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Press run 21,900 • SINCE 1854 • AMALGAMATED 1999 WITH \ 40 Pages Wednesday, June 19, 2002 Out of the box thinking Wheels Pull out THIS WEEK • Optional 3 week delivery $5/$l newsstand So you want to be a VP News, page A6 House cleaning at women's shelter JOHN O'TOOLE 'Accountability is really, really needed.' Bethesda House board struggles to make future brighter BY JACQUIE McINNES Staff Writer BOWMANVILLE - A week after a local women's shelter closed due to a mould infestation, its board is scrambling scrambling to find a new home while addressing allegations of staff wrong-doing and abuse at the refuge for women and children. The board of directors of Bethesda House- of Mercy closed the shelter- June 10 after a sewage back-up turned into a mould infestation in the basement, acting chairman of the board Denise Gerrits confirmed confirmed Monday. About 15 frontline and administration administration staff members have been laid-off temporarily and clients have been relocated relocated to other southern Ontario shelters. The board, which was already in the process of trying to find a new home to replace the current building, must move even faster to se- ■cure a new site now that the existing building has been shut down. "We are very seriously pursuing pursuing another property," said Linda Tyndall, the board's treasurer. "Now that the shelter shelter is closed, the sense of urgency urgency has intensified." The board had chosen a home on Regional Road 57 north of Hwy. 2 and began fund-raising efforts earlier this spring to purchase and retrofit the property at an estimated estimated cost of $800,000. The provincial government has committed $400,000 to the capital cost. With the closing date for the purchase looming, the board found itself about $200,000 short of its goal and in late May, withdrew from the deal. But finding a new home is only one of many issues the board is coping with. The board directors have found themselves facing recurring health and safety issues at the Liberty Street South building for more than a year. Last month, the board hired an investigator to look into allegations allegations made by a former employee against staff. Arlene Da Silva-Meester has since filed a wrongful dismissal suit against Bethesda House, its executive director and another employee, claiming she was fired for being a whistle-blower. whistle-blower. In the statement, filed in small claims court in Whitby, Ms. Da Silva-Meester said during her employment she was "exposed to various abusive abusive and questionable situations, situations, i.e. abuse of tax-paying dollars, residents, children and staff." According to her court statement, Ms. Da Silva- Meester expressed her concerns concerns to Executive Director Karen Mayson who, she claimed, did not take action and said "staff were forbidden to contact any outside interests interests without the approval of (Ms. Mayson). Any staff to make an attempt to do so would be terminated." Ms. Mayson declined comment, comment, according to Carolyn Dyer, Bethesda's executive administrator. Other claims made in the statement include "physical violence and a lack of support" support" for clients residing at the house. Prior to the lawsuit, the board hired an independent investigator to look into 28 allegations allegations brought against the See ALLEGATIONS page A4 Ecker delivers degree of relief 'Brilliant strategy' sees new university legislation tied to budget BY MARTIN DERBYSHIRE Staff Writer. DURHAM -- Durham's new university has a new champion. In presenting her first provincial budget, Finance Minster Janet Ecker, the Pick- ering-Ajax-Uxbridge MPP, announced announced Monday she would be making the legislation that establishes establishes the University of Ontario Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) a part of the budget bill. That means if the budget passes, the act that creates the university does too, making the new university's president, Gary Polonsky, a very happy man. "This is sensational news," Mr. Polonsky said following a post-budget breakfast in Pickering Pickering Tuesday morning. "Last May when (then finance) minister minister (Jim) Flaherty announced our funding he became a champion and secured a place in the history of the university. Today he's joined by another champion. Janet will surely be remembered for decades to come for her pivotal role in establishing establishing the university." Calling the plan to tie the new university's act to the budget budget a "brilliant strategy" Mr. Polonsky applauded the work of Ms. Ecker and Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Universities Dianne Cunningham. He added the announcement allows allows UOIT to fulfil its promise of being ready for students in the fall of 2003. "Until the act is passed we are unable to function as a true university," he said. "Now we're one year away from accepting accepting the first class of students. students. My concerns have vanished." vanished." While the new university is the big local winner from Monday's budget, smokers, big business and a good portion portion of taxpayers will be taking a bit of a hit. Cigarettes are going up $9 per carton as part of a joint federal-provincial tax hike and personal and corporate income tax cuts previously promised for 2003 arc being delayed one year. But, Ms. Ecker told business business leaders at the breakfast the Eves government is still committed to following a path to lower taxes. After four consecutive years of growth exceeding five per cent, Ontario saw just onc- per cent growth in 2001. Ms. Ecker said the Province needed needed to react despite numbers that indicate an economic turnaround turnaround has already taken hold. "There was a blip that we See ECONOMIC page A9 r ' • SERVICE • PARTS • NEW & USED SALES & LEASING EXTENDED SERVICE HOURS MON., TUES., THURS., FRI. 7:30 - 6:00 WED. - 7:30 - 9:00 SAT.-9:00-1:00 ACCREDITED TEST & REPAIR FACILITY ♦An ollklitl murk of I he Vrovlnvc of Onturio used under licence. Whitby - Oshawa onaa 1110 DUNDAS. ST. E. WHITBY, I.OCAL (905) 666-1772 honda www.hond#1.com Inside fix Statesman WHERE TO FIND IT Editorial Page .. ... ,A8 Sports ...,B1 Classified ... ,B4 GIVE US A CALL General 579-4400 Distribution .. .579-4407 Death Notices .683-3005 Sincerely Yours 1-800-662-8423 Web site durhamregion.com General FAX .. .579-2238 Newsroom FAX .579-1809 ANDREW IWANOWSKI/ Statesman photo Staying in tune ORONO - The Great Canadian Town Band Festival welcomed the Whitby Brass Band during a weekend celebration. Bands from throughout North America attended the tliree-day music festival. Fines levied against illegal dumping Toronto resident caught dumping shingles in Port of Newcastle area BY JACQUIE McINNES Staff Writer CLARINGTON Dumpers better learn to get rid of their garbage the legal way or be prepared to pay, says Mayor John Mutton, who announced one recent law-breaker is now paying the price. A Toronto resident was fined $400 and another $800 restitution and put on probation probation for a year after he was caught dumping shingles in the Port of Newcastle area, the mayor said. A Newcastle resident observed observed the activity and reported reported it to the municipality's municipality's law enforcement officers. officers. "The Municipality of Clarington takes illegal dumping extremely seriously- seriously- "If you are illegally dumping in Clarington you should know residents are watching and we are watching watching and we will catch you and we're going to hit you in the pocketbook," the mayor said. See RESIDENTS page A4 Courtice corridor study gets review BY JACQUIE McINNES Staff Writer COURTICE - The fate of properties in the Courtice corridor remains uncertain for a while longer as a $ 100,000 study of the area goes hack to staff for further review. The general purpose and administration committee Monday voted to send the report report back to staff after dozens of Courtice property owners, including key landholders, voiced objections with the plan. "Due to all the concerns we are hearing today from residents and property own ers, we arc going to refer it back to staff to consider the comments," said Mayor John Mutton. "This is so important of an issue we have to make sure we fully understand the longterm longterm implications of the plan and the short-term implications implications for the current property owners." The plan calls for a main central area node development development from Hwy. 2 south to Sandringham Drive and from Trulls Road on the east to a new road on the west called Maple field Drive, to be crcat- See SERIOUS page A9 " V'Vh'-j am 166 King St. E., Bowmanvllle 905-623-3396 •Price, are plue tana, Ikww. .nd edmtnWr«tWitoe BEiwii tmm ttiii ©ewirLU iein.(lle 1998 CheviSOO 2WD Pickup U05 VU, nulonmllc, AC, npotliildu box, till ^ ciuluo, chioino wheel». llmmy : VU, AC, nuto., powur window A lock», till ciuluo, root ruck, iilumlnum whuulti, multi dine CD plnyur A rumolii nlmlor. 1997 Olds Eighty Eight LS bonded, louthor Inloilor, iilumlnum wheel», power mud CD A cnooollo, keylena entry, ILWESIMENT You choose the two NO CHARGE Items that best suit your needs. 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