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Homer Newspaper of Hills REGAL BABYSITTER Achilles seven months seems looking after the tyke for a few totally unconcerned about the personage Miss said she enjoys young babysitting him prior to the Acton Fall Pair children The look on her face confirms It baby contest Saturday The babysitter of For more pictures from the 1977 Acton Fair course fa the IB77 Actrn Fall Fair Queen see The Herald Second Front Susan who appears delighted to Photo by Bob Rut help Achilles mother Mrs LesPelldls by MILTON LOSES MOST By BOB BUTTER Herald start writer A fourmonth report on the cost of regional government shows Hills is a winner while Milton bears the brunt of the costs associated with re organized local government in The report prepared by Milton Mayor Don Gordon also notes that and Burlington have had minimal effect from cost increases since 197 when the region was formed Despite a reduclion in grants and the Increase in the Legal aid as urban- Hills will have a legal Annette Vaughan clinical llason officer for the Ontario Legal Aid Plan told The Her aid Tuesday that Convocation the governing body of the Law Society of Upper Canada re affirmed its decision to estab lish a legal clinic in the last Friday He said that the Society responsible for the funding of legal clinics throughout the province has been In contact with Susan Tanner a student with a Georgetown legal firm to discuss hiring of personnel If quarters can be found and staff hired in time the clinic can open lis doors on Oct l she said The original application cal led for a budget of 22 BIS to run the clinic from Sept to March This grant has been reduced to says Mrs Vaughan because It was not in operation for one month and the money is allotted in month ly cheques Each cheque comes with a certificate specifying how it is to be spent she says and adds that suggestions by a George town Lawyer at the bearing earlier this month that the Legal Aid Plan hand out funds clinic approved rural experiment with no strings attached totally untrue The clinic is to have two offices one in Georgetown and one In Acton two permanent duty counsellors a para legal assistant and a secretary for each office The clinic funds have only been approved for the remain of the government fiscal year she says It will receive notice In that it must reapply for funds for another year if there is a desire to continue its operation Then it will be reapraised and a decis scon its fund tig Mrs says that one of the reasons the clinic re ceived approval because it is an interesting and everyone Is curious to learn if the need exists for such nics in semi rural CFL OFFICIALS VISIT FAIR Canadian Football League players and officials are expected to be at George town Fall Fair both Friday and Saturday They along with a musical group front Toronto Chris topher will be at a SO by root structure called The Al pha Tent Id Rose Ana Newlove spokeswoman of about 10 Iky Christians who will man It The group will have a bouse Friday night In thetrlenl the ririt time they believe one been it the fair Expected Saturday among other Is Gary Tuf ford a wide receiver with Hamilton Tiger Cats Mister ot ceremonies will be a referee Scott who Is out of action after suffering an injury at a The men arc members of Athletes In Action a group of Christian sportsmen A magic show for the child ren la planned for I JO Saturday Halton Hills gains from region Report regional or county purposes account the report reads Ihe cost of regional govern in Hills Is nil The report shows an in crease In population of per cent for Hills since 1974 to and a net drop of three full time employees to Mayor Gordon soys his municipality is the big loser on regional government because of increased rural and It assumed in 1974 He says services Increased to residents but did not In his page report attempt to arrive at cost benefits Cost of regional government spending at all levels in by 3a per cent or about it since 1974 is a point debated by who ms the figures sup plied by Mr Gordon s report show an increase of 117 per for regional purposes and j0 per cent increase in the cost or local services Regional council is expected to be debated at length today Based on audited municipal reports for all former and present municipalities Fiveyear core plan set for Georgetown from 1973 to 1976 Hill treasurer Ray said the 30 per cent inflation factor used to calculate projections Is fair The report shows Pills with a net decrease of In annual revenue last year Miller char I man of the Hills financeadministration committee sold obvious good position of the town results from the hard work of Georgetown prior to regional formation to keep and mill rates in line He said the present council is continuing with this policy Mayor Gordon said taxpayers did not receive relief from equalization grants to offset the increased cost Burlington broke even he said while gained from the loss of about acres of farmland which Is of low tax yield With the exception of Oak which