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Vol. 132 Number 08 PORT PERRY, ONTARIO - TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1998 --- ------ ----_, COPY 65¢ (61¢+ 4¢ GsT) Council sings the Scugog budget blues By John B. McClelland Port Perry Star The provincial government still has not got the numbers right when it comes to the financial situation for Scugog Township. "I find it incredible that here we are already into a new fiscal year and we still don't know what our reve- nues are going to be," said township finance commit- tee chair Ken Gadsden, as the new council got down to work Monday morning for its first official meeting since the election Nov. 10. "And you can thank the province for that," Regional Councillor Gadsden continued. Some of the uncertainties for Scugog include how much the township will be getting from business occu- pancy taxes, the level of the farm tax rebate, and reve- nues from taxes for education. Councillor Gadsden went on to say he doesn't believe that all the downloading and other changes announced last year by the provincial government will be "revenue neutral" when it comes to municipal budgets. And Township treasurer Kathryn McCann, in a memo to the finance committee, says there is a "con- cern that the market value assessment numbers are 'thin,' as they are based on statistical sampling methods." : Ms McCann's memo goes on to say that "a specific timetable and guidelines in regards to budget finali- zation is not being provided this year due to the con- siderable uncertainty surrounding (these) issues, and Please turn to Page 10 "ICY HAND OF WINTER - The driver of this truck wasn't the only one travelling Scugog roads to find himself in the ditch last Friday as freezing rain doused the area. Police were called out to numerous accidents during the day, as roads throughout the Region became skating rinks. The driver of the above truck was uninjured when he lost control of his vehicle and slid into a ditch on Simcoe St,, just south of Seagrave. The accident held more than 100 cars and a number of school buses up for close to an hour when police called in the township to sand the highway. Local CEO pleased with restructuring funding Hospital receives $215,400 By Chris Hall Port Perry Star North Durham Health Services has received more than $200,000 to help pay for its restructuring bills. The hospitals in Port Perry and Uxbridge are expected to share $215,400 the Tory government has allotted the area as a reimbursement for their one-time operating costs related to restructuring. Ontario Health Minister Elizabeth Witmer announced Jan. 7 that 190 of the province's hospitals would receive the first installment of a five-year, $2 billion commitment made by the government in the 1997 budget. Just over $154 million was ear- marked for the hospitals in the first year of the plan. Health care facilities across Ontario have begun reforming their operations. Some have done so volun- tarily, like North Durham Health Services (NDHS), which was formed last year by the merger of Port Perry's Community Memorial Hospital and Uxbridge's Cottage Hospital. While he could not be reached for a comment, NDHS Chief Executive Officer Guy Kirvan released an announcement saying that he's hap- py with the funding. "We are pleased that the Ministry of Health has recognized that there are costs associated with restructur- ing," he said. "This one-time funding of $215,400 for our facility will help to ensure that the rural communities of Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge contin- ue to have access to high-quality health care." Praising the actions taken by his government was Durham East MPP John O'Toole. "The announcement is good news in respect to the important restruc- Please turn to Page 15 = i8 facing some major spending © operation of the municipal t promin the list is the need for a new ni, at an estimated cost of $60,000. The one now is more than a decade old and just not ob done any more, said' Councillor ecassity, as soon as possible' em to take the moisture out ie Fe hia = E33 3