PAGE 14, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1979, WHITBY FREE PRESS PUblic meeting planned in 5 weeks on transportation issue The Finance Committee finally reached the point of public transportation during its Budget meeting last week. It was the third and final Budget meeting to .be held for this year prior to the WATERLOO CAMBRIDGE LONDON approval of the mil] rate. The hour was late, almost midnight, and it was sugges- ted by Councillor Bobby Attersley' that the public transit question be placed in the Capital Budget. This Budget is set up for the STRATFORD BRAMPTON I I devélopment of capital works of many types in the Town of Whitby, for example the work to be done on the erection of new traffic lights and the improvement of exis- ting traffic lights in town. The capital budget which has been approved for this year totals $3,785,955 which is reduced by subsidies from the Provincial and Federal Governments as well as de- velopment fees. In this year's Capital Budget are funds labeled for three mini buses of the 19-passenger size at a cost of $66;OO0, of which the Pro- vince will provide a subsidy of $49,500. The label was taken off the funds allocation but the funds were left in the Capital Budget and there would be further discussion on this particular subjeét at a spe- cial meeting of Council with the public present. The discussion came to the point of handi-transit which is another public service, with the request the Council provide $22,000 for the opera- tion of the vehicle. The handi-transit van is a Whitby Service Club's pro- ject offered to the Council. Town Treasurer Forbes McEwen stated, the Council "should go into P'ublic (Transit) system before going into handi-transit. If you go into handi-transit then you will be handi- capped, money wise, and will not even have a public transit system." During the brief commen- tary before striking the fina- lized budget, without further comment on the Public Transportation, itwa- stated by some of the council mem- p p bers that at the rate the budget was set for this year it would mean that the pos- sible cost to the taxpayer for public transit would be $7.50 per a $5,000 assessment. Mayor Jim Gartshore said, S'we don't consider Public Transit in 1979." He moved that "in about five weeks" they would "call a special meeting of Council with ail the faèts and figures on Public Transit so the Public would have a good idea of what it is all aboût." This motion was approved and adopted. It was also pointed out during the discussion period that it would take 14 weeks to get a bus. With the public meetings the ordering and delivery of the buses "it would be October, at least, before a Public Transporta- tion system could be imple- mented for Whitby." It would also be October before a handi-transit system, if approved, could be started. This project was also put over to the special meeting on Transportation to be called in about five weeks' time. Councillor Bob Attersley suggested that Public Tran- sit .be put in the Capital Budget. The Capital budget had already been approved and forms part of the yearly budget and provides funds for such projects , as six floodlit tennis Courts at Iroquois Park -at a cost of $100,000. Durham Region Lung Association's annual Christ- mas Seal Drive closed offici- allyon January 31, having reached an all-time high of $79,310.89. The Association exceeded ils target of $75,000 by $4,310.89, and achieved a 16 per cent increase over the 1977 Campaign. Christmas Seal Co- Chairman Marline Veater said last week that the Campaign's success was built upon year round efforts by Association volunteers, staff members and local media who worked continu- ously to raise public aware- ness of the services provided by Christmas Seal.dollars in Durham Region. "The public are realizing that a dollar given to Christ- mas Seals goes a long way in providing practical help for The $66,000 previously set aside for minibuses and now left to be used, if necessary, for other projects could be implemented by next year's allocation of funds in the Capital budget as the buses w ouldnot be arriving in Town until December. The present Council . can only budget on two-year terms as it is only elected to office for two years. The $66,000 allocated for mini buses is reduced by a Provincial subsidy of $49,500 leaving a possible $16,500 to many people in our commu- nity, who sufler from such diseases as asthma, emph- ysema and chronic bronchitis" said Mrs. Veater. Co-Chairman Bill East- wood summed up the Association's feelings about the final Campaign totals in one word - "terrific!" - and added that the combination of Durham Region's con- cerned and generous public with this enthusiastic and dedicated voluntary Agency could only result in the Lung Association's continued ex- pansion as a community health resource. "Thanks to our nfany Christmas Seal Friends" he said "more people than ever before will be helped this year by Durham Region Lung Association, their local Christmas Seal People." be "scraped up by the Town." This year's mill rate for the Town is already set at 62 mills in the old Town boun- daries and the corridor area, no change over last year's mill rate and an average increase of $4 on the local tax rate for the Brookliià and rural areas of the Town. The Town governing rate has been set for 1979 and the only prediction is that there "certainly will be a tax increase in the Region." ee Anmal contro expen.ses rise The town's budget for animal control, and dogs at large, for 1979 has been set at $57,200, and approved. This is an expensive item when dog owners and lovers could exercise a bit of con- trol and keep their pets from running at large and fouling up many lawns and gardens. Dogs running at large and in packs are also destructive to other arnimals in the Town. Whitby is an urban-rural municipality and when dogs are permitted to run un- checked they attack the sheep and cattle- that are being raised in the area. . This costs the taxpayer as the Municipality must pay HELD OVE Y POPULA DEMAN lTWO CAN EAT FOR THE PRICE*OF ONE FOR ONE MORE SUNDAY ONLY FEBRUARY 1lth. BUY ONE VEAL CUTLET for $5.95 GET ONE FREE < Includes salad or tomato juice, baked potatoes with sour cream and chives. Rolls, butter, pickles and olives. NO PREFERRED CUSTOMER CARDS PLEASE OTHER LOCATIONS OUT BY 9:00 A.M. the farmer for the destruc- tion of the sheep or cow by the dogs running at large. It is costly from another point of view as the destruc- tion of farm animais, includ- ing poultry, by dogs at large, costs the farmer an added loss of income and a short- age of meat in the super- markets. This all adds up to an increase in meat prices. At the January meeting of the Durham Region Animal Control Committee with rep- resentatives from the Ontario Hunane Society present it was pointed out that there would be a possi- bility of "increased rates for dog control in 1979". In addi- tion, two items of expendi- ture were introduced which has an affect on the budget. The Society "no longer has a dumping place for car- casses. They used to dump the carcasses at the Oshawa site which will be closed shortly." The Society has also been denied dumping privileges at the Whitby and Pickering sites,"due to ground water infiltration problems." As a result the Society is requesting each municipa- nty to contribute $15,000 toward the cost of a new incinerator which they would locate at their property on Thickson Road north. The Society also. has to replace its vehicle in 1979 at a net cost per vehicle of $6,000 approximately. This would make a total expedi- ture of $21,000 for Whitby which should be included in this year's budget, the Finance Committee was told. This was one item that they could not argue with and approved it without any further information of discussion. Christmas Seal fund surpasses its goal SPEND 15 MINUTES WITH US TOMORROW AND FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON. IN DURHAM! Weather, Sports and News fi NOON, EVENINGS NIGHT REPORTS 12:20 P.M., 6 P.M. & 11 P.M. WHITBY DISTRICT BOY SCOUTS PAPER DRIVE NEXT SATURDAY FEBRUARY 10, 1979 PLEASE HAVE YOUR PAPERS