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"Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" PORT PERRY STAR - Wednesday, September §, 2001 - 3 councillors officials last week. Scugog Council tells Durham Police delegation that residents want police budget capped Public wants police service to cool their spending By Kay Langmuir Port Perry Star Citizens are asking police to rein in their ris- ing budget costs, local told police That was the message Scugog Councillors passed along to represen- tatives from the regional police service, who attended the Augg. 27 meeting to explain a new initiative to help the Durham Region Police Service set its course for the future. The force will compile a three-year business plan late this fall after asking a wide spectrum of commu- nity groups what they. need from their police services, Sergeant Joe Maiorano explained on Monday. "We're letting front-line people drive the process; we want to hear from peo- ple who usually don't have a say," he told council. Councillor Larry Corrigan (Ward 1) and his Ward 2 colleague, Marilyn Pearce, told the two-mem- ber police delegation that their constituents repeat- edly voice concern over police costs. Community consulta- tions with police have to produce more than just a shopping list of wants because taxpayers "can- not afford all these ser- vices that are being requested," Councillor Pearce said. Sgt. Maiorano and other representatives of the police corporate plan- ning unit are spending several weeks speaking to school boards, municipal councils, seniors and other groups to acquire a street-level understand- ing of what people require from police services. But, Sgt. Maiorano assured council that rather than diluting police resources, the consulta- tions will help police focus on three to five "big pic- ture" goals. Scugog Mayor Doug Moffatt agreed that draw- ing up a business plan will hopefully pinpoint the programs that need to be funded and bring new flexibility to the budget process. "The (police) budget in the past was mainly pre- Councillors Want to have final say By Kay Langmuir Port Perry Star Port Perry should take back the privilege of nam- ing new streets rather than accepting the "cutesy" names dug up by developers, says Ward 2 Councillor Marilyn Pearce. "I'm very concerned we're losing some of our historical identity," Councillor Pearce said at the Aug. 27 meeting of Scugog Council. Local councillors quick- ly approved a motion by Councillor Pearce, asking Society to prepare a list of potential street names which would recognize early settlers and families who have not yet been acknowledged. The motion followed the referral to works com- mittee of a report propos- ing Williams' Creek as the name for a small brook which meanders through the downtown area. the Scugog Historical Township wants to make decisions on new street names Council does not expect any challenges to the suggested name, which recognizes Elias Williams, an early landowner who lived near the brook. "We usually accept whatever names come in the door," Councillor Pearce explained later. "We want to turn it around and give (the developers) a list to choose from that reflects our community identity." The developers are usually scraping for names and there shouldn't be any resistance to this change in procedure, the Ward 2 councillor said. "The problem is we're losing a lot of the older folk in the community who could help us with these names," she added. Paul Arculus, a repre- sentative of the Scugog Historical Society, has agreed to compile a list of pioneer names. sented by one person who had it locked in his head. He's now retired," said Mayor Moffatt. The business plan, scheduled to take effect in January, will consider fac- tors such as how policing can best serve an aging population, the incidence of high-density housing in the region, and technolo- gy. For example, officers ; 'Weebok| who today fumble with map books while answer- ing a call may in future simply push a button on a global-positioning satel- lite unit, Sgt. Maiorano said. Police also want to increase effectiveness by developing partnerships with community groups such as area schools and insurance companies, added Sgt. Maiorano. And, careful planning will help police anticipate and pre- pare for future develop- ments, such as the current large influx of new recruits which caught the force off guard, he said. The business plan pro- ject is proof that police management is changing old patterns of thinking. "This wouldn't have happened years ago in a para-military organization. It was unheard of for a con- stable to sit down with the chief and talk about busi- ness planning," noted the sergeant. Police will also carry out a public needs survey early in 2002 and plan to hold two public meetings in September at the North Durham Police Services headquarters, located on Highway 12, just south of Reach Rd. ! HOLLYWOOD BR@C KS 168 - 178 Queen Sireet, Port Pern IRB AE RATA AAR w.hirog store. ce RA 4 siiodniond ° 131% CK Of iP p---- -- -