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-- ^Speedy-- ·at* Brake Pads or Shoes $ Q Q 9 9 ;r .s ·duno *S« m in iQ trford etab . *112 Speers Rd.. Oakville (ju st w esto <K en ) Sports To serve and protect p AAA Novice ready Hatton's children for next playoff round | Focus Mercedes-Benz Q.E.W. & Dorval Dr. w w w . o a k v i lle b e a v e r. c o m T H E O A K V I L L E B E A V E R N O R T H A M E R IC A 'S V o l. N o. 12 M O S T A W A R D E D C O M M U N IT Y N E W S P A P E R >2 I 7 . > C e n t s ii>kis a s i A M r i r o l a n d I 'u b l i c c u i o n W K I ) .\ K S I )A Y . F H B R l A K V 2 0 . 2 0 0 2 Council sticks to registry plan for ratepayers groups By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER S1AFF It's back to square one for a proposed Town o f Oakville policy to register ratepayer groups annually -- including information such as membership lists. Despite some heavy criticism. Town council opted Monday not to soften the proposal before getting feedback from local residents' groups. Ward 5 Councillor Jeff Knoll -- who proposed the new rules -- bristled at descriptives like "H itler-like" and "Draconian" used by Ward 5 Councillor Allan Elgar, who wanted to eliminate some o f the information the Town sought. Knoll also took offence at critics, who called it an attempt at regulation. Other councillors wanted to nix the whole thing. Ward 1 Councillor Kevin Flynn said that given the already "strained rela tions" with local residents' groups, major issues and budget concerns, the proposal should wait until the Town has "money to bum " and "staff with nothing J to do." Mayor Ann Mulvale was miffed at (See 'R egulating' p a g e A2) Town eyes 10% tax increase Officialsfeel pressurefrom downloading and inflation By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The Town of Oakville will head into a trio of public budget meetings in early April, predicting a 10% budget hike. "A recent citizen survey shows that The translates into $80 more for a homeowner with a property assessment our taxpayers are willing to accept rea sonable tax increases to maintain the of $250,000. The projected 10% increase was same level of services," said Sanderson. "Our Town budget aims to protect slashed from the original forecast of a 17% hike, by the Town's 2002 budget services that residents and businesses rely on every day, serv committee, under its chair, ices such as transit, fire Ward 4 Councillor Jody "A recent survey shows protection, road mainte Sanderson. that our taxpayers are nance and parks," On April 9, 10 and 11, Sanderson said. the Town will listen to res willing to accept Mayor Ann Mulvale idents before finalizing reasonable tax increases said the proposed budget 2002 budget. to maintain the same balances fiscal responsi Downloading, inflation bility with the need to and the inability to further level of services." delay critical investment in · Jody Sanderson, Budget provide quality services. "We needed to care infrastructure are behind Committee Chair and fully consider the the projected increase, said Ward 4 Councillor impacts o f the direct, Town finance director Mo and indirect, download Lewis. "Increasing taxes is never popular, ing from the federal and provincial gov but it is our responsibility to maintain ernments, the ongoing pressures of programs and services that keep our inflation, and our inability to delay crit community safe and protect our aging ical investment in maintaining and reha infrastructure." said Ward 4 Councillor bilitating the town's infrastructure." said Jody Sanderson. Chair of the Budget Mulvale. "An increase is never popular, but on Committee She believes residents will under occasion, is responsible." said Mulvale. (S e e R egister' p a g e A2) stand. Oakville to get royal visit on March 15 By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Queen Elizabeth's cousin. His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent, is coming to Oakville on March 15. The prince, who is related through his grandmother to Tsar Nicholas II, will spend three hours in Oakville, from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., but he'll make only a 15-minute pitstop at Town Hall. "The public will be made aware of the itinerary so that if they wish, they can watch the cars go by," said Mayor Ann Mulvale at Monday's Town coun cil meeting. Council has approved a rough out line of the prince's itinerary. Councillors also rubber stamped the naming of a street in Oakville after His Highness. The street is in the Herak sub division that runs north from North Ridge Trail to Dundas St. immediately west of the Original Garden Centre. (S e e Visit' p a g e A4) Chief invites public to join Citizen Police Academy Glen Thiessen · Special to The Oakville Beaver PU TTIN G HER BEST FOOT FORWARD: The Oakville Irish Dance Association held its F ourth A nnual D inner Dance and Silent Auction Gala S atu rd ay to help raise funds for an upcom ing dance com petition. Pictured is A m anda Hines from the Goggin School of Irish Dance. F or m ore on this spe cial event, see ARTSCENE. Halton Regional Police Service is inviting the public to attend its first-ever Citizen Police Academy. This unique opportunity, which com mences March 26 at police headquar ters, will offer residents the chance to learn the inner-workings of the service and its many specialized units. Designed to promote understanding and a better knowledge of police issues, policies and programs, the academy will consist o f 11 Tuesday evening ses sions from March 26 through June 4. "Policing is a partnership between the citizens of the community and the members o f their police service," said Halton Police Chief Ean Algar. "1 like to reflect on what Sir Robert Peel said when he established the very first police force - The public are the police, the police are the public' - and I believe this (S e e 'Tru' p a g e A3) Sailing world mourns loss of Olympic hopeful Nathan Cowan killed in crash on way to Florida sailing competition Nathan Cowan, a former Oakville resident and Olympic class sailor, was one of two people killed in a single-vehicle accident in Georgia on Saturday. Cowan, 24, who resided in Burlington, was killed around 1:30 p.m. when the Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle he and four friends had rented rolled into the centre median on Interstate 95 near Darien. Ga. Jessie Jean Fanning, 21, of Kingston, was also killed. Cowan's girlfriend, Leslie Piccuianto, 23, of Oshawa, the driver, and Melissa Vassallo, 22, of Kingston, were rushed to a Savannah, Ga. hospital in serious condition. Kimberly Coons, 23, also of Kingston, was taken to hospital in fair con dition. The group was travelling to Clearwater, Florida to accom pany Cowan, who planned to compete in the Laser mid-winter championships for North America. Cowan, who learned to sail at the Oakville Yacht Squadron Sailing School, was ranked seventh in North America in Laser class sailing. Police said that Cowan, the only one who was not wearing a seat-belt. was thrown from the vehicle. Alcohol and weath er were not believed to be factors in the accident, Georgia State Patrol officers said. Cowan, a former Oakville Trafalgar High School student, (S e e 'S tudent' p ag e A2) A6 Editorials........... R1 Best Wheels........ RS Business............. Focus ................ n Entertainment..... f8 Sports................ m Classified............ 04 Heritage Week......... D6 Full ddhvry: Business Depot Rona Cashuvy. Home Depot Ikaver U'alhtr. CAA. Future Shop Herbal .Hagic, Sears, Musclemag International. Rona Lansing. Herbon Xatural Peter C. McCusker · Oakville Beaver Olym pic class sailor N athan Cow an, pictured here sailing on Lake O n tario off Oakville H arbour, was killed in a single-car accident on S aturday en route to a com petition in Florida. r LW I N V E S T M E N T S O a k v ille 557 Kerr Street V o lk s w a g e n 9 0 5 .8 4 4 .3 2 8 5 www.oakvillevwaudi.com R ETIR EM EN T P LA N N IN G SPECIALISTS Free X C o n s u lta tio n 842-2100 V t P e te r C W atso n M A A , C K R , R J 'P -