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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday January 11, 2008 - 5 Comments outnumbered questions at meeting Continued from page 3 Arc School Council, who began her address with a message to the parents of St. Thomas Aquinas. "The parents of the north are sympathetic to you. We don't want your kids in that school. We know you have problems. We know it is unsafe. We know it is wrong for your kids to be in a building like that. We wouldn't want our kids in a building like that. We want something done for your school," she said. "Where we have a problem is when we're being pulled out of our communities to fix the problem. We want St. Thomas Aquinas rebuilt 100 per cent, but it needs to be done in another way that will not disrupt the communities in the north." Murray suggested that lures like French immersion programs could be set up at St. Thomas Aquinas to draw the necessary students from other schools voluntarily. Murray reminded the school board that after five boundary reviews in 10 years it had promised the West Oak Trails community that students separated in elementary schools would be reunited at Loyola. "How can the Catholic board break their promise to us? How do we look at our kids and explain that to them?" she asked. "You guys need to take that into consideration because it is very serious to these kids that Catholic adults are breaking their promise to them." At this point, boundary review committee member Brian White thanked all present for their comments, but noted that the purpose of the evening was more to answer questions. The comments and statements kept coming, however, with more parents chastising the committee for flooring options that would bus northern students to St. Thomas Aquinas. "How dare you? How dare you put them through this," said Erika Blazekovic. "You're putting money into an aging community. Face it, it's aging, that's why there are no children there. Put that money into a community that needs it. We need it. We have young families. My son can walk to Loyola and you want to bus him to St. Thomas Aquinas. It's ridiculous." These comments did not sit well with St. Thomas Aquinas parents, who began grumbling as Blazekovic continued. Later, a St. Thomas Aquinas parent would point out that homes sold in the south these days are usually sold to young families. As the evening continued additional speakers threatened to pull their children out of the Catholic board if the boundary review worked against them. "If you build it (St. Thomas Aquinas) we aren't coming," said Mike Englert. Other speakers were disappointed that out of all the Halton Catholic District School Board trustees, who will make the crucial final decision regarding the boundary review, only Board Chair Alice Anne LeMay and Ed Viana (both Oakville trustees) attended the information night. The committee must now prepare its final report for the board of trustees, which will be delivered at the Feb. 5 regular meeting of the board. "You have to look at what's good for the children because it's their education we're talking about," said LeMay. "The comments came out, the high emotions were there and that's something that the board will have to look at to see which way we're going to go with it." The board is scheduled to make its final decision concerning the boundary review at the regular board meeting on Feb. 19. The Regional Sustainable Halton Municipality of Halton www.halton.ca More Blue and Green for a Better Planet Our Community. Our Future. Our Plan. Phase II Halton Region's future ­ what it looks like and how it works, where and how we grow, and what we protect ­ depends on YOU. According to the Province's Places to Grow Plan, Halton needs to plan for up to 780,000 people and 390,000 jobs by the year 2031. Sustainable Halton is a Made in Halton approach to planning for this growth. Come to an open house to learn about what we've done so far and tell us what you think about the objectives that will guide where we go from here. These objectives are important since they will help us evaluate and assess the various options for where and how Halton will grow ­ these options will come out in the next stage of the project. Please join us at one or all of the Public Information Centres listed below. We look forward to hearing from you. Windy Days Help Keep Halton Beautiful You can help reduce litter by preventing your Blue Box materials and garbage from blowing around your neighbourhood on windy days. Please put your Blue Boxes and garbage at the curb securely: · On windy days, put your waste at the curb by 7 a.m. the morning of your collection day, and not the night before. · Put your address on your Blue Box, garbage can and garbage lid. · Stack your Blue Boxes and place heavier items such as phone books and magazines on top of loose papers. Bundle and tie papers. Fill boxboard boxes with other boxboard material. · Flatten and tie large cardboard boxes and place securely underneath or between your Blue Boxes. · Put garbage bags at the curb instead of garbage cans; garbage cans are more likely to blow around. two free of charge, other residents can get one free of charge: Halton Waste Management Site (Scalehouse), 5400 Regional Road 25, Milton Halton Regional Centre, 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville Halton Hills Public Works Yard, 11620 Trafalgar Road, Georgetown Sustainable Halton Meeting Schedule Evening Sessions (Presentation to begin at 7:00 pm) Date January 15 Location Burlington Venue Auditorium Central Recreation Centre 519 Drury Lane Auditorium Halton Regional Centre 1151 Bronte Rd. Auditorium Mold-Masters SportsPlex 221 Guelph St. Georgetown Banquet Hall Milton Sports Centre 605 Santa Maria Blvd Time 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Presentation at 7:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Presentation at 7:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Presentation at 7:00 p.m. January 16 Oakville January 24 Halton Hills January 30 Milton 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Presentation at 7:00 p.m. 2008 Budget: An investment in sustainability On December 19, 2007, Halton Regional Council approved the 2008 Budget and Business Plan. The Budget results in a 0.6 per cent property tax reduction for Regional programs and services--lower than the guideline of 2.9 per cent set by Council in July. The property tax increase for Police services is 5.3 per cent. This represents a combined increase of 1.3 per cent, or $16.54 for a typical household having a current value assessment of $300,000. The 2008 Rate Supported Budget for water and wastewater services requires an increase of 6.5 per cent, or $43.98 for a typical household. The 2008 Budget has three themes: Investing in Infrastructure Requirements, Towards Sustainability, and Committing to Safe and Healthy Communities. Together we are investing in our community's continued prosperity and high quality of life. For more information about programs and services provided by Halton Region, visit our website at www.halton.ca. Halton Regional Meeting Schedule January 16 9:30 a.m. - Regional Council 110108 Afternoon Session (No formal presentation) Date January 31 Location Oakville Venue Auditorium Halton Regional Centre 1151 Bronte Rd. Time 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Gary Carr Regional Chair For more information, please contact either: Anita Fabac, Senior Policy Analyst at 905-825-6000 ext. 7187, toll-free at 1-866-442-5866, or by email at Anita.Fabac@halton.ca OR Alana Fulford, Planner at 905-825-6000 ext. 7354, toll-free at 1-866-442-5866, or by email at Alana.Fulford@halton.ca. 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, Ontario L6M 3L1 · Tel: 905-825-6000 · Toll Free: 1-866-442-5866 · TTY: 905-827-9833 · www.halton.ca