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Waterloo region‘s new chairman, Ken Seiling, raises his gavel after defeating Waterioo alderman Brian Turnbull Thursday in Kitchener to succeed Jim Gray at the $60,000 a year pOSt. mark Bryson photo The late start was attributed to "not tuning in‘‘ to the race. At his press conference to announce his intention only one week prior to the vote, he had said his entrance had depended on whether Waterloo Mayor Marjorie Carroll or Cambridge alderman Fred Kent tried for the $60,000 a year job. Seiling, for his part, reminded councillors that as chairman of the police commision he had worked capably, handling a number of delicate issues. He also pointed out that with eight years mayorality and regional council experience behind him, he was the logical choice to succeed outgoing chairman Jim Gray. When contacted Monday, Seiling admitted he was confident going into the vote, but had taken nothing for granted. The rural vote, as Turnbull pointed out, was a decisive factor with all seven votes going to Seiling. All three Waterloo votes went to Turnbull but Seiling outgunned Turnbull by one vote in both Kitchener and Cambridge. Mark Bryson Chronicle Staft Waterloo alderman Brian Turnbull fell short in his bid to become Waterloo region‘s chairman last Thursday night, dropping a 15â€"9 council vote to Woolwich Mayor Ken Seiling at the region‘s inaugural meeting in Kitchener. The outcome came as no surprise to either and that was reflected in Turnbull‘s address to councillors prior to the vote. He appealed to those who had made earlier committments to Seiling to switch alliances and vote for him. ‘"Weigh all the facts before you make a decision. You don‘t make decisions two months ago; the contest is not being held two months agoâ€"it‘s being held tonight," he said. "If the people I knew who were voting for me held their vote, I felt fairly comfortable. But with that type of campaign you sometimes don‘t know what‘s going on," said Seiling, who at 38 is the youngest chairman ever. Turnbull, also contacted Monday,â€" said three factors contributed to his downfall. ‘"First off, Ken is a good man. Secondly, the rural people wanted a rural representative. Thirdly, I started late," said Turnbull. Looking forward to the upcoming term, Seiling said there will be "a lot of items on the regional plate"‘, but noted that waste management, water supply and sewage projects would top the list. Social projects are also a priority to maintain and upgrade. The new chairman is also in tune with the repercussions that go along with Cambridge‘s acquisition of a Toyota plant. Housing and the servicing of the site will have to be tackled very soon. As for Brian Turnbull‘s role over the next three years. "I hope Brian continues to be an active member. I‘m certanly looking forward to working together with him," said Seiling. Seiling‘s the man for Region At least one alderman saw McMahon‘s point. John Shortreed agreed that the city did not handle the issue in character. During the election campaign, McMahon had stated at an allâ€"candidates meeting that Waterloo should have looked into purchasing a cityâ€"hall of its own, perhaps a twinâ€"towered structure with Kitchener. Shortly after, he started a petition, and gathered 250 signatures, in opposition to the handling of the development. His petition was not considered by the OMB, however, because it queried the practicality of leasing space, and did not question the bylaws that were passed to allow the construction. "I think I‘ve been misunderstood the whole time. The message I wanted to get across from day one is that this development should have had public input," he said. Following the meeting, he told reporters that he was dissappointed that he, nor any other citizen, had any input into the decision, but had resigned to the fact that nothing could be done. McMahon said he had never been against the idea of Regina Street development, he just wanted some public input. "It‘s very apparent that this sucker is baked. To have a public meeting now is an exercise in futility," he said. Waterloo County board of education trustees have rejected the implementation of junior kinderâ€" garten next fall, saying its $7.8 million price tag is just to heavy to bear. ‘"Although people could accept the concept, most of the trustees were shocked at the cost," said board chairman Elizabeth Witmer. ‘"There hasn‘t been a pressing demand from the public for the program, it‘s been minimal, and frankly we have other needs that are more necessary and must be met." The staff proposal recommended offering 16 classes of 20 students next year, at a total cost of $641,868, of which the Waterloo board would pay $296,773. The number of classes would double in each of the next three years (32, 64, 128) until the fifth year when a final 42 classes would be added, bringing total junior kindergarten enrolment in the county to 3,400. In order to accommodate this new program, seventy portable buildings would have to be acquired, not for the junior kindergarten pupils, who because of special needs would occupy regular classrooms in schools, but for the older students would move to the portables. As a safety feature, the junior kindergarten students would be bussed to school, at a fiveâ€"year cost of $3.5 million. Witmer said both of