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A 6 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday, June 19, 2002 ED ITO RIALS MR LETTERS T H EO A K V IL L EK H 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 337-5610 Grculation: 845-9742 IAN OLIVER Publisher NEIL OLIVER Associate Publisher TERI CASAS Office Manager JILL DAVIS AfBuftctarinQMfcNsAftorftser.AfelonHmMCouv.Affw fnttnvoo N an. Bame A ta rce Barry's Bay Ttos \Mm *. BcAon Ertarprtse. Brampton Guardkm Bulngfcn Post. Buvqton Sftcoorg News. C*y Parert. CCfinpwxrtWasaga Ccmectov East 'rtifc Mrror Em fcS ocatoO xrtr/ ftxter-. EloCicoM Guanfcw Ftantcnxgh Post Georgetown Busnes Hnas. Nngaaon Tha We**. ird s » / T>c V N *. W irtfnm E caw w l & S ir. IM a rtlP e re ta n ? *fn ! M ny. Mctotand Piw no. PucW wq & Dtsttuong LB . ndudes M flon Canadan Charrpcrv MMon Sfiocpng News. Guk». Newnarfcet/Auora E/a Bamer Noflferntertand H e m . N orti 'taV Mrror. Oafcvfe Beaver. 0 * * a Shcoorg H o rn . C dw w n Hockey News. O rtta T o t e ,. O tfvw a'V ftnyO arrigtn Port P»ry This Week. Own Sand r itir e . Pa*T«rs*Dn Observer PeKftKnxQn TT*s Ptton C arty Guda. FkTmcrtJ W T hcn**73utf«n LberaJ. S a rto tu ^ Mrror S W M ftO trtls l Trtnne. Fcrewr *u tq . O y &W GuarrJan Editor in Chief Circulation Director MARK DILLS KELLY MONTAGUE Advertising Director RI2ER0 VERTOlil STEVE CROZIER Production Manager Photography Director ROD JERRED Managing Editor THE O AK VILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL M EDIA SPONSOR FO R: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Ncwspapm Association Cana<8an Community Nowpapws Association Y M £ A Jk&e Bel Fund W kL C C O M I-K t T O »«O # K+U ms c u n iim r AGON im fg 2 E± 7 M f iK SKY Suburban Newspapers of America TV AUCTION United Way O W s ·ttekw!* M B (9ah>Hle s'hiYtr'th o '&* © OTfT The O akvie. U ftcn and Dwna s | o a kvllle galleries | R# B U S IN E S SK tS t!*? Increase sends mixed message It se e m s c u rio u s that the H alton D istrict S c h o o l B o ard , the sa m e b o a rd th at h a s m o u n te d a very p u b lic c a m p aig n to in fo rm us ab o u t p u b lic e d u c a tio n fu n d in g sh o rtag e s, is still in ten t o n p ay in g its e d u c atio n d ire c to r c o n s e c u tiv e sa lary in c reases o f m o re th a n 8.5 p e r cent. A s th e sch o o l b o ard fa c e s th e u n e n v ia b le ta sk o f c h o p p in g $ 4 m illio n fro m its 2 0 0 2 -0 3 b u d g e t to av o id a d e fic it, n e ith e r a freeze n o r a red u c tio n o f D u sty P a p k e 's 2 0 0 2 -0 3 b ase salary o f $ 1 6 5 ,0 0 0 is a m o n g th e c u ts tru ste e s are co n sid erin g . In fac t, P ap k e w ill see h is sa lary ju m p $ 1 3 ,0 0 0 c o m e S ep tem b er. T h is, afte r h e rec eiv ed a b ase sa lary b u m p o f ab o u t $ 1 2 ,0 0 0 at th e start o f th e 2 0 0 1 0 2 sc h o o l year. N o o n e is qu estio n in g P a p k e 's value here, b ut rath er the im p ressio n that his salary and the b o a rd 's fu n d in g position seem to co n trad ict o n e another. Ju st w h ich m e ssa g e d o e s th is b o ard e x p e c t th e p u b lic to sw a llo w ? H o w m u c h sto c k ca n w e p u t in th e b o a rd 's p e rv a siv e `p le ase sir, m a y w e h av e so m e m o re p ro v in cial fu n d in g ' m a n tra w h e n its d irector, b y h is o w n a d m is s io n , is h a n d e d h e fty s a la ry h ik es? U sin g a p riv a te ly -ru n b u sin e ss fo r c o m p a riso n , o n e h as to w o n d e r h o w lo n g th e C E O o f a la rg e c o rp o ra tio n w o u ld su rv iv e if h e o r sh e w e re to a c c e p t b a c k - to -b a c k 8 .5 -p e r-c e n t sa lary h ik e s w h ile th e c o m p a n y stru g g le d to stay aflo a t. S to c k h o ld e rs w o u ld lik e ly h av e a lot to sa y a b o u t su ch sp e n d in g d u rin g fin a n c ia lly -tro u b lin g tim es. In the sc h o o l b o ard sc en a rio , ta x p ay e rs are th e sto c k h o ld e rs, an d it is th e y w h o sh o u ld b e u p in a rm s o v e r th is e x e rc ise in d ic h o to m y . A nd w hat o f P apke? · A s th e le a d e r a n d h ig h e s t p aid e m p lo y e e o f th e b o a rd , p e rh a p s h e sh o u ld step fo rw ard an d p ro v id e a p ru d en t e x a m p le fo r o th e rs to fo llo w d u r ing th e se lean tim e s? W e re sp e c tfu lly su b m it th a t it's h ig h tim e th is b o a rd s ta rte d p u ttin g its m o n e y w h e re its m o u th s h av e b ee n b a c k in the classro o m . T o d a y 's e c o n o m ic re a lity w o u ld su g g e st th is b o a rd w o n 't b e o ffe rin g its te a c h e rs o r an y o th e r u n io n iz e d sta ff 8 .5 -p e r-ce n t sa lary h ik e s w h e n it g o es in to n e g o tia tio n s in th e n e a r fu tu re. F re e z in g o r ro llin g b a c k P a p k e 's sa lary w ill n o t b a la n c e th e b u d g e t on its o w n , b u t it w o u ld c e rta in ly sen d a m o re c o n s is te n t m e s s a g e to th e b o a rd 's `sh a re h o ld e rs'. W h o k n o w s, it m ig h t e v e n resto re s o m e lost credib ility . § iB SUNXNVV^ ac tu ally .SIGH. EVER'W A HG O ,IT'S DIES A M E THAN G . THOSE ARE FOR MISTER SIR, , ,,N O LE T T E R S Til T H EE D IT O R A challenge to the residents of Iroquois Ridge Re: Front page story Wed. June 19, Salvation Arm y Shelter Plan Runs Into Neighourhood Opposition. I w ould first like to introduce m yself and then endeavour to com m unicate my heartfelt reaction to this article. 