shows a reduction of staff Ihe size of local work forces remains about the same as the 1073 level Ihe report shows A total of 330 more staff are serving all four municipal I ties and region or about per Georgetown downtown chants approved architect Paul Mattel eight year old plans for improving ihe down town core and the Business Improvement Association will ask for councils approval Georgetown facelift will cost merchants and will be carried over a Monty Hyde of said Included In this years budget will be spent on constructing islands in the middle of Main Street so that trees can be planted next spring Architect Paul Martel ex phined the plan to council In a minute presentation Mon Approvals for installation of signs tree planters loss of seven parking spaces In the downtown area and hanging of banners must be approved by the town Region and parking authority Ninety professional retail and financial institutions are members of the business provement area These firms will pay the cost of improving Ihe downtown core through a surcharge on business taxes Signs identifying free park ing tots and directing potential customers to the Georgetown downtown area will be erected this year The color blue will be used for pedestrian and green for parking and all signs will have the downtown logo Further plans include proving and beautifying the walkways by improving the lighting and construct Inter locking stones leading from the parking lot on Mill Street to the shops on Main Street The existing curb line Mr said will be Haired around the tree planters which will make it easy for street cleaning Mr said he has plan for benches to be placed along Main Street with bicycle racks and drinking fountains which will result in a loss of seven parking spaces along Miin Street Merchants Barbara Shuttle- worth and George are not convinced that bicycle rocks are necessary Mr Bias ko said eight and nineyear olds won t use Ihe bicycle rack even If Ihey are placed In front of stores He said he feels the racks would be a waste of money Coslls200forthreeracks but Bob said the BIA has three racks which are used when the street is closed off Mr Hyde said the racks are a minor detail which can be worked out later and the main concern is getting councils approval Once council has approved the plans then ap proval must also be sought at the region Mr Hyde said the parking authority is not happy with the thought of losing seven of Its parking spaces along Main Street and the parking author will be approached for its approval of the project Mr Hyde added that the main feature of Georgetown Is Tree parking and by erect signs it will encourage shoppers cars and walk along the streets instead of parking in front of the store they wish to purchase from and then drive away The plan is to concentrate on improving the Main Street for the first two years and then move to the other streets If the improvements ore made in one area the Impact will be greater he said He hopes that the parks and recreation de partment will care for the trees even if its a chargeback to the Mr Hyde said that once the downtown facelift is underway shop owners will be Kerr Norval group to meet By DOROTHY McLEAN Iters Id correspondent MPP Julian Reed has Bet up a meeting with Environment Minister George Kerr to meet with Morrow Region chairman and Hugh McFarlane and Art of the Community As sedation at Mr Kerr a office Sept They will discuss a govern grant to assist in finan water for A definite committment has to be made by the Ontario government that funds will be made available for this pur pose before work can com No committment from the Ontario government has held up project for several years and the water situation in Ihe village is getting worse every year Community Assoc i is out of patience with all the red tape buck passing and frustrating delays so this meeting should clarify where and who Is holding up the project Mr Marti said it brick The cost of restoring shop would be the responsibility The main Idea Mr suid is to beautify the down Man charged following death A Id Georgetown man 1ms been in custody charged with man slaughter In connection with the death t iven of a Charged Is Dole Morctte Dale Gate who is to appear in Court Sept Lloyd 45 the father of Trustees veto pay cut lour children died outside the Hotel following what lias been described as a fisifight He was employed at the Georgetown and District Mem Hospital Efforts by ice to revive Ihe man failed The incident occurred about vetoed a 10 per cent cut Thursday with a variety of arguments none of however dealt with the issue in trustees Don Longs motion board of education pays lip sen ice Improving efficiency Long said By cut ting salaries from 6 600 to the board would set an example of reducing costs from the top down that federal provincial and municipal pol it could follow If passed the cut will show where our hearts lie he salt Trustee Long only support came from fellow Hills trustee Bert Hint on who said the cut would show both administration and staff