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Another weeks of winter The who emerged from their bar row to predict the weather on Groundhog Day today have their wort cat oat for them How can they predict more weeks of win ter when the weather hag been balmy for most of the winter weve had weather prophet who emerged from a snow bank In rural Halton Hills was almost Minded by the sun That means she can see ber shadow and by tradition she should slide down her burrow for another six weeks of winter No shadow then its an ear ly spring In any event her reliability as a fore caster has been tagged at per cent Board has 65 milion with Crown Trust not 4 million Halton Board of Education last week dis covered they do not have million Invested with Crown Trait but S million Superintendent of business and finance Barb Moore told the board Thursday they had two separate investments in Crown Trust one for million due January 24 and one for million due January 7 The board broker bad been instructed to remove the million and invest moat of it the Toronto Harbour Commission and the remainder in callable notes The money was transferred and confirmation received from the Harbour Commission on January In the meantime the provincial govern ment seized Crown Trust on January freezing its in the wake of a govern ment investigation Into the sale of Cadillac apartments Buyers for Crown Trust are being sought by the government and If none are forthcoming all Investors may lose their money according to Consumer and Commercial Relations minister Robert Elgie It was not until last week that the board learned that because of the freeze Crown Trust bank did not negotiate the K mil Hon cheque that had been issued to the board broker reversing the transaction In effect Moore said the cheque boun ced Finance Committee chairman Bill Priest wanted to know why the school board did not know until January 26 that the money had not been transferred What happened in that 19 days he asked Moore admitted there was a lot of ton on everyone part She said they did not real lie the fate of the million because the board received the tie in interest It had accrued which she pointed out will not be returned She said the came in a letter about January saying that the transaction had been reversed However the accounting department was in the middle of year end reports and no one looked in the envelope until last week The board s solicitor spent last Wed nesday morning tn Toronto but could get no more information Moore told the board hushhush and the lawyer could only obtain what information was on the television and in newspapers However the board lawyer suggested the board proceed to formally serve notice on Crown Trust demanding payment of the overdue certificates and the board go on record with the Ministry of Education In forming them of the situation They also advtsea that in order to protect the board a interests they should retain a firm of solicitors and act on their advice pending final resolution of the issue As chairman of the finance committee said we are going to have to deal with the results of this He criticized staff on the handling of the issue We can t leave things sitting In a tray for six days This is big business We have to be optimistic and we have to be smarter he laid Trustee Crazier wondered if the board serving notice on Crown Trust would force them Into bankruptcy Moore admitted It could but that was not the Intent We are letting them know we are not hist sitting around doing nothing we want our money Transportation and Communications Mln Jim Snow who was at the board meet on another matter jokingly told the trustees I m sorry I cannot stay for the rest of the meeting but I have to get back to Toronto We are debating the Crown Trust deal and I have to see if I can get back some of your money A COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER One Hundred and Eighth Year Issue 30 ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY2 1383 38 Pages Thirty Cents Hall restoration underway The big job of restoring the Acton town hall began yesterday Tuesday morning Ten workers hired under the federal job creation grant won by the community groups restoring the hall have been hired through Manpower and Patrick Cole the architect for the project and engineers have nailed down plans for the project Heritage Acton the new body taking care of the restoration project combining people from Actario and the Restoration Com mittee has been created and the letters Heritage Acton Ian just for the Ted Tyler says He noted this umbrella group can be used by any citizens who want to restore the Stone School save monu ment works of art buildings etc In Acton Much of the groundwork licences etc for the public to restore buildings will be In place for anyone to use through Heritage Acton Town hall supporters gathered at the ball for a tour Tuesday morning along with Mayor Peter Councillors Dave Whiting RlckBorawste Phil Carney Marilyn and Finn Poulstrup Workers on the project the press CoIeandhlssssoclatesandFlreChlef Bill Cunningham also were on band for the tour During the tour Tyler and George Elliott pointed out various features of the building Including heritage aspects Following the tour everyone went to the Band Hall for lunch and presentation of plans for the hall and the restoration staff Tyler noted a number of special Items like the cell bars from the hall have been located They axe looking at having a Mayor Pete Pomeroy rips up the sign pro hibiting entry to the Acton Town Hall yesterday Tuesday as workmen prepare to restore the controversial building nostalgia room in the hall which would have photos of Acton sports from the past ceQ bars possibly the clock from the old post office aid other Acton memorabilia Also the folly restored town