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THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2004 THE NEW TANNER EWAG News EWAG Community Support Services in Rockwood would like to make a request of people dropping off articles in the front of our store. We do not accept articles other than clothes, small toys and paperback novels. Lately we have had people dropping off furniture and other articles and we do not accept these items. Please do not leave them on our doorstep. As a non-profit organization, this ends up costing us money in disposing of these items. Thank you. Lunch and Movie Day!! Join us on Tuesday, February 10 at Squires Lodge when we will be having our regular Diners Club lunch along with amovie to follow. At this point the movie has been decided but until I actually get it I will keep it a surprise for everyone!! There is no charge for the movie but the lunch is $6 per person and please bring your own dishes. Please call Lynn at the EWAG office for more information. Attention all Parents!! EWAG is offering many programs, every day of the week for young parents and their children. If you are feeling closed in during this cold weather, bundle the kiddies up and participate in one of the many great programs offered by Sue and Jane in our community. To know what is happening, get your name on the Early Years Newsletter by calling the office at 856-2113. Need help with your resume or job search? Then you need to come in on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. to talk to Natalie from 2" Chance Employment Counselling. A great service in our community. Yes, folks, the sale of the year is soon coming up at our - thrift store. During the month of February, EWAG is having its famous "Stuff It" Sale. Stuff a bag for just $6. Good news with our store hours!! The store is now open on Fridays from 12 to 4 p.m. as well as our usual time from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday. Please remember our Food Pantry is Tuesdays by appointment only. You need to call ahead if you need this service. We are located at 126 Main St. S. in Rockwood. Our phone number is 856-2113. Our e-mail address is ewag2@sentex.net. Please remember that we offer fax, laminating and photocopying services for a small fee for those needing any of those services. We also carry government forms such as Social Insurance OHIP and Canada Pension. Three candidates declare for Tory Wellington/Halton Hills nomination The Conservative Party of Canada will hold its founding meeting on Jan. 31 at Rockmosa Community Hall. The meeting will be open to party members only. Hall doors will open at noon with meeting beginning officially at 1 p.m. Grace Thomson, one of the organizers for the new riding association, said melding all the components to form a cohesive association is very complicated because there eight riding associations involved. The new riding will include sections of Centre Wellington near Fergus, Puslinch Township south of Guelph, Eramosa Township around Rockwood, Erin and its rural area and Halton Hills. As well as the five geographically distinct municipalities, organizers must deal with merging the Alliance and former Tory organizations which served them. Thomson pointed out that the new riding associations aren't legal yet because the legislation approving the redistribution of boundaries has not passed parliament. However they must be formed and ready since everyone is primed for Prime Minister Paul Martin to call a spring election. Thomson could not say how long memberships must be in force in order to qualify to vote on the new association. Although nothing is official, the association has three potential candidates vying for the right to represent the party when an election is called. Michael Chong from the Fergus area, Marty Burke of Guelph and former Halton MP Garth Turner have all indicated their interest in representing the area when the writ is dropped. Eden Mills man charged with taking cruiser Corsica, a 39-year-old female of Theft Over, Dangerous Wellington O.P.P. man eluded the officers and responded to a call for three drove away in the cruiser, men fighting near Jones _ police said. A short pursuit Baseline and Stone Road last ensued, it concluded after the Friday, January 23 at 11:46 man became involved in a am. While officers were collision with another O.PP. dealing with a male who was behaving irrationally, the cruiser and a Chevrolet Corsica. The driver of the and the passenger, a 16-year- old female both from Guelph did not sustain any injuries. One O.PP. officer did sustain a minor neck injury and was transported to Guelph General Hospital. He was treated and released, Driving, Assault Police and Mischief Under. He was held in custody for a bail hearing on January 24. If anyone has any information they are asked to call the Guelph Detachment of the OPP at 519-822-7250 or Crime Stoppers - Cold cash for hot tips This year, 2004 marks the 28th anniversary of the world's first Crime Stoppers program established in Albuquerque, New Mexico in September 1976. On January 6 the more than 1,000 programs in communities around the world officially launched January as Crime Stoppers Month. DickChapman, president of Wellington County Crime Stoppers, said it's important for the public to be aware of the achievements our Crime Stoppers program has had since being set up here in 1988. Constable Peter McEachern, coordinator of Wellington County Crime Stoppers, said