lhat the board are serious In controlling costs and that the trustees themselves would be shoring up next years budget But the board has already practiced restraint said Ice Fred by not Increasing the salary Ihus exhibiting a curious form of leadership Trustee salaries are the best money taxpayers spend he added and the board can show leadership by developing sound policy and by using wise In other matters The pay cut is superficial hi said Trustee Jim Clelland termed the pay cut insignificant He had heard little apposition the honorarium when cam he said For money that goes to pay Irus tee salaries the voters get sound representation which they reevaluated every I wo years he said It costs money to be a school trustee said DT Helen How Lock The days are over when services are given by those who have the lime School trustees are no longer an elitist group She said the 10 per cent cut would not hit the trustees equally and lhat If any trustee had on excess of money he or she could donate it to charily or return it to the Trustee Cameron Jackson argued that when considered in terms or the board budget of million it Is difficult sec how a cut is Instead of looking for exam pics the taxpayers are looking for results he said Better to associate value with showing leadership than by reducing salaries he said Trustee Bill Herd remarks prompted trustee to ask that they be withdrawn Mr Herd said that If the taxpayers could evaluate the board per formancc In the last six months they would find good value for the money He charged that these circus type tactics and grands tan ding are a waste of time Trustee Hinton told the board that Mr Herd remarks wen unjustified rude and acceptable in that they quest io the motives of Irus Continued on Page IB cent more than In 1073 region chairman Ric Morrow termed the report objective and social and family services nearly million police 9 million recreation 2 million general government 1 million environmental including garbage disposal million Picked Up In Passing for arena Hills treasurer Roy King accepts a 2 cheque from John Homing secretary treasurer of the Georgetown Optimists Club The money was earned through the clubs BangORama held last May and represents their contribution lo the Memorial Arena building fund for this year OMB to sot date Hills library board has approved a resolution calling on council to seek an Ontario Municipal Board hearing Into the proposed new library at Cedarvale Park The action last week confirms council earlier decision following a protest by more than 3 500 Georgetown residents Hunting season Deer Season will open October 24 In tho Cambridge district The season as In previous years is open only to With increasing popularity of a training course for interested persons has been developed Registration forms for the Train Course are available from local sporting good stores or from your nearest ministry of natural resources office Conditioning course The Lung Association is continuing to provide Physical Conditioning courses for all children with asthma The clinics include educational sessions as well as exercises breathing and relaxation techniques and swimming In Georgetown courses will be held at Georgetown Indoor Poo on Saturdays 10 am to noon starting Oct IS Anyone interested should call The Association at There is no charge for the programs Repairs approved Loose bricks in ihe arch over the door to the old Acton town hall will be repaired by the towns works department finance administration committee decided Monday after Coun Peter Marks withdrew a motion that would have had the damage examined by a consulting engineer Coun Marks withdrew his motion when told by committee members lhat the repair could be done for about 100 whereas a consulting engineer would charge more Just for a look Block parent need Georgetown Block Parents are looking for volun teerstojoinlbeprogram The executive committee is also looking for new faces Their meetings are held on the In the Elk Hall Anyone interested In befriending youngsters with potential problems can call Bob or Linda Anderson at McKeough stumped on education tax status By GEORGE Herald sun writer Ontario treasurer Darcy McKeough is a man used lo fielding and answering tough questions from audiences but Monday afternoon he was tumped by one posed by chairman Morrow of Hal ton region Mr McKeough telling about 200 politicians and civil servants Monday they are going to get less money from the province in the next fiscal year Then in the question and answer period following fall prepared remarks Mr McKeough attempted to reply to Mr Morrow question of what extra steps the province was taking to make boank of education cut their budget la view of declining Mr McKeough said thai en rollment are declining every where but that in Peel and Scarborough they are not declining as much with the result that the mill rates are higher As well the treasurer added declining enrollments are for some reason not as much a factor In the question I admit I puzzled be confessed