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No less a person than Oakville Chamber of Commerce executiveâ€"direcâ€" «tor, Jackie Cutmore, is also outraged at the recent revelations. A former « Halton board trustee herself, Cutmore has appeared before the board before king for changes in how the board deals with delegations from the pubâ€" . ‘lic. ___Cutmore‘s comments on the entire FOIA issue as it pertains to the board are particularly cutting and right on the mark. She told the Beaver that board personnel time would be better spent in determining why people are using FOIA procedures rather than the fact that they are using the process to get information. What is to be gained by the board selectively releasing this information to a Burlington newspaper, is not clear. What is clear is the fact that the board administration and some trustees, have a siege mentality when it comes to the public and its legislated right to obtain information. Until that mindâ€"set is changed, we‘re going to be in for even more FOIA requests and other verbal volleys from the Halton board. â€"â€" In the article, board director Bob Williams said the board had been subâ€" jected to two years of "harassment" by a small group of Oakville residents intent on demanding information through the FOIA. In just one example, the board acted in a secretive manner in the issue of Key Communicators and it did everything in its power to keep the names of this group secret. Its reasons for doing so still remain a puzzle. It was a silly idea and one that opened up a can of worms on the inner workâ€" ings and policies of the board...a can that the board, through this latest move, is trying to shut. Of course it‘s already had the opposite impact. If the board was upâ€"front in its dealings with the public, it could have likely avoided most of the FOIA requests. But it continues to play the role as Big Brother, knowing what‘s best for the public. Those days are over and the sooner the board realizes it‘s accountable to all of the citizens of Halton, the better. The board estimates it has cost them $107,500 over the past two years. No dollar figure was placed on the cost of detailing the expenditure of staff funds and time in determining how much FOIA requests had cost the board. Board chairman Dave Coons, who is also the FOIA manager, called 75 per cent of the information requests "frivolous". The point of the article was that the FOIA requests were costing the board thousands of dollars and hours of time on the part of board personâ€" nel. Those named in the article had a variety of different requests, from docâ€" uments pertaining to the relocation of Oakville Trafalgar High School to the accounting details of the board‘s Adult Computer Training Centres. he Halton Board of Education appears to have upped the ante in game between itself and those citizens who want to know what realâ€" ly goes on at the board‘s Burlington headquarters. The latest salvo came in the Saturday issue of the Burlington Spectator, when the board released the names of those who were seeking information on board activities through the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, otherwise known as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Town should follow other cities‘ policies on care of parks Dear Sir: The Town of Oakville has recently approved the first phase of spending $5.6 million over the next six years to update the town‘s internal computer information sysâ€" tem. In comparison, the budget for Oakville‘s parks maintenance has been cut over the last two years. If the citizens of Oakville want good looking parks that are safe, pestiâ€" cideâ€"free places for children, the parks budget must be increased to incorporate a more comprehensive turf management program. The City of Burlington has embarked on a new IPM (Integrated Pest Management) System, in which systematic aeraâ€" tion, overseeding, and topdressing improve the health of the turf and soil. Spraying of pesticides is only undertaken after alternative methâ€" ods have been tried and only in high profile areas on a spot spray I think this idea of having to tie up newspapers is crazy. How do you know what kind of string it is â€" whether it is recyclable? Wouldn‘t it be much easier if you just took out the plastic bags. I think you are discouraging recycling. During the super blue box program we were told they wanted citiâ€" zen input before making decisions regarding changes in blue box colâ€" lection and that plastic bags were a convenient and acceptable method of newspaper disposal. Now comes the new arbitrary rules with no previous discussion. Plastic bags are widely available at no extra charge and they are easily utilized and carried out by most people. The new rules regarding bundling of newspapers are costly and very time consuming and will lead to nonâ€"compliance. The right to know ud b *A GRAT" 3 U i -";::- LIARM | \“\‘* mian ,;»_:,»._-;:;.‘:,"'gif"\‘-;:- 467 Speers Road 845â€"3824 Classified Ad Alsslaiaalazes B EDITORIAL SPEAK YOUR MIND Got a gripe? Give us a call. Readers are invited to express their opinion on a topic of their choice by calling 845â€"5585, box All callers are allowed 45 secâ€" onds to express their opinion and must provide their name, address and phone number for verification. A cross section of the responses will be published in next Wednesday‘s Oakville Beaver. basis. No herbicides at all were used in the 1992 season. Burlington City Council has increased funding for the new proâ€" gram and according to Bill Johnson, the manager of Parks, public reaction has been positive. The City of Mississauga has not used any herbicides for the last 2 years and plans to spot spray only on major sports fields in 1993. They, also, rely on aerating, overâ€" seeding, and topdressing to build up a healthy turfgrass and crowd out most weeds. Mississauga City Council has endorsed the funding required for this alternative turf management program which reflects their concern for environâ€" ment and health issues. According to Rick Doyle, the manager of Forestry and Parks Services, public reaction has been 50/50 for the nonâ€"spray program and the most recent responses have been supâ€" Darrell McEwen Sophie Walsh portive In Oakville, acration, overseedâ€" ing, and topdressing are only perâ€" formed on selecied