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Ian Oliver Publisher Robert Glasbey Advertising Director Norman Alexander Editor Geoff Hill Circulation Director Teri Casas Office Manager Tim Coles Production Manager In one instance, it‘s suggested the town sell off its public works facility on Trafalgar Road and bring these personnel to a bigger town hall. Nice thought but what about the trucks, materials and other equipment? Regardless of manpower changing sites, the town will need a substantial amount of real estate to adequately store these items. The yard would also need an environmental cleanâ€"up and no cost has been placed on that either. We agree with councillor Sean Weir that some more ‘hard numbers‘ need to be seen before the expansion proceeds. Failure to act prudently would just continue the practice followed by too many governments plagued with an edifice complex. To that end, town councillors have set aside $892,500. this year in an town hall expansion fund. A further $3.8â€"million will be placed in the account next year with an additional $2â€"million coming from development charges next year, $1.6â€"million from debentures or longâ€"term leasing arrangements and another $250,000 coming from capital reserves. This isn‘t chicken feed folks. In theory, the concept is a good one but there are still many nagging questions to be answered before the town should proceed with further expansion plans. Town Hall officials, it seems, have been hard at work coming up with a plan to try and put most town departments in one structure. And that structure is town hall....a $10â€"million expanded town hall, construction of which could start as early as next year, according to deputy town manager Peter Wagland. In those days, interest rates were high, the country was on a spending binge and there were lots of smiles among the town hall staff. Flashâ€"forward to January 1993 and a new mayor, new councillors and an econoâ€" my that has been struggling for the past three years. otherwise known as Town Hall, was opened. It was quite a celebration.There was hoopla, there were magicians, there was everything needed to open a $4.4â€" million building that was sorely needed in an expanding town. In November of 1988, the latest addition of the Oakville Municipal Building, I Ves E a»" P d Should Prime Minister Brian Mulroney resign? Yes â€"131 No â€" 18 World survey: Harvard Business Review _EDITORIAL _ _ Just the facts 467 Speers Road, Oakville, Ont. L6K 384 Classified Advertising: 845â€"2809 Circulation: 845â€"9742 or 845â€"9743 Are you in favor of spending $10 million to expand town hall? Give us your opinion on this topic by calling 845â€"5585, box 5008 and registering a yes or no answer. Callers have until 12 noon Thursday to express their opinion. Results of the poll will be published in the next Friday edition of the Oakville Beaver. Dear Sir: I welcome this opportunity to clarify the intent of the Town‘s Budget Committee concerning a future possible Town Hall expansion. I wish to emphasize that the recommendation of the Budget Committee at its meeting on Monday, Jan. 25th, does not commit the Council to an expansion of the Town Hall in 1994 as was reported in a headline in last Wednesday‘s Oakville Beaver. Public will have input on health service changes Dear Sir: We have noted a number of recent letters concerning paediatric services in Oakville and would like to proâ€" vide your readers with some basic information about this review of hospital services that will begin in February. Although a fuller presentation is planned for professionals and the public alike when the study gets underway, it is apparent that some misconceptions are already being formed. At the same time, some valid consumer issues are being raised. These, in fact, are the very issues that will be examined once the study begins. What the Budget Committee did was to recommend to Council that a committee comprised of citizens, councillors, and staff be established in 1993 to examine this issue. Some context to the issue. The Halton District Health Council â€" as an advisor to the Minister of Health â€" has been asked to facilitate a study that will provide guidance to changes in our health care system that is being driven by a variety of factors. These include popâ€" ulation growth, technological change, growing operatâ€" ing tosts, decreasing revenues, and increasing conâ€" sumer expectations. Although money has been availâ€" able for capital redevelopment (renovations), there has been no increase in the hospital budgets to provide the dayâ€"toâ€"day services (operating budgets). The result, as is happening in the business sector, is the need to look closely at ways to continue to deliver the necessary.care The committee‘s purpose would be to determine the future space needs at Town Hall to enable greater effiâ€" ciency through the consolidation of municipal functions and to service the future population growth of Oakville. The Town is expected to grow from its current populaâ€" tion of 116,000 to around 150,000 by the year 2000. The committee will focus on determining: * The future timing and the various options, both in the shortâ€"term and the longâ€"term, to meet these needs, Town Hall expansion will be studied The Oakville Beaver welcomes your comments. All letters must be signed and include the writer‘s address and phone number. Letters should be typed, doubleâ€"spaced and addressed to: i.e. construction of an addition or leasing of space; and * The costs and financing associated with each option. In the 1993 capital budget, an allocation toward the cost of this potential project has been made by transferâ€" ring funds from an undesignated reserve fund to one that has been established to meet the Town‘s share ‘of any cost related to the possible expansion. Therefore, no tax revenue is being raised in 1993 for this potential proâ€" ject. â€"Following the committee‘s review, it would present its recommendations to Council for consideration. In addition, it is important to note that each year the Town prepares a 10 year capital forecast of its anticipatâ€" ed requirements for various facilities which sets out the estimated timing, costs, and financing of each facility. A provision for the possible expansion of the Town Hall has been made in the current 10 year capital foreâ€" cast. in a quality way at a time when costs are increasing and revenues are not keeping pace. These issues are creatâ€" ing a very real dilemma for consumers, health care proâ€" fessionals, planners, and government. We hope that it is a dilemma we can solve together. The study we are about to enter into with the hospiâ€" tals is one which will examine how we are using our resources (budgets) to meet the needs of our citizens; how we can plan for future needs (population growth); and how we might achieve efficiencies that allow for more or better services with the same amount of money._ To begin this process, the hospitals have identified six clinical areas for review. The study will start in February and public meetings will be held â€" most likely during the first month. Let me assure your readers that no decisions have been made and, in fact, one outcome could be to recâ€" ommend that things remain as they currently are. The study will run from February till September with recâ€" ommendations going back to the Hospital Boards for consideration and action. The Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, Ont. L6K 3S4 Letters to the Editor, Shelagh Gill, Chair Halton District Health Council Councillor Kevin Flynn Chau', 1993 Budget Committee Town of Oakville