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"A Family Tradition for 125 Years" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, April 21,1992 -3 Region wants police to chop budget by 1.8 % By Scott Anderson Port Perry Star The head of the Police Servic- es Board told Durham council- lors he will fight any recommen- dations to cut staffon the force. Jim Witty, Ajax Mayor and Chairman of the Police Services Board, told regional council that he "can't support any rec- ommendations to reduce per- sonnelin police services." There are approximately 750 members on the Durham Police staff. The Police Services Board has been instructed by regional council to reduce its budget in- crease to 7.5 per cent, from the 9.3 per cent figure the board is proposing. This reduction means a decrease of approxi- mately $850,000. Possible 9.7 per cent increase The Police Services Board has released budget projections of approximately 50 million. Mayor Witty says this money is needed to maintain the current levels of police services to the community. He warned of prob- lems in policing the region if there are cuts to personnel. "It doesn't take a rocket scien- tist to realize what effect this will have," he told the council members. Mayor Witty promised to work with the economic strate- gy committee towards a feasible budget, but said "the first dollar that represents manpower cuts is when I'll balk." At the present time the 9.3 per cent increase does not allow any increases to the manpower numbers. Mayor Witty said he hoped to increase the ranks by about 50, but has been informed there will be no increase in staff. Also during the meeting, Tre- vor McGagherty, Durham Re- gional Police's deputy chief, took advantage of his formal in- troduction to regional council to appeal to the members for a workable budget. Deputy Chief McGagherty said that although he is "keenly aware of today's economic times, there was still an increas- ing public concern about safe- ty." He appealed to the council members to keep the concerns of the public's safety in their minds when finalizing the bud- t. The regional budget is sched- uled tobe released on April 29. Regional councillors say budget will be "tough" By Scott Anderson Port Perry Star The Region of Durham's bud- get, to be released April 29, will be tough, say members of re- gional council. The Economic Strategy Com- mittee, established to study all aspects of the budget, plans to limit the budget to a 9.7- increase. But it will be a tough budget as the region is grappling with the problem of rising unemploy- ment statistics and other relat- ed problems of the recession. According to D.R. Evans, Durham's Chief Administrative Officer, Social Services have in- creased by 16 per cent, while on Monday (April 27). of the finance committee. eran trustee said. fall. budget process. ready know how to swim. Board of Education budget may come in under four per cent By Julia Dempsey Port Perry Star After numerous meetings, the Durham Board of Education finance committee is prepared to present its budget to the board At present, the projected increase has been kept to just be- low four per cent, says Joyce Kelly, Scugog trustee and member Mrs. Kelly told the Port Perry Star the committee did a "real housecleaningjob" when preparing the budget. But she added no jobs or major programs will be lost. She did comment, however, that things could change when the budget is taken to the board. Ten of the 20 trustees sit on the finance committee. When the budget is presented, trustees who are not on the committee can make recommendations. If a recommendation to add or de- lete a service is accepted by the board, it will change the budget. "As arule, there is usually not that many changes," the vet- To keep the increase to a minimum, Mrs. Kelly said the committee has recommended the board debenture the cost of the new Pickering high school which is scheduled to open this The committee has also suggested axing the Grade 5 swim- ming program which was spared such a fate during last year's "The need (for the swimming program) seems to have gone," Mrs. Kelly said, adding by Grade 5 many students al- TI I I I I I I I I I I I III I III XII III XIII IIIIIIIIIITIITIIIIL April 24th at 6 p.m. as part of our 135th Year Anniversary We will have a "POT LUCK DINNER" in the Church Hall. The pot will be some dish from your Heritage. You will also have an opportunity to relate some anecdote from your Past. Other entertainment will be showing of Nature Slides by Gary Grundy. St. John's Folk We'll See You There! St. John's Presbyterian Church pS PPPS PPPS SPSS 4 44d BAR I x xxx xx 32 XIII II XXXII XXXII IXIXXIIXIIIIIIIIIIIILY Children's Aid is up 14.3 per cent. Mr. Evans says the region is bound by law to provide these services and therefore cannot make any cuts in these areas. Most other areas of the bud- get will see little, if any, in- creases over last year's num- bers. The Planning Department budget has been cut by 1.3 per cent, Health has been held to an increase of 1.8 per cent, Day Care to 1.8 per cent, while Fami- ly Counselling and 9-1-1 emer- gency services will see no in- crease at all. Mr. Evans also said that a freeze has been put on hiring and that all positions to filled would have to be approved by - his office. The budget process came un- der attack by councillors during an April 156 meeting. Works Chairman John Aker criticized the Regional Councillors for their apparent apathy towards the process. "T just don't think there's an interest in it," he said. "Let's get alittle firein the game." Councillor Aker suggested that all the councillors should be concerned about the budget as "everybody's going to share the pain." But Newcastle Mayor Diane Hamre said there was no lack of interest, but a general feeling that nothing could be done as there were no choices available. Scugog Mayor Howard Hall says itis going to be a tough bud- get, with cuts across the board. He is concerned that the cuts may be alittle too fine, however. "I just hope we haven't cut it too thin," he says. He feels a number of the areas have been cut too far and that the region may pay in the fu- ture. He says areas, such as roads, that have faced cuts this year, may have to be addressed next year, adding further costs in the future. "It's going to be a tough bud- get," he says. "It's going to be tough on the people who have to pay the 9.7 per cent and also on the departments that must stay within the budget." Mayor Hall says the re- straints will result in hiring freezes and lay offs at the re- gional level. % 3 3 ph >" 3 . 3 SULEE E a 3 IL LRN R $3 a JULIA DEMPSEY! SORT PERN STAR Easter bonnet day was celebrated at many Scugog Township schools on Thursday. Looking picture perfect in their Easter bonnets are R. H. Cornish Public School students Cristy McCurrach (front), Leanne Holt and Melissa McGill. : Queen St., Port Perry