Il Town to clamp down on temporary signs By Mike Kowalski The first step has been taken to control the number of tempor- ary signs permitted on Whitby streets. Town council's planning and development committee recom- mended Monday that a bylaw be passed regulating the size and types of temporary signs permit- ted in the municipality. Essentially, the proposed bylaw would prohibit all portable signs from public and private fproperty such as flashing or trai- 1er signs, mobile signs, A-frames or sandwich boards and banner where is it signs. Anyone convicted of an offence under the bylaw would be subject to a fine of up to $5,000. Although exceptions are made for certain signs, the bylaw will go a long way to stopping the proliferation of esthetically un- pleasing and potentially danger- ous temporary signs, committee members heard. John Austin of Whitby's plan- ning department told committee the bylaw "should get rid of the clutter" now found on many arterial roads and intersections in town. The new rules will also remove potential safety problems caused by signs obstructing the view of motorists and signs powered by faulty electrical equipment, Aus- tin added. "Some are not CSA (Canadian Standards Association) appro- ved," he said. Austin told a public meeting held to allow input into the proposed bylaw that staffs ori- ginal submission of last year was more stringent than what is now pro sed. 'Te bylaw we prepared was fairly restrictive. It did not per- mit any temporary or portable signs," he said. Sut after hearing from local busine'ss, primarily real estate agents and home builders, excep- tions were made in certain areas, Austin explained. The revised bylaw will permit real estate open house signs and home builders identification signs, subject to safety and other considerations,he said. Austin said housing industry officials argued that they were providing a service to community and would be detrimentally affected by a ban. "We reviewed it and felt it was appropriate to allow real estate SEE PAGE 2 KIMBERLEY CHANEY'S expression changes from anticipation to dejection as she tries her luck at one of the midway games at the Brooklin Spring Fair. For more glimpses of the fair, see page 14. Photos by Mark Reesor. Whitby Free Press Public sector workers await government action By Mike Kowalski Ontario public sector workers are anxiously awaiting the pro- vincial government's next move following last week's breakdown in social contract negotiations. The government is expected to announce this week how it will chop $2 billion from the $43- billion payroll for Ontario's 950,000 public employees. The government had hoped to reach agreement with the wor- kers on how the cost-cutting could be achieved, but is now in the position of having to take unilateral action. Talks between the province and a coalition of public sector unions broke down Thursday, less than 24 hours before the government's deadline for obtain- in a settlement was up. avid Sarookanian, national representative for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), said workers must wait until the government announces its decision- Union oflicials have discussed the matter since talks broke down, but obviously hweacan't react until we know what the government will do," Sarook- anian said Monday. In order to cut $2 billion in wages and benefits, the govern- ment can pass legislation or it can force municipalities, school boards, hospitals and other ro- vincial agencies to slash t eir payrolls by reducing transfer payments. "I'm sure our employers are asking the same questions. Will there be a wage freeze? Will they reduce transfer payments?" said Sarookanian. Sarookanian, who represents CUPE members employed in Durham Region, did not know if the union coalition will respond to the governmept's plans as a group or individually. Besides CUPE, other unions that participated in the failed negotiations were the Ontario Public Services Employees Union and various teachers' fede- rations. Among government proposals rejected by the unions were: * a three-year wage freeze; * more unpaid leave for public workers; * lower government contribu- tions to pension plans to pay for job security; * a ob security fund to top up laid-o workers unemployment benefits; * preference for laid-off wor- kers on new jobs in their govern- ment sector; * an exemption for concessions for workers earning less than $30,000. To protest what it termed the Lovernment's plan to make pub- lic sector workers "scapegoats" for a mounting provincial debt, CUPE organized provnce-wide demonstrations outside the con- stituency offices of New Demo- crat MPPs last Thursday. Locally, about 200 people mar- ched in front of the Dundas Street East office of Durham Centre MPP Drummond White. "The attitude of public sector workers being fat cats is not true," said Rob Goddard, vice- president of CUPE Local 1764, Durham Regrion inside workers. "'We've never had a full staff, we've always had hiring freezes," he said. Goddard said his members maintain a "fairly good relation- ship" with their employer, but this could be jeopardized if Queen's Park persists with its plans. "'hey're passing their troubles onto the municipal level," he said. Morrie Patchen, president of CUPE Local 1785, Durham Region outside workers, said more unemploynient is not the solution to Ontario's financial woes. "It won't help the deficit by putting more people out of work," he said CUPE Local 1764 president Doris Manganaro warned that fewer public workers means fewer public services. "e provide you with services and if we're not working, roads are not mantained, hospitals are SEE PAGE 4