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V 'T V , V , * , 4', V . * , V ' A <\ A Ik 4. .» ,1. , i V 7 •/N A, * armctton 2/jJ'J 1J vL/ j jLj ( Q y] Total Market Coverage of Clarington from the Publishers of The Canadian Statesman • Patritk ©e Deegan A complete denture seryijçe^ Telephone: 623-4473 -Az-^od,- 5 George Street, Bowmenvïlfè A James Publishing Community Newspaper Saturday, March 8, 1997 143rd Year Circulation: 20,550 Enrolment Drives Public School Board Budget Up $2.7 Million The Northumberland-Clarington Board of Education faces an approximate $2.7 million increase in its annual budget which is "enrolment "enrolment driven," says Ron Sudds, superintendent of business for the board. The figures were presented to trustees at a recent budget meeting. Gord Savage, assistant superintendent superintendent of business, said the board will experience an enrolment increase of about 1.5 per cent in the next school year. This compares to a 1.8 per cent increase in the 1997 budget. But with no specific revenue information available from the provincial government, administration administration can't yet outline the possible impact on the local mill rate. Savage told trustees most of the increase in the budget will come from day school operations which will see an increase of about $2-mil- lion over 1996 costs. This increase and smaller increases in other areas will be slightly offset by decreases in the budget, the most dramatic of which comes in transportation which will cost close to $600,000 less than last year. This, says transportation transportation and planning manager . Paul Brace, comes from the board's switch to full day kindergarten and represents the savings for only part of the year. He says total annual savings savings will reach the $800,000 mark. Day school operation increases are due, in part, to enrolment growth at the elementary school level, higher higher payroll taxes for the Canada Pension Plan, and increased increment increment costs for teachers. The board's proposed total budget budget for 1997 currently stands at $148,914,533 compared to last year's budget of $146,223,300. Of this, $101,337,255 is assigned to salaries and $13,735,235 goes to benefits. The board's next budget meeting is slated for Wednesday, March 19, 1997 and will take place at the board office in Cobourg. The new play-set at Lockhart Public School, north of Newcastle, is the latest hangout for active kids like Jessica Harris, Alanna Snowden and Amanda Woodburne. The equipment was purchased recently, using one million Zeller's Club Z points collected under the Vincent Massey School's savings project. The parent/teacher group at Lockhart hopes to collect another five million points for outdoor playground equipment. Shoppers can contribute their own Club Z points by quoting the Vincent Massey Club Z number whenever they go through a Zellers check-out. Clarington Hopes for Zero Tax Hike in '97 by Laura J. Richards Staff Writer Despite $600,000 worth of cutbacks from the Province of Ontario, municipal councillors hope Clarington's 1997 budget won't require a tax increase. This would be the fifth consecutive year Clarington has not had to increase taxes on the portion of the property tax bill controlled by the local municipality Chief Administrative Officer Bill Stockwell told councillors at a special General Purpose and Administration Committee meeting on Thursday, March 6, "the staff was told to go with two scenarios -- a zero per cent increase and a three per cent increase. The three per cent increase would include the building of the second ice pad at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex, and working on providing providing better accommodations at the animal, shelter. However, a zero per cent tax increase may not rule out the arena expansion or the animal shelter improvements. Stockwell noted there could be other ways to accommodate the building of the second ice pad and to provide for the animal shelter. Clarington Treasurer Marie Marano said financing the shelter shelter may be possible through development charges, taking money from the shelter's reserve account and the municipal capital capital works reserve fund. ' The twin-pad could be financed through development charges, and appropriate reserve funds. "By pulling from these funds, there would be no impact on the tax base," Marano said. It is estimated the animal shelter and second ice surface would cost $300,000 and $3,500,000 respectively. Stockwell told councillors the downloading of provincial costs to the municipality will not mean there will be a raiding of the town's reserves. "This could be the fifth consecutive year of the council dealing with a zero per cent increase on the local portion of the tax bill," the chief administrative administrative officer said. "One may not look forward to having a zero per cent increase in 1998," he