lloyds Retirement Friday, Jan. 20th 7 to 11p.m. Acton Legion (Ladies Lounge) LOOK FOR YOUR HOME HARDWARE FLYER IN TODAYS ISSUE! Acton Home Hardware 519-853-1730 Chiropodist / Foot Specialist DEANNA WILSON B.Sc.,D.Ch. Thompson Wellness Centre 25 Main Street North Acton, Ontario L7J 1V9 519-853-3460 Foot/Nail Care Sports Injuries Pediatrics Diabetic /Arthritic Foot Conditioning Custom Orthotics and Footwear Home visits OLeary pleads for Main St. S. improvements BY FRANCES NIBLOCK The New Tanner A p lea fo r s t a ff to massage the budget so intolerable Main Street South road conditions in Acton can be fixed sooner, not later, was made by Acton Councillor Mike OLeary at the Towns bud- get overview meeting on Tuesday. Staff will report back on his request, and those made by other councillors, on Monday when the budget committee all councillors and the mayor begins de- bate on this years operating and capital budgets. As it now stands, with no further changes, the proposed operating budget would require $20.4-mil- lion in taxes a five per cent tax increase over last year, or $50 more on a house as- sessed at $300,000 for Town taxes. Two of the five per cent tax increase is dedicat- ed to the Towns multi-year road improvement program. Treasurer Ed DeSousa said the Town received $295,000 more than expected in as- sessment growth taxes from new houses and busi- ness. It is quite a large in- crease (in assessment) and thats why we are able to bring the budget (increase) down from 6.3 down to five (per cent), he said. He said the budget does not include any new equipment or expansion of existing pro- grams. New staff includes three employees in the build- ing and part-time firefighters with the third fire station. Several councillors, in- cluding Town/Regional Ward 1/2 Councillor Clark Somerville raised concern with various items on a list of proposed cuts to further decrease the budget and proposed tax increase. He suggested they might be pound wise but penny foolish to cut back on the amount they spend on mate- rials to repair sidewalks, for gravel patching and gravel road shoulder maintenance programs. On the issue of repairing Main Street, Councillor OLeary wants staff to come up with enough federal gas tax money to do the engi- neering work this year and the $553,300 reconstruc- tion from Knox Street to the southerly urban limit, in 2007, not 2009 as forecast. He said that his colleague, Councillor Clark Somer- ville, calls the road, which is a gateway- a main access into Acton, a goat path, and residents complain that the condition of the road is just intolerable. The largest project in the proposed $10.7-million capital budget is a third station for the fire depart- ment. Other major projects include $1.2-million for pavement management, $1- million for the realignment of the Fifth Line, $500,000 for construction of Eastern Avenue and $500,000 for phase two of the Acton Sports Park. The 2007-2015 capital forecast of $69-million rep- resents $7.7-million per year of capital projects over the next nine years. The Town has been setting aside money in a pay-as- you-go fund to avoid taking on debt for new projects, but theres $37-million in project requests and only $11-million in pay-as-you- go funds. The total tax bill Re- gional, Town and education at this point would be $3,367 on a house assessed at $300,000. Thats a 3.1 per cent increase from last year. The budget committee will hear from delegations on Monday (January 16) and has three nights booked for debate this month. Council will discuss how to pay for a new library in Georgetown at a meeting on January 31, and final approval of the budgets is slated for the February 6th council meeting. Burnt toast, gas leaks A homeowner met arriv- ing Acton firefighters and told them that smoke from burnt toast set off an alarm at the residence on the Fifth Line, just south of Highway 7, at 11:32 last Thursday morning. Gas leak A Pearl Court homeowner who called the fire depart- ment about gas leaking from a neighbours car was ad- vised to call police if it happened again. Acton firefighters were called to the scene at 2:16 last Tuesday by the homeowner who reported gasoline was leaking from the car parked on the street. Firefighters used absorb- all to mop up the gas, and the owner agreed to move the car by the end of the day. Budget Overview