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Public school board trustees grappled with the issue of what is an ideal pupilâ€"teacher ratio (PTR) as they learned lowering the PTR by one would cost an addiâ€" tional $1 million and necessitate the hiring of 57 new teachers. Ouch. . This year‘s Timmy Bruce MacVicar was entertained by star Ottawa Rough Rider tight end Tony Gabriel as the Easter Seals campaign began. Newly appointed police chief Syd Brown outlined some changes he had in mind for the regional force such as emphasizing more individual responsibility and creating a crime prevention bureau. FEBRUARY Waterloo Ald. Brian Turnbull won a battle but lost the war in his quest for the regional chairman‘s post. Though Jack Young fought off his challenge, Ald. Turnbull‘s call for a review of regional government beginning in 1977 was accepted. Waterloo councillors enjoyed a lateâ€" Waterloo counciliors enjoyed a lateâ€"Christmas presâ€" ent when they accepted a recommendation from a citiâ€" zens advisory committee awarding them 5 per cent salary increases. Their wages were boosted to $4,460 a year while the mayor‘s salary was hiked to $15,275. JANUARY To the sound of a string quartet playing Mozart, the new Waterloo city council was ushered into ofâ€" fice. In his inaugural address;~Mayor Herb Epp pledgâ€" ed that redevelopment of some downtown land to strengthen the core area and provide needed assessâ€" ment would be a top priority in the new year. A new arena, indoor swimming pool and baseball stadium were also included in the forecast. But we do know what has happened over this past year, the triumphs and tragedies, the serious issues and the lightâ€"hearted moments. We relive some of those moâ€" ments this woek. . This Saturdey. at midnight,. we bid a fond farewell to 1977 and a hearty hello to 1978. What will happen over the next 12 months can only be guessed at or read in tea A site too soft. A proposed site for a new skating rink and community centre had to be moved from beâ€" hind the Waterloo arena when its soil indicated costs of securing a foundation would be prohibitive. The site was switched to near Seagram Stadium. Better here than elsewhere. That was one of the lines of defence used by Mayor Epp in combatting criticism of council‘s approval of the Conestoga Maill in the city‘s north end. If Waterloo had turned thumbs down to the project, the mayor argued, it likely would have been located in Kitchener with Waterloo losing both assessment and the advantage of controlling the size of the project Jack Middlemass was given an ample opportunity to put his knowledge of organizations and people to work as he began his job as the new manager of the Waterloo chamber of commerce. Increasing the chamâ€" ber‘s membership was a goal of the new manager A Bavarianâ€"style clock tower for downtown Waterioo 1977; this is the year that was Pass the slide rule please. After weeks of debate, adâ€" ditions and subtractions, the public school board apâ€" ~proved an $86.7 million budget. That reflected a 13 per cent boost over 1976s $75.3 million budget. The budget had climbed to $90 million before trustees wielded sharp knives in trimming $3.3 million off the total. Play ball, Council gave its seal of approval to a $229,â€" 000 baseball stadium for Bechtal Park despite objecâ€" tions from aldermen â€" Brian Tumnbull and Marjorie Carroll who wanted the city to take a closer look at its priorities for recreational capital projects in light of tough fiscal times. The project later received a $57,â€" 000 provincial grant to lift part of the financial burden off city shoulders. MAY Good things must come to an end. Veteran Waterloo North MPP Ed Good announced his retirement from provincial politics opening the door to the riding‘s Liberal nomination to Mayor Herb Epp. Fitness was a theme throughout the year across the country and May saw Ontario Culture and Recreation Minister Robert Welch declare Waterloo Region a model area to launch a participaction program . Making downtown into a "people place" was the theme of a meeting of the Waterloo Downtown Resiâ€" dents Association as plans were discussed to spruce up the core area. Another hot issue. Fire prevention officers warned residents to use common sense when purchasing smoke or heat detectors from salesmen who were apt to use high pressure scare tactics. APRIL The year of the budget slash. Council trimmed $463,â€" 000 from a $9.2 million budget leaving ratepayers lookâ€" ing at an average $80 increase combining city, regional and school taxes. The