Page 20, Whitby Free Press, Wer#!nesday, Fe""aiy1, 1995 APeal rejected, This, Week gets Town ad contract The Town of Whitby's advertis- ing cntract ha" been given te, an Osawa-based newspaper. Town council Monday appro- ved an operations committee recommendation that the con- tract for municipal advertising be awarded te the Oshawa This Week newspaper. The contract had been held by the Whitby Free Press for the past three years, but its bid of $112,800 over the next three years was considerably more than This Week's $86,400 tender. However, council stipulated that the contract with This Week be reviewed by Town staff at the end of 1995 to ensure that the paper is being- distributed throughout Whitby. A few councillors had com- p1ained about spotty deliveryo tepaper in some parts of the municipallity. But if staff are satisfied with the paper's distribution, This Week will be awarded the reniaining two years of the con- tract. In switching from The Free Press te ThîLs Week, council rejected a last-minute appeal by Free Press publisher Doug Anderson. "It doesn't take a genius to see there is a substantial difference in price bètween This Week and,. The Free Press," Anderson admitted. But several factors accounted for the différence, Anderson argued. The rima rrason is This Week'slcko circulation figures verified by an indepen- dent auditor. "lIt's like coniparing agles te oranges when you ontave'an audited circulation," he said. "'To make an analogy, would y ou eat in a restaurant if the health inspector is not allowed in the kitchen? I doubt it.» Anderson said most newspa- pers, whether dailly or weekly, h ave their circulation figures audited. by an independent agency, in order te give figures te potenia 1advertisers. However, the Metroland news- ~ape chain which owns This kdoes not, Anderson noted. "For aIl you know. their circu- lation could only be 10,000 " and not the 21,500 figure cited by This Week, Anderson said. "You are spending tax dollars and you have the right te know what you are buying," he said «so that homes in Whitby wiîf have equal access te the Town advertisi:ng.» In arguing for council's support of the committee's recommenda- tion, This Week representative Bruce Danford did not respond te An derson's commenta. However, Danford told council- lor Judi :Longfield that his paper would consider auditing if the Town insisted on it. "It's neyer been something that our conipany felt needed te be done,» he said. fied with the way we do things.» In moving an amendment to the committee recommendation, councillor Don Mitchell said he was not requiring a verified audit. c"Im just concerned about their crculation problems being cleared up," said Mitchell. «The money difference is so large in this instance.»' f«You can argue. circulation figures aIl y ou want " said coun- cillor Joe- Drumni. 'ÉThe bottom lune to me has te be the financial picture. "As a councillor, I cannot go out to the people and say I gave it to another paper even though it's $25,000 mnore." a{BRO OLIN- Ferret foes create family wo es BROOKLIN RESI DENT Laurie Williamson rses with Kizzit, the ferret in front of the sign he'sput up in a bld to hold on to the family pet. Animal control officers say keeping the Xio ,v-*1 % q D0,4 rWi » - ge rdof Kz#tÊ#. Pt photo by Mark Roosor, Whltby Fre Pres By Stephen Leahy Laurie Williamson is ticked off that someone turned hi in te the authorities. The Brooklin rosidont now faces a $5,000 fine if he doesn't get rid of the family pet,' Kizzit. And he put up a big sign on bis' garage te let everyono know. Kizzit, a six-month-old ferret, is classed as a "wild animal" under local bylaws and is not allowed te be kept as a pet in the Town of WVhitby, says Ross Balburnie of Pickering-Ajax-Witby (PAW., Animal Control Centre. Following a complaint from a citizen, PAW issued a notice te Williamson on Jan. 20 te find another home for Kà izzit within 30 days. If Williarnson does not comply, lie is liable for a fine of upýte $5,000. "Ferrets are, totally niisunderstood," said Willianison, "and that is why I put up the sign.11 Mounted on the garage at hie 116 Baldwin St. residence is a large, detached sign explaining that bis ferret is not a wild animal. Descendants of Northern European polecats, ferrets are related te' weasels. They are thin-bodied, about a foot in length The legend o! Asbuirn gulch By Stephen Lediy Yep, pardners, it's round-up turne again at the Thunderbird Golf Club corral. Ail the cowboys and cowgale will ho galloping in froni the range of whoop it up at the big barn dance on Saturday, Feb. 25, cornmencing at 8 p.m. 