1 run an O akville-based ministry which sup ports Canadian artists in the field o f music. I have com bined the gifts o f the talented people that I work with to help meet the needs o f one o f o u r m any com m unity ventures, T he Salvation A rm y's Lighthouse Project. It has been an honour to have raised $20,000 over the past two years to get this m uch-needed facility o ff the ground. As I read the article in the June 19 Beaver, 1 becam e more and m ore sorrow ful about w hat took place w hen the Iroquois Ridge R atepayers' A ssociation m et w ith The Salvation Army contingency led by M ajor Ray Braddock on June 17. I understand the concerns the residents near the proposed site for The Lighthouse must feel. I have raised a developmentally-challenged son who is a very vulnerable individual. There is so much dan ger in our world today and I commend these par ents for their "mother bear" stance in a valiant effort to protect their children. But I also know the heart and history o f The Salvation Army and of Major Ray Braddock. To say it simply: they live their lives to help, rescue and restore the lives of broken and desperate individuals. To have experienced the hostility and close m indedness o f som e o f the IRRA members m ust have been devastating to the Major. I w ould like to present this challenge to the wonderful folks o f the Iroquois Ridge com m u nity: Would you consider making an open m inded effo rt to see and hear w hat The Lighthouse is really about? If, once you know the facts, you consent to its presence, w hy not see what you can do as a com m unity to m ake it very, very successful by offering your help as volunteers to the project. You can make all the difference in the world. In the history o f T he Salvation Arm y in the late 1800s, the higher class o f people in England did everything they could to stop the efforts o f the early "Arm y" , to the point o f caus ing deaths in their ranks, because they did not view the people w ho needed help to be o f any worth. Sept. 11, 2001, helped the world to get things into perspective. We were rem inded that people are w hat's important! L et's look and dig deep to see w hat w e can do to help, not hinder. In the com ing few months, I am presenting tw o concerts in Oakville, the first being an evening with Alfie Zappacosta on Aug. 24. The proceeds from these events will go to support the cause o f the incredible w ork o f T he Salvation Army, in particular T he Lighthouse Project. If you w ant to help by attending the events, call me in my O akville office at 905849-1316. With Concern for all The Citizens o f my beloved Oakville, Michelle Sim Northern Praise Ministries, Inc S a lv a tio nA rm ys h e lte r w e lc o m einm yn e ig h b o u rh o o d Bravo to M ayor Ann M ulvale and Councillors Janice W right and Kurt Franklin for refusing to fall victim to the w ave o f xenophobia and close-m indedness that has gripped residents o f Iroquois Ridge. I was saddened, but not surprised, to read o f the behav iour o f area residents at the recent Lighthouse shelter infor m ation m eeting at Iroquois Ridge C om m unity Centre. A pparently our elected officials are aw are that Oakville is not yet a gated com munity. T he kind o f com m unity spir it O akville residents enjoy should not only be extended to the financially fortunate. How many o f us are a paycheque or tw o aw ay from hom elessness? How m any battered w om en and children from our neighbourhood need a place to stay? These people deserve to live in their ow n com munity. T heir com m unity is Halton, and I w elcom e them to Iroquois Ridge. W hile speaking to Iroquois Ridge High School students -- allegedly the potential prey o f these `hom eless, transient m en' -- I w as repeatedly questioned about the effect the high school w ould have on the shelter! "W hat if students were to cause problem s for the hom e less?" -- a question that appears much m ore reality-based than many o f situations presented by adults in recent con tributions to this section. I am pleased that M ayor M ulvale and m em bers o f coun