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Page 16 The Clarington/Courticc Independent, Bowmanvillc, Saturday, September 19,1998 Catholic Teachers And Board Return to Bargaining Table by Jennifer Stone Staff Writer Catholic high school teachers and the Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board are talking again. Talks resumed Thursday in Peterborough, with help from a provin- cially-appointed mediator. High school students with the separate school board have only had one day of school since classes were scheduled to resume Sept. 8. The board moved three Professional Activity Days into the first week of school, to allow for further negotiations. Students returned to class Friday, Sept. 11, but talks between the two sides broke down last Sunday. When an impasse was declared by the mediator, the school board locked its high school teachers out. Teachers had threatened partial strike action, and the board responded by saying the action would "cause a serious disruption to the delivery of programs and services in the (Board's) secondary schools." A press release also stated: "Given the unpredictability of the situation, situation, the Board would not be able to guarantee the safety and supervision of its secondary students and therefore has no choice but to close the secondary secondary schools." As of The Independent's press time, a union spokesperson couldn't reveal much in terms of how the talks were going. "We're are talking - that's all I can say," said Mike Gorman, 1st vice president of the local branch of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association. Gorman is part of the union's negotiating team. In the interim, the district district board has asked administrators from the four Catholic secondary schools, including St. Stephen's in Bowmanvillc, to provide students with class outlines and educational educational materials. As well, students in need of counselling counselling appointments through Student Services have been asked to call school principals. And, educational assistants have been reassigned to meet the needs of students at elementary schools, Updates on the talks will be provided on the school board's information hotline at 1-800-499-6539. Property Assessment Appeal Deadline May be Extended by Lorraine Manfredo Staff Writer In the wake of public uncertainty over tax bills, Finance Minister Ernie Eves is talking about extending the appeal period on property value assessments to October 30. Extending the deadline beyond the present August 31 date won't be official unless it gains support of all parties in the House. However, the House is not scheduled to meet until late September. "I would encourage constituents who feel they have grounds to do so, to register their appeal as soon as possible," possible," said Durham East MPP John O'Toole. MPP John O'Toole notes that other parties in power had opportunity to make the tax system more fair but dropped the ball. "The system needed to be refined and we refined it, and people will be thanking us for it a year from now," he said. "The changes should not result in one new cent. Its just a new way of apportioning the load," You can reach the tax assessment office at 432-8444. The cost to assess residential or multi-residential property property is $20. For commercial property, the cost is $50. Councillor Mary Novak said she was against the Region's decision to phase in tax adjustments, since it is not to the benefit of most Clarington residents. Increases of over $500, and decreases of over $423 will be spread over three years. Decreases are to be capped, with the money pooled and distributed to those who were hardest hardest hit. We will be subsidizing others, Novak argues, and points out that no one is paying back all the people who overpaid for years. Although she has had several calls already from residents residents on fixed incomes, senior and others, she expects a flood of calls once people get their actual tax bills in the mail after the end of September. The extended property assessment appeal deadline came up during the Finance Minister's speech at the annual AMO (Association of Ontario Municipalities) conference Wednesday. Eves announced a series of financial measures which he says will mean greater stability and more revenue for municipalities. "These measures will help address immediate cash flow needs and provide municipalities with a more stable and predictable environment in which to do 1999 budget planning." planning." Eves told AMO delegates that the amount of next year's Community Reinvestments Fund (CRF) payments to municipalities will be calculated on the same basis as in 1998. "As promised, the total will be the same as in 1998, providing $600 million for the CRF and $75 million in Special Transition Assistance," he said. The Minister also announced that the deadline for the municipalities to repay the province for $1.5 billion in school board remittances, which the province paid on their behalf, will be pushed back to October 30, 1998, to help municipalities manage any cash flow problems. Eves also announced that the province will make pay- mcnts-in-licu of taxes on property it occupies and leases from tax-exempt organizations such as municipalities. It will provide roughly $25 million in additional revenues to municipalities beginning this year. Bronze Plaque To Accompany Colville Memorial A bronze plaque bearing a poem to commemorate the three Colville brothers of Bowmanvillc who perished in World War Two will be unveiled in Rotary Park on Saturday, September 26th, at 11:30 a.m. The plaque is to be permanently mounted at the park located at Temperance and Queen Street. A clock lower -- one of the centerpieces of the park -- was dedicated dedicated in honour of the three brothers when the park opened in 1996. Air force veteran Dick Watson of Wawa, Ontario, wrote the poem. He was a wing-mate of John Sandy Colville, one of the brothers Mr. Watson will be attending a lighter pilot reunion in Toronto that weekend and plans to be at the unveiling. VINTAGE TRACTORS -- Classic tractors, carefully restored to showroom condition, formed a wall of color at the Orono Fair last weekend. Shown among the machines is Grace Coatham, who watches her husband, Ted, compete in the tractor barrel race. -Photo by Tyson Thorne Riders Miss Easy Accès to Forest Horseback riders in Kendal are hoping to have Mast Road re-opened for public use soon enough to enjoy the autumn colours in the Ganaraska Forest. The road, which runs up from Concession 8 through private land south of the forest, was padlocked padlocked shut by the property property owner earlier this month. Kendal resident Joan Anderson appeared at Municipal Council on Monday to request council intervene to guarantee the public access. Anderson says Mast Road has been used by the public for 150 years, and adds that riding into the forest via an alternate route can add two hours of riding time. The owners of the property, property, Bill and Shirley Stapleton, write in a letter to Council that the old Mast Road and surrounding surrounding area is environmentally environmentally sensitive. They note that they do permit Ganaraska Snowmobile Club members members on the easterly fork of the trail during four months of the winter, but the club assumes all liability liability for riders crossing the private property. Clarington has no intention of taking over the road, due to the high costs associated with of bringing it up to provincial standards standards and maintaining it. Mayor Hamre suggested suggested this may be a legal matter matter between the residents who want the right-of-way and the property owner. However, council voted to ask staff to review past files on the subject, consider consider the latest information, information, and prepare a report to be presented at future meeting. Air-Drops Vaccinate Wildlife Against Rabies From September 21 to October 2, the Ministry of Natural Resources will be dropping approximately 1.1 million rabies vaccine baits to protect the public from the threat of rabies. The vaccine will be distributed across southern southern Ontario. The baits contain a rabies vaccine. There have only been two reported cases of fox rabies in Ontario in 1998. This bait drop is to help control the fox strain of rabies in Ontario. Bailing will commence from the Stratford Municipal Airport on September 21 and continue continue from the Peterborough Airport around September 27. Three MNR "Yellow Bird" Twin Otters will distribute distribute the bail between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., weather permitting. The drop planes will be flying at an elevation of approximately approximately 500 feet. The baits contain a commercially produced rabies vaccine in a blister pack and arc labelled as MNR Rabies Baits and include a phone number for any inquiries. The Ministry requests that people not touch them. The vaccine drop has been highly effective in eliminating fox rabies from Ontario. Due to its success, the Rabies Unit of the MNR has been asked to conduct bait drops in Quebec, Vermont, New York, Ohio and Texas in 1998. a au-4*.. |