Page 2. Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, Match 23, 1994 ___ Some members question their role By Mike Kowalski The value of a citizens' com- mittee wbicb. advises Town coun- cil on economic development is being questioned by some mem- bers. To different degrees, at least two members of the previously anonymous five-person commit- tee h ave concerne about the group's effectiveness. They feel the committee bas not been allowed to fulfill its mandate of advising council on how te, attract business to Whitby. Ini fact, the more outepoken of the two contends that a concept whicb started out with sucb pro- mise, is now met with indif- CHARMING OLDER HOME! Superb kitchen with buit-in oven/stovetop & w/o to deck, Ig. comfortable vngrm. & dng rm. with hrdwd firs, 3 bdrms. up and an inaredible master bdrm. loft with ireplace. Many Updates Listed At $1 24,400.00 Love rm.w dul b ference by Town officiais. It's a cbarge tbat -- although he refused to discuss it in detaîl -- was rejected by Mayor Tom Edwards. Formed two years ago, the committee's creation was a major plank of Edwarde' 1991 election campaiC platform. Members of the voluntary com- mittee --wbicb reporte to council tbrougb Town economic develop, ment directer Peter Lebel -- were chosen after responding to a newspaper advertisement. The committee, wbose mem- bers bave a vanied business background, includes Josepb Buteon, David Robins, Anne Nurse, John Duffy and Lynn ROSEMARY BROWN Hall of Fame Centurion 1987, 1988,1989,1990, 1991,1992,1993 SPUSH, SPLASHII GREAT DEVELOPMENT POTENTIALI 'et 3 bdrm. home with fin, bsmit, main tir tam. 2 homes side by aide. 1-3 bdfm,3 bathroom ,Ird tirs, eat-in ki whvia ta d"d, a beaut- with t lnhed bsmt Asking S$169900.00.. kidney shaped pooclose ta park a echools and ane aider homne on largo lo divtded Into Askiflg Si 57900.00 2 sepaae units. Asking $13.900.00 CALL ROSEMARY BROWN 433-2121 el JUST QP LOVE GIVING AWAY FREE AIR MILES.« M M Woods, president of the Wbitby Chamber of Commerce. Its terni coincides witb the expiration of councîils terni fol- lowing tbe November municipal election. «It (committee) was meant to advise tbe director of economic development but it basn't lived up te wbat I expected,» says Butson, a local entrepreneur. "Our opinions are solicited les on what we tbink it (department) sbould be doing than on what it does,» be says. "We're asked te comment on such tbinge as letterbead ...tbat's not wbat I tbought it would be about." According te Butson the coni- mittee's "original goal" was te, advise Lebel and assist in the p reparation of a "strategic plan» to attract more investment te, Whitby. «When we were focused on that the first six months it was great,» saye Buteon. «Plrom the fali of '92 te the spoing of '93 we met every mnth. We went through brain- stormingf sessions witb a lot of give and take," lhe says. <'But since then we ve met in- frequently. The last six months or so we seem te, be wavering.» As a result, the committee's only knowledge of wbat Lebel's department is planning, comes from hie reports te Town council, Butson daims. «'I thougbt it was supposed to be a two-way street, that we would be more involved," bie says. Butson, bowever, is quick te stress that be does not blame Lebel. "Peter Lebel is quite a profes- sional, quite an aset. He doesn't need advice from us on bow to do bis job." Yet Butson cannot understand bow tbe committee's role bas been allowed te "drift" from its original mandate as he under- stood it. "'I guess we were under the impression there would be an economic strategy based on those (early) meetings. 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Draw will be held May il th/94. Oetalls avà aleI at these agencies or t ram the Whtb Free Press. BAYWOOD AJAX 61 CENTRE l9-20121 toie M a r 1 î n Trave 1 Whîtby-666-8266 calour»d-off line for Ajax - 683-8411 minute bockinge., Pickedng - 831-8411 428-0723 *A joint promotion of GIobus/Cosmos Tourama, the Witby Free Press and the agencies isted in this ad - none of which bas been 'any- thing substantial,» lhe adds. To a lesser extent, David Robins ehares Butson's concerns. <'Were stili defining our Yole. It's neyer really been clear,» says Robins, who works in the real estate business in Toronto. "'I wouldn't say our suggestions haven't been heeded, but they've (Town) taken few actions that we suggested » lhe says. The committee has miade a <number of suggestions" the past two years, sonie of which were to be part of a marketing report which «neyer materialized," Robins says. But like Butson, ]Robins does not criticize Lebel. <'Peter bas done a great job involving us in the planning,» hie 'Ieonly question is, do we see tangible resuits?" Anne Nurse, who operates a Whitby automobile dealership, dedlined te comment on the com- mittee's function. "I don't want te say anything. We're supposed te be anonym- ous " she says. db amber of Commerce pe sident Woods concedes there nad been "s ome differences of opinion" about the committee's role but feels it serves a worth- whiie purpose. "I hope it is. I don't want te be wasting my time," be satys. Woods, manager of the Whitby office of Marshall Macklin Monaghan engineering firm, describes the committee's work as "co-operative effort" with the economic development depart- ment. "Peter Lebel is doing a great job. He's been targeting some key industries,» says Woods. "Economic developmient is an important issue and fefel we've been some help.» Jobn Duffy, tbe fiftb commit- tee member, could not be reached for comment. Department director Lebel returned from vacation Monda and was not immediately avail- able for comment. A request for an interview te discues the committee's role and te respond te tbe members' comn- mente was rejected by Edwards. 'They desire te be anonymous and I respect their desire te work in s3eclusion,» be eays. Edwards says be receives "fre- quent reports» on the commit- tee's workfrom Lebel and is "happy" witb the existing arrangement. If an y member bas a corn- plaint, they are free te, bring it te the committee's attention, Edwards says. «Wby was it not raised with Mr. Lebel and the rest of the committee?"he wonders. A HISTORICAL KEATURE in the Whitby Free Press 1.Why was the Whitby Collegiate lnstitute downgraded to a high school in 1911? 2. The stone monument at Dundas Street and Kendalwood Road commemorates the foundinq of the Presbyterian Church in Whitby in 1833. What denomination used the building on that site before the Presbyterians? 3. How d id Grass Park in Brooklin get its name? 4.R.A. Sennett Public Sohool stands on the site of a much older sohool. What was its name and what happened to it? Answers-on Page 16 This featùire providied by Lo xNbctc~.a u 0wdeA.Iv.o4C.&e -.v--*i NLJLOW OPENL6 Dentistry for Aduits and Children AInsurance Plans Accepted Evenîng & Saturday Appointments A valtable (First 1,000 smiles only!) 3050 Garden St, at, Rossland (in Plaza with Loblaws) 1 m 8 Udtown Dr. Oshawa - 576-1357 lâ --qq '7