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6 - PORT PERRY STAR - Wednesday, October 11, 2000 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" PHONE (905) 985-7383 FAX (905) 985-3708 PUBLISHER I Peter Huidsten ' Ek is a 1. i Member GENERAL MGR . . .. .. Don Mac Lead oChna J BF YRT | & ERRY NS AR Canadian MANAGING EDITOR Jet! Mitchell TTI : " Ts an BB fmm + CNA OFFICE MANAGER Gayle Stapley Member Ontano Community . . Gd a TE h/ Assocation ADVERTISING MGR . . .Dcbh Mc tachem Newspaper Asso PRODUCTION MGR Pam Hickey Publications Mail Registration No. 07881 REPORTER Chins Hall We acknowledge the tinancal support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) towards our mailing costs Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Company Limited, 188 Mary Street - Port Perry, Ontario - L9L 187 sbequent sae ac the refund of any monies pad foe the ade tisemient Amis of esto in publication mest be nade by Wednesday, noon, poo to the next week's publication, and, if not made, wall not be considered No cam wall be allowed Tor more than one nsecion BUSINESS OFFICE: Judy Ashby, Kathy Dudley. Heather Callan, Janet Rankin, Lesley West ADVERTISING: Ginni Todd, Cindy Jobin, Gall Morse, Heather McGregor, Linda Clarke, Lisa Monk, Janet Archer, Malcolm Lennox PRODUCTION: Trudy Empnngham, Daryle Wnght, Arlene Cheel, Robert Taylor. Richard Drew J lance Wnte athe Crae, Job McClelland, Rik Davie EMAIL port perry star@sympatico «a SUBSCRIPTION RATES 1 Year $3745 (includes GST) Six Months $19 79 (includes GST) Foreign 1 Year + $96 30 (includes GST) Srivkatice Waters Hodther McC raR, John 8 McClean, Rik. Davi EDITORIAL POLICY: persons expwessed by columnats «ontubatons and fetter waiters ae nol necessary those of The Pod Peery Star Tettess most be signed and the telephone number (which wall not be pablished) ickaded. Requests that a name be wathbeld wall be honoured only it thee sa competing reason to do so Errocs wall be corrected if Ioumht to the avdtoe sattenton: We reser the nght 1o editor refuse publication of any matestal suited ADVERTISING POLICY The publisher is not lable for shah changes on typographical errors that do not kessea the vahae of an advertisement The publisher s not able foc athe eros on omissions in connection wath any advertisement in any Editorial Comment The death of local politics Whatever has happened to municipal politics in Ontario? In Scugog Township and neighbouring municipalities, one of the only points of interest in this election year is how few candidates are stepping up. In Scugog right now, with two days to go until the registration deadline, there are 11 candidates for the nine posts available. So far candidates in two wards - Four and Five - are running uncontested, and will be acclaimed if no one comes forward to challenge them. And there are no candidates at this point for the trustees' positions with either the public or separate school boards. Three years ago, 24 candidates ran for the nine seats here. The absence of trustee candidates is understandable. The past several years of Tory government in Ontario has seen a steady erosion of the responsibilities and duties of trustees; they have little control over budgets, have had their ability to negotiate with teachers seriously limited, and have been treated with contempt by the Ministry of Education, which three years ago cut trustee salaries across the province to $5,000 a year. Add to that recent high-profile disputes at the board, including the Harry Potter fiasco, the student walk-outs over the absence of extracurricular activities, and ongoing poor relations with teachers, and you almost have to ask, who in their right mind would want all these hassles, plus numerous meetings and other duties, for five thousand bucks a year? The same thing is occurring with municipal politics. There are jittery politicians all across the region, waiting to see what structural changes will be foisted upon Durham by a provincial government that's proven in the past that it will force amalga- mation over the will of the people, to make cosmetic improve- ments to the bottom line. Are we witnessing the death of local politics? Out of the sunset, a mysterious yet strangely familiar figure emerges to clean up the' municipal election... WHAT IN (GRenonZS( READY TO DANCE, PARD NER? PorT PaRRY STAR Remember When? UTICA MEMORY HALL The opening of the commodious "Memory Hall" at Utica, took place on Friday, Dec. 1, 1899. The hall was built by Thomas W. Horn, of Toronto, as a remembrance of his old home, and the neighbors of his youth. The hall, which measured 38' x 65' and had a seating capacity of 400, was designed in the Spanish renaissance style, with two towers, The hall was destroyed by fire on Sat., April 9, 1955, and the present 'Memory Hall" was opened October 25, 1957, with a capacity crowd attending. Port Perry Star Letter of the Week Candidate's comments out of line To the Editor: Last week's announcement by Howard Hall that he would be a candi- date in the upcoming election was accompanied by a number of state- ments that in my view are unsubstanti- ated, and to which | must take excep- tion. The attack on Mayor Moffatt's com- mitment and community profile is unwarranted. With regard to manage- ment style, the statements are ludi- crous. In no way has this been a "one man council," and where Mr. Hall deter- mined that is beyond me, since | don't recall him attending council meetings during this most recent term. It is an affront to all members of the current council The inference of interference with staff is patently wrong. No more than two weeks ago | had a discussion with a senior staff member who indicated that Mayor Moffatt was among the best mayors they had ever worked for. As well, this past term has been one of the most successful ever at resolving structural difficulties and moving man- agement tasks from politicians to an effectively reorganized staff comple- ment. With regard to the negative state- ments re representation at the region, I would respectfully disagree. Mayor Moffatt is a leader who speaks his mind effectively and, yes, from time to time some may disagree (including myself), but to say that he has no cred- ibility or respect at the region is without foundation. Indeed, one of Mr. Moffatt's characteristics that 1 admire most is that it is possible to engage him in heated debate over an issue and then when it is over to say "let's grab a coffee," he is strong enough to tolerate debate and not feel threatened by an opposing viewpoint Over all, | regret having to challenge Mr. Hall, whom | have always respected and who as a former colleague | have considered a friend. But such vitriolic statements could not go unchallenged. I would have expected better from him Ken Gadsden, Regional Councillor