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k • Total Market Coverage of Clarington from the Publishers of The Canadian Statesman • A James Publishing Community Newspaper Saturday, February 20,1999 145th Year Circulation: 21,265 *45,000 Stolen Lovingly Decorated Cara Witvoct, a Grade 2 student at Knox Christian School, decorates heart-shaped cookies during the school's annual Big Heart Day, The special special event, held last Friday at the Bowmativille school, featured a number number of fun activities for students and a visit from Sonshine the Clown, "I figure they were looking for booze or something," says Hopkins, adding there was a wine cask stored near the safe. Two witnesses, including Hasiuk, say they saw two teens walking in the vicinity of the home Thursday afternoon. afternoon. Hasiuk told police that while he was on his tractor in a Field near his home, "he saw two kids walking up a driveway to a house. They saw him and walked back down the driveway," says Hopkins. The teens are described as being between 17 and 19 years of age. Insp. Smith is asking anyone with information on the theft to call Detective Hopkins at 579-1520, extension extension 1687, or Crime Stoppers at (905) 436-TIPS. "We're seeking the assistance of the community to solve this crime," says Insp. Smith. Unfair Competition? by Michelle Wyton Staff Writer The Clarington Hydro-Electric Commission is threatening to pull their funding from ENERconnect Inc. unless they get some questions answered. More than 280 Ontario utilities bought shares in the company, set up through the Municipal Electric Association, to help utilities adjust to the changes in the electricity market. But, after the January partners' meeting, meeting, the Clarington Hydro-Electric Commission has some serious concerns concerns about the operation. "I came away from the meeting very troubled," Commission Chair George Van Dyke said. "The way they are paying out money we (ENERconnect) will be out of money in the fall." When the agreements with ENERconnect were signed, each utility utility bought shares in the company. Clarington made a $12,000 commitment commitment to the project to be paid in $4,000 installments. In total, there is $3-mil- lion invested in ENERconnect and Van Dyke said they have already spent $ 1.5 million of it in set-up costs. "They've hired on some expensive help which we need," he said. "But, we have no source of income right now. Because of money shortages, they are suggesting they may look into other areas that we, as a utility, may want to do." As part of the changes being made in Ontario's electricity industry, local utilities will not only deliver the hydro but will also have the option of expanding into retailing in areas such as appliances and fibre optic cable. The agreement with ENERconnect included a clause that the member utilities utilities would not compete with the new company. "If ENERconnect gets into services we were thinking of, we are prevented from going into that service because we signed an agreement not to compete compete with them," said Van Dyke. "The agreement, as we understood it, was that they were only there for power procurement and as consultants to help us with any problems we have during deregulation." The commission is sending a letter to ENERconnect, all the member utilities utilities and the MEA. It will pose a number number of questions that the commission wants answered before they make their next payment. "Hopefully, we can shake up the board and make it run the way it was supposed to run when it was presented to us," said commissioner Paul Reesor.- The commission has also instructed the general manager, David Clark, to review the limited partnership agreement agreement and confirm that ENERconnect is not violating the terms of that agreement. agreement. If there are violations, the general general manager is to withhold subsequent installments and advise ENERconnect of the reasons for doing so. The next $4,000 payment is due in March, but ENERconnect asked the utilities to forward the money in January. Budget Boosts Health Care by Jennifer Stone Staff Writer Police are asking local residents to keep their eyes open for thousand dollar dollar bills after a brazen daylight break- and-enter at a Bowmanville-area residence. residence. Bill Hasiuk, a 67-year-old Holt Road resident, lost what police describe as "his life's savings" in the robbery. In all, about $45,000 in cash was taken. Durham Regional Police Clarington Detective Bill Hopkins says the cash, which was stored in a basement safe, came from the sale of a tractor and some cattle. "He was looking to buy a motor home," to be used for travel when Hasiuk and his wife retired, says Hopkins. Thieves ransacked the home between 1:30 and 3 p.m. Thursday, February 11. "A safe located in the residence was forced open and a large quantity of cash was stolen," says Inspector Ross Smith of Durham Regional Police in Clarington. "It was mostly in thousand dollar bills, 100s, 50s and 20s. There was quite a number of thousand dollar bills." Also stolen in the break-in was a large quantity of loonies and loonies, two bottles of liquor, three frozen