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Humane Societypeidtsy.. PAW budget phony The president of the Ontario Humane Socety has dlsmnissed the first Pickering Ajax Whitby Joint Animal Conitrol Committee (PAW) budget as an "4absolutely -phany" product of political manoeuvering designed to mask a significant reduction ln animal con- trai services. The budget estiniates, of -whlch the town's share is $61,705, got the nod of approval fromn council Manday night and received littie at- tention except fromn Councillor Joe Drumm who noted, that the budget represents -a 1.5- percent increase ta the tawn campared wita the 48.4 percent increase requested by the On- tario Humane Society. 'II can't understand why we didn't get into this business before now," remnarked the. counillor. (The Town of Whitby assumed responsibility for anmal control ser- vices in January after PAW refused to accept the budget hike requested by the Humane Society. The -services had previously been contî,acted out to, the society.) Accorciing to Humane Society- president Tom, Hughes, tiiere is a very good reason why the town has- stayed out of the business of animal control. "~None of them have any practical experien- ce ln the job. If. they think they can provide the same service by cut- ting the staff in haif they've got no idea what they are talldng about. "This is juÉt a play taey've trumped up to justify themselves to the media.. They wlll not and cannot provide the level *of service 'tais communxty is ac- customed to," said Mr. Hughes. Accordlng to PAW chairman Ross Batten, they have cut back staf- fing from 12 to five and there are* now two trucks for animal con- trol between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Lîke the Humane Society, the town wil continue to provide 24 -hour emergency service but Mr. Batten said, the trucks wlll no longer be an patral except when answerlng a caîl for service. While animal control officers are waiting for animal compiaints ta came in over the phane, Mr. Bat- ten said they wil be able ta do "double duty" as kennel attendants. "lWe feel what we ve cpme up wita is a mare productive use of everyone's time. In- stead of being out there on patrol they'i1 respond ta camplaints. Any patroling will be done whlle they are SEE PG. 20 Wednesda'y, February 12, 1986 28 Pages Mayor Bob Attersley called in the big guns last weekr. to review this year's animal control budget. -Seen here deep in thought is the Mayor's standard poodie, Maxwell. Free Press Staff Photo BIA budget getsgo- ahead I I -eu Lî'ttie !riends, Nesime Askin and Ronfle Sweeney were having fun with puppets last week at F.M. Heard Public Sohool. Nesime, grade four and Ronfle, grade five, were particlpating ln the school's elective program which is now in full swing. The idea behlnd the new program is ta enrich the students' development in the areas of physical education, art, drama and com- puters. When the Free Press dropped by the school last Thursday atternoon, students were engaged in a variety of activities ranging from gym sports ta wood working. While some programs, such as the pup- petry session, ara conducted on school property, others, such as swimming, bowling or ice skating are done ln the appropriate setting and students are bused ta locations throughout town for the after- noon sessions. According to program coordinator Marg Knowles, the prôgram, is proving. to be a very valuable experience and it's a big hit with the children who get a much needed break from the day to day routine of the classroom. Freé Press Staff Photo The Whitby Down- town .Business, Im- pravement Area board receivad unanimaus ap- proval last week for a budget that is almost 350 ,percent larger than last year's budget of $20,000. Accordinig ta board chairman Ed Buffett, more than 70 members turned out for the meeting while another 40 voted by proxy - ail of them vating in favour of this year's budget of $69,950. The unanimous sup- port marks a new beginning for the, association, said* Mr. Buffett who feit that the membership's wiliing- nes ta take on levies which, on average, wiii be three times greater than iast year's was an indication that the association is ready ta face the challenges ahaad. "There 's an in- cradibla opportunity here but we have ta in- vest in aur future or ac- cept the fact that those apportunities are going ta pass us by. "Now w'ra in a position ta be" com- petitive and ta, get out' there and attract new business," said Mr. Buf- fett on Thursday. The breakdown of the new budget is $14,500 for downtown deveiapment, $10,000 for beautificatian projacts, $7.500 for promotions, $2,000 for com- munications such as the associations news let- ter, $24,500 for ad- ministration casts in- cluding manager Georgina Phillips' salary, and $11,000 for provincial lban repayments. Cotimitees, are now being formedt t head up. projects such as: the, downtown beautifica- tion and ta lay 'the graundWork for an an- nual week long event which will focus atten- tion on the downtown. Although the theme of the avent has yet ta be decided, Mr. Buffett suggested it might take the shape of a music or performing arts festival. The board plans ta spend in the neigh- bourhaad of $6,000 ta produce a professionai development package containing demograph- ics' and other ' en- ticements aimed at sallinfg developers and business people on the idesaof setting Up shop in dawntawn Whitby. Mrs. Phillips will begin the cansiderable task af putting the package togetaer this week and Mr. Buffett hoped it would be finished In time for the BIA's an- nual meeting in June. Other projects baing considerad include, ap- plying for an Ontario Neighbourhaod Im- provement Grant ta hire architecture- students ta, design a plan for down- town improvements with an eye ta speclfic ideas for the individual storefronts. The board also plans ta encourage local students ta go after youth employment grants ta assist store owners in the facade improvemants. A year ago the BIA board might not have been able ta convince it's membership ta sup- port such a significant budget hike, said Mr. Buffatt who believes most of the credit for the SEE PG. ,Il 4 e- 4 V04%~>.~. ~.~ Q~QQQ* w -Vol., 6"No. '6