Crime Stoppers wouldn't achieve the results it has without the volunteer efforts of the board of directors. "They donate countless hours to raise funds for rewards and to operate the Crime Stoppers hotline where people can call with information about unsolved crime," McEachern said. Steve Walrath, president of Crime Stoppers International, the volunteer organization that oversees the various. non-profit Crime Stoppers programs worldwide, said there have been some remarkable achievements since the first Crime Stoppers was established 28 years ago. Walrath said accumulative figures compiled by Crime Stoppers International show tips have led to the arrest of more than 500,000 individuals, the recovery of some $1.4 billion in stolen property and the seizure of drugs with a street value estimated at more than $4.4 billion. "Volunteers on local Crime Stoppers boards do what they can to make sure the program is a success," Walrath said. "They try to keep the fun in fundraising, but they know crime fighting is a serious business and are deeply committed to ensuring they provide a safe and secure world today and for generations to come." A 35 year-old male from imeStoppers at 1-800-222- Eden Mills is facing charges TIPS. Council stays with day meetings For now at least, Guelph/Eramosa council will continue to hold the regular monthly meetings at 7pm on the first and third Monday of each month. While the issue of starting some meetings earlier in the day is immaterial for most of the council, it would be a problem for Coun. Teressa Gibson Smye who operates her business during the day. Council decided to re-visit the issue later, possibly in August. If they do shift to holding daytime meetings some of the time, the meetings will begin at 9 am. Halton Hills Council engage in 'tough' budget talks By FRANCES NIBLOCK The New Tanner The serious challenges facing the Town's budget committee -- including the daunting spectre of a double- digit tax increase -- was repeatedly underscored by Bob Austin, the Town's newly promoted CAO, at a budget overview meeting last Thursday. Austin used the word "tough" four times in three minutes describing the budget committee's job with both the operating and capital budgets. The operating budget includes a 7 per cent increase in department budgets; a two percent dedicated tax increase for road maintenance and one per cent for recommendations from the CAO. the services expected by the That 10 percentrepresents _ ratepayers," Austin said. an $83 increase, to $923, on At the request of a Town tax bill for a property | Georgetown Councillor Moya assessed at $250,000. Johnson, the budget also This year's proposed $6.7- includes options to reduce the million capital budgetincludes _7 per cent base budget increase anew pay-as-you-go finding to 5 per cent. strategy where the Town Georgetown Councillor banks $1.1-millionannuallyto Ron Chatten said they cannot pay for new projects. afford a 7 per cent increase, The nine-year capital compared with the3.3 percent forecast is $74.5-million. increase last year in the cost- Austin said the budget oftliving. : packages respond to budget Treasurer Ed DeSousa committee guidelines and pointed out that the majority respect previously approved _ of the budget increases could capital forecasts. They also "anticipate the additional fiscal burden of the long-awaited opening of the Gellert Centre to the public, and, finally, continue to recognize the need to be fiscally responsible to provide be attributed to new service levels and uncontrollable costs, including two fire department staff, utility costs and retirement fund contribution. Following overviews by each department of their proposed operating budgets for this year, the budget committee adjourned to meet on Monday night. RRKKK At that storm-shortened meeting, councillors spent several hours debating relatively small amounts of money in capital budget funding requests that had been referred to the budget debates by various councillors. Budget committee said: Yes -- to a $13,500 request for a Halton natural areas inventory. Yes -- to $20,000 for a municipal accessibility plan. No -- to a $13,500 request from the Ballinafad Community Centre to help pave its parking lot. The budget committee also grappled with escalating costs for information technology, including a new program registration system for the recreation and parks department, triggered by construction of the Gellert Centre, which will double the number of expected registrations. Georgetown Councillor Bob Inglis said his calculations show the Town will spend over $1.2-million for technology over the next three years, asking if they are following a plan. DeSousa said they are working with a technical strategic plan that is reviewed annually "so more staff might not be needed." Councillors deferred a suggestion from Councillor Jane Fogal to cut $75,000 for the new registration system, until Tuesday night's budget talks when staff were asked to come back with more details about the system's benefits. At the suggestion of Acton and Regional Councillor Clark Somerville, the budget committee cut $10,000 earmarked for a computer system upgrade that would trigger deadline milestones for staff, to help ensure permits are issued within required times. Poor weather conditions convinced 'the Town to cancel the- budget committee's review of the capital and then operating budget on Tuesday, but the committee will continue talks on Wednesday.