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Orono Town Hall RONO Volume 64,. Number 9 750 GST Included Wednesday, March 1,2000 Serving Kendal, Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone since 1937 A river runs ütrough it !_ Capital budget 0% tax increase The usually sedate Orono Creek turned into a raging torrent last week. The early spring thaw, brought on by the early.warm spell had resulted in water running everywhere. HappeMings ART ASSOCIATION ; ©W ORONO The next general meeting of the Association is Tuesday, April 11th at 7:30 p.m. Orono Town Hall> CLARINGTON CONCERT BAND A Benefit Band Concert for the Orono Bandstand (to be constructed in the spring of this- year). Sunday, March 5, 2000 at 2:00 p.m., Orono Town Hall, admission is free, charitable receipts for donations of $20.00 or more will be issued upon request. WORLD DAY OF PRAYER - MARCH 3, 2000 The World Day of Prayer is being held at St. Saviour's Anglican Church at 7:00 p.m. on March 3, 2000. The participating churches churches St. Saviour's, Orono United, Kirby United, all churches in the Newcastle area invite the community to join them. BABYSITTING COURSE Sponsored by the Optimist Club of Newcastle, St. John's Ambulance, 987-1863. Working out the bugs on the police radios With the new digital communications communications system, police are getting 97% coverage in the Region with their portable radios. Despite the 30% increase in coverage over the old analog system, officers are not getting a comfort level with the new radios reported Oshawa's Mayor, Nancy Diamond. ClearNet, had been awarded awarded a $12.2 million contract to install the new system in ' police cruisers and police headquarters in the Durham Region. Colin Belshaw, a ClearNet representative was on hand at Wednesday's Regional Council meeting to defend this company's system. "You have the best model available, to fit your public safety needs," stated Belshaw! Terry Ryan-, president of the Police Association, did admit some • of the problem stems from training. Officers were trained on the new radios well before the system was operative. Officers are now being sent for full re-training, Ryan informed councillors. "I do not think that the radios, as presently configured, configured, are- user friendly," Ryan stated. When Regional Chair Roger Anderson asked Ryan, if the new system was better than the one police were using a year ago? Ryan stated, "no." Ryan went on to say, "there will be an inherent problem with any system. I don't know what company we could have got that would give us an ideal system; with the budget we had, this is the system we got." Brock Mayor, Keith Shrier stated he was not happy with the less than 100% coverage. "If an officer goes into a blank area, he has to have a buddy," said Shrier. "Is this top of the line equipment?" asked Shrier, "or are we trying to get a Cadillac ride but of a wheelbarrow?" Deputy Police Chief (continued page 12) If it wasn't for having to replace playground equipment, equipment, Clarington would have been looking at a 1-1.5% tax decrease. "The .Municipality must contend with the replacement of some of our playground equipment to comply with safety standards as directed by the Region's Medical Officer of Health, at the price tag of $460,000," stated finance chair, councillor councillor John Mutton,. Monday. In a special General Purpose and Administration meeting held Monday afternoon, afternoon, Councillors' approved the 2000 capital budget and four year forecast. A total bqdget of ■$8,085,735 . was approved, with $3.4 million coming from the tax base, ,and $4.6 million coming from reserve funds. An assessment growth of approximately 2.8% has provided provided approximately $500,000 tax room, without increasing the tax base, thus no tax increase at this time. Other major capital projects projects outlined, besides the replacement of playground equipment, is the replacement of the Municipal financial system, system, an elevator at the municipally municipally owned Beçch Centre, and a storage facility for the Hampton Works Department. Replacement of the fleet is included in thisyeaf's budget. Since the elimination of Provincial roads grant, fleet replacement has become a Municipal responsibility. . Kitchen for Orono Hall A $85,000, item for a kitchen expansion at the Orono Town Hall came as a surprise to Councillor Jane Rowe. "We haven't had any presentations from this group," stated Rowe. Mayor Harare informed councillors, this is something the Orono Town Hall Board has been looking into for 15 years. "The reason they want that kitchen, becaus* they can have that hall booked far more than it is. They have no facility facility to provide refreshments," she stated. "They feel if they had kitchen facilities, they could increase rentals -- increase revenue. As you know, we put very little money into that building, it is raised by members of the Hall Board," she added. Rowe stated she was not objecting, to the new kitchen, she was objecting to the process. Councillor Trim thought they should get assistance, assistance, Councillor Schell thought the $85,000 price tag was cheap. Councillor Young said, "I do understand a kitchen would be a big asset to that building, let's approve project in principle till we see a report." "Just for the record," said Mayor Ham re, "I'm totally opposed to putting a kitchen in the Orono Town Hall -- for (continued page 3) Band plays for bandstand This Sunday's concert by the Clarington Concert Band will directly benefit thé Orono Bandstand project. To date $3,830 has been pledged to the project, which has a price tag of about $8,000. Since the Bandstand will be built with volunteer labour, the $8,000 represents the cost of materials. The concert will be held on Sunday, March 5, in the Orono Town Hall, at 2:00 p.m. Admission is free, however, donations will be gratefully accepted. Charitable receipts , for donations of $20 .or more will be issued if requested. Project co-ordinator, David Climenhage hopes to get the bandshell built (his spring. The Municipality of Clarington has granted permission permission to erect the victoria replica bandstand on the lawn of the Clarke Library. The bandstand will be one of the venues for the Great Canadian Town Band Festival, coming to Orono this July first weekend.