Pae1.Wh»ty F(:Nprssý WocIflOd9,Yê tQYQQnbOrOP, 14 REGIONAL CO CIL he candidates By Mike Kowalsid 'Eight Men Out' is the name of a fairly recent movie about eight members of the 1919 Chicago White Sox and their involvement in throwing baseball's World Series. Eight Men Trying To Get In would be an appropriate moniker to describe the race for Whitby's three seats on Durham Region council. In what is probably the most crowded field in recent memory, eight candidates are running for regional council in next Monday's municipal election. Whitby's current regional councillors are being chalenged by a former councillor hoping to return to his old job, a council 'watchdog,' a maverick newspa- per publbsher and two political newcomers. Incumbents Joe Drumm, Mar- cel Brunelle and Ross Batten are seeking re-election. Trying to unseat one, two or all three of them are Gerry Emm, Jim Priest, Doug Ander- son Vata Gopinathan and Steve Szuhai. JOE DRIUMM With the exception of Mayor Tom Edwards, Joe Drumm is Whitby's most senior politician in terms of experience. Drumm has been a member of council since 1976 when ho was elected east ward councillor. Now retired, Drumm, 64 represented the'east ward until his election as regional councillor in 1988. (The mayor and regional coun- cillors are eiocted across the municipalita nd serve on both Town andDurham Region coun- cils. Whitby's four ward or local councillors sit on Town council onily.) Nover one te mince words, Drumm fired his opening salve at those who claim Town council is too secretive and spends far too much time discussing impor- tant issues behind closed doors. "I think this council has done a great job," Drumm declared. "To those who say council is not open enough, 90 er cent never attend a meeting,"1e said. "This council has been as open as it possibly could." Focusing on the two most dis- cussed issues in this year's cam- paign -- the future of Whitby General Hospital and the contro- versial Lynde Shores housing development -- Drumm said council has taken a bad rap on both counts. He briefly recalled his days as chair of the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority and its attempt to purchase the property now owned by the Rose Co oration. (Rose, the Ontario government and Durham Region are the principals behind the proposed community of 5,000 people and accompanying industrial park.) «We made an offer of $100,000 more than the land was appra- ised at and they (former owners) wouldn't sell. We were even pre- pared to give them other land." Failing to obtain the land out- right, the next best step was to ensure that the marsh is protec- ted and that has been accomplished, Drumm contends. "On Lynde Shores we've gone the whole 90 yards. The reality is the marsh will not be built on and destroyed." As for Whitby General Hospi- tal, council is solidly behind the community's desire to retain the hospital as an active treatment facility, Drumm said. Although council took some heat last year for approving the proposed Hone Depot warehouse and the now defunct Price Club outlet, Drumm makes no apolo- gies: "If I have a chance to bring in development and jobs I will." Looking ahead, Drumm sup- ports construction of the Garden :Street overpass, another ice pad and a new central library. MARCEL BRUNELLE First elected in 1982, Marcel Brunelle served as centre ward councillor until his election to regional council in 1988. Brunelle, 52, retired from General Motors earlier this year. "We're slowly coming out of the recession and the pressure has already begun, said Brunelle. "Spend on this and spend on that and we can't do that. We have to hold the line at the Town and Region. i hink it's important that we have experienced people who know how to do that and theybe allowed to continue or that in- itiative will ho lest.» Brunelle was quick to stress that he did not mean that there is no desire on the part of his opponents to spend money fool- ishly or they are not qualified to serve. "But it's essential to have some experience people there.» Brunelle refers to his own case of being the only elected official on the Durham Region District Health Council. This advantage will serve Whitby well when it comes time tomake a decision on the hospital's future, he believes. (A steering committee is expec- ted to make its recommendation on Whitby General before the end of the year. A consultant's report proposes converting the hospital into a rehabilitation treatment centre serving Dur- ham Region.) "The battle must ho fought and won on the hospital. I believe there are sound arguments to be made on retaining acute care services at Whitby General Hos- pital," said Brunelle. "I don't want to sound self-serving, but I think Whitby has a built-in advantage having me there." A long-time critic of the hous- ing component of the Lynde Shores development, Brunelle said the fight to stop it is not over. "I know some think it is, but I don't believe the Ontario Municipal Board is going to roll over and play dead." (Council's approval of the pro- ject has been appealed to the board.) Brunelle said Whitby needs a "bare bones" twin-pad arena, "but only in a no tax increase environment or serious deben- ture," and advocates extension of Manning Road to Oshawa. ROSSBATTEN Although elected to regional council just three years ago, Ross Batten is by no stretch of the imagination, a rookie politician. The 50-year-old Ashburn businessman had represented Whitby's north ward for the pre- vious 11 years. "I think we have to continue being responsible and responsive to the citizens of our con- munity,» said Batten. "We have to continue good fiscal manage- ment, control taxes and provide first-class services," he said. Now that council has establ- ished a new arena and expanded library.as its next major spend- mg priorities, the former will likely be built during the next term, Batten said. But it may take a little longer for the