steaks, two packages of wieners, collector collector coins, a camera, a set of binoculars, binoculars, watches and other jewellery. Insp. Smith says the culprits gained entry through a window in the home. He doesn't think the thieves knew about the money in advance of breaking breaking in. "I think it was just luck that they walked into it. They ransacked the rest of the house" before finding the safe, which was well hidden within the home, ijaidTnsp. Smith., , Dressing Up Students at St. Joseph's Public School enjoyed an afternoon of games last week as part of their winter carnival. Above, Shane Morlock gets some help from teammates Hailey Goguen and Kevin Martin during the dress-up race. -Photo by Michelle Wyton by Jennifer Stone Staff Writer Durham MP Alex Shepherd says there were "few surprises" in the federal federal 1 budget brought down Tuesday afternoon. The budget highlights health care, with an additional $11.5 billion in transfer payments to the provinces proposed proposed over the next five years. Of that amount, $3.5 billion will go immediately immediately to the provinces to help deal with problems currently being experienced by hospitals. Waiting lists, crowded emergency rooms and a lack of diagnostic diagnostic services are expected to be addressed by the cash infusion. "The whole objective of the budget was a consultative approach. We knew health care was an issue," said Shepherd Wednesday morning during a post-budget meeting co-hosted by the MP and Clarington's Board of Trade. But Durham East MPP John O'Toole, who was also in attendance at the meeting at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex, said he isn't sure the health care money is enough. He admitted it is a good start. "This is a good first step that the province has been looking for," said O'Toole. "But it still only increases the federal share on every dollar spent in health care from seven cents to 11 cents." While the budget did propose some tax decreases, Shepherd said Liberal Finance Minister Paul Martin "has undertaken a very small "c" conservative conservative course." "A lot of people will have a hard time when they look at a pay cheque to see how it's affected them," Shepherd said. The budget removes the three percent percent surtax on income tax for all Canadians effective July 1. The surtax was originally added to help fight the deficit. With the deficit paid down, the tax is no longer necessary, said Shepherd. As well, the budget helps provide tax relief for low- and middle-income earners by improving the Canada Child Tax Benefit. It also removes 200,000 low income Canadians from the tax rolls, and drops federal taxes for single taxpayers earning less than $20,000 and families earning less than $45,000 by a minimum of 10 percent. Peter Hobb, a Chartered Accountant with Hobb, Bakker, Bergin, Hill in Bowmanville, was on hand to help discuss discuss some of the technical aspects of Tuesday's budget. He said some people people aren't impressed with the small tax cuts resulting from the budget. "There has been a decrease in tax burdens for individuals; however, it is quite modest. There has been quite a bit of disappointment expressed that he (Martin) might have gone further," said Hobb. Councillors Back Orono Arena Project The Municipality of Clarington is giving its full support to the expansion /IIISÎ0E Independent Flyers Allstate (Darlene Ferguson 987-1611) A&P (Prices in effect from Sat., Feb. 20 to Fri., Feb 26/99) Armstrong IGA (Prices in effect from Sat., Feb. 20 to Fri., Feb 26/99) Graham's IGA (Prices in effect from Sat., Feb. 20 to Fri., Feb 26/99) Majestic Maid (Cleaning Service) Port Hope A&P (Prices jn effect from Sat., Feb. 20 to Fri., Feb 26/99) W Port Hope Valu-Mart ««Aui (Prices in effect from Sat., Feb. 20 to Fri., Feb 26/99) For information about inserting flyers in She ClariuRton/Couititc Shtbepimbeitl, please contact our office at 623-3303. of the Orono Arena. Although the municipality will not put any money into the project, it will provide the Orono Amateur Athletic Association with support services and financing. With the approval of Council, staff will put together a project project team to assist the athletic association association in the areas of building permits, codes and tendering. Interest-free Loan A report from town staff was presented presented to the general purpose and administration committee Monday. It recommended that council approve an interest-free loan of up to $125,000 to the athletic association. The money will be used to partially fund the addition addition of two dressing rooms, a locker room, a janitorial room and a meeting room at the existing facility. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $225,000. The rest of the money will come through fund-raising efforts, The loan is to be repaid with five yearly installments of $25,000 starting in Dec. 2000. In their recommendation, recommendation, staff said they arc "confident that with the proven track record of the Orono Amateur Athletic Association over the past 20 years that the financing financing plan is attainable," Final approval for the loan is expected next week. •tierAemitil . - I *5t#MUua.i i