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Ee A TSE Oo Yor Sh BONA 0 il abi a ma 4 Bn -- & Vol. 128 No. 16 PORT PERRY, ONTARIO - TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 1994 Copy 65¢ @1¢ + accsn 36 Pages SEE a visiting friends in Po Debra Amey and her six-year-ol Arle rt Perry and decide have been one of the last le : 51d son Adam appeared to have La themselves Sunday afternoon for a game of shinny. Mrs. Amey and her son ol d to try out the ice. Last weekend may "chances to skate on the lake as the weatherman is promising warmer temperatures this week. If this occurs, parents should warn their children of the dangers of playing around the lake and creeks. : ' Ge . Board of By Scott Anderson Port Perry Star The decision to slash the number of public school trus- tees will hurt Durham's north- ern communities, local trustees say. Scugog's representation was chopped on Monday after Dur- ham Board of Education trus- tees voted to trim the number of members from 20 to 15. The cuts included a 50-per cent reduction in Scugog's rep- resentation. "Under the new plan sched- uled to take affect after the fall municipal election, the town- ship's representation drops to By Scott Anderson Port Perry Star Scugog will put five parcels of land on the auction block next month. These properties will go un- der the gavel on April 6 in an ef- fort to collect back taxes. According to Kathryn McCann, Scugog's Deputy Treasurer, a large amount of back taxes have accumulated on these lands forcing the town- ship to register the lands for auction. In one instance the outstand- ing taxes and interest had accu- mulated for more than 20 years. There are two properties each in Caesarea and Nestleton and onein Port Perry. Scugog collects taxes by auction Although the township does not usually go to this extreme in collecting taxes, Ms. McCann said the township has no choice. In fact, Ms. McCann said this is the first time in which the township has gone to this length. "We have outstanding taxes and we're obligated to collect them," she said. In order for the township to begin action, taxes must be in arrears for at least three years.- Following the three-year peri- od, the property owners receive a registered letter notifying themofthelate taxes. A one-year grace period is Turn to page 4 MNR pleased with ice fishing season By Kelly Lown Port Perry Star Ministry of Natural Resourc- es Conservation Officers report a successful season of ice fishing for anglers on Lake Scugog, but officers also laid 168 charges on the ice under various regula- tions and acts. Anglers with no fishing li- censes and those fishing with too many lines were the most common of the 128 charges laid by MNR officers under the On- tario Fisheries Regulations Act and Game Fishing Regulations Act on Lake Scugog this winter, according to conservation offi- cer Mitch Phinney. Scugog's representation cut in half one trustee from two. The numbers in other munici- palities were also reduced. Oshawa dropped from seven to five, Whitby and Ajax from three to two, while Pickering re- mained at three and Uxbridge and Brock remained at one each. The Ontario Ministry of Kdu- cation suggested the cuts to lo- cal school boards as a cost- saving measure and hinted it would force the cuts if not made voluntarily. "I think it was one of the biggest mistakes in years," said Scugog Trustee Joyce Kelly. "It's a sad day for Scugog and the northern municipalities." "It's a slap to publiceducation in general," said Trustee Bobbie Drew. The reduction of five trustee positions amounts to approxi- mately $68,000 per year. "The money is peanuts, com- pared to the board's overall bud- get," Mrs. Kelly said. Trustee Kelly said the north- ern communities will suffer as a result ofthe reduction. According to figures, the three northern communities cover 66 per cent of the geo- graphic area of Durham, but hasonly 20 percentofthe repre- sentation. "I think we got a rough deal. The people of Scugog deserve a lot more," Mrs. Kelly.said. "The whole north will suffer because of it." Mrs. Drew also expressed. concern for the representation in the northern areas. "I don't know how the constit- uents of Scugog are going to feel about havingonly one represen- tative. It's abigarea to cover." Mrs. Drew said the board must now look at ways to consol- idate the regional responsibili- ties to allow trustees to better represent their constituents. "We will have to restructure and change the way of doing Last year only 59 charges were laid under the Ontario Fisheries Regulations Act, but officers were forced to be more lenient last year due to a grace period with the new Outdoors Cards. This year's 128 charges are in line with 1992's 125 charges, but with a shortened season this year. While the number of fishing related charges were up dra- matically from last season, the number of charges against snowmobilers and Off Road Ve- hicle users plummeted. Under the Motorized Snow Turn to Page 2 Education cuts five trustees things," she said. Despite voting against the change, Mrs. Drew said the trustees showed leadership by making the decision before the ministry stepped in with per- missive legislation. Mrs. Drew also noted that the board is taking the budget pro- cess very seriously. "We're practicing what we're preaching," she said. "Through- out the budget process we have made cuts to staff and pro- grams. The trustees are doing thesame." "The decision has been made by the board and I'm willing to live and work with it." Give the "Gift of Life" - Give Blood Wed., March 16 CA FIL RY Yo RD EE ST wt XY Ci NT ay i SE hag BP I As loin, gS me Al en