high profile areas. Bob Perkins, director of Parks and Recreation, feels that herbicides must be used (more freâ€" quently than in either Burlington or Mississauga) in place of nonâ€"toxic methods to control weeds. The use of herbicides does nothing to improve the longâ€"term quality of the grass. To remain healthy, turfâ€" grass must be helped along by aerâ€" ating, overseeding, and topdressâ€" Dear Sir: For the past three years, St. John‘s United Church has been the home of The Women‘s Information and Support Centre of Halton. We have finally found suitable premises at Hopedale Mall, 2nd Floor, Suite 230, and will be moving from the church in February. We listened as department heads made their presentations which the committee reviewed item by item. They had to decide where the priorities lay: how to fund the needs of the fire department, the roads, the sideâ€" walks, the library, the galleries and museum, sports, parks, the needs of seniors, and so on. Which items should they approve, delay, reduce, or eliminate, in order to contain the mill rate? the grass. To remain healthy, turfâ€" Susan Moore grass must be helped along by aerâ€" Oakville Pesticide Action ating, overseeding, and topdressâ€" Group Town budget work a thankless task Dear Sir: We attended all but one of the 1993 Budget Committee meetings, and were impressed by the efforts of both the Committee and senior staff â€" many intelligent and talented people working long hours, both evenings and at weekends. We would like the community to be aware of the generosity and supâ€" port that St. John‘s Church has given to the Women‘s Centre during this period. We want to thank St. John‘s publicly for this generosity and supâ€" port. St. John‘s Church has once more demonstrated its reputation for supâ€" porting community services even in these difficult economic times. The committee invited comments and recommendations from the taxâ€" payers (all too few were present) before voting on the individual items. We responded to many issues raising valid points, and witnessed a strugâ€" gle by the committee to keep taxes down â€" a thankless task. Women‘s support centre has new home Thank you St. John‘s... from the Board, the volunteers, and all the women who have used the Centre over the past three years. If taxpayers wish to have any say in how Oakville is run and their tax dollars allocated, they should attend the Budget meetings! Too many critiâ€" cize the Town, but make no effort to understand the system. The commitâ€" tee and staff should be complimented for their diligence. Please join us for a coffee at our new premises or give us a call at 338â€" 1953. "BEER TRUL‘" T SEE THERES FINALLY Befi TAH Eu LING ERIC LINDROS AOTI 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: Letters 40 the Editor, The Oakvilie Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, Ont. L6K 354 Chair, Board of Directors, Women‘s Information and Support Centre of Halton Classified Advertising: 845â€"2809 Circulation: 845â€"9742 or 845â€"9743 845â€"3824 Fax: 845â€"3085 THE OAKVILLE BEAVI Â¥yor ie w )akville | B ,l s 1Drs an ing. Pesticides do not provide soilâ€" conditioning. They deplete the soil of microâ€"organisms essential for healthy turf. By cutting the Parks budget, Oakville Council has taken the "quick and dirty" route. But what about the safe route? Let us join with our neighbors in Burlington and Mississauga. We, too, would like to enjoy parks that are beautiful and safe. PPP Ont. LGK Kathleen and Peter Dooly nALY â€"alal Ala Judith Henderson No! No! Robert Glasbey Advertising Director Norman Alexander Editor ‘ Geoff Hill Circulation Director Teri Casas Office Manager Tim Coles Production Manager Ian Oliver Publisher In praise of Sunnybrook Dear Sir: You‘ll find this story interesting. Your article on "trauma", (Wed. Feb. 3rd) and the recent Bobby Burns Day 8K running race I just finished in Burlington for another year, brought back less than pleasant personal memories, as well as, thoughts of continued respect for the excellent care provided at the Sunnybrook Health Science Centre. I believe I made the front page of your newspaper on the first edition following Sat. June 17, 1989. The motorcycle driver died. My friend and I were rushed to the Oakvilleâ€"Trafalgar Hospital. My friend was treated for a badly broâ€" ken leg, but the extent of my injuries were beyond this facility‘s capabilities and I was quickly transported via helicopter to Sunnybrook Hospital. I suffered a compound fractured right leg, a fractured pelvis, a fractured vertebra, a fractured shoulder, many stitches for deep cuts, a concussion, and a ruptured urethra. There was a great concern for infection of my leg as I was thrown by the impact of the crash into a drainage ditch. There was a picture of me on a stretcher being loaded into an air ambulance on the way to Sunnybrook Hospital. I, and a friend â€" while on a bicycle ride â€" were both struck by a careless young man who lost control of his motorcycle that the police estimated was travelling at 160 kph. The hours in the operation room at Sunnybrook Hospital resulted in a bone and skin graft, a back brace, as well as, 10 steel pins to hold my pelvis and leg bones in place. The attention and technology I received at Sunnybrook Hospital for almost two months was outstanding. The followâ€"up recuperation at Oakvilleâ€"Trafalgar Hospital for another month was, also, excelâ€" lent. In testimony to the extraordinary health care provided at Sunnybrook, I completed my first Bobby Burns Day 8K running race in January of 1990; finished my first Olympic distance triathlon within a year of my accident in June 1990; and raced in the Toronto Marathon, as well as, the Huntsville World Triathlon this year. What else can someone say about the Sunnybrook Hospital! LETTER OF THE DAY M Richmond H All material reproduction consent of t po¢ mmenmiremenmmenmenmemeemmmeremmrrtemnrmremmemmennmmmummnmmnmmmeme bI Value (billions of dollars) Wook igo Tr day, Wedr Matroland Douglas Sparks Jan, Goo)v%olown Independent/ Lindsa is Week, Markham und, M?I(lon Canadian Chlrwon. anner, North York Mirror, Oakville Woek, Peterborough This Week, rborough Mirror. y r is protected right lal is strictly lovmmm the w February 10, 1993 and Friday, at 407 ing, Publishing & Jog: A'nx-Pldwg:? â€" Burlington Post,