finally He said too thai the aver age Increase In the mill rate per year ha been hefty on the school if Chairman Morrow also took the opportunity to point out to the treasurer that Halton Hills has been practicing fiscal res traint for three years He pointed to figures suppled by the treasurer himself We have the smallest increase the chairman Mid The figure Mr Harrow re ferred to ere the percentage in residential mill ralea from to 1977 came In the lowest of cities towns and townships with cent Increase to per cent Oak is 33 per cent and Burlington a is I per cent However the mill rat in school taxes during the same period was per cent in Hills percent In Milton per cent in and per cent In Burlington The mill rales quoted In the treasurer statement for re organized area municipalities which merged part of whole former municipalities like Hills are those for the largest merged area in terms of equalized assessment In his address Mr McKeough said the govern la committed to Ing the provincial budget by and noted that the growth rate of government spending has fallen from 7 per cent in 17475 to an estimated 1 per cent in 197778 the current fiscal year He forecast a growth in spending rate of fl per cent for A balanced budget will re lease tax dollars now paying interest to Ihe service of the people and reduce government demands on Ihe money mark thus fostering an expan- talents of our people to meet increasing global with innovations and uptodate productive capacity and lo ensure lhat Canadians significant share of the fiscal policies toward social over management and have worried enough the responsibility of encouraging growth The present policy of res lint is born of the not on that we must lower our lul that we must of private investment In Ontario he said Expanding private Invest wilhln our province throughout next decade is critical he said if Ontario Is lo be able lo avoid the kinds of rewards and ownership of shortages thai fuel Inflation lo well being an everexpanding la He said all governments or force with Jobs thai match have badly tilled economic and Town shows smallest increase The Town of Hills ran stand a an example toother municipalities how to keep the residential milt rate down according to figures released by Darcy Ontario treasurer who has said that careful monitoring of costs and low debt charges are the route to take When asked by The Herald bow Halloa Hills has only alt per cent Increase In residential mill rate town treasurer Ray King said by careful monitoring of costs and by keeping low debt charges on debenture The follow Ing chart shows bow Other cities and towns In fared in the last three years hills Ver Increase Per Year cam our expnuuiurat in a lougher world In which there arc no free rides he said The treasurer said he had to revise his April budget be cause there was million shortfall In revenue flow off set only by a million reduction expenditures with the result the pro vince net cash requirement for the present fiscal year rose million mil Hat her than make up the shortfall through borrowing the increase in the province liquid reserve will not be as large as planned he said He forecast the amount of government spending In fiscal year as 1244 million a reduction of 3 per cent To then transfer tax dollars back to local governments will be a difficult task he said even the province restraining spending on lis own programs to accommodate transfers Mr said the for muln for provincial transfers to local government to the growth rate or the revenue called the Edmonton commitment did not Include programs of direct benefit to local governments such as the Teachers Superannuation Fund payments in lieu of taxes and farm tax rebates as well as the Ontario Home Renewal Program and port of the regional priorities budget Revising the formula to In elude the above items means that total assistance local governments and agencies in 197879 fiscal year will in crease by million or 3 per cent he said but added that because of million early payment of pa unconditional grants the increase win be only 241 million or 3 per cent Mr McKeough also had some lips for the politicians who have to set priorities under restraint First and foremost he said start doing your budget ing from Ihe top down not from the bottom up Establish a celling on what your munlci pality can afford to spend and slick to it rather than building up a budget total from all the spending aspirations of your departments Secondly do the reverse within each department he said Start wilh zero and build up to what is really needed making sure there Is full justification for any In creases Thirdly monitor your in year spending performance rigorously so that cost over runs are minimized and max savings are squeezed Fourth don t shy away from your total payroll budget as untouchable In fact this may be Ihe first place you should look for cuts he said His final point was lhat poliLc ians would have to get their budgets in order a lot earlier than in past In order not to lose the before you start it