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LZ ULTCMJ P1121 c A Metroland Community Newspaper Vol. 140 No. 12 Tuesday, Apnil 20, 1999 40 Pages 750 (GST included) r'.. "Y ""rl"O r r SThingse looking up St. Pouls United Church officiaily opened its lift-iobby, that: wiii pro- vide physicaiiy disabied parishloners access to ai levais and wores of the building, during a spocil ceremnony Sunday. Doing the rIbbon cul- ting honours are iong-tlme members Sue Hunt and Leonard McNsii whiie Rev. Bob Hyde looka on. Television bits ber A 51 -year-old PitfieId Road woman waa taken to hospital aiter a televialon monitor fell on her head ai Bingo Country on Hwy. 25 Sunday night. The woman was knocked uncon- sclous, but came around betore being MWle Rose (P). transported by ambulance 10 Milton eZellers District Hospitai.Her condition was unknown at press Uime. Police budget wilil cost taxpayers another $12 By IRENE GENTLE The Champion The normally contentious Halton police budget passed at the committee level recently flot with a bang, but a whimper. "This is too easy," commented Burlington Councillor John Taylor at the regional administration and finance committee meeting. Commîttee approved a $45.9 million police budget up $2.4 million fromn st year. That represents a 5.6 per cent budget increase. It amiounts to a 4.8 per cent increase in the police services portion of a residential property tax bill. That cornes out to about $12 extra per year for the owner of a $185,000 home. 'Ihough the budget appeared to skate through, it will have to stand up to a budget review committee before going to regional council for final approval tomorrow. Low key approach Police Chief Ean Algar appeared before the committee to make a low-key pitch for approval of the budget, which received a stamp of approval from the police services board earlier in the year. Cost cutting measures have shaved expenses so that a full 83 per cent of the budget is being spent on personnel costs, said Chief Algar. "We've done a lot," hie said. "We continue to do a lot." Debt and building costs take up more than $2 million each in the budget. Another $2 million is slated for vehicles and other capital costs. The 1999 budget has set aside funds for the hiring of 24 new officers through a Community Partnerships Programn (CPP). Under CPP, the Province will temporarily pay hall the salary of the new hires. Despite this, a question mark will hang over the new hires until the results of an ongoing police review are known. The $92,000 review was launched in January to look into how Halton Regional Police do business. In particular, it is meant to investigate police staffing formulas, known as the cop-to-pop caiculations. Ini that formula, police officers are hired on a population basis. The more the region grows, the more officers are hired. Bird bas concerns A recommendation against that formula in the review could potentially put the new hires in jeopardy. Should the officers not be recommended, $400,000 set aside for them would go towards Y2K financing instead. Oakville Councillor Keith Bird expressed concemr with what was missing in the budget. "Is the impact of Milton with the racetrack casino factored in hereT' bue asked. Beginning as early as lune, Mohawk Raceway in Milton will bu adding slot machines to their grounds. Since that announicement, there have been concerna that polic- ing and roads cos would increase as a resuit of extra traffic. The police are taking a wait and see approacli, said Chief Algar. "We don't have that faàred in," bue said. -We're setting up a monitoring systemn first. a-e reiated slory on page 3 Keith Bird LVilton won 't get soaked for cost By IRENE GENTLE The Champion Milton residents will flot likely drown in the cost of a new water tank, said Halton's planning commissioner Pat Murphy. Instead, a $2.4 million water tank will be tinanced by developers, assuming a new development charges bylaw is approved by regional council tomonrow. "The $2.4 million tank cost is a develop- ment charge," assured Mr. Murphy. "It will not be put on the residents of Milton." The issue arose with little fanfare at a public meeting held at Halton counicil chambers recently. Though members of ail three regional committees tumed out for the meeting, the matter was raised for information purposes only. Even without a committee resolution, it will corne before counicil for approval on Wednesday. e se NEW on page 7