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6 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, July 18, 1989 The Pout Povey Shae 235 QUEEN STREET - PORT PERRY, ONTARIO PHONE 985-7383 FAX 985-3708 The Port Perry Star is authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, for cash payment of postage. Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 Subscription Rate: In Canada $20.00 per year Elsewhere $60.00 per year. Single Copy 50¢ EDITORIAL Publisher - J. Peter Hvidsten Editor - John B. McClelland News/Features - Cathy Olliffe News Reporter - Rob Streich PRODUCTION Annabell Harrison Trudy Empringham Darlene Hlozan BUSINESS OFFICE Office Manager - Gayle Stapley Accounting - Judy Ashby Billing Department - Louise Hope ADVERTISING Advertising Co-ordinator - Valerie Ellis Advertising Sales Representative: Anna Gouldburn Retail Sales - Kathy Dudley, Linda Ruhl, Heather Jones Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association Ontario Community Newspaper Association Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Co. Ltd. Port Perry, Ontario Editorial Comment WE'RE WAITING If the newly formed group in Scugog Township called Citizens Against Unjust Taxes wants to get its teeth into an issue, its members should start paying close attention to the plans by Durham Region to build not one, but two new buildings to house its many administrative depart- ments. The Regional council last week put its stamp of ap- proval on a resolution calling for two buildings: one in downtown Oshawa, the other at a site somewhere in Whitby. Oshawa and Whitby have been squabbling and bick- ering over the Regional HQ issue almost since the day Durham was formed back in 1973. The resolution that cleared the council by a wide vote last week was termed a "political compromise." In other words, since there is no agreement on where the big plum should go, the tax-payers of the Region can foot the bill to split the plum, just to soothe the sensitive political egos of politicians in those two cities. We are not totally convinced that Durham Region should be thinking about even one new building these days, let alone two. This is a Region, after all, that hit the tax-payers with a 19 per cent hike this year, and is facing some rather hefty costs in the next few years over how to resolve the growing garbage crisis. Sure the present system of having Regional offices and staff scattered all over the place is inefficient and costly (for rents) but just how much is it going to cost to build two new buildings that will still leave the staff and departments fragmented? To be fair, the two building concept is just in its infan- cy. How much it will cost and all the other fine details are to be pencilled in over the next few months. But the reso- lution endorsed last week puts the Region on that course. The obvious place for any expansion to bring all the Regional departments under one roof, is right on the loca- tion of the current HQ building on Rossland Road in Whit- by. There is ample land for parking and an addition or even separate building. It is a convenient location, easily accessible via High- way 12 for the people who live in Scugog, Brock and Ux- bridge Township, a lot more convenient and accessible than a spot in downtown Oshawa or even Whitby, for that matter. But accessibility and convenience are just a small part of the issue. The real question is cost. How much is this two-pronged scheme going to cost the already belea- guered ratepayers in this Region. Two buildings are more expensive than one to build and maintain, especially when the Region already has a building and land bought and paid for on Rossland Road. * Qn.JOAN ... TH 15 JUST IDLE CURIOSITY... . BUY STORNOWAY ...DOE% A BOMB SHELTER GO WH IT 2" . al ESN SAN po AS So stupid if | did. A lot of the wheeling and dealiing on this one has gone on behind closed doors. Indeed, the resolution that was passed by council (just four dissenting votes, by the way, one of them from Scugog rep Yvonne Christie) was hammered out by the eight mayors the previous day be- hind closed doors at a meeting that was described as stormy and angry. And when the resolution came in front of the full coun- cll (a meeting open to the public) not one of the eight mayors spoke, save for Brock Mayor Don Hadden, who had the privilege of introducing it to the assembly. We understand that certain items involving property (Tum to page 8) Chatterbox by CATHY OLLIFFE You won't have me to kick around anymore (or something like that). I'm leaving the Port Pry Star. After six ears I'm packing up my old kit bag and tak- ng this show on the road. This is my last col- umn, my swan song, my last kick at the cat. And I'm finding it kinda hard to believe. | was beginning to think I'd always be here. There's nothing wrong with that, really, except a person grows stale if she's in one place too long and if you get too dried out, your eyes sort of lose their ability to look ahead. You can miss a lot of opportunities that way. There was a knock on my door, a great big thunderous whallop that scared the lite out of me when | opened that door and came face to face with Opportunity. | couldn't resist. I'd be Which is all well and good, except now | {ta say good-bye. And that's hard. | feel like 'm going through a divorce, like I'm leaving home for the first time--I feel like Linus giving up his security blanket. The Port Perry Star has been very very to me. I've leamed a whole lot. | met my usband because of my job. I've set down some roots here. Heck, | feel just as comforta- Ye behind my desk as | do at home on the sofa. And yet there are some things I'm not going to miss--like inserting flyers or delivering newspapers. I'm definitely not going to miss all the flack I've taken over the years because some bozos out there don't like this column. Oh, and | probably won't miss working nights and weekends, or spending hours at a time in the darkroom either. Of course, | will miss plenty. | think I'll miss John B. the most. In all the time I've worked here, | can't recall John real- ly giving me heck for anything, although | can remember plenty of times when | deserved it. He's been a groat teacher, a super guy to have a beer with, and a real inspiration. Some are scared off by his gruff voice, if you look closely at his eyes you can usually see 'em twinkling. He's been my hero, he's been a friend, and | hope he doesn't become a stranger. Someone else | really admire around here is Annabell Harrison. Annabell is one tough customer when it comes to rookies. When | was new she put me through my paces and there were times on production days that I'd find myself either close to tears or close to slugging her one. But once she smoothed out some of m wrinkles and had me educated in the art of fill- ing the waxer, getting photos to her before deadline, and writing headlines at the speed of sound, she softened up. As for me, well, | finally figured out the only reason Annabell is so tough is because she cares so much about this newspaper. | like her and respect her for that. Everyone who works for the Star feels a strong sense of devotion. Peter Hvidsten might think he owns it, but so do the staff. I'll miss all you guys--even though you didn't send me a card when | had my gallbladder out (forget it, it's too late now). There's lots of people I'l miss--Kent Farn- dale, the most energetic person in town and the subject of my very first interview here; Lynda Kendry, my favourite real estate agent; Cartwright High School (if | had kids I'd send them there, no doubt about it); Henry Raet- sen, Ken Hudson, Wolfgang Palleske, Sandy Garvock and all the guys | bugged every Mon- day morning for the poles report; Allene Kane, my Ghost Road buddy; Elizabeth Ful- ford, who introduced me to the workings of this community through Community Care; Earl Cuddie and the gang at the Township of- fice, who've answered more dumb questions than | care to count (same goes for Mike Fowler and Bryan Davies); and I'll really miss working alongside the firefighters from Scu- gog Hall No. 2. It's been a slice.