PAGE 6. WHITBY FRE MPRESS, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1989 VOICE OF THE COUNTY TOWN The only Whitby newspaper independent Whitby residents for Whitby residents. Published every Wednesday By 677209 Ontario Inc. Phone: 668-6111 Doug Anderson j à . Publisher The Free Press Building 131 Biock Street North,. ly owned and operated by P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. Maurice Pifher Editor Peter Irvine Advertising Manager Alexandra Simon Production Manager Sue Blanchard Circulation Manager The Town of Whitby is considering a second story at the Whitby Seniors' Activity Centre which needs more room for their growing mem- bership and increasing activities. Unfortunately, additional space at the current location will have to be found in height, not in single-story expansion, due to property con- straints. And the existing location is preferred because it's accessible (close to nearby resi- dences, the downtown area and on Brock St. S.) and beside the lawn bowl club. Down the road It's certain that a larger facility will be needed in the future as more and seniors make up the Whitby population. Planning should begin immediately for the location and funding of such a centre for, whenever in the future, it is decided that the need justifies such a centre. For now, those seniors who have been busy raising money to help fund the building project should find encouragement in the Town deci- sion to hire an architect to study a second story proposal. That plan, if implemented, would appear to meet the short-term needs of seniors. And we hope that the larger, more difficult project farther down the road is not forgotten until the moment arrives when it is most needed. Opinions given on mayor's, councillors'pay raise Responses during the past week to "What Is Your Opinion?" on the Whitby councillors raise: Supportive, considering the abuse taken from taxpayers. Plus it will encourage good qua- lity people. R. Murdock Whitby 0-0-0 We suggest the mayor and his council reduce their pay in- creases to 4-5 per cent, as 20-29 per cent sounds like greed. After all, many of us are on fixed incomes (seniors). Why didn't they advise the taxpayers at election time that they were going to give them- selves this size of an increase. I don't think they'd have been re-elected. Our present council must think that everything has to be big to be good. Mr. and Mrs. L. Ewles Whitby 0-0-0 The town of Whitby is growing at a fast rate. I moved to Whitby 13 years ago with a population of about 20,000 and it has in- creased threefold since then. Many changes have taken place, lots of growth, more jobs. It is one great community in which to live and raise children. I would not want the responsi- bility of the mayor or councillors in this fast-growing town and I think the increases are justified. Before you judge the increase, do the job or gt a better picture of what's involved. John Oliver Whitby 0-0-0 The disturbing thing about this whole situation is the fact that it was done behind closed doors. If the raise is fair and called for, why all the secrecy? On the other hand, if they had gone public, by the time the issue had been debated and voted on, they would be up for re-election again. The bottom line is this: Are their wages in line with other municipalities? If they are equal or below then the councillors did not misuse the trust we instilled in them on election day. If they are too high, it is up to us to remember this on the next elec- tion day. Michael Rostek Whitby 0-0-0 Cheap, cheap, cheap! If you don't think $13,000 is cheap for the good quality representation we get in Whitby, you must be some sort of crackpot. And, of course, when the next election comes, you will~be right up to the front as a candidate and on your mandate you will be running for a 50 per cent decrease. You only get what you pay for, Whitby, go ahead and look for a cheaper council. S. Drew Whitby 0-0-0 They all knew what the "job" was paying when they ran for office. Strange how quickly, after being elected, they were all grossly underpaid. Unfortunately, the taxpayers forking up the money for a 29 (or 20) per cent increase were un- able to increase their pay corres- pondingly. If this is how "our" elected officials intend to spend our money carefully make ends meet, balance the udget, give us value for our dollar, and all that jazz, may God have mercy on our pocketbooks. R. Joy Thomas Fritz Kiehne Douglas Kiehne Whitby 0-0-0 It stinks! They stink! I moved to Whitby thinking it had to be better than Toronto. It's not, and is turning into the same overcrowded, subdivision- packed place as the city we left. We should gve these people a raise only if t ey promise to stay home. Have they not heard most workers in the province get raises of only 4 to 5 per cent? Sharon Tomsett Whitby 0-0-0 Extremel exhorbitant in- crease! Suc increases only are warranted as council lowers taxes to Whitby citizens. Whitby council has been raising taxes every year for many years now. Geddes Lee Whitby 0-0-0 It's a dam shame that the people who have to pay for these raises (the taxpayers, I mean) don't have a say in how much they get. I thought we were living in a democracy, not a dictatorship. I worked for 46 ears and any raise I got had to be negotiated. Dale Copithorn Brooklin 0.0-0 Excessive!! I feel the 29 per cent increase is irresponsible, not only the percentage but the man- ner in which it was taken. Future monitoring should take place in public, not behind closed doors, as has been done in the past. Whitby council cannot justify this ercentage, they just are not wo that kind of pay. It seems they have an exaggerated opinion of their worth. Nane withheld by request We don't need transit system To the editor I read in this week's Free Press that Town council is approving a study made by some transportation consultant recom- mending the addition of seven new buses to Whitby Transit (to the eight present) with increased fares (about 50 per cent). This, lie declares, will increase use and volume of Whitby Transit by local citizenry. I submit to council that this action will result in Whitby hav- ing 15 unused buses, instead of eight! Whitby does not need a transit system. Everyone here has at least one cir and thus does not neea public transit. Council would be better off sellin gthe eight buses it now has. or the few poor and dis- advantaged, council could pro- vide subsidized taxi service and emergency transportation, such as doctor and hospital clinic visits. By recommending seven new buses to the existing unused fleet of eight, Whitby citizens should be demaning a reduction of 29 per cent in the salaries of Town councillors. Yours ve sincerely eddes Lee Whitby (CA .:::::.:..:..:.::::::::::::::::..:: .............................. ...... .......::::::: . . . . . . ............................... . . . . .. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION? Whitby councillors recently gave themselves a 29% pay increase. Mayor Attersley received a 20% increase. In conversation with Attersley, he suggested we find out what you think. Send or bring your response to THE WHITBY FREE PRESS, 131 Brock St., NJBox 206, Whitby L1N 5S1 We'll print the rest of the results next week. Please include your name, address and phone number. Old Salary New Salary Mayor $29,080 $35,000 Councillors $10,050 $13,000 YOUR OPINION: A attach a seperale sheet Hf you wlsh