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The Canadian Champion, Tueaday, Ociober 7, 1"~7 -21 Kingsbury says trustees need insurance By TIM WHITNELL Special f0 The Champion Without conflict of interest insurance (o pro- tedt them, anyone wishing to become a school board trustee may be wary of running for office in November's municipal election, says a Milton trustee. Tim Kingsbury - who initiated the drive to estabiish a legai defence fund for fOve colleagues who faced conflict charges - has convinced the Halton Board of Educaîjon to look int the avail- ability and cost of municipal conflict of interest insurance. The board unanimoualy agreed recently to have Dusty Papke. the director of education. look into the issue and report back to trustees. Mr. Kingabury, seho is not seeking re-election, feels this insurance wilI ease tihe worry of current or prospective trustees, who might flot want to risk personal financial loas in the job. 'The potential for Ibis to reduce the candidate isi signiîlîcana!, said Mr. Kingsbury. lat the past, he has said special intereal groupa could charge trustees with conflict of intereat as a way of trying bo pressure people with agendas con- trary 10 their own to reaign their public position. In Halton's case, trustees Fbo Belford of Milton, Linda Glover, Joe Paveika, Ethel Gardiner and Penny Siebert seere accused of having a conflicî in voting on the 1996 achool board budget. The allegation was made by Burlington resident David Houston of Taxpayers Coalition Burlington. Case dragged on The case dragged out for montha until both aides agreed to back off in the spring of 1997, but not before trustees rang up a $35,000 legal bill and Mr. Houston a $20,000-plus tab. TCB president Hugh Douil aaid Mr. Houaton's bill will be covered in full by the watchdog group. However, each of the five achool trustees, on the hook l'or at Icast $7,(X)O, had iheir request to be reimbursed tumed down by their board col- leagues. That brought about Mr. Kingsbury's decision to begin a defence fund and lately to inquire about conflict of intereat insurance. Mr. Kingsbury said he expecta the Halton board will agree 10 purchase contlict of intereat insurance. Burlington Trustee Cheryl Craig aaid such insurance should be relatively inexpenaive, but she questioned what it would actually cover. Joe Birett of the Halton Roman Catholic School Board aaid they have general legal expense coverage, which includes contiet provi- sions, through the Ontario School Board Insurance Exchange, a cooperative with other achool boards. Treasurer Bob Camrngton said Frank Cowan Co. Ltd. of Princeton, Ont., is their insurance carrier. For an $850 annual premium, councillors receive up 10 90-pcr-cent coverage of legal costs 10 a maximum of $100,000 per dlaim for a case where an individual has been found flot guilty. Mr. Kingabury aaid he has diatributed cheques for $700 10 each of the five trustees facing ai least $7,000 in legal bills. Another $1,000 has corne in aince then, he said, and he is in thse process of renewing about $1,100 in outdated cheques, he added. He said he will continue the fond as long as possible. Carbon monoxide detectors will be inatalled in specitic areas of ail Halton achools, but flot until 1998 at the earliest. Gerry Cullen, superinten- dent of facility services, recomrnended at a recent board meeting that trustees include $10,000 in the 1998 budget for the units. Mr. Cullen noteti there are few detectors on board- owned properties. Walk brings hope for no more violence , ram TAKE on page 17 per cent of ail Canadian women experi- ence abuse in their lifetimea, and 60 per cent are afraid 10 walk in their own neigh- borhoods afler dark. "Violence is leamed, and reachea into the next generation," she said, explaining that children who wilness abuse are offent the next generation's abusera. "We face the greatest risk from men we know, our dates, our partners, family, frienda and neighbors. It's present every- where. .. .a global epidemic." The answer, shte said, is hope. Hope that people like those at the 'Take Back the Night' walk will help affect societal change. She blamed society for reinforc- ing the power of men and deeming women's lives and dignity leas important than men's. Women's lack of power, ahe said, grows out of poverty, pxor education, economic dependency and limited accesa 10 jobs. "Hope is in the fact that ail tbis can be changed«" shte saiti. Town's CAO goes on board 9 ram HIPGRAVE on page 17 local property lax increase will likely be used. 10 fund regional programa, since moat of the funding shifts are seltling at thal upper level of municipal govemment. "Milton council will have little influ- ence over lwo-thirds of that potential $400-$500 annual local impact," said Mr. Hipgrave. "Il is an injustice to people in Milton 10 cul local services in order 10 fund regional services." Mr. Hipgrave said municipalîties have wanled 10 be "weaned off the grant sys- îem"' and in control of their own services. However, he added tisaI changes should be made 10 remove d'ose programas wbich should be funded by income tax front Municipal control. Work on the issue is stili being done by AMO and transition teama set up by the province. -Tise province has put a lot of store in AMO and AMO's abilily 10 bring munici- pal represenllltives 10 the table," he said. Any amalgamnations have 10 be sludied, said Mr. Hipgrve ......... 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