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

Taxes up 14838 for Halton Hills educatio region tax still to come ihe time region strikes its budget later this month the average homeowners in Acton could be an overall property tax increase for 1982 of about I7j The average lax will be over 11 will he slightly lower for Monday night Hills council approved its 12 operating budget of over and the average tax increase for town purposes only will be in Aclon up per cent and Esquesmg 120 an increase of per cent The average assessment isKOTin Acton and K in The actual tax hike in Acton is 30 but til must be added is an urban charge for street light and garbage collection something resident- don pay for or receive to the total is an average education tax increase of in Acton and See detailed story inside todays paper However before he final figures art established Reg ion must alio strike its budget While the average ncreasc across or the region will be about Councillor Dave Whiting says from talking to treasurer King he understands the regional hike here will be in neigh of 125 Budget Harry Levy noted when the fed era minister of f mince brings down a budget he shoes possibly because they hurt just like his budget However the budget the town was ringing in hurt so he could wear slippers Ik said attendance at budget mcctingi by councillors showed they take their financial responsibilities seriously and he patted the staff on back for not overloading their budgets in these tough economic t imes The town set out to maintain the level of service citizens are used to and in some cases improve it not add lo the town low debt position by issuing debentures and display leadership in the face of an economic mess by keeping the tax increase below the inflation rate Levy explained adding the municipality had succeeded on all counts Governments are accused of not showing concern about rising taxes of not showing leadership but that the case in Halton Hills he was pleased to see after a few years of financial problems at region this vears budget will be more responsible and the situation at the region is improving He said it was a pity the same be said for Halton Board of Education see story In Tax tale to date ACTON Increase 1981 Average Assessment Hills Education Region Total to date 31 INS 80 Average Assessment llllls Education Total lo date 16 44 34 193781 side for details Only cents of every dollar collected by the town property taxes this year will go to Hills the balance to boards of education and region Mayor Peter said Halton Hills pays its way as it goes keep the budget in check is the tremendous financ contribution of the volunteer firefighters The tax increase has been held down partly be cause Hills has received a 1130 000 grant from Queen s Park which formerly went to the reg The urban service area charges are up mainly because 156 will be spent on upgrading street lighting this year 117 in Acton The road maintenance grant from the province Is up only per cent which makes it increasingly difficult for Ihe town do the job because of climbing costs for equipment material and labor A last minute budget adjustment was the addition of for snow plowing Again the town has been able to fund capital pro jects through operating funds rather than issue deb entures Before the budget was finalized the town fathers and mothers ere able to chop nearly 1300000 in proposed spending This year budget relects a full year s operation of he Hills Cultural Centre new Georgetown library and Act Van which have added to costs Projects and purchases approved In Acton and area include 135 set aside for a new fire pum per S3 for new firefighter helmets 1964 for Continued on page Councillors and educators met at dropIn Ihe tux incrrusr imp In Board of Education From left o right are Dave Uniting Ituss Miller Ross Bruce Director of Sec stories on page jund about Hit I A Metroland Community Newspaper One Hundred and Seventh Ycar ACTON ONTARIO WEDNESDAY 1982 PagesThirty Cents No verdict yet by Helen Murray The verdict was not yet In for the second degree murder of Cos mo Mercuri and Michael as of press time 12 noon today Wednesday The pair have been on trial for over four weeks in connection with the fiery death of Dominion Hotel resident Howard Gibbons in August 1979 Milton Supreme Court Judge Mr Justice Coulter Osborne handed the case to the jury of tight nun Monday afternoon and they deliberated until about 7pm They returned Tuesday morning at and crated through the day until around and resumed this morning again at They were both Monday and Tuesday nights As of noon today the Jury has been working on their verdict Tor approximately 14 hours Any statement made by Cos mo can only be used as evidence against him and not defendant Michael and vice versa Mr Justice Coulter Osborne said in his charge to the jury on Friday and Monday In going over the evidence given In the four weeks of testimony Mr Justice Osborne stressed the jury must deal with each of the accused individually and not collectively Any inconsistencies in witnesses statements from that said at another time are not to affect the ibility of that person The judge instructed the jury lo listen to whit was slid on lh witness stun I the I la witness what had been said previously times Mr Justice Osborne said the inconsistencies did not with pertinent in the testimony The judge went over the various points of law relating to the evidence The jury must decide if Mercuri was the third person at the meeting in Tor onto of arsonist Cecil Kirb and a family member They must also decide if the fire was ar son or accidental ff hey decide arson was not inv there is no against the two defendants Kirby made no mention of the cast on s right hand at the time of their alleged meeting Mr Justice Osborne said but he noted Mercuri sown lawyer Gord Chapman did not notice the cast either The Criminal Code defines murder as or culpable Nonculpable me ins not blame worthy if a surgeon patient dies during the operation Culpable homicide is either murder or manslaughter It is murder if the person does some thing that he knows could of another person Continued on pagc3 Saturday Acton Skating Club carnival this year theme Diana Vaughn David Ilaynes and Coleman There are two In Wonderland Here are a few of the skaters from left right shows one at p and a second at 30 m Sara Murray Knee lingDoug las behind Photo by DAN Demolish town hall for parking It looks like five battle by some local rtsidenls hi- town hall restored has come lo end as Hills council voted Monday night demolish the centuryold building and use the lor i parking lot m its decision after rejecting a tender fn m the own Hill Restoration Committee and Ac lario to purchase the building themselves for restore it rent office space in the town hall and sell it I jack to the municipality In the future lor It A sidelight of the decision was council direction to staff to continue negotiations to purchase the Stone School after St Joseph moves to its