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Page.6'— Halton Hills This. Wéek, Wednesday, February 17, 1993. Editorial _ receiving the award. wave of his hand. Sandy Booth fits the bill In these trying times of discord and dissatisfaction, when everyone seems to have at least one gripe to air, it’s nice to know that in Georgetown at least, nice guys can still finish first. The selection of Sandy Booth by the Georgetown Lions Club as its 1992 Citizen of the Year is both a deserving and appropri- ate honor for the man many refer to as “Mr. Optimist”. Even from his bed at Georgetown Memorial Hospital, where he is recovering from a surgical procedure, Booth was his usual pleasant and accommodating self as he commented on his His initial greeting to the Halton Hills This Week reporter who interviewed him concerning the award, spoke volumes about the character, informality and warmth of the man. “Call me Sandy” was his greeting, immediately setting the tone for a congenial interview session. He has been a guiding force in local scouting circles, has served in a number of capacities for the Georgetown Optimist Club, has organized Christmas parties for the handicapped at the Saturday Centre and always seems ready, able and eager to offer his services to charitable good works. Booth, who will turn 80 in July, still exudes that effervescence for life that seemed to hover around him like an aura in his many and myriad volunteer activities. In terms of his. confinement in hospital, he shrugged off the concerns of his many friends and well-wishers with a typical “I walked in here” he said, “and I’m walking out.” Thanks for walking into our lives, Sandy. Taxation level a concern The Editor: There is a great deal of concern to many of us for the high level of taxation we are all expected to pay to our four levels of government. Locally, we are constantly placing demands for new facilities on our town councillors, including an arena and a seniors centre. Now there is a new demand for funds on both our Regional and Town tax levels, that is, to take over the plan- ning function from the Niagara Escarpment Commission, currently funded by the province. The Region of Peel has declined to consider this transfer since the estimated cost to them would be between $250,000 and $350,000 annually, for their stretch of the Niagara Escarpment. Since the Niagara Escarpment in Halton is almost twice the length of that in Peel, the Halton Hills council, on Improving Your odds ee against AnD stroke | Ca nada's FOUNDATION #1 Killer. February 8, passed a motion recom- mending that Region not proceed with the request to transfer this function from the NEC to Halton, if it will increase either our Regional or our Town taxes. When this was on the Regional agenda in December 1992, four of our five regional councillors voted to delay this transfer until more information was available. Only Pam Johnson was ready to ignore the costs and to proceed with the take-over. This will be coming back on the Regional agenda again in the next few weeks. This time the commu- nity should again watch how our councillors vote on this proposed tax increase. Or is the alternative to repeatedly delay the Acton Arena? Yours truly, Fraser Robin, Georgetown Kinsmen Thanks To the Editor: On behalf of the Georgetown Kinsmen Club I would like to thank you for all of your assistance with the advertising and promotion of the Christmas trees during our “Christmas Tree Project”. The adds aided in the success of this year’s project. Sincerely, Rob Blackburn (Project Chairman) Wastewise employee, Bill Wray, 17, was a little disappointed with his it’s not as romantic as I thought it was,” said Wray. But he was definitely smiling when his first, two- dol- Valentine chair promotion. “I guess lar-a-chair, customer, Toronto resident, Kimberly Mills, came along. Mills said she is “hooked” on Wastewise and hasn’t found anything that compares in Toronto. Photo by Laura Salverda Region requires a master plan To the Editor, Ina local paper last November, it was reported that the Halton plan- ner was frustrated by not getting “clean statements” from the civil servants in Queen’s Park regarding the massive growth-related issues facing Halton Region. There is practically no appeal to the massive power of this Provincial fiefdom and its controlled satellites, one of which is the Halton Region Planning Department whose policy is basically set by Queen’s Park civil servants. Over most of the past 25 to 30 years, there has continually been a shortage in the free market demand for residential building lots, which naturally forced prices far beyond their reasonable worth. The ripple effect of which has been disastrous and is one of the major causes of today’s economic mess in southern Ontario. The Regional Planner may be frustrated by Queen’s Parks civil service but when I recently received my first municipal tax bill for 1993, its size frustrated me. My mind turned back to that November article and the way the Region was wasting money. I remember reading the Milton Urban review, mentioned in this article two or three years ago at a cost of $300,000 to $400,000. Other than some findings on water supply, the report covered nothing new, but was thick enough I guess to make some people think they got some value for their money. Now, that review has been expanded to include north Oakville and Burlington at a cost of $4 mil- lion, and I am sure that planning consultants have left other areas of the Region for future projects. Such a piecemeal approach is not sensi- ble. Like a lamprey eel, attached to a large fat salmon, that consulting firm is planning on feeding on the Region for a long, long time. Halton Region needs a Master Plan which is designed for all the region at maturity, for industrial, commercial, residential, recreation areas, etc., in principle, and the required service corridors for such an infrastructure. Most of the planning basics are in place, such as the Niagara Escarpment, the river valleys, the railroad lines, the greenbelt corri- dor, 401 and 403, the garbage dis- posal area, etc. After all the professional garbage is swept under the table, good plan- ning is about 90 per cent common sense with the balance technical knowledge. Councillor Al Cooke of Halton Hills once suggested that a commit- tee of councillors with the help of staff could draft a plan for Halton Hills. Every other councillor voted against such a plan. Why? I suggest a competent planner, a draftsman and a secretary, working under the guidance of two council- For Pete's Sake by Roe +1, 50 THAT'S A POP, “TODAY'S SPECIAL, AN! CHOCOLATE CAKE. es CH- CHOCOLATE CAE ? REAL CHOCOLATE CAKE? Reet cosw! He's GOT My acoLATe cael! REAL CHOCOLATE WO) CAKE! RE SOSLIM! une 2 ae ee eps cCRE? lors and three business oriented cit- izens could produce a superior plan for the region within a year at a small fraction of the cost. That group would need complete access to all maps and planning informa- tion that the Region has at present. . Private business does not waste money unless it is forced by gov- ernment, and it is about time gov- ernments at levels started looking at the cost benefits and ways and means of how money is spent. I am sure we have three compe- tent residents in the region who would be willing to help. Do we have two councillors for the job? Mr. Rod Pinkney Georgetown, Ontario Comment from North Carolina Today our country is confront- ed with many dilemmas but none more confusing than nursing home patients and criminal pris- oners. Criminals commit crimes, are tried and sentenced to prison where they are given room, board, entertainment and health care. I guess that one must con- clude that crime does pay. Why don’t we put senior citi- zens in prison, which is free, and criminals in nursing homes and require them to pay for the ser- vices? J.H. Connelly, Greensboro Letters Welcome Halton Hills This Week wel- comes your letters. Letters must be signed and include your full name and address. Names will be with- held on request. Halton Hills This Week reserves the right to edit, revise, or reject any letters on the basis of factual errors, punctuation, spelling errors or as a result of space limitations. Send your letter to: The Editor Halton Hills This Week 232 Guelph St., Unit 9 Georgetown, ON