Friday February 19SJ School budget surplus million Good news was on agenda Jan as board of education tecs learned bud get has left them with Finance committee chairman Bill Pries attributed the leftover cosh to supplementary taxes provincial grants increased revenues from interest on investments reduced interest cost on borrowings a reduction In salaries and benefits doe lo the province re cent Inflation Restraint Act and the replace- SCRUTINIZING THE SCRIM A theatre scrim made by the production crew of Georgetown District High Schools Gays and Dolt was officially lowed over to John Theatre tail week Maileo a diaphanous material the scrim Is 13 feel high by feet and it normally used tor soma theatrical special effects Those who saw the high school production may recall the scrim In daring a couple of the Havana scenes Money for the scrim was raised by students participating In a Rotary Theatre manager Hank centre received the special device from licit to right GDI IS music theatre members Ian Maclarcn Lynn Mulr musical director Ralph Uriel and Karen photo Fill out our survey help fill our shelves Herald Special Recent cutbacks by the provincial government in support of tural services are having adverse effects on local libraries The Hallon Hills library board has never the expenditure of book funds to provide materials In languages other than English Up to now it has relied on the more cost effective method of shared rout collections of various language books which have come from the National Library in Otta and Hamilton Public Library Administrative cos Is of handling these materials as well as some ca have been borne by Ihe South Central Regional Library System which receives Its funding directly from the Magazine and news paper subscriptions In other languages have also been provided on the basis of special provln ctal grants One of provinces recent financial restraint Initiatives has been to eliminate the funding of these services through the regional library systems thus depriving smaller centres of a particularly cost effective method of serving their users Late In 1DS2 the announced a re sources enrichment fund programme and one of the areas In which these funds may be spent is that of multilingual materials Ho I ton Hills libraries managed to qualify for under this program on the basis of our purchases of large print and reference materials grant is offered again In 196J they will be able to use it to assist In Appraisal clinic Gallery House Sol proprietor John Sommer brings a veritable lifetime of experience In assessing works of art to a free appraisal clinic at the Georgetown public library this Saturday Feb from a to noon Bring your trinkets and and don I forget to dust granny old portraits for a free art evaluation men of staff during turn over per lows The bulk of the surplus from supplement cry taxes raised by muni Tor the school board on properties not on these assessment roll beginning of the year The board supple taxes of 118 to its credit As well more In provincial grants was received than expected That was the result of a change in grant Ions made after budget was approved in creased average daily en rolment at the high schools and grants for energy related projects the rales high at budget time last year trustees had pa ted for high Interest rules on borrowings The drop In the interest rates mcint less expenditures and a saving of in Salary savings due to the limitation on salary Increases under Res Act meant a further saving to the board The 8 mil dor saving has been estimated to be a per cent change in the mill rate Mr Priest said We had a year with a nice surplus but had I known lost March we would have had a surplus I would have aimed for a budget and tried lo reduce taxes Mr told follow trustees Thcl982budgtl with its 13 per cent Increase over the year brought the board under public criticism when It was introduced Town to keep 6 Church St Parking debate replacing the lots of some Of the regionally funded language services How ever library directors arc naturally anxious lo put the money into those areas of most need It is for this reason that they are conducting the survey The library board urges all library users who want to read materials In Ian other than llsh to fill out the survey form available at both libraries Parking In downtown Georgetown could soon become more plentiful If town council next week endorses a general coram Ittee proposal The committee Monday night agreed to keep prop erty owns at fi Church Street tearing down an abandoned house and building a park Attempts to sell the building through tenders have been unsuccessful But Ward 4 George town Coun Harry Levy opposed the plan arguing that the downtown area need the extra space at the moment and that the property should be sold Earlier committee expressed hopes that the sale would replenish a reserve fund from which Ihe town drew to complete the financing of the library cultural centre across he street from the property Coun Levy maintained that the town by holding onto the property and building to the perking lot will no only lose the but will also pay another to have the house lorn down and a parking lot built He charged that the parking lot costs at this time would be upsetting our financial apple cart Coun Buss Miller comment thai there la plenty of parking available In the downtown core if people are willing to walk a couple of blocks If money is taken from the towns reserve accounts and not replaced through property sales or other means then eventually tax money must build the reserves up again MS for the property Georgetown Ward Coun Finn said drafted the re commendation to keep the property lor a parking lot noting thai it la close to the cultural centre and down town businesses Continued Page I BUCKET BRIGADE Rob Kara trie his best la make sure this team finishes first In a bucket tilling contest at Public School The school held a winter carnival Friday morning making very good use of what snow there was Along with other relay races teams of student participated la tabogganuing competitions wars threelegged races and even a boots hoop competition