The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Chasificd‘ {ifâ€"Tribune York Region Media Group community newspapers The Sun-Tribune. published every Thursday and Saturday. is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. Metroland is comprised of 100 community publications across omarlo. The York Region Newspaper Group also includes The Liberal. serving Richmond Hill and Thomhill, Vaughan CitizenJ'he Era-Banner (Newmarket/Aurora). Markham Economist The Sun-Tribune welcomes your Ie‘ » tors. All submissions must be less than 400 words and must include a daytime telephone number. name and address The Sun-'mbune reserves me fl ‘ m publish or not publis and to edit for clar- ity and space. Loam to m Edna. m Sun-mum Sun, Georgina Advocate. Yom Region Business Times, Nonh of the City, yorkregionnom and York Region Printing. mbanuille®yrmg com Fax: cnorman @yrmgrom DlsmIBU'rION Circulation Supervisor Carolyn Norman dandmstvnngrom Ammmsmc Retail Manager Mike Banuille Enmmuu. Editor lim Mason jmasonfi’yrmgfiom Manager Dawna Andrews DISTRIBUTION 905-640-2612 WZMZ “" 905-640-3773 Wfibune EDITOR 1 A L ADVERTISING 905'640-2612 5ch 1-800â€"743_3353 l ax: 905-64()_8778 I ? NIQN _ Stoufl'pjue . S“'1-Tr1bun 6290 Main st Stouflville. ON. L4A 137 www‘wmgioncom PUBLISHER [an Pro“ PRODUCTION Manager Sherry Day sdavarmg. mm ImuonOyrml.com Immcrms MEDIA' Marketing lETTERS POLICY BMMSL W,0N Made up your mind for election day? {If you haven't voted at the advance polls, Monday is yogr (la! t_(_)_ act. In Whitchurch-Stouffville, we will elect a mayor and six councillors. All voters elect the mayor. You’ll also elect one ward councillor. If you are a public school sup- porter, you will have one vote for the trustee who will represent Whitchurch- Stouffville and East Gwillimbury for the next four years. Do yofi know in which of the town's six wards you live? Not so quick. Some boundaries have changed for this elec- tion. Do you know who the candidates are? Where do they stand on the issues that concern your neighbourhood? Don’t know? Phone or e-mail the can- didates. Compare responses. Compare response time. The town's financial status is the most prominent and divisive issue in this election. Almost all candidates challenging for seats, as well as some incumbents, think the town is too 'far in debt. That debt load, including cost overruns, will hamstring the municipal- ity going forward, they say. Nonsense, say most of the incum- bents. The debt is very manageable. The tax hikes residents will face are reasonable, they say. The facilities are needed. The number of capital projects coun- cil tackled during the last four years is indeed large, compared to those built by previous editions of council. The list includes the town’s second twin-pad arena, downtown arts centre, fire/ EMS station, Bethesda sports park and the redevelopment of Memorial All are not in favour of all projects. Fair enough. Many think the town spent too much on its arts centre, while patrons adore the facility. Others are just happy to see something done with the once-abandoned town hall. All four arenas are fully booked, yet non-ice fans think council should have built its ice pads one at a fling. _ Many mémbers of council will argue they are building for the future as well as now and saving tax money in the long run. The new soccer fields were long overdue and a rumouned private indoor soccer pitch will hopefully aid the game even more. We knew fewer than 50 per cent of you will vote. Fair enough. It's your demmflc light. But if you chase not to emmise it, do youhavearlghttooomplainaboutour electedofficialsandmeirdecisions? Seeywatmepollingstadons? Editorial Clear choices in election Attack on good man cowardly Re: Smear attacks at work, Oct. 14. What a shame it has come to this in my small town where my trusted mayor has been attacked personally. Wayne Emmerson is a stand-up citizen of this town. I proudly display a sign on my front lawn for the upcoming election. I first met Mayor Emmerson when he worked at Schell Lumber, where he was always courteous and willing to help a customer in any way he could. He soon learned my name from my fre- quent visits to the store and was always willing to help. I remember when he decided to run for mayor. I Was truly happy when he was elected. I thought to myself we couldn't have picked a better