The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

blemsNeed for firefighters is red hot ing pro ty Train h DPA? enoug tting itudes? ith att ns w blues? feeding east alleng rent ch gle pa ideas? y party rthda chool? ms at s oble valry? ling ri b issues? cipline is ppor t eds su ecial ne p Best early skiing anyone can remember! GET OUT THERE! SKI AND SNOWBOARD SHOP By Kim Arnott SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER 4- The Oakville Beaver, Friday December 14, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Now you can connect c with other parents sharing the same experiences 24/7 in the PARENT-TO PARENT FORUM @ City Parent and TVO recognize and reward children who have made a difference! Sponsored by If you call 911 to report that your house is on fire, you should have four firefighters on your doorstep within four minutes. At least, that's the standard endorsed by the Ontario Fire Marshall's office. However, the Oakville Fire Department can currently only meet that standard 49 per cent of the time. To achieve 4-in-4, as well as other internationally-recognized firefighting standards, the Town will need to spend an additional $2.7 million a year on fire services by 2011. That extra money ­ which amounts to a 2.77 tax increase ­ would add 32 firefighters to Oakville's current staff of 156. It would also add five staff members to work in fire prevention, training, emergency planning and public education. On top of that, the Town will need to spend about $660,000 to purchase a new vehicle and fire suppression equipment for the new hires. On Tuesday night, Oakville's Community Services committee approved a Fire Master Plan that calls for the additional spending over the next four years, as well as some hefty long-term expenditures. By 2021, the Town will spend more than $28 million to purchase new equipment, build new fire stations and relocate several existing ones. It will also be spending about $25 million a year to operate the fire department, up from $19 million in 2007. Although clearly nervous about the public reaction to possible tax increases, Town councillors also expressed hope that residents will be willing to pay more for better fire protection services. After viewing a map showing various response times around town, Ward 6 councillor Tom Adams noted, "A lot of people, if they saw their house was in the red, would say, `I'm quite willing to spend that extra per cent on my taxes.'" Added Ward 1 councillor Ralph Robinson: "I've said for several years now that Bronte's on fire, but I didn't realize that it really and truly could be." The Fire Master Plan, which will be up for approval by the full town council on Monday night, is intended to guide the town's fire services for the next decade. An executive summary of the document can be viewed on the Town's website, as part of the Dec. 11 Community Service committee agenda. The full report is available for viewing at the Clerk's department in Town Hall, as well as at the fire department. VISIT US ONLINE 120 Speers Rd. Oakville 905.845.1561 66 YEARS IN BUSINESS!!! SATURDAY AM DOORCRASHER 9:00 AM While They Last! MSRP $100 99 50%OFF NOW 39 ONLY 100 UNITS SNOW SKATES BURTON SNOWSHOES By TUBBS MSRP 4 models, just arrived "Corbett's Own Used Assorted Models Ski and Snowboard Store" only 50 units OPEN FRI. 4-8 OPEN SAT. 10-5 OPEN SUN. 11-4 RERUNS SKI BAGS 100 UNITS LAST YRS. MODEL STEPS FROM MAIN STORE VALUE TO $60 Ellicottville House Available for New Years and Weekends ­ Sleeps 20 Call KIM 99 9 line up p or forget it!