Posters on green lampposts have downtown merchants seeing red Downtown Business Improvement Area manâ€" ager Sheila Biggers removes a poster from a lampâ€" post in downtown Oakville. The Downtown BIA By SAL BOMMARITO Oakville Beaver Staff "Canada‘s Best Community Newspaper" CCNA Better Newspapers Competition 1991 Groups publicizing everything from concerts, to political rallies, to bingos, are currently using the dark green lampposts to display their posters. nwanted posters are turning lampposts in l ' downtown Oakville "unsightly and ugly," charges Downtown Business Improvement Arca (DBIA) manager Sheila Biggers. But BIA merchants want the practice stopped because the posters make the downtown area unattractive and damage the lampposts. "Increasingly, people are placing posters for their members are complaining the posters are unnaâ€" tractive and are damaging the lampposts which they paid to have installed. (Photo by Peter McCusker) organizations and groups on these lampposts," Biggers said. "Unfortunately, this causes the paint to chip off and after a while, the lampposts the merâ€" chants were so proud of look awful." Biggers said it would be a hardship for downâ€" town merchants to bear the costs of removing and refurbishing the lampposts, especially in the midst of an economic downturn. Biggers explained the DBIA has spent thousands of dollars for the beautification of downtown Oakville, including the installation of interlocking brick along Lakeshore Road, as well as the lampâ€" posts and garbage cans. (See ‘No‘ page 2) There‘s A Lot More To Canadian Tire NOW For Lot Less TAPE MEASURE ‘ #57â€"11099â€"8, model. Today and Everyday s o 6 % Town council approves 1.97% millrate increase The increase translates to an extra $13.50 a year based on an average $7,600 assessment. The town‘s tax increase repreâ€" sents 28% of the property tax bill, with the boards of education makâ€" ing up the lion‘s share of the total municipal tax levy. By SAL BOMMARITO Oakville Beaver Staff In all, council approved $46.5â€" million in expenditures in its 1993 operating budget. Sunday busing will continue, grass clipping collection ends "It‘s with some pride I bring to you the work of your fellow counâ€" cillors on the 1993 budget commitâ€" tee," budget chair Kevin Flynn said. "It is the lowest millrate since 1975, and probably even further back," he said. Despite coming in with an increase below 2%, Flynn said the committee was still able to achieve some of its priorities, including the allocation of 1.1% â€" or $490,000 â€" for staffing of the Glen Abbey fire station starting July 1st, and a total of 1.6% â€" or $760,000 â€" towards road maintenance and the Belyea Street road reconstruction. "(The millrate) is actually comâ€" ing in at less than 0% eliminating the fire hall and road (maintenance and) reconstruction," he said. In all, the town allocated $1.2â€" million to its road maintenance program, reinstating the program to the 1990 expenditure level. In a night that was full of surâ€" prises, council also reinstated the Sunday bus service at a cost of $20,500 and pumped an additional $212,000 into the Belyea Street project, which will now be comâ€" pleted in 1993. (See ‘Projects‘ pag»e 5) akville taxpayers can breathe easier after town council passed a 1.97% millrate increase â€" the lowest tax increase passed by counâ€" cil in 18 years â€" at Thursday night‘s special budget meeting. SUNDAY, FEB. 28, 1993 24 Pages Paper SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS Loblaws, Canadian Tire,Food City, AP, Savâ€"Aâ€"Centre, Miracle Mart TRA V .10 ..18â€"19 Enhance your RRSP with Fidelity Investments Canada BURNS Mark Slij RNS Mark Slipp FRYÂ¥immo â€" (419, 359â€"4633