cil are considering the application to m ove the Lighthouse to Iroquois Ridge. I hope the Salvation Army will finally be able to conclude its presentation. Residents need to stop using safety as an excuse when they're w orried about property values. We m ay all agree, publicly, that hom elessness is a real problem , but this is our opportunity to do som ething about it. M ayor M ulvale and Councillors Franklin and W right, this is one "resident" and "taxpayer" and "citizen" who supports this application. T he Salvation Arm y and all our neighbours from O akville, and the rest o f Halton, are w elcom e in my neigh bourhood. KIMBERLY BOWMAN Smoking bylaw is a detriment to local businesses T his is in response to the letter from Mr. D oug Ladoucer in the June 19 issue o f The Oakville Beaver. To suggest that sm okers will eventually sim ply return to their favourite establishm ents is naive at best. T hree w eeks have now past and w here are all these sm okers? I'll tell you w here they are -- M ississauga and Burlington. Sadly, for O akville businesses that is, sm okers do not have to travel very far in order to enjoy their dirty little habit. H is reasoning that since sm oking in the w ork place did not result in a drop in the w ork force, is specious at best. Surely even the let ter w riter can see that there is a vast difference betw een m aking m oney and deciding how one chooses to spend it. W hile describing his lung disease, alleged ly caused by second-hand sm oke, he actually m akes a very valid point. He suggests seeking School trustee's letter was off base I w as very sad when I read Drew C urrah's letter in the W ednesday, June 19, Oakville Beaver. Mr. Currah only stayed at the meeting for approxim ately 20 m inutes and then storm ed out. If Mr. Currah, O akville T rustee for Wards 1&2, had bothered to take the tim e to be well informed, he w ould have know n that staff from the Halton D istrict School Board had attended previous public m eetings and w ere unable to answ er m any residents questions. It w ould be w ise o f Mr. Currah to take his ow n advice and dem onstrate m ore responsible behaviour as an elected official would. To continue the issue o f the Site Plan appli cation for portables at Eastview Public School it is interesting that the Town o f Oakville on June 18 denied the application from the Halton board because the "professional experts" were unable to satisfactorily answ er the questions from the Site Plan C om m ittee members. C an our board o f education m ake decisions that put students and staff first? SHIRLEY WHITAKER financial retribution from the bar ow ners, w ho allow ed such "unsafe conditions." W hat a unique idea: m aking the bar ow ners responsible for w hether they perm it sm oking o r not. T hat decision has, how ever, been taken from them by tow n council. I w ould think that anyone who spent years building their busi ness never im agined a tim e w hen the very city they pay taxes to w ould turn around and dam age them in this way. Will m ost businesses survive? Probably. W ill som e have to clo se th eir d o o rs? A bsolutely. Will som e bar em ployees face unem ploym ent? D efinitely. Has a sudden influx o f non-sm okers im proved business? No. I trust that M ayor M ulvale will take the next step in this cam paign by dem anding that O akville receive no provincial o r federal funds related to the recent increase in cigarette taxes. If their habit is not good enough, surely then neither is their money. T h an k s fo r listen in g . S ee you in Burlington. D. Juby Shelter location dangerous W hat is O akville's tow n council thinking? A 40+ bed hom eless shelter in w ithin w alking distance o f three elem entary schools and a high school is not ju st bad planning but plain dangerous. D oes Oakville really w ant strange men hiding in our children's school w ashroom s like the great city o f Toronto? O ur tow n council has lost touch with w hat is good for O akville's future. I think it is tim e for O akville to have a new council - led by a new mayor. RUSS PFEIFER A CONCERNED FATHER OF THREE Pud V'KNOW I NEVER REAUY THOUGHT ABOUT HOWSPREAD OUT/ .OUR - UtfTlL w e By STEVE NEASE GRADUATIONS FffcM UNIVERSITY, m \ SCHOOL AND Kindergarten ALLONTHE j u h z = z Your Opinion Counts The Oakville Beaver w elcom es letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considera tions and gramm ar. In order to be published, letters m ust contain the nam e, address and phone num ber o f the author. Letters should be addressed to T he Editor, O akville Beaver, 467 Speers Road, O akville, O n., L6K 3S4, or via e-m ail to ed itor@ oak vilIeb eaver.com . T he Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish any letter. .......... _ ....... -- U