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r77 7 -1 7-- 7'u--- ---- ~ -- - - Page 26, Whitby Free Press, Wednesday, May 18, 1994 DBIAI budget decision deferred FROM PAGE 1 ted a petition, signed by 85 per cent cf the DRIA membership which demanded that a speciaf tax levied against businesses in the downtown core be held in abeyance for two years. nhe money collected from the 1ev>' is used for beautification projects and promotions aimed at attracting shoppers te the down- tcwn. Ail businesses, whether retail or profession aI offices, faling within the DBIA boundaries must pay the tax. While Longfield tried te keep discussion focused on the actual budget, more than. one person used the opportunity te slamn either council, *t he DBIA management board or both. At one point, Longfild threa- tened te have merchant Paul Savage ejected fromn the meeting after the two engaged in a shout- ing match during his presen- tation. dmndd know why the docu- ment now before committee is considerabl>' less than the $ 148,522 budget submitted in March. <The original budget was with- drawn b>' the board after it reviewed the results of a ques- tienaire distributed te DBIA members, Town treasurer AI Ciaringbold explained later in the meeting.) When Savage attempted te find out the reason fromn DBIA staff person Marc>' Marchulc, he was rebuffed, Savage said. Savage, who operates a Dun- das Street East hobby store clai- med that Hogue told him that a "ga or er»had been placed. on "How can y ou expect me t» ask questions when a gag order is placed on an employee paid for b>' my taxes?" he said. (Souter teld The F'ree Press he had ne knowledge cf Savage's dlaim cf a "gag order» on DBA staff.) Savae pleaded with commit- tee te dayassing the budget * until aIl DBI members have an opportunit>' te discuss ItL "TMis is supposed te be an 2orga zation f 400 businesses wor!n for the commen igood,» 4e:ad «Havmng the DBIA office closed to members and net ailowing memibers te participate in the budget is net the way te do it." After complaining that he had net received sufficient notice that the budget wouid be discussed Monday, Savage and Longield had a heated exehange when he did net accept her explanation cf counil'. notification procedure. Ravage aIse accused Town offi- ciaIs and DBIA board meniÏbers cf not responding te hie concerne. f I had known that I would be harassed by the DBIA and Town, I woulnt have brought mybusiness te Whitby » he said. Fat Perkins, representing Bur- tinsky & Brant Florists, spent meet cf her time picking apart the budget. Cruwing Classics FROM PAGE 11 Perkins noted that in 1993 the board spent $44,189 on pro- motions, whereas only $26,967 is allocated in this year's budget. She suggested that the dif- ference ma>' go towards the DBIA's controvPrsial 'Your Downtown' publication since no mone>' hsben budgeted for it tiPerkins claimed the crities' own research shows that the publication cost UBIA mnembers almost $25000 last year. "Do the>' not want the mem- bers te see these figures? How are they going to run the news- paper at a- zero cost this year if they couldn't do it last year?» she asked. Iànda Peacock, who with hus- band Gene, operates a downtown sports equipment shop, told corn- mittee that most DBA members want a zero budget. Peaceck and Shrey Scott, who also addressed committee, were responsible for collecting 203 res- ponses to the DBIA board's own bd survey. etwo women collected the questionaires after learning that oni>' a dozen had been returned to the DBIA office prior to the board's March 9 deadline. Peacock said the «vagueness" of the questionaire led most mer- chants not to bother responding, but many' were convinced to make their feelings known des- pite their migdeindeda er Although aU eaddazr budget, th e questionaires were not accepted b>' the board since the responses were supposed to be "unsolicited.» If counicillors were «really interested» in what the mnember- ship felt, the>' could read it them- selves since cois were deli- vered to Town administrator Bill Wallace, Peacock said. Former councillor Lynda Buf- fett applauded the board for sub- mitting abudget that is consider- ahi>' lese than-last year's. Ini 1993 cuclapproved a $156,496 budget for the DBLý, although the board's actual expenditures and revenue total- led $144,072 each. Buffett, who owns an employee benefits consulting firmn, said the most "significan'reduction was nho administration costs to om$49,594. "it's important to recognize that whire we'd like major changes, we can only do it one step at a time,» she aaid. However, Free Press publisher Dog Anderson argued that the DBA membership is in fact cry- ing out for change as soon as possible. Anderson was part of a special four-person committee which drafted a questionaire in res- po nse to criticisms of the DBIA bydisgruntled members. The questionaire covered niost Of the contentious issues raised bycritics, such as the budget, DOBL4 boudaries. board respon- sibilities and how the board should be formed. 