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To probe comments 4 4111 1of. planning director A special meeting of the' Town of Newcastle council was held on Friday morning when council discussed comn- ments attributed to the Townvi's Planning Director and pubiished in a recent issue of the Oshawa Times. As a resuit of the meeting an investigation bas heen launched by council to deter- mine the vaiidity of com- ments made by the director of planning relating to existing residents in the Courtice area. Town Manager, AI Guiler was put in charge of the investigation and a report is expected this week. The comments reiated to the Planning Director were published in an Oshawa Times story on Thursday relating to an 0MB hearing to be held this coming year concerning development in the Courtîce area. The issues to be considered by the 0MB wiii be estabishing tlhe extent of the residentiai and comn- mercial development and whether a shopping centre will be built on the Oshawa- Newcastle boundary. Planning Director Leslie Kristof was reported to have said, "These people who worked or practised in Osh- awa settled in Courtice only to avoid high taxes. Yet they use the facilities of Oshawa and c.,ontribute littie to Newcastle. 1 find it very difficuit now to (Continued to vage 3i) Three board meetings early 'in January The Northumberland and Newcastle Board of Educat- ion wili hold their next regular meeting on January ilth but prior to this meeting wii hoid two other meetings. On January 4thi a speciai meeting of the board has been caiied commencing at 7:30 p.m. This meeting is for the niew rnembers of the board and wiii outiine how the financial budget is estabîish- ed. Th~e meeting is open to the publie. on January 9th the Board is to discuss a new policy relating to the transfer of principals throughout the schooi system. At the samne time the members wili rec- eive and consider eight briefs which have been submnitted relating to this issue. Last year the board shifted princi- pals of elementary schoois from one to another schooi and it is now understood that a similar procedure is to be undertaken in the hi gh schoois within the Board's jurisdiction. vote 4 pc. i ncrea se Regional counillors last percent salary increase week voted themnseives a four which wili see an increase of EARLY MORNING FIRE CALL I3oth the Orono Fire Department and Orono Hydro were called to an early morning fire iast Thursday mnorning at the corner of Cobbledick and Church Street south. A limb had fallen over the hydro lines and caught fire. The problemn was quickly corrected. BOWMIANVILLE MIAN KILLED Keith John Willams, 33, of Bowmanville, was killed Saturday rnorninig on Highway No. 2 at Tooley's Road when is car went out of control going into the ditch and hitting a cuivert. Wiliams was the only occupant in the car. CHRISTMAS EVtE SERVICES WELL ATTENDED Christ-mas Eve services at the Leskard Unted Church and at the Orono United Church were very well attended. The Leskard Church was filled to capacity for the service which commenced at 7: 00 p.m. The service was conducted by Rev. Basil Long with brief Christmas messages and the singing of Christmas carols. The Orono HiCs heid their annual Christmas service at the Orono UJnited Church with the church filled for the occasion. The HiCs conducted the service of readings and Christmas songs. They highlighted the program with a candie lightin-g during one of the final carols. Each person attending the service was given a candie upon entering 'the church and during the singing of a carol the light was passed fromr one to another until ail candlies were agiow. Monies subscribêd during the servýices are to be donated to the World Churches fund. DONATE $300.00 TO ARENA FUND The Orono Skating Club Mothers have donated a suni of $30000 to the Orono Arena Fund. The money is the profit from- operating the Orono Park booth during bail games this surmier. COUNTRY JAMBOREE TO BE HEU> On Sunday afternioon, January 7th ai 2:00 p.m. the O)rorio Country Jamboree will open up the 1979 season in - tronîo, Ontario. Guest artists are Gord Grills, recording artists, Odey Snider of Port Perry, Lana Malcolm of Bethany and Don Adams and bis Blue Grass Company. As usual, the House Band "Countrv Gold" and story teiler M.C. Sterling Mather wilI also be on hanid. some $500.00 to each council- lor sitting on Regional counl- c il. Regionai councillors wili nwmake $12,980.00 plus what amounts they are paid by their local municipalities for sitting on local counceils. The increases were recom- mnended by the past council during the sumimer and according to the recommend- ation were to take effect on January lst. Mayor Garnet Rickard, Conce. Cowman and Counc. Hobbs voted against the increase whiie Counc. Bill Clarke of the Town of Newcastle voted in favour of the increase. SET 7 PERCENT REGIONAL GUIDELINE The finance committee for the Region of Durham bas set a seven percent increase guidehine for the regional budget for 1979. The target is two percent hîgher than the five percent increase for 1978. The finance comnmittee bas asked ail departmnents with the exception of police and social services to hoid within a tbree percent increase for the 1979 budget. Police and Social Services are being asked to keep their increases within nine percent. It xwas ponted out that the police wiil this coming year take over jurïsdiction throughout the whoie of the region excepting for Provin- cial highways. An extra strain is aiso being placed on social services because gov- ernmnent legisiation bas boost- ed welfare payments by six percent. The finance committee is hopeful that the total increase in the region's budget can be held to six percent. ROY, LLck Don anjd Margret. .......... ...... .. .....