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When Greenside re- ported his error, the city's administrative committee studied the problem and decided the city might just as well sell him the section of land he'd built on. The committee re- commended Greenside The issue arose when David Greenside volurr tarily reported an error in construction of his swimming pool at 514 Twin Oaks Cresc re- cently after realizing he had built a concrete slab on "tity-owned parkland that abuts the rear ofhis porperty. “It was a real goof on our part," Carroll said “We shouldn't be selling parkland to anyone Peo- ple don't want the city to sell parkland to anyone and I agree Pt In an interview yester- day, Mayor Marjorie Carroll conceded the proposed sale of park- land to residents was "unacceptable Fr it lninead approved an administrative commit- tee report recommend, ing the city enter into a licensing agreement with a resndem who en- croached on city-owned parkland while buildmg a swimming pool In his backyard By Stewart Samantha Council decided Mon, day not to sell stnps of parkland to three Wa. terloo residents for a token pnce of $200 "Howiever, given the time of year," the memo reads. "this concern. of course, does not apply at this time..." The solicitor noted in his memo to council that there previously had been concern about the conflicting legislation in both acts, where one stipulates a vote must be held under certain conditions and the other says it can't be held without publication one month in advance, Bin now lawyer White is recommending the city comply with the section, Council was advised at that time that the ple- biscite could nonetheless proceed, if council wished, because the Fluoridation Act was seen to override the Municipal Act section prescrite ing publication. When petitioners were trying to force a civic vote on the issue prior yo last year's municipal elections. it was noted that elections were less than one month away at a time when it had not been determined whether there would be a ple- biscite or not. In a memo to council from the city solicitor, William White, council is advised to comply with a section of the Municipal Act that requires publication of the fluoridation question at least one month prior to a public vote. The quesiion must "then be published once a week for three successive weeks. By Philip Jalaovac Now that Waterloo council has laid plans for a plebiscite on fluoridation, it's not takintriehan- ces with the legality of the process. City will doitright City backs out of t26trjfiiiiiiii""iiii"iii Marlene Krebs, a resi- dent of 231 Parklawn Pl. which abuts the park- land. told council in a Council decided Mon- day to shelve the park- land sale and enter into the licensing agreement instead, But when the commit- tee's report was tabled at council two weeks ago. many aldermen ob- jected to the sale and the report was sent back for further study, When the Chronicle in, formed two local real estate agents of the committee's report. they said Greenside was gettig a good deal and the addition of the park- land would increase the property value by $5.000 to 310.000. That would have meant the city would be selling 12.240 square feet of land for $600 Greensnde would have received a strip of park- land measuring 60 feet Wide by 51 feet deep while his neighbors would have received land measuring 82 feet by 51 feet and 98 feet by 5l feet It also recommended that Greenside's two neighbors at 516 and 518 Twin Oaks Cresc be made the same offer for larger parcels of land to even the property lmes be charged a "token amount of 8200 plus all survey and legal costs" Incurred m the transac- non "I can't say at this time what that increase will be, but rm certain there will be one for the first time in four years." Schaefer said in an interview. "The in- crease will be caused by several things including double digit inflation, a reduced growth in tax- able assessment. large wage settlements (for city employees) and a reduced surplus" End of March is deadline for setting city budget Schaefer. who is cur- rently working on draft budget estimates. also blamed the recent 15 per cent salary Increase awarded through arbi- tralion to city firemen Don Schaefer says it will be "next to impos- sible" to avoid a tax in- crease when council ap- proves this year's bud- get in late March. By Stewart Sutherland For three consecutive years Waterloo council has managed to bring in a zero-growth budget. but the city's eommis- sioner of finance says that won't be the case this year. “If property owners are rewarded for break- mg the law by claiming "squatter's rights or whatever, I feel everyone should be treated fairly and given letter that selling the city-owned parkland may bersetting a dan- serous precedent ._ Even though the Christmas rush is over. traffic "snarls" in Waterloo can really make it a dog's life for area mo- torists. But contrary to what it looks like in the photo. this content canine was merely occupying the driver's seat of his owner’s Rabbit Sunday afternoon in Westmount Place parking lot. Can’t accuse us of taking catty _L_.