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

Trustee expenses on the web By Kim Arnott SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER 19 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, June 5, 2009 The Regional Expense reports for Halton's Catholic school board trustees will soon be posted on the board's website for all to see. On Tuesday, trustees revised the board's expense policy to require reporting of their individual expenditures on a quarterly basis. While staff suggested the quarterly report could be part of a regular board agenda, several trustees wanted to see the information made more readily available to the public. "Under trustees (on the web site), there should be a separate link for trustee expenses," said Burlington trustee Bob Van de Vrande, arguing that people shouldn't have to search old agendas to find the information they want. "It's available under Freedom of Information too, but that's even more painful." Oakville trustee Anthony Danko said posting the report serves the aim of ensuring the board is acting in an accountable and transparent fashion, and even suggested a "rolling archive" of expense information going back five or 10 years, be reported. That suggestion won favour with neither staff nor other trustees. Board chair Alice Ann LeMay, who has sat as a trustee for nearly 30 years, argued that policies have changed through the years and the numbers would not be comparable. As well, board treasurer Paul McMahon, whose depart- ment will be responsible for creating the quarterly report, noted that the policy needed to balance access to information with the need to ensure efficiency in board operations. Increased scrutiny of trustee spending has come as a result of a scandal involving trustees at the Toronto Catholic District School Board. An audit report last fall found nearly $30,000 in questionable expenses charged to expense accounts. Halton's Catholic school board trustees are reimbursed for mileage costs, provided with a computer and Internet access, and given an expense budget of $3,000 per school year to cover office supplies, mailing costs and conferences or professional development opportunities. Municipality of Halton www.halton.ca Blue & Green in your Yard More The Regional Municipality of Halton www.halton.ca Pilot Rain Barrel Sales Events Diverting water from your downspout into a rain barrel allows for rain water capture and storage. This is an excellent source of water for your garden. Residents of Halton Region may purchase a rain barrel scheduled for: Date Saturday May 23 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Saturday May 30 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Saturday June 6 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Saturday June 13 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Oakville Regional Road #25, Milton (also pesticide drop off event) Location Halton Hills Civic Centre, 1 Halton Hills Drive, Georgetown Gary Allan Adult Learning Centre, 3250 New Street, (east of Guelph Line), Burlington Items for Yard Waste Sticks & twigs Leaves Weeds GrassCycling Grass clippings should be left on the lawn after mowing. Clippings decompose quickly and release nutrients back into the soil. Items for Garbage Plastic soil bags Pet waste Limit of one per household/per purchase, while supplies last Must provide proof of Halton Region residency (such as Driver's License) Comes equipped with mosquito screen Downspout adaptation and mosquito prevention instructions included with purchase www.halton.ca/waterconservation. Take household chemicals to the Household Hazardous Waste Depot located at the Halton Waste Management Site (5400 Regional Rd. 25, Milton) s Propane tanks Pool chemicals Pesticides www.halton.ca/waste 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, Ontario L6M 3L1 PW-08035 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, Ontario L6M 3L1 050609