hall piano which is now at the Band Hall will probably be moved back borne Tyler noted tickets it 130 a couple are half taken for tbe big New Year a Eve party planned for the restored hall at the end of this year Heritage Acton has been in touch with two government agencies their Identity Is being withheld seeking more in grants Tyler said they are optimistic of a sub stantial grant from one group they have already applied to and are applying for a grant from another agency as well If more money is secured they have come up with a concept for the town hall which will make it quite the spot indeed Tyler explained they d like to put an addition on the building and locate it In small parking lot beside the hall This would feature a foyer with a greenhouse style effect and it would enhance the side of the town hall The plans for restoration and expansion look five or six years Into the future and Include provisions for the hand capped There would be handicap wash rooms on both floors and an elevator on the inside of the building and an interior hand cap ramp There would also be the great hall up stairs boiler and electrical rooms in the basement public washrooms office or meeting etc There would be access from the town hall to the fire hall on the second floor for the fire fighters only if the brigade wishes Cole explained the first chore is a rescue of the hall He explained the roof is in better shape than some have Indicated in the past there are problems but they are repairable It has also been misleading Cole reported to say previously that members in the roof are loose they can be easily fixed The roof and floors will be reinforced to meet current building codes and various exploratory work began Tuesday so details of restoration can be more refined Basement walla are being examined so excavation can start soon and Tyler noted the front bricks are about threequarters of an Inch out too for At the beginning of the tour Mayor Pomeroy took down and ripped up the sign which has been on the door for several years warning people not to enter because the building is unsafe Be sure to read next week paper for more photos and details about this project Dorothy Jackson puts the thing loaches to one her paintings she prepares Tor the Pa lie tie and Pencil Club annual exhibition which runt from February J to I- I the gallery in Halloa Hills Cultural Centre Carney suggests Local talent will be coming oat of ft weed- talent are Michelle Heap Stacey work next Tuesday evening when McKea- HeJde Lang Middle School Tones and Wendy Notion Jennifer Talent Gnelph Barncrshespera will also tee Gallant JoJuuUoe Tanya perform at the only major road rablag drive of the year Some of the DeJoag Schmidt and Bruce Use reserve funds for needed projects instead of saving for municipal complex Mini golf boat house among work projects Building a course for Pros- soluble make work project and engineer pert Park tbe ramp at Acton Robert agreed It meet tbe arena a Park of tbe program Coundaor Buss Miller asked if there was boat bouse and doc at Fairy Lake are an- anything which could be done to eliminate VtrtUrTtLsus Hot apprar- l which be better ban tadtd under the creation pro project In IB fcr notarial another to oka Dettat of too mm CoBdlkr nit a Cajrkod Km one bo PI hi to on backon If tlw tedaoad la hat ramp a make work oraa tap tan tt On was If Is passed cast far a major Ham tfMn tfcea5eflvaatadil stwat wouldnt be a Council should consider reviewing the whole idea of having a reserve fund design to help finance a future municipal com according to Georgetown Councillor Phil Carney He thinks it would be better to spend the funds on projects benefitting tax payers He suggested a review of the reserve fund at Monday Hilb general com rait tec meeting while councillors were debating demolishing a building on property Town owns onChurch St in Georgetown for a municipal parking lot Money from developers lot levies have been going in tbe reserve fund since 1977 The Town had originally intended to sell the Church St property to cover 000 rowed from the reserve fund previously to help pay for the Centre project In Georgetown Carney said he t believe tbe Town should have in a reserve He suggested the money could be put to better use paying for projects like ruling tbe dangerous Holmesway Acton ditches and putting in handicap ramps for municipal buildings etc reserve fund belongs to tax payers so It should be used to pay for tax payers needs Carney declared People are sitting on council to take care of taxpayers needs and if anyone thought that t their job they were sitting in the wrong chair Carney said Councillor Ross was concerned money was taken out of tbe reserve fund and now wasn t being paid back He noted other times when council has borrowed from the fund the money was repaid He noted a delegation came from Acton concerned about deep Holmesway Pi ditches expressing fears a child could drown Council offer to pay for storm sewers to solve that problem from the reserve fund observed He suggested while It intended council was basically saying parking was more important that children lives because it 1 selling the Georgetown property to repay the reserve fund or dlngreservefundstoflxthedltches he t against extra parking In down town Georgetown he just t like method being followed by council In not repaying the reserve fund inside todays Free TomSbepard wns field- Robert Utile School said lag at week la and II find re- Betty Ashley last week parts en what be had to tun la page or a sad phot Tbe Chamber of Commerce the theme needs a new president Read happenings a Ml report on s annul month at Acta Library and Monday night Acta High Details eapagex Dare Hall was hi TbeBlAkseentagaihaer- baft of sates case lids taller A fall report on that week Seepage meeting page