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905-842-6030 90 MECHANICAL SERVICES dentistoakville.com den AUTO AUTO AU TOPR PRO PR O OA OAKV OAKV KVIL ILLE E SNA NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR 2010 ontario's top newspaper - 2005-2008 Game on Sports 2 2 Wyecroft Road, Oakv 221 kvill ille e autoprooakville.mechanicnet.com 905-469-2442 2 A member of Metroland Media Group Ltd. Vol. 50 No. 18 "Using Communication To Build Better Communities" FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2012 32 pages $1.00 (plus tax) Heartfelt thanks Budget hike is heading to council By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The Oakville Municipal Greenhouse will stay, but several crossing guard locations will go. These were among decisions announced Thursday by the 2012 Budget Committee, as it recommended a 6.55 per cent hike to Oakville's base budget. After being combined with a 1.2 per cent Halton Region budget increase and no education rate increase, it would translate to a 2.93 per cent hike on the 2012 property tax Tom Adams bill. If council approves the recommendation at its March 5 meeting, Oakville taxpayers will pay an extra $28.05 per $100,000 of assessment in 2012. Further, the committee is advising council to ask Town staff to enter discussions with Oakville Galleries on potential relocation of the galleries and report on options, including the potential timing of the severance and sale of the main house. It's also asking council to approve a new policy to remove the annual operating budget for any crossing guard location that does not exceed at least 20 per cent of the approved warrant threshold for two straight years. Council is also being asked to have staff review a request by T. A. Blakelock High School for assistance in creating a $1.4-million multi-lane, rubberized track and all-weather turf field. The Oakville Municipal Greenhouse was judged too See Hike page 9 Valentines for VEterans: The Halton Knights of Columbus and Halton Catholic District School Board employees packaged up Halton ERIC RIEHL / oakville beaver student-made Valentines that are being sent to Veteran Affairs Canada and then re-directed to Canadian war veterans across the country. It's part of the Valentines for Veterans program. Pictured are Ron Gauthier, Babe Santucci, board curriculum consultant, Jere Hartnett, Manny Maliksa, AJ (Tony) Smyth, Paul Waters, founder of To Be A Patriot program, and Pat Guay. Town unveils plan to deal with coyotes By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The Town of Oakville announced Wednesday it has created a coyote education and conflict reduction program to address public concern over coyotes. In a news release, Town officials stated research and experience gained by other municipalities dealing with coyotes has shown the two most significant things Oakville can do to reduce issues is education and the removal of coyote attractants. Key elements of the Town's program are: · Working with the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to train Town, humane society staff and police to better understand the difference between normal and abnormal coyote behaviour to help determine risk and identify when to intervene · Adopting a protocol to respond quickly when intervention is required THE · Adopting stronger penalties for feeding coyotes and dumping garbage in town ravines and parks · Posting signs in areas where coyotes have been seen so people won't be surprised by their presence and will know what to do if a coyote is encountered · Establishing a reporting system for the public to report incidents of unusual coyote behaviour or incidents of coyotes being fed; See New page 5 DRIVE FINANCING 0% FOR UP TO MONTHS 84 DAYS event P A Y LA TER PAYMENTS 0 AND FOR UP TO 90 See Hyundai of Oakville for complete details.