man. Mr. Emmerson and his family were frequent visitors to ball diamonds in the community, out for their evening walks, always taking time to stop and chat. There is so much more to Mr. Emmerson than people know. I remem- ber the day my six-year-old asked me: “Mom, if I write to the mayor do you think he will come visit my school for show and tell?” I told him there was no doubt in my mind he wouldn't. So, my youngest son and his friend wrote to the mayor and, sure enough, Mr. Emerson visited St. Mark school and proudly spoke to the students about his role. The students surrounded him as they all eagerly asked questions To take time for the children, elderly and other residents of your commu- nitythroughout theyearsiswhat makes someone a real mayor of a small town. This small tom/h has been lucky to have someone like Wayne Emmerson as mayor. Shéme on whoever the cowmdly person was who sent packages about Mr. Emmerson. You seriously do not I‘D LIKE TO VOTE FOR HIM, BUT I‘M AFRAID HE MIGHT GET IN! Letters to the Editor PUBLISHER Ian Proudfoot know the real Mr. Emerson. Perhaps you need to step out of the shadows and show your face so this town can decide what kind of person you are. I will be voting Oct 25 for a mayor who I feel has the citizens best inter- ests at heart and that will be candidate Wayne Emmerson Mayor should declare conflict Re: Smear attacks at work, Oct. 14. Whether Wayne Emmerson did or didn’t “get a special deal" on the houses he bought in the Ballantrae Golf and Country Club, it’s an absolute and total conflict of interest that the mayor is buying houses direct from a developer in his own town. Other corporations have rules pro- hibiting employees from transacting with companies with whom they do business. If nothing else, it makes transactions appear much more above board. Mr. Emerson would like to sug- gest his personal life and dealings are separate from his public life but, unfor- tunately, when you become a public servant, you have to accept some of your personal life does become public. I _can’t believe Mr. Emmerson wouldn’t at the very least understand how his transactions appear “sneaky” to Whitchumh-Stoufiville residents. He could have declared what he was doing at the time he made the purchas- es to let everyone know if he truly had nothing to hide. Since he didn't feel the need to mention it that should at least put doubt into whether or not he can be trusted as mayor. :li'i AMANDA VAN VEEN WIHTCHURCHâ€"STOUFFVILLE ANNE CAKES STOUFFVILLE Barron IN Cum Debora Kelly Busmnss MANAGER Robert Lazurko Dmncmn, Opmnous Barry Black Frank Frano has been cutting hair since he was a little shaver of 10 years old. He has coiffed Beatle cuts and perms, to buzz cuts and ducktails. He’s been a barber for 55 years in his native Italy, as well as Gerâ€" many, England, Toronto and, for the last 23 years, Stouffville. He’s heard it all, too. Men let their hair down as they’re getting it chopped off. They’ll talk women, kids, sports, stocks and travel; things they can’t do with a dentist's knuckles in their mouth or a doctor's hand (you fill in the blank). V This isn’t your grandpa’s chop shop. With leather high-backs, a flat screen and cappuccino machine, it's a sweet lounge. Youngest son Rosario is the son in Frank’s and Son Barber Shop. Sometimes the language changes and the downtown Main Street shop sounds like Naples â€" and not the one in Florida. And at election time, the talk often turns to politics. But not so much as of Monday, with the vote seven days away. “Very huiet this election,” says Frank, as he cuts what I have left. There’s nothing official here â€" the only pole is on the front porch with its twirling red and blue stripes. But what election chatter there is includes voters: 0 being nervous over the town debt; ‘ 0 wanting even more facilities, including a seniors centre, bowl- ing alley and curling club. “People love this town," Frank says. “They just want it to be the best it can be." Take note, candidates. It's like asking for a once-trendy mullet at Frank's. You want it both ways: business (tax control) in the front and party (more leisure options) in the bagk. .â€" a ‘ 11m Mason is editor ofThe Sun- Mbune. Election 201 0 isn’t all the buzz with firm Mason Off The Top Dmacron. REGIONAL P9000618. Cmsn'um. TODAY’S Houns Debra Weller Dam Ammo, Dls'numn'lou Nicole Fletcher