Burlington bucks Bennett, joins us in service protest By DAVID GREENBERG OJR Staff Writer Unless the province comes up with enough money to make uni f o rm w a te r r a t e s f a i r e r to Burlington, Mayor Roly Bird says his city will take back control of hard servicing. B u t C la u d e B e n n e t t , th e p r o v in c e 's n ew h o iis in g a n d municipal affairs minister told the region not to expect grant increases any higher than the inflation rate. Regional Council overwhelmingly supported a Burlington resolution calling for provincial subsidies for sewer and w ater costs at a meeting Wednesday. Mayor Bird told council to expect "years of unhappiness," in Halton unless inequities in uniform servic ing are erased. He said Burlington taxpayers contribute $1.4 million more than servicing costs them, and are subsidizing the rest of the region. Regional council's decision to sup port the Burlington resolution has hinged action on a seven-month task f o r c e r e p o r t on p r o v i n c i a l willingness to subsidize the sewer system. If the province refuses the sub sidy, Burlington has threatened to try and take back control of the sewer and water system. Oakville has already voted to do that while Halton Hills and Milton have voted to keep the system regional. The ta s k fo rc e re p o rt recommends keeping the system regional, but changing it where necessary to remove "preceived ine quities." Regional staff recommended un conditional support of the task force. But while the province may not be anxious to supply funds for the sewer system, Mr. Bennett said his ministry will be " flexible," in deal ing with requests to turn control back to the municipalities. Several councillors said making any decisions co n tin g en t upon provincial action could indefinitely delay changes to the system. Burlington Councillor Steve Toth said the province is a "never-never land" when it comes to action on municipal requests, and the resolu tion could block regional decisions for a year or more. Oakville Mayor Harry B arrett said Oakville is not asking for "sympathy or subsidy" and just wants control of th e sew er system back in Oakville. In voting against the Burlington resolution, M ayor B arrett said, Oakville can operate the system more effectively and efficiently than the region. H a lto n H ills M a y o r P e t e r Pomeroy said the resolution asking for subsidy is a "gun-to-the-head approach," that favors Burlington over the northern municipalities. Regional Administrator Dennis Perlin said Burlington is not paying more than its share because in a regional system, where rates are uniform, everyone pays the same. rk u j i · Peter Marshall is used to having a leg up on everyone else. The Frisbee whiz was at Trafalgar Park yesterday demonstrating his expertise to the day camp kids and as you can see from the faces and ex pressions he caught everyone's attention as well as the plastic disc. Sheridan board criticizes union but rep at least agrees By DAVID GREENBERG OJR Staff Writer Sheridan College's board of gover nors has rejected union criticism of the school's administrators in a strongly-worded five-page le tte r released yesterday. But the treasurer of Local 244 of th e O n ta r io P u b lic S e rv ic e Employees Union (OPSEU) says he is not surprised, and even agrees with some of the board's criticisms of the union. Doug Bolt said in an interview yesterday that the current friction between the union and the ruling ad ministration at Sheridan college may have to be resolved by a strike this fall. A self-professed m oderate in the Sheridan union, which represents about 300 faculty members at the school, Mr. Bolt said teachers are being asked to teach the sam e courses this fall with more students and fewer hours than in 1980-81. In a report to the board of gover nors last month, Ron Martin, presi dent of Local 244 said the ad ministration of Sheridan is incompe tent and asked the board for a vote of no c o n fid e n c e in th e a d ministration. Board Chairman George Farrow publicly refused to declare a lack of confidence in the administration and has reaffirmed that stand in the response released yesterday. Mr. Martin could not be reached for comment. The letter from the board says the union has improperly interpreted salary statistics for d epartm ent heads at Sheridan and has unfairly attacked the administration. Mr. Martin has accused the school of b ein g to p -h e a v y w ith a d ministrators and deans who receive what he calls inflated salaries. The b o ard says th e average Sheridan dean ` earns between $37,000 and $40,000, not $54,000 as Mr. Martin had said. Mr. Bolt agreed with the board's findings, saying that in the par ticular case of Sheridan, deans are p aid less th a n th e p ro v in cial average. Mr. Bolt also agrees with the board that Sheridan is a well-run college, but he says the college " can't be super efficient." The teachers at Sheridan are split about 50-50 between a moderate stand and a m ilitan t one over current contract negotiations and cut-back proposals, Mr. Bolt said. But he said they may lean more towards the moderate end. He blam ed the Sheridan ad ministration itself for creating the militancy expressed through Mr. Martin by ignoring problems at the college. S heridan a d m in istra to rs said earlier this month that the college expects a deficit of at least $500,000 which it will make up through in creased teacher workloads. Oakville Centre's Hogarth resigns in protest By ROD JE R R E D OJR Staff Writer Brian H ogarth, the assistant manager of the Oakville Centre of Performing Arts, has resigned say ing the centre lacks direction and offers a hodgepodge of programing. Mr. Hogarth, in his le tte r of resignation tendered two weeks ago said, "I no longer feel any personal control over the work I have been asked to perform ." In an interview Thursday, Mr. Hogarth said, " I would like to work jn a more professional atmosphere where we are just trying to achieve one thing." The main problem lies with the centre's perceived dual mandate to provide a facility for community groups and to entertain the public, he said. " The public may not be interested in always seeing community groups. "In trying to satisfy all demands we wind up with all sorts of hodge podge programing," he added. When Mr. Hogarth tendered his resignation, he did not have another job lined up. Since then he has been hired by the Banff Centre of Fine Arts as a co-ordinator for a winter musical theatre program. He joined the centre March 24, 1980. When he first arrived at the centre Mr. Hogarth's duties were mainly administrative tasks. His duties are more in line now with promotion and programing. His own position has never been clearly defined with the cen tre's board of directors perceiving one thing and the centre manager, Diana McClure another. He doubts w hether he will be replaced, he said. H e c o m p la in e d o f o u ts id e pressure and interference from com munity groups and politicians. "All the staff are subject to trying to please everybody and th at's dif ficult. We were always bowing to town hall, or the user groups or the man on the street. That makes it dif ficult to get on with building a program." One of the problems with running a municipally owned building is that the administration always winds up playing it too safe, he said. "Politics and presenting theatre really don't make a good mix," said Mr. Hogarth. "If it's popular to say som ething favorable about the centre someone will do it. If it's pop ular for someone to say something unfavorable about the centre then someone will do that too. "The frustration I felt in my job is reflected by the general condition of the staff because w e're shuffling from thing to thing," he said. Whether the centre changes its policy or not will not affect the bookings, said Mr. Hogarth. "The centre will continue to be used a lot . . . But just because it's used a lot doesn't mean the cultural life of O akville w ill be m ore refined." Mr. Hogarth said it would be preferable if the centre would es tablish certain dates for the various types of performances. Wednesday could be a concert night. Thursday se t asid e for p u b lic speaking engagem ents and the w eekend reserved for professional produc tions. Mr. Hogarth said his resignation had no relation to Nil Productions. In his resig n a tio n le tte r, Mr. Hogarth wrote: "Most of the last three months has been spent on the promotion of Summer Stock and I would appreciate that my name con tinue to be credited for the duration of the season."