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Town will weigh plan to relocate museum By Mike Johmton whicb would be buit of the Whitby council wants "a whole original New Brunswick Sand- lot more" information before it stone, would cost in excess of $1 backs a plan by the Whitby million. Historical Society to locate a But he added be is stili unde- museum in a replica of the cided about any definite plan. Town's old post office. Little said he could also Bill Little, who would build the incorporate the existing Daigle replica of the former post office bouse, that now sits at the building, told The Free Press he corner, into bis Pearson Lanes approached the society about the development. plan and offered about half the 'TnotsygI ultbid space of the building. The post the replica without the society I office sat at the four corners until just dont want to be seen as it was demolished in 1959. forcing the Towns band," said The location of the building Little. He mentioned that the THE FORMER WHITBY would be at the southwest corner original dock in the tower of the POST OFFICE (where Bank of Brock St. N. *and Mary St. W., post office is owned b aWhitb ofMontrealisnowlocated). adjacent to Little's Pearson Lanes project. "If the society could give me a definite yes then I would go ahead with the project," said Little, who estimated the replica, resident who has shown interest in donating the clock to the replica. "We are still in the negotiation stage but we are looking to the Town to buy into this. We need the Town's support. Without it, it would be rather difficult," said Bill Oyagi, president of the SEE PAGE 13 By DEBBIE LUCHUK Whitby General Hospital may have to make some cuts in services and staffing to meet a directive from the Province to reduce the proposed deficit of $510,000 for next year, according to Jim Miller, Whitby hospital administrator. Although not clearly stating in what areas cuts would be made, Miller said that department heads have been approached to list items that could be trimmed Batten to run again for ward North ward councillor Ross Bat- ten has announced he will seek re-election in the upcoming Nov- ember municipal election. "I have wrestled over the past few months whether to stay or step up or call it a day and retire. I owe it to the people of the north ward and the town to announce that I will be seeking election to another term," Batten, 43, told council Monday night. PAtten was first elected to council as the north ward repres- entative in 1980. h* in their portion of the overall budget and the possible consequences of such cutbacks. The hospital board will be reviewing these proposals in the next two weeks, and an outline will be given to medical staff for their comments and suggestions. Miller said it is very difficult to get co-operation of staff when cuts will affect them directly in ministering to sick and injured. The largest of the 42 sub-departments at the hospital is nursing, and salary makes up 80 per cent of the hospital's budget. Miller said there would likely be a freeze on . further hiring, if not cuts in present staffing. The hospital needs to hire for five full-time positions to operate new programs. Miller added there are often seven or eight people in emergency waiting to be admitted due to a shortage of beds. "We 'can't get people in beds through the emergency department," Miller said. Orthopedic and opthalmology services are now not funded by the govemment and Miller said, "Needed services that can't be SEE PAGE 13 CRANE ACCIDENT Cab reinforcement, designation of signaller recommended at inquest A coroner's jury has recom- mended that the cabs of new cranes be reinforced to protect the operator from injury in the event the crane rolls over. That was one of three recom- mendations from a five-member jury at the inquest of Robert Baxter Jr. who died last September at the non-profit housing construction site on Nichol Ave. in Whitby when the crane he was operating tipped over. Baxter's death was due to traumatic asphyxia (deprivation of oxygen), acccording to pathologist Dr. Jarmila Fiser, who conducted the post mortem amd testified at the inquest last week. Following the three-day in- quest, the jury also recommended that all construction sites have at least one designated signalman and that the Ministry of Labor recommend and establish a safe working practice for any man -made temporary platform at a construction site. Baxter died when the crane he was operating fell over when earth gave way as he was backing down a four-foot high working platform constructed of loose gravel and soil. The jury heard that there were a number of factors leading to the accident, including the building of the soil platform and access ramp to it, and confusion about a recognized signalman. Robert Baxter Jr., who had 15 years experience as a crane operator, arrived on the job site at 1525 Nichol Ave., about 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 25. At that time he was directed to. help in the construction of a retaining wall. According to Giuseppe (Joe) Colella, foreman of Anzano Con- struction, one of the sub-con- tractors on the site which ordered 'the crane, Baxter himself decided to place his crane on the ramp. Colella said a similar crane had been on the ramp the dav hfore and the ramp "looked safe." Robert Roy, who was the operator of what he said was the same crane Sept. 24, had previously testified that the ramp "wasn't very wide" but was "alright" on which to drive the crane. But the jury heard evidence that while Baxter was on the soil platform, a front end loader operated by Reginald Humphrey of Whitby was moving stones from an area near the ramp. "You were stopped from destroying that ramp," Edward Spong, representing Bradscott Construction, the general con- tractor on the project, said to Humphrey on the stand. But Humphrey said he was only doing his job. "Perhaps that day he (Baxter) made a mistake, everyone makes mistakes," replied Humphrey. The jury also heard from Wayne King who began work at the construction site a day before the accident. King said he was signalling Baxter as he backed down the ramp when he noticed that the west side of the ramp had fallen down and there was a crack. "I didn't have time to signal him to stop," said King, adding that Colello yelled at him to get out of the way. King said he turned around and saw another laborer signal- ling the crane so he -stepped aside. "I went over and asked Joe why he yelled then the crane tipped over," said i1ng. But when Colella took the stand he gave a different version of the story. He said that Baxter had agreed to watch the west side of the crane as he backed up while Colella watched the east side. He said they checked the ramp SEE PAGE 18 1 ~w.. I Student art display AN ART SHOW featuring the works of students from all schools in Durham Region is being held at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa during May. Free Press photo Hospital staff to trim budget deficit 1- - 1-1- - ý- - 1 --0 vàlul4rý- --