8- The Oakville Beaver, Friday October 5, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Mayor talks about being mayor and `the bling' By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF `Oohs' and `aahs' broke out in the crowd as Mayor Rob Burton brought out what he calls "the mayoral bling." "I'll wear it for you," Burton said, putting on the chain of office. "Every time there's a council meeting, the mayor wears this. It's quite heavy." By the end of his presentation, the mayor was surrounded by a crowd checking out `the bling.' More than 50 fifth graders at Post's Corners Public School were paid a visit by the mayor Wednesday, to find out what goes on at the Town of Oakville, as part of their studies on the government. Burton described his role as mayor as "a little bit like being a referee. Instead of wearing a striped shirt, I wear this chain." Burton touched on everything from elections, pot holes, parks, taxes, Oakville's history, the fire department and more. He also talked briefly about his start-up of YTV, "the idea of my four-year-old daughter," he said. "My daughter said to me, `Why don't we have a children's channel?'" Then she told him to start one. "You'll understand why I like to listen to kids," Burton said, smiling. He fielded more than 30 questions from students, from whether he has pets yes, he has a dog to what he would do if he wasn't mayor he'd be a hockey coach, to what car he drives the Ford Edge. "What do you usually do all day?" one fifth-grader asked. "Being mayor is meetings all day," Burton said, smiling. The group of 10year-olds had a few hard-hitting queries OAKVILLE - Celebrating 150 years! INVITATION TO PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE # 2 2007 Operating and s Improvements to Lakeshore Road West Capital Budget Monday, March 26, 200 7 Class Environmental Assessment 7:30 p.m. - C ouncil C hambers, gar Road (Burloak Drive to Mississaga Street) Town Hall - 1225 Trafal Council will consider the 2007 Operating and Capital Budgets as Thursday, October the 2007 Budgetp.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday, March 26 recommended by 11, 2007, 6:00 C ommittee on Sirin C ouncil C hambers. 1565 Old Lakeshore Road, Oakville John Colborne Centre, (Southeast corner of Lakeshore Rd. & Third Line) Anyone wishin g to appear as a dele gation must re gister with the Clerk's Offi ce at 905.338.4235 by 12 noon on Monday, March 26, 2007. The Corporation of themaximum of Oakville, through its consultant UMA Delegations will have a Town of 10 minutes to address C ouncil. Engineering Ltd., has initiated a Class Environmental Assessment (EA) Study to C opiesoftheBudgetdiscussiondocumentareavailableontheTown's facilitate the improvement of Lakeshore Road West from Burloak Drive to website Street (see map). Improvements to this partment located on Mississaga at www.oakville.ca and in the Finance Desection of Lakeshore Road are the secon d floor at Town travel modes (automobile, transit, cycling and needed to accommodate all Hall, 1225 Trafalgar R oad between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. walking) to 2021. Written submissions for C ouncil's consideration may be sent, prior to Asthe meetin g, topart Town Clerk, Town of Oakville, 1225 Trafal invites interested an important the of the EA process, the project team gar Road, parties to review and discuss issues related to this project. At Public Information Oakville, L6J 5A6 or by email to townclerk @oakville.ca . Centre (PIC) #1 held in June 2007, the study was introduced to the public and input sought on traffic-related concerns and potential solutions. At PIC #2, as scheduled above, the project team will define transportation-related problems within the corridor and provide an assessment of alternative solutions. The team will also provide an assessment of alternative design concepts for the preferred solution, and present the consultant's recommendations. Following review of comments from PIC #2, an Environmental Study Report (ESR) will be prepared documenting the preferred Planning Solution and preferred Preliminary Design for review and comment. For further information on this undertaking, please contact: Mr. David Johnson, C.E.T., Project Leader, Town of Oakville, Engineering and Construction, P.O. Box 310, 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, Ontario L6J 5A6 Tel.: (905) 845-6601, Ext. 3326. Fax: (905) 338-4159 Email: djohnson@oakville.ca Mr. Dick Gordon, P.Eng, MCIP, RPP, Consultant Project Manager, UMA Engineering Ltd., 60 Renfrew Drive, Unit 300, Markham, Ontario L3R 0E1 Tel.: (905) 472-2010, Ext. 229 Fax: (905) 470-2060 Email: Dick.Gordon@uma.aecom.com Information will be collected in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. With the exception of personal information, all comments will become part of the public record. This Notice issued on October 5, 2007. including about the environment, how to "make Oakville better" and whether it's hard to make decisions about the town. One student asked whether the mayor would keep his election promises over the course of his term. "That's an important question so far I have not broken any promises," Burton said, noting he and town council established a four-year plan. Students also asked about bringing more trees to town, something Burton says he's working on he hopes to bring Oakville from its current 29 per cent tree coverage up to 40 per cent. "Probably the most important part of being a good mayor is helping people make good decisions," he said. "You listen more than you talk." The presentation went over well. "He told us a lot about his job, and he wasn't really boring," said 10-year-old Briyanka Benawra. "It's exciting that he came here because it's not every day a mayor comes to your school," added Hailey Clark, another Grade 5 student. Most kids came out of the presentation with more knowledge about the Town of Oakville and its government. "I learned you have to be 18 and older to vote and to be mayor, and that there's lots of by-laws," said Krystle Formals. Added 10-year-old Dylan Randhawa, "I learned that you don't get to keep the necklace when you're not mayor, and that Oakville is a city that calls itself a town and acts like a village." LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER IN OFFICE: Mayo Rob Burton was at Post's Corners Public School talking to the Grade 5s about municipal government and his job as mayor. First Ever Warehouse Sale! October 12th & 13th, 9am-5pm ONLY GREAT BARGAINS Ends of Lines · Floor Models · Slightly Bruised Inventory Rockwood Teak Furniture Gloster Furniture Aries Stone Planters Gardenstone Planters French handmade Planters Bronze Outdoor Sculptures and lots more... To be held at our BRANT ST. DUNDAS ST. N For more information visit www.oakville.ca or call 905-845-6601 3077 Guelph Line, Burlington (2nd driveway north of Dundas on Guelph Line) UPPER MIDDLE RD. WALKER'S LN. GUELPH LN. Green Thumb Landscaping Warehouse