the points were major strikes against the program . Council voted 7â€"1 in support of an Ontario Municipal Board bylaw amendment reached last week, that will allow CN to construct an 82,000 square foot commercialâ€"retail complex on Regina Street. The nay vote belonged to Ald. Lynne Woolstenâ€" croft, who said her reason for opposing was to express her dissatisfaction with the manner in which the deal was handled. Ald. Dorothy Schnarr and Andrew Telegdi approved the decision, despite calling for public input during their election campaign two months ago. Patrick McMahon, a 12thâ€"place finisher in the recent municipal election, appealed the decision prior to the vote, and asked for council to consider a public meeting. Council was polite, but his speech had little impact. Melodee Martinuk Chronicle Staff According to a report prepared by board staff, it would cost $18.6 million (based on 1985 dollars) to phase in junior kindergarten over the next five years. Although more than $10.3 million would come from the province, the Waterloo board would have to finance the remainder. Construction is slated for the spring of 1986 and Waterloo will move into their 35,000â€"square foot quarters by the fall of 1987. Mark Bryson Chronicle Staff Canadian National Railway was given the go ahead by Waterloo City Council Monday night to begin construction of the building that will house the new city hall. The decision rules out the possibility of a public meeting to discuss the details of the cityâ€"CN deal. ‘"Thinking abou. .t in hindsight, we should have Final OK given for Waterloo City Centre ‘More necessary‘ needs than junior kindergarten Woolstencroft opposed WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1985 â€" PAGE 3 Mark Bryson Chronicle Staff The cost of determining the city‘s goals and objectives for the upcoming year at a Toronto hotel last month cost Waterloo ratepayers more than $5,000. The remainder of the bill was to transport, feed and house the 12 persons involved, including Carroll, eight aldermen, Chief Administrative Officer Don Roughley. retired finance chairman Richard Biggs and the facilitator. Food and ghelter cost $178 per person, while the van to transport the group, driven by Roughley, cost $129. The major portion of the actual $5,265 price tag was to pay a "facilitator‘ $3,000 for leading aldermen through two days of "team dynamic‘ routines at the Prince Hotel, said Mayor Marjorie Carroll following Monday‘s council meeting. Prior to the twoâ€"day jaunt, the facilitator spent two days in Waterloo with senior staff. In addition, staff noted that the rapid growth and acceptance of preâ€"school programs indicate junior kindergarten is highly desired by Waterloo Region parents, and they pointed to a recent study done the region which showed a definite need for publiclyâ€"funded preâ€"school programs. ‘"We believe that it is important for all children to be given an eqt:;al opportunity for this growth potential," they said. The list of objectives reached at the "thinkâ€"tank" session were published in last week‘s Chronicle. The publishihg of the goals reached, at an undisclosed cost, will become an annual thing, said Carroll. The city announced the proposal on Oct. 28 and needed only two bylaw amendments to clear the way; one to provide a 200â€"space parking lot that far exceeds the city‘s policy, and the other to remove the need to meet flood plain requirments because of the commercial nature of the building. The only reason, according to Mayor Marjorie Carroll on Nov. 5, for the city to hold a public meeting would be if the city were building its own city hall, but since Waterloo has a policy of leasing, no further discusssions were necessary. Carroll announced Monday that public input into the design plans for the city space in the CN development will be asked for at a public meeting in January. debated the matter in an open meeting. Some of Mr. McMahon‘s statements are quite right," said Shortreed. Three public meetings were held concerning the Regina Street development in 1984, but a city hall was never mentioned. The board report indicated that educational research proves a child‘s learning in the early years significantly affects its ultimate potential, and that children ages 2â€"4 need an enriched environment to achieve their greatest developâ€" mental growth. "It follows, therefore, that in both the child‘s and society‘s best interests, our expertise ought to be concentrated on this period of child development," the report concluded. Trustee Twyla Hendry opposed the concept on ‘‘philosophical‘"‘ grounds arguing that it would mean some children could be attending school as early as the age of three. Her motion to receive the report for information was approved 9â€"1, and a subsequent attempt by trustee Ian MacFarlane to have the program reconsidered at budget time was rejected 7â€"4. Primary education consultant Marg Dickson noted that junior kindergarten has been available in Ontario for some 40 years, and Waterloo county is one of the few large school boards not to offer it. The provincial Ministry of Education supports the concept of junior kindergarten, and could make it compulsory for all school boards if it follows the advice of a ministryâ€"initiated study due to be released early next year. Facilitator major expense for thinkâ€"tank