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4- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, January 16, 1996 4 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" Police call on province to restore funding Harris 'reneged' on promise made before election, says Durham Association By Jeff Mitchell Port Perry Star Premier Mike Harris and his government have broken a promise not to cut money for police pro- tection, says the organiza- tion that represents the Durham force's officers and civilian workers. The Durham Regional Police Association is call- ing on the government to place a moratorium on re- ductions to police funding, and exclude police servic- es from Bill 26, which as- sociation officials say could expose police em- ployees to unfavorable ar- bitrators' decisions. Durham Region is fac- ing a funding crunch -- un- conditional grants from the province have been cut by $8 million this year -- and police services will al- most certainly suffer as a result, Police Association president Brian Curtis said last week. "How that's going to af- fect policing, the exact numbers, we don't know," he said. "It could reflectin reduc- tions to manpower some- how, and that's bad news." Mr. Curtis, who repre- sents both uniformed offi- cers and the Durham ser- vice's civilian support staff -- they total 747, currently 10 people below the force's authorized level -- said he's gaining some support as he speaks to region mayors, but = realizes there's little they can do as they attempt to run the huge region with less and less funding. "We're not being naive," he said. "We fully recog- nize that there's an eco- nomic crunch out there, and it has to be addressed; Ontario. .-l Township of Scugog PUBLIC NOTICE REGARDING THE PROPOSED STOPPING-UP, CLOSING AND CONVEYING OF PART OF A ROAD ALLOWANCE, CONCESSIONS 9 & 10, LOT 17, WARD 4 TOWNSHIP OF SCUGOG, IN THE FORMER TOWNSHIP OF CARTWRIGHT NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Section 297 of the Municipal Act, R.S.0., 1990, Chapter 45, that the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Scugog proposes to pass by-laws to stop-up, close and convey a portion of road allowance between Concessions 9 & 10, Lot 17, Ward 4, Township of Scugog, in the former Township of Cartwright, more particularly described as Part 2, Plan 10R-979, Part 2, Plan 10R-1763 and Parts 1,2,3,4,5,6 & 7 or an Unregistered 10R Plan. The Township has agreed to stop-up close and convey part of the Original Road Allowance. Note: The Parts described above are occupied by abutting owners on the north side. The proposed plan and description showing the lands affected may be viewed in the Clerk's Department, Township of Scugog, 208 North Street, Port Perry, On Monday, February 12th , 1996 at 2:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Municipal Office, 181 Perry Street, Port Perry, Ontario, the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Scugog will hear, in person, or by Counsel, solicitor or agent, any person who claims his land will be prejudicially affected by the said By-Law and applies to be heard. Any person who wishes to be heard should, as soon as possible, make application to: Earl S. Cuddie, Administrator-Clerk Township of Scugog, Clerk's Department 208 North Street, PORT PERRY, Ontario LOL 1A7, (905) 985-7346 5 6 7 but at what cost?" The association also has fears about the govern- ment's omnibus Bill 26, a provision of which repeals a section of the Police Act that allows for the reduc- tion of police service ranks. The Police Associa- tion of Ontario was to take concerns to a government committee in Hamilton Friday. Durham East MPP John O'Toole said he and his Tory colleagues are concerned about main- taining police services -- it was a fundamental prom- ise of the pre-election Common Sense Revolu- tion paper --but are forced to rein in payments to mu- nicipalities to keep other promises: Deficit reduc- tion, and an income tax break for Ontarians. He said cuts should come from among admin- istration ranks, not by taking officers off the street. "I'm concerned... that cuts are made at the top," he said. "How many chiefs do we need? "For every $100,000 in sal- ary you cut, that's two con- stables." Mr. O'Toole said that ul- timately Durham Region- al council will be résponsi- ble for making decisions on police service provision; but he's hoping they don't opt to cut officers in the field. i "That's their choice; we have not designated that they make cuts in that area. I'm supportive of community policing, and I think that's what they should do at the local level. I think we need police for safe communities." For his part, Mr. Curtis 1s unsure staffing levels can be maintained with the funds available. And he contends that will make communities in the region less safe. Added to that is the pressure on officers and ci- who must try to keep mo- rale up as jobs hang in the balance. "They're obviously con- cerned," said Mr. Curtis. "Having to work under the social contract for the last three years has been difficult, and this furthers vilian police employees, the strain." It's too early to tell if policing cuts are needed: Mayor Hall It's too early to tell how the region's budget woes will affect policing in the region, says Scugog Mayor Howard Hall. The Mayor, who sits on the regional Police Services Board, said last week that all Durham departments face constraints, as politicians and staff scramble to patch together a budget with $8 million less in provincial funding this year. That's the amount in unconditional grants that have been cut by the province under its deficit reduction pro- am. 8 Durham's Police Association is calling upon regional council members for support, claiming that staff cuts would result in reduced services and, consequently, unsafe communities. They also claim Premier Mike Harris has reneged on a promise not to cut funding to police forces. Mayor Hall said no one wants to see staff cuts hit the regional police force, but the numbers may dictate reductions of some®sort. "It's a last resort, but it might be necessary," he said. "There's a lot of money involved here that's got to be saved; if every department has got to take their share, then the police do, too." He added, however, that it's far too early to speculate on what cuts might be made, and where. Just one round of preliminary budget discussions have been held, he said. Meanwhile, regional chair Jim Witty has forecast some"bloodletting" as this year's budget comes together. The region's provincial grants were cut by $1 million more than was expected, and that leaves politicians and staff casting about for ways of keep- ing the region running without huge tax increases. The region currently employs about 2,000 people. Scugoy Centre Advisory Board 15t Annual Crash kills boy A seven-year-old boy from Bethany is dead and his mother seriously injured after a head-on OME Sago, "N < : olli 10 1 t T d : - A: Lo Antique & JAostalgia : (Jan. 9) on Hwy. TA near ' Toad - N\ ] AX j 4 77 77 A oA ; ] est eton. . } : a Sh a a aus > Police said a car b hz J SE er 7 o how and ale driven east by Marguerite 'ih oy [> re - 7 ' woven McQuaid, 35, of Bethany was hit head-on by a west- bound vehicle being driv- en by Sang-do Kim, 22 of Thornhill. The collision resulted in Mrs. McQuaid and her ue Scugog Centre Community Hall 1655 Reach Street (Beside Arena) PORT PERRY, ON Saturday, February 3 - 10:00 - 5:00 {til OS Sunday, February 4 - 10:00 - 4:00 son, 7-year-old Benjamin, a : - eing trapped in their kd ow. eo js \ CC > 3 Chimission $250 ; vehicle, Whitby OPP said. = TE. VS : - (Children under ~ It took Scugog firefighters CLT LETTING ; @ CN more than an hour and a i A ns Pop: . mn For mote information contact: half to free them. A a 2 ) daughter, 8-year-old ER Ed tied a Ta - [905) 985-8698 Stephanie, sustained 1 minor injuries. Benjamin was taken to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. He died Wednesday (Jan. 10) of his injuries. Mrs. McQuaid is in serious con- dition. TRE i JANN Ee I y= * First published January 9, 1996.