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6- PORT PERRY STAR - Wednesday, Oct. 12, 1994 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" Ep D> PORT PERRY STAR ITORIAL Editorial Comment Pit resolution a bad move Scugog Township councillors made the wrong move recently when they voted to support a resolution regarding a piece of land in the municipality's east end. They bowed to pressure put upon them by a number of residents living on the Scugog-Manvers township line and passed the motion, put forth by Ward 4 Councillor David Dietlein, that states the township is "vehemently and adamantly opposed" to extraction of sand and gravel from a 100-acre parcel of land south of McKee Rd. In passing the resolution the council lors may have appeased the neighbors of the property. But they also trampled the rights of Eid Attia, the property owner. The council passed judgement on an application that had not yet been made -- and likely never will be made -- for a way- side pit extraction permit for the property. That's despite the warning of the town ad- ministrator that it was less than prudent. And the decision was made with the knowledge that tests showed so little use- ful aggregate on the property that a li- cence would likely never be granted, any- way. : Mr. Attia will probably seek to have the resolution rescinded, and he ought to. The politicians in this case opted for the most expedient anc popular end to an in- creasingly messy situation. | And they may have created problems by doing so. What will their response be when residents protest the township ap- plying for a wayside permit to fulfill its | own needs for gravel and sand? That said, there were a few points about the resolution that had merit: In particular, it calls upon the provincial gov- ernment to adopt procedures that would create opportunities for municipal and public commentary on proposed pits ear- lier in the licensing process. It also stresses the importance of the Oak Ridges Moraine, upon which the property in question is situated, and it recognizes that the site being tested was close to a number of homes. The resolution should have been re- drafted and passed with no reference to the property in question. Passing the doc- ument as it stood Oct. 3 was government by appeasement, and that's simply not prudent. Sometimes the way to best represent the municipality's interests is not to do as the electorate demands, but to make de- cisions that are, in the long run, fair and defensible. J Lo0k Like AN VOWT -- THIS 15 No WAY | YOK AN \MPORTANT EXECU Like ME TO DRess! WEL MR Big SHor EXECUTIVE , YOU JUST REMEMBER YOU LOOK LUKE AN (DoT Fok Grabowski. Pictured are the members of Scugog Fire Department Hall #1 from Oct, 8, 1975. Back row from left are: Roy Penny, Jack Cook, Charlie Low 3 -Ballingall, Irv Gibson, Ben Pickard, Leo Donnelly, Pete Caudle, Doug 'Clive Boyd, (front) Bill Harrison, Keith Mark, D "I ETTERS Questions over Commons linger To the Editor: The events concerning this major de- velopment project in the township as re- rted in last week's paper leave the reader with a number of unanswered questions concerning Scugog Council's practices and con trols over development in the township. For example: Was the golf course in- cluded in the development plan ap- proved by council? Did the developer post a performance bond with the town- ship as security for his undertakings? Do the principal owners, Mackenzie M.E.F. Management Inc. disclaim in- volvement with the golf course plan? What alternative plan do the owners have for this acreage? Responses to council's recent Econom- ic Survey indicated a desire for orderly growth in the township; it is essential for council to administer this growth. The reported 50 buyers of lots in the subdivision must be protected; they have made a major financial decision based on literature and presentations that extolled the virtues and scenic beau- ty of the golf course. These people would have been wel- come additions to the economy of the area. Council should act quickly to pro- tect their interests and the township's reputation. Art Murcott, Ashburn, Ont. by J. Peter Hvidsten "3 LET'S HONOR OUR 'GOOD KIDS' Every year for the past 13 years, the Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA) and its mem- ber newspapers have selected young people from across the province to honor for making valuable or positive contributions to their community. The Port Perry Star is honored to take part in the very valuable Ontario Junior Citizen Program, and urge our readers to submit names of local youth who repre- sent the ideals of the program. In the. past decade, the Star has had the privilege of submitting the names of three individuals for the award, one who was honored with the prestigious award. We know there are dozens of youngsters from around our township who qualify for this recognition and want your help in locating them. Our youth posses a tremendous capaci- ty for facing challenges, overcoming obstacles, inspiring their peers and serv- ing their communities. The young people we are looking for are between the ages of 6-18, have contribut- ed to their community in a volunteer or leadership role, overcome various physi- Random Jottings cal or psychological difficulties, performed an act of heroism, or exemplify the quali- ties and characteristics of a 'good kid." As many as 12 individuals and one group are chosen each year as Ontario Junior Citizens. Recipients and their fami- ly members will be the guests of honor at the Junior Citizen luncheon which takes place next spring at the convention of the OCNA. They will visit Queen's Park, have a family portrait taken with the Lieutenant Governor, receive a Junior Citizen pin, a $200 cash award, and a plaque to recog- nize their individual accomplishments. What has made the Ontario Junior Citizens program such an enormous suc- cess during the past 13 years is the over- whelming desire shown by communities to pay tribute to their young people. Nomina- tions have been received from schools, service clubs, volunteer agencies, church groups, sports organizations and individu- als whose lives have been especially touched by a certain young person. Having had the opportunity to judge entries for the Junior Citizen award, | know there are a large number of young individuals in our communities who qualify for this special recognition. Judges are faced with a grueling task selecting up to 12 individuals and one group, knowing each and every nominee is worthy of recognition. While everyone can not be chosen, all are presented with a certificate indicating they were nominat- ed for this prestigious award. Junior Citizens are not hard to find in the community because they stand out in almost everything they do. These are the kids who consistently think of others first, make valuable contributions to society and have a genuine desire to help others and strive to be good citizens. Help us find these deserving young peo- ple. The deadline for this years nomina- tions, Oct. 31, is quickly approaching. Nomination forms and further informa- tion is available at the Port Perry Star office or by phoning (905) 985-7383. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Port Perry Star encourages its readers to make use of the letters to the editor column to express their opinions and viewpoints on just about any subject, as we feel a lively letters column will help make this a better community newspaper. We insist, however, that all letter writers sign their name and include a phone number for verification. Sorry, anonymous letter will not be published unless The Star believes it to be in the best interest of the public. We also reserve the right to edit letter with respect to their length, content or libelous comments.