predicted. According to the municipal budget documents, expenditures by Clarington Council account for 20 per cent of the local property tax bill. The Region tax levy is 19 per cent and education, requires 61 per cent. Area residents wishing to comment on the budget may do so during the next general purpose and administration committee meeting on Monday, March 17. Citizens can also speak at the following council meeting on Monday, March 24. To be a delegate to a meeting, residents must register with the clerk's office by noon, the Wednesday prior to the meeting they wish to attend. Budget Proposes New ice Pad and Upgrade for Animal Shelter New By-law Saves Trees by Laura J. Richards . Staff Writer Clarington has a new Tree Preservation By-law that is intended Independent Flyers & !®8X| TSF *A & P (Prices in effect from Sun., Mar. 9 to Sat., Mar. 22/97) /Beaver Lumber (Prices in effect until Mar. 22) Canadian Tire (Prices in effect from Sun., Mar. 9 to Sat., Mar. 15/97) 'Graham's IGA (Prices in effect from Sun., Mar. 9 to Sat., Mar. 15/97) 'Home Hardware (Prices in effect until Saturday, March 15) 'Orono Fuel and Lumber (Prices in effect until March 22nd /Roy's Variety 'Summit Realty '(Indicates partial distribution) For information about inserting flyers in ®fj ÿ Claringtou/Courttce 5ubrpcnbent, please contact our office at 623-3303. to prune past mistakes and help tied in the Official Plan. consider the possibility of allowing retain trees on private landowners' The municipality could extend their forestry technicians to be properties. the by-law in the future, if necessary, appointed as officer's for the purpos- The by-law will protect woodlots the report from Clarington Council es of the Tree Preservation By-law. one acre or larger and trees in areas adds. CLOCA has voted to begin talk- vulnerable to development pres- The enforcement of the by-law ing with Clarington's planning staff sures. will be by officers designated and on this matter. The regulations will also ensure appointed by the municipality. At Monday's meeting, where the tree removal is done in a way which If someone has decided not to go tree by-law was discussed, Courtice "maintains the ecological integrity the route of applying for and being resident Libby Racansky requested the that the councillors to redefine the smaller woodlots governed by the regulations. She suggested they be reduced to one-quarter of an acre rather than the one-acre size. She also asked that the munici- of the woodlot and significant natur- granted a permit to cut trees, al areas," states a report from municipality has two options: Clarington's Planning Department. • the officer may issue a stop The document states a woodlot order which is served to the must contain a specified number of landowner if tree cutting is continu- trees, but excludes orchards, ing or, Christmas tree farms, and landscape • the officer may choose to charge pality look at fines which would be farms which continue to be actively a person directly with having com- based on the number of trees cut. "In managed and harvested. milled an offence, after the fact. some countries they charge up to The by-law will not extend far- An appeal process is part of the $5,000 per tree cut," she said, ther than the urban or near-urban tree-cutting rules. Bowmanville resident Evylin boundaries, since "large scale tree The Planning Department's Stroud asked councillors to look at removal has not generally been a report on the by-law makes note that charging larger fines, starting at per- problem in the more rural areas of "none of the officers currently pro- haps $10,000 for the first offence the municipality." posed to be appointed possesses the and more as the charges pile up. When adopted, this by-law will appropriate forestry expertise, nor is "While $10,000 may seem a lot apply in the area south of Taunton such expertise currently available on to me, it may not be significant to a Road and will cover an area extend- staff." developer," she said. Stroud wants ing just east of the urban sections of For the by-law to be effective, the the developers to know that they Newcastle Village and Orono. municipality "requires person with simply can't cut down trees and not It will apply to lands which meet forestry expertise to review permit pay for it. the definition of the by-law and pro- applications and to assist in investi- She would also like the munici- tect trees on lands designated as an gâtions of unauthorised tree cut- pality to closely examine the Oak Environmental Protection Area in ting," the report adds. Ridges Moraine as being a protected the Clarington Official Plan. It will In that light, the planning staff area under the Tree Preservation By- have requested that the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority also preserve any tree within 120 metres (393 feet) of wetland identi- law. Turn to page 3