0f the 150 businesses which responded, the ma>ority deman- ded either revampmg or review- ing ahi areas of th e eiristing structure, Anderson said. «We're dealing with $100 mil- lion ini business investment in the community, who are paying But Anderson's cahl for an "interirn body' te replace the DBTA board and reorganize the DBIA feli on deaf ears. Despite the criticismem, Mayor Tom Edwarde was prepared te, recommend the budget. He noted that even some cf the DBIA's harshest critics were wil- -lig t, upprtan association of "Maybe sorne cf the improve- ments being sought can be done in the time remaining in 1994,» said Edwards. But Longfiehd and counicillors Marcel Brunelle and John Dol- stra did not agree with the mIkre were some hegitimate questions about where the dol- lars are being spent,» said Long- field followintz the meeting. "We axticîpated the board would be here te answer ques- tions, in fairness te the people who asked them," she said. Nle w citizens KIMBALL MARSHALL, 8, (left) and brother Kevin examine the Canadian citzenship certificates they and 23 Chers, including their mother Rosa, received at a special ceremony recentty. Immigration minister Serio Marchi was on hand for the event, which was held before an audience of students, staff and loal luminaries in the cafeteria at Ecole Secondaire Charles Garnier in Whitby. Photo by Mark Reesor, Whltby Free Pres Removal ofsoil FROM PAGE 1 other «environmental reports, orders or directions" affecting the PrerTown has aise requested the fuel safet>'proçram branch cf the Ontario Minisrycf Con- sumer and Corporate Affairs te examine the site for abandoned underground fuel sterage tanks which may net have been remo- ved or properly deconimissioned. Council s décision shouhd not be misconstrued te read that «we."re net doing anything,» Edwards stressed. "We wiil use the reports for whatever action is required,» he said. «It's an unsightiy mess and we want it cheaned up,» he insisted. "But before we go shooting off we want te be reasonabl>' sure we have success.» Last month, councillor Joe Drumm dem anded that the site be cheaned up regardiess cf cost, but council c hose te wait until it was sure cf its options. While the contarninated soil does net pose any apparent threat, the question cf Who wil pa>' for its removal remains un- chear. Although owned by Markham residents Jack and Leonard tahbrsky the Royal Bank hoIds h ortgage on the pro- perty. Despite having lest mone>' from dehfinquent mortgage pa>'- mente, the bank is not prepared te take possession cf the site. The municipahit>' has aise host revenue fromn non-payment cf taxes. But like the bank, it, toc, is in ne hurry te seize the pro- PE~dwa said the Town'asosli- citer is pursuinig the matter, but he would net reveal the outcome of discussions staff ia>' have had with either the Laxnberskys or Royal Bank ofriciais. As for the environnient minis- try, its position is that the soul can be safehy dumped in a land- I site. When there is no health or safet>' hazard involved, the ministry's jurisdiction is limited. Answers to Whitby Trivia from page 18 1 . Fred Hatch, a former owner of the building now housing the Montessori School, buit the solarium more than 70 years ago for growing orchids. 2. The last Royal visitors ta Whitby we're King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (now the Queen Mother) who stopped for 10 minutes at the Whitby CPR station on their way ta Toronto on May 22,1939. 3. Robert Ebenezer Perry (1825-1894), eldest son of Whitby's founder Peter Perry, was one of the founders of Bracebridge in 1871. 4. Trafalgar Castie School is Whitby's only provincial historic site. A plaque was dedicated there in 1974 ta mark the school's centen niaI. - -~ ~