library, since a new build- ing will have to be constructed. "It was never built as a library," said Batten in referring to the former police and municipal building. Lack of storage space and im- proper standards are just two of the 34-year-old structure's pro- blems, Batten said. But the new facility will remain downtown, Batten promised and be a key component of a revitalized down- town core. Council has ensured this will happen by setting in motion a strategic plan aimed at improv- ing the downtown's appearance and by assigning more commer- cial floor space to the downtown, he said. "There's no question it will be the main commercial and business area in Whitby." As did his colleagues, Batten emphasized council's commit- ment to Whitby General Hospi- tal. "Although the decision is not ours, this council is committed to saving the hospital. This is a major facility in oui community and is needed for the safety of our citizens." Not only is the hospital necess- ary for Whitby's medical needs, but both it and the new Whitby Mental Health Centre would serve as "anchors" of possible medical research campus adaj- cent to the two facilities, Batten said. "Whitby General Hospital is also critical to our industrial base" he added. "Any future employer coming to town will want to know we have a full service hospital available to them." GERRY EMM After two unsuccessful runs for mayor, Gerry Emm wants his old job back. The 53-year-old Ash- urn resident was first elected to Town council in 1969 and then to regional council upon Durham Region's creation four years later. Emm served continuously until losing to former mayor Bob Attersley in 1988 and Edwards three years ago. "People are telling me they want more open government and that this would have avoided a lot of the problems we now have," said Emm. For example, a lot of the un- certainty surrounding the hospi- tal could have been cleared up if more information had been forth- coming in the "early stages," Emm contends. "It seems a lot of things were already agreed to," he said. The same holds true for the Lynde Shores development, Emm believes. "People felt many things were not brought to their attention. Although they atten- ded meetings, they felt frustra- ted that they didn't get all the .information. If elected to council, Emm will push for improvements to older sections of Whitby. "Many of the streets and sidewalks are not getting attention and people are resentful of that." Emm also wants a return to either a fall or spring town-wide clean up week and a new arena and is worried about the future of Cranberry Marsh. «Council is allowing growth in the official plan near the marsh and I don't warit a repeat of Lynde Marsh. All of our wilderness areas need special attention and care." JIM PRIEST Anderson Street North resi- dent Jim Priest is a regular observer of council proceedings and believes he can do as well or better. The 63-year-old qemi- retired mining industry consul- tant made an unsuccessful run for a regional seat in 1991. "I'm most adamant about not using public funds 'to build another arena," said Priest. "I definitely want to see private enterprise build two no-frills arenas and see the Town stay out of it except for support and co-operation." Priest does not believe coun- cil's claim that all private pro- posals to date would have cost taxpayers more money in the Iong run. "I've been in contact with people who ant to build it and they claim the can do it for a lot less money t an the Town ever can." Declaring that government is "too large and costly," Priest advocates measures to reduce its size, even to the extent of fewer elected officials such as himself should he be successful on Mon- day. «We're over-governed and we may be over-represented,"he said. "It wouldn't bothor me to com- pete with a greater number of people for fewer positions." Priest said development is a major concern of Whitby resi- dents today. "People didn't move here to see the place turned into a city of 130,000. If we do have development, I'd like to see more control over it.» DOUG ANDERSON Doug Anderson is making his second attempt at public office. The 49-year-old publisher of the Whitby Free Press was an independent candidate in Ontario riding. in last year's federal election. Three years ago Anderson made the news rather than deli- vering it when he protested the federal government's imposition of the goods and services tax. "First and foremost rm against the way government is run," he said. "Denocracy is meant to be people-oriented. Politicians should be doingf what' people want them to do. Anderson uses council's hand- ling of the Lynde Shores and Downtown Business Improve- ment Area issues as examples. "Lynde Shores is not a direct as the BIA, but there's been a lot þf half-truths," he said. "It ma be true that council has to f ollow the process and can't turn it down and that it did fit the right criteria. But it never should have got that far." Anderson said council has not addressed the whole issue of taxation sufficiently. "Incum- bents have tried to take the high ground of no tax increase, but realistically, several govern- ments have been elected in Canada on lowering taxes. "They will get the lion's share of investment in the next few years.» Anderson said it is in Whitby's best interest to "bite the bullet" and make substantial cuts in its tax rate "%o bring business here rather than have it go some- where else." Finally, Anderson denied a suggestion that if he did not own a newspaper, he would not be a candidate. "I'm not a candidate because I own a newspaper but because I'm concerned about what's going on and feel there needs to be changes. "I'm a candidate in spite of owning a newspaper." VATA GOPINATHAN Pringle Drive resident Vata Gopinathan is making his first attempt at public office. Perhaps fittingly, the Ontario finance ministry employee SEE PAGE 42 , ýý : ý 2 . ý I., p , ý ý, .