'The good folk froni the Ashburn Community Centre Board will put on quite a spread = and for two big bits (that's $25, you city slieker) a couple, y ou can stoinp, eat 'nW drink and stomp somne more till the coyotes howl "Enougli." lside from being the best time this side of the Pecos River, this here hoedown supports Ashburn Canada Day celebrations. Give oîd peg-leg Sheriff Mlike TIllard a bolIer at 655-8865. P.S. This shouldn't need a-s3ayin' But in case theres any muley-heads out there, corne dressd ini your western duds. MOM'S MORNING &mre morne eay the only way they made it through the week is by taking tume out at Mom's Morninge on Wednesdays at the Brooklin United Churcli. Al kinda of activities are plannecL And for a change, ail those activities are meant just for morne -- and for any Mr. Monis out there. And while morne are liaving a coffee, getting te know oaci other, learning something new or on an outing, the children are carefulîy supervised in another room. This program has been running for years and is an excellent way for those new te, the area toget toknow people. Call Katherine at 655-5680 for more information. PARENT/YOUTH BANQUET To recognize Lord Baden Powell Week (the founder of the Scout movement), the annual banquet will be held on audy, Feb. 18, 6:15 p.ni., at Brooklin United Churcli. The menu will include 1asagna salada, pies and cakes. Teewl be a guest speaker and entertaininent provided by the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts. Former Scouts are also asked te bring in their memorabilia to show the boys. POTLUCK SUPIER Noble Harry Agar says that the Oddfellows? annual potluck supper, te be held on Monday, Feb. 6. will have a very interesting guest speaker in the form of Jack Morrow. A long-time Brooklin resident, lielias been woring with native bands in Northern Ontario over the past few years and will bo relating bis many experiences. Everyone is welcome to the supper that starts at 6:30 p.m. VOLLEYBALL Well, for a few rallies it looked like world champion volleyball liad corne te Brooklin at the Meadowcrest adult volleyball tournaient Iast Saturday, Jan. 28. Five teanis, made up of ladies and gents from Whitby, Brooklin, Myrie ndAshburn, engaged in a grellig l-hour marathon in an amazing display of volleyba1 excellence. More than one competitor was heard to say, I didn't think I could play so well -- especially at Éverone who participated had a terrifie time. Congratulations te the organizers': Meadowcrest, teachers Peter Lahti and Sue Phipher and te vollebl enthusists Sona Grhm Robyn Douglas, ]Renée Leahy and Judy Denike. The Juet Another Saturday team was first. Second place was won by the Artful Dodgers. Twinkle Toes were third, Just for Fun fourth, Eight is Enough f ifth. ISteve Leahyf coluran appears Ievery week He can b. reached a t 655-4398 or 655-5888 (fax). with a five-inch tail, and have a yellow-white fur and pink-red eyes.- It lias been domesticated for hundreds of years. There are records of theni as pets in Egypt goig bck t300BC.," he said. Hisorcalythey were used te, hunt rats and ralibits. But Williaxnson nover tales Kizzit outside and feeds it kcitten food. Dr. Rick Keir, a Bowmanville veterinarian who sees a number of ferrets' in hie practice, says they have been domesticated for hundreds of years and "are very similar te, cats. They niake excellent pets and* are very affectionate." However, Whiitby's animal control byliaw states that ail rnembers of the Mustelidae family, which includes ekunks, rnink, otter., weasels and ferrets, caxinot be kept as pets. Dr. Walter Ingwersen of the MacKay Animal Clinic in Whitby, an advisor te PAW On sucli niatters, says the intent of the bylaw is te, prevent non-native species from being kept as pets. Ingwersen, also presidient of the OntarioVeterinary Medical Association, offers the example of the enormous problemes Australia lias with wild rabbits that resulted frorn their importation as pets and as food animaIs. "If a non-native species gets loose and starte te breed, it could have a tremendous impact on our ecosystem," he eays. When asked about the many ostriches, emus and .Ilamas permitted within agrcutural areas of the Town, Ingwersen said the sanie potential danger existe. "But I guess the council elected te allow theni," hlie aid. Williaznson is planning te ask for an. exemption for Kizzit. Its caged al -the time, except when we play with it. Ite lot lees of a nuisance te, the community than a dog or a cat," he added. Balburnie says there liaven't been any exemptions for ferrets. But of the one or two ferrets a year that PAW has asked tobe renioved, no one lias ever been fined. 'We will give time extensions te flind a home if it is needed,' lie said. Ironically, it was only a week before ' Christmas when Williamnson provided a new home huiself when he got the animal froni a wonian who couldn't talce it inte her new.apatent. Ho isn't sure' he couldfnd a new home since so many municipalities have similar bylawe. 'Tv. alwaye wanted te, own a ferret but 1 can't afford a $5,000 fine, " ho says. M, --* -ýe m