new building Staff was told lo make arrangements lo demolish the hall and develop the land or parking On recorded tote councillors Mike Armstrong Sheldon Walter Miller ind Marilyn against a motion which called for the acceptance of the bid from he with an option lhat he town wild the building back for before was sold or in occupancy permit issued Other pro called for he groups to pay for a reference them six months lo fix the building so it anymore and had to agree a Heritage easement or deed restriction to pro tect the outside of the building and common wall maintenance rights Terry Ross Knechtel Dave Whiting John McDonald Roy Booth and Mayor Peter all backed the plan Councillor George Mallby wis absent so the motion lost on a tie vole Ted Tyler A chairman said he tell council how long it would take to restore the building He said they would continue fund raising he was optimistic with a clear plan before the community money would start flowing in again and suggested a lot could be done to restore the building for 180 contractors had told the groups He could see Halton Hills and the region as possi tenants in a restored town hall and noted once they had leases they could borrow money from banks to complete work Tyler told councillors they had nothing to lose on the deal It s a fantastic deal How can it go wrong for Ihe municipality he asked Tyler added Ihe groups would like the funds the town set aside for demolition but lhat wasn necessary and they thought the could still get some grants Councillor Harry Levy said the groups tender was a long long way off from the appraised value of inside The of His rebirth morn still lit reduce IihIiv Rotary SkateA Thon photos week thru the lens on page There s an Easter message from Pastor Jean Stairs on page The town must water down its new laws governing arcades Detailsonpage7 Again has failed to convict owners of the Yugoslav Centre on none bylaw violations last summer More on A prominent Eden Mills citizen Norman Marshall dieduutweek Day of Champions photos on pages and BZ Mosquito spraying has again been chopped from the town budget Seepage Oof my Easter card fust in time the rack mws being filled with Christmas cards the properly He said he could never support the town buying the building back If wc sell it we want to hive anything lo do with it in Ihe future His comment was echoed by other clllors I suggest a condition is once it sold we wash our handset it He and other councillors also questioned the groups ability to raise or more and lhat was assuming they could restore it for less than half the price consultants said it would cost back in December when all they could raise was 140 in two years Levy also urged council not make a donation of the money for demolition groups Tyler countered he knows there is money in Acton which will be donated but won come forward until something concrete is decided about the town hall fate He said Ihe groups were also looking at some new fund raising ventures Several times Councillor Roy Booth expressed concerns about the town selling building at a price so far below the market value fearing ihey be challenged in court for not acting in Ihe tax payers best interests Just as many people have urged councillors to rip it down as those who want it saved Councillor Mike Armstrong He said money to fix the building just cant be raised in these tough economic times Councillor Miller said he was afraid after the groups spent money on the building they t bo able to complete the job because they run out of funds and the town would have to take over He said council be able after has been spent on ihe building to turn around and tear it down He said Ihe land would be useful as firefighter parking Grubbe noted council t have to buy the building back it was only an option and urged the groups be allowed to try and restore it so there will be a focus to downtown a municipal presence in Ac ton and piece of Acton history preserved Knechtel observed the community is split about on the town hall issue and added many of those who don want the town hall saved simply don want tax dollars going to the project He said the people in the two groups should be respected for Iheir business ability standing in the Continued on page Halton life saving award for Actons Ron Hachey Being a hero Is alright bul to Ron Bower Ave the most important thing is the little girl he pulled unconscious from a cement pond last August lived Friday night Hachey was presented with two awards by the Region Safety Council at their annual awards night In Burlington He had been nominated by The Acton Press for his saving of the life of little Melissa McNabb the daughter of John and Sherry McNabb ill Bower Ave on August 31 He received a life saving award certificate for meritorious conduct above and beyond the call of duty and was one of just two residents to receive the Halton Region Safely Council pin The Hachcys hnd just moved into the Bower Ave home owned by Barbara McMullcn a couple of days before the incident Six yearold Mark and Melissa were attempting to reach a Ire suspended from a rope and hanging over the huge cement pond which stretches along behind a number of homes on the street The pair fell in but Mark was able to swim to the side and climb out He ran to his older sister Laura 12 for help and she summoned her father when she saw the small body floating on her back in the dirty water Melissa s head was under the water and she was a horrible color At lime they mated Melissa had been in the water for three or four minutes jumped into the waist deep water and found Melissa was unconscious In an attempt to revive Ihe toddler he started pounding her back and chest to get her breathing again Once she spit out water Melissa came around and who t climb out of Ihe water because of the slippery sloped sides handed the child to his wife Bonnie who headed for the Acton Medical Centre The pond was drained the after tragedy In addition double locks were put on gates the big leading In the pond was closed so nobody could to the hack of the pro pcrty says he has never received any lif saving training and he has no how he knew lo pound Melissa s back and chest He figures he acted out of instinct or impulse ad ded he was trying gel her again I am proud to have received the aw irds but the main thing is the little girl is alright Hachey declared He added he was quite prised lo be culled last week by the Safety Council and invited to attend the awards nigh Acton Councillor Ross Knechtel represented he municipality at ceremonies The s were a little disappointed when was only referred to at the awards ceremonies is north country I hope 1 don I have to do something like trwt saving a life again said Members of the Aetna Clergy Association welcome Rev fourth from right to for a series of three luncheon addresses He spoke la it Wednesday today and till again at clan Baptist Church nest Wednesday Pictured here are Rev Art Tribe Rev Cliff Hodgson Pallor Pastor JeanSUirs Rev Chock Beaton and Lome