__t Ink--- A.“ n:-n. n-;,AL ,ut photos' (Photo by Rick CampbeIl) At its first meeting last week, the city's fin- ance advisory commit- tee was told that capital costs for the Waterloo fire department could top $300,000 over the next few years and Schaefer recommended the city establish a fund to cover such costs, Prior to the March budget day, city staff and councillors will be attending a series of pre- budget meetings "to dis- cuss preliminary es- tlmates and make re- commendations" before the final draft is ap- proved. Schaefer said But Waterloo ra- tepayers will have to wait until March 30 to learn just what kind of tax increase they'll face this year. That's when city council will meet in a special afternoon ses- sion to approve the final budget estimates. as one of the causes for theprobable tax hike. "You can't expect not to have a tax increase with, wage settlements like that." Schaefer Alderman Glen Wright said after the council meeting that he received severaPcatts objecting to the pro- the same advantage to Increase the value of their property by buying an additional piece of prime parklnd," Krebs said in her letter DOGGONE TRAFFIC "We'll be discussing whether certain ser- Vices will be provided at the same level or even conic-med at all," Schaefer told the com- mittee that while reser- ve funds have been set up to replace equipment used by the city's works and community services departments, there is no such fund for the fire de- partment. Council will meet in a closed session on Mom day. Jan 26 to develop what Schaefer calls a "budget philosophy and guidelines" and to pro- vnde the wage negotiat- mg committee with gui- dance and targets for I981 The department also wants to purchase a new $76,000 communications system and $2,600 che- mical protection suits. He told the committee that the largest expense in the fire departmenrs five-year capital fore; cast is the purchase of a $200,000 aerial truck to replace the depart- ment's 33-year-old lad- der truck. “They kept saying that if we do it for one person, we should be domg it for everyone," Wright sand "They didn't demand that the City tear down the en- croachment, hut otnect- ed strongly to the sale of parkland .. posed sale of parkland WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, tttt" -- PAGE 3 Council will then meet on Monday. March 16 to hear applicants for charitable and com- munity grants. The meeting which takes place from 3 pm. to 6 pm in the council chambers at the Mars- land Centre. offers these groups a chance to make their pitch for city fund- ing and Schaefer said there's a "little bit of everything" at this meeting. at.” Final figures for 1980 will be distributed to council and all depart- ment heads by February 9 when they will begin to work out their 1981 es- timates in accordance with city guidelines, Schaefer said. He said all departmen- tal preliminary budgets will be completed and returned to his depart- ment by February 27, Schaefer said. "Staff im creases, developing new programs and the set- ting up of new funds tsuch as the new city hall fund) will be looked “When and If we need the land, he'll be given about 60 days to remove the concrete slab." Car, roll sand “But I don't Carroll sand the city would enter Into a ll- censlng agreement with Greensnde permitting tum to use the land until it IS needed by the mty -Lasit year we even The committee will meet again on Monday, March 30 to give the budget its stamp of ap- proval before sending it on to council, "It shouldn't be too bad again this year," he said. "Waterloo is In pretty good shape finan- cially," The city's finance committee will then meet on Tuesday, March 24 to discuss prelimin- ary estimates, including grant requests. and re- commend reductions or increases. Schaefer says resi- dents will then learn just what kind of a tax in- crease they can expect and whether or not there will be a reduction in any services provided by the city, Whatever the case. ie- sidents shouldn't be overly concerned about the City's financial situa- hon had a babysitting group approach the city for funding. but they were turned down. There has to be a line,drawn some- where," he said. “I! It happens again we'll look at It closely to ensure that someone Isn't trying to pull some- thong on us I' Carroll sand that any future encroachment on cltyowned parkland Will be "dealt mm on an m- dlvndual basis TF think we'll need It '