city‘s 9.63 per cent increase was described as moderate by finance commissioner Don Schaefer but, combined with the school tax increase, it hurt. An uncomfortable suit of clothes? Maybe, but counâ€" cil decided to try it on for size by giving initial apâ€" proval to a fire prevention byâ€"law incorporating the National Fire Code Figure skaters Robin Cowan and Sherri Baier were picked as regional athletes of the year topping four other finalists. Their gutsy performance at the world senior pairs championship earlier in the year in Tokyo, where Sherri skated with a broken wrist, helped win them the honour. More good news on the sporting scene. The Waterloo Satellites juvenile all star team won the Allâ€"Ontario minor juvenile championship by defeating Oshawa four games to two. A delegation from the city, including the mayor and chamber of commerce president Jack Forbes, visited Waterloo, Quebec in an attempt to establish an onâ€" going relationship between schools, churches, busiâ€" nessmen and community leaders of the two communiâ€" Cities like Waterloo which haven‘t incorporated sections of the National Fire Code in a city byâ€"law are *‘*just treading water‘‘, according to Ontario‘s deputyâ€" fire Marshall. Waterloo is one of a few dwindling numâ€" ber of Ontario cities that don‘t have a fire prevention byâ€"law, the Chronicle reported, which meant the city‘s fire prevention officers do not have the necessary auâ€" thority to enforce fire safety standards in existing city buildings. * j Meanwhile, city council was faced with a preliminâ€" ary budget that would increase residential property taxes by an average of $93, including increases in pubâ€" lic school taxes. The budget showed a hike of over $970,000 compared to 1976. A city planner indicated that regional housing tarâ€" gets for Waterloo would be met over the next two years if there is a lot of activity on the part of develâ€" opers. Coming through under pressure. That was the story of Waterloo‘s Robin Cowan and his figure skating partner Sherri Baier of Mitchell who placed 10th in the world senior pairs competition held in Tokyo. Their topâ€"notch performance was even more difficult since 14â€"yearâ€"old Baier skated through the competition with a broken wrist. . Knock on wood. An arborist was recommended to be hired by the city to c}rry out a tree maintenance and planting program, said a report presented to counâ€" cil. But, like the tower, it too was felled by sharp axes at budget time. Council also launched a contest to solicit a new city of Waterloo logo, a goal announced by Mayor Epp in his inaugural address. And the public school board announced that French language instruction in some elementary schools would be increased as suggested by a joint boardâ€"citizens committee. was the topic of discussion between city and Kitchenâ€" erâ€"Waterloo Oktoberfest Inc. officials. Preliminary estimates gauged the cost at $50,000. However, the clock became a victim of budget cuts later in the year. Tight squeeze. The rental of condominium units to students by absentee landlords caused overâ€"crowdâ€" ing of some suites and aggravated parking problems, the city told a provincial condominium study group. Waterioo Chronicie, Wednesday, December 28, 1977 â€" Page 3 These are swingin‘ times as this smiling youngster shows. Former Waterioo Mayor Herb Epp. accompanied here by Liberal leader Stuart Smith, easily took the riding of Waterloo North in last June‘s provincial election. JUNE After a closed door session, regional council anâ€" nounced that William Palmer, former chairman of the Ontario Municipal Board, would head the commisâ€" sion reviewing the regional governmental structure. Althoughâ€"some councillors were concerned about Mr. Palmer‘s ties with the provincial government, he was eventually accepted to head the study. ties. Tying the knot between the two cities was felt to be an expression of the city‘s commitment to underâ€" stand who we are as Canadians in this time of the unity What‘s in a logo? Well, for Waterloo, it‘s a stylized ‘*W*" to represent the city on letterheads, lapel pins, crests, vehicles and for promoting city activities. The simple to reproduce and adaptable logo was adopted by council. Idea parked. A suggestion from Ald. Mary Jane Mewhinney that an indepth look at building a parking garage be taken was met with opposition from fellow counciliors. Finance commissioner Don Schaeffer inâ€" dicated a study he completed last year showed the conâ€" struction of a parking garage would be "a bit of a fiâ€" (Conrinued on page 5)