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Orono Weekly Times Wednesday, May 4, 2005 Subscriptions $29.91 + $2.09 GST = $32.00 per year. Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 • Agreement No. 40012366 Publishing 48 issues annually at the office of publication. "We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs." ^ w CanadS The Orono Weekly Times welcomes letters to the editor on subjects of interest to < rAnvtetter considered ^unsuitable^fnot bïœl^ledged or'retumedWe reserve toe righ^to edit for length, libel and slander. If your retail careMv'^Natice^of °n ènrorlriust be^glveji beforMhe nexTtesue goes to print^e°Orono Weekly Times will not be responsble for the loss or damage of such items. . ORONO WEEKLY TIMES - 5310 Main St., P.O. Box 209, Orono, ON LOB 1M0 Email: oronotimes@rogers.com or Phone/Fax 905-983-5301 Publisher/Editor Margaret Zwart Sports and Display Advertising - Donna Wood Front Office and Classified Advertising - Rosey Bateman Weekly Times j^ocna Public money for the private good In a council where most decision are unanimous, and passed without debate; it was a rare treat to have debate at last Monday's council meeting. The subject was the application by the Wilmot Creek Healthcare Committee, for a municipal grant to help them purchase purchase a defibrillator. Councillors debated whether taxpayers dollars, in the form of a municipal grant, should be given to a for-profit, private company, for a defibrillator purchase. Clarington's Chief Administrative Officer, Mr. Frank Wu, explained to councillors, that the Clarington Beech Centre is the only municipally owned building to have a public access defibrillator. . The public have full access to the defibrillator at the Beech Centre. . , . It was explained that the Beech Centre acquired this detib- rillator through donations from local service clubs. Wu pointed out that the equipment is costly, at over $8,000 per unit, with the added cost of training. Thus the current plan is to phase in the purchase of units for municipal buildings over a number of years. Councillor Pat Pingle, the local councillor for the Wilmot Creek Retirement Community, said, "we have to start somewhere,why somewhere,why not start here and maybe this will he an incentive for other groups to organize." There is a very good reason why Clarington should not make a grant in this case. As Councillor Jim Schell pointed out, Wilmot Creek Retirement Community is a for-profit, private business, and is not open to the public. Thus the public will not have immediate access to the defibrillator. Mayor Mutton told councillors that if the vote on the issue was to result in a tie, he would vote in favour of the municipal grant The Mayor stated that the matter would not set a major precedent in this municipality. We disagree. While the dollar amount is not huge, spending tax payers money on equipment for a privately owned, for- profit organization, is a dangerous precedent. This is especially true when the publicly owned buildings in this municipality are not yet equipped with public access defibrillators Letters to the Editor Please, follow the policy! Dear Editor: On Monday, I address Clarington council regarding the lack of paid announcements announcements from the municipality in the Orono Weekly Times. It is my understanding that the policy of the municipality is to advertise primarily in the Canadian Statesman and secondarily secondarily in the Orono Weekly Times. Like many others in the rural areas, 1 can't remember the last time 1 actually got a Statesman delivered. 1 do receive some Clarington This Week papers on a sporadic basis with the majority landing landing in the gully next to my driveway. I think we all know that Metro land, who owns both, publishes them as a way to distribute the endless flyers from advertisers. As a subscriber to the Orono Weekly Times, I look to that paper for information. 1 asked council why municipal municipal ads had disappeared from the Weekly 'limes'l Over the past few weeks, two different councillors where asked why (he ads had been discontinued. The issue was brought forward forward at the Orono Downtown Business Improvement Association meeting two weeks ago. Councillor Gord Robinson, who was in attendance, attendance, could offer no explanation explanation as to why the ads in the Orono Weekly Times had been discontinued. However, apparently there was a secret reason, and Mayor John Mutton seemed pleased to reveal this reason at Monday's council meeting. He said that the Times was behind in their tax payments and that the Municipality has a policy that prevents them form doing-'business with companies that have tax arrears. By copy of this letter, I will be asking to see the said policy, policy, as obviously the councillors councillors knew nothing of it. There is also the technicality technicality that the Orono Weekly Times does not own the building building it occupies, and does therefore, not have a tax bill with the municipality. Jeanne Burnside, Orono Goodbye to a friend Open Letter: Last Thursday, family and friends celebrated the life of Shirley Henry. I knew Shirley for 30 years and her long-standing "open door help policy"--especially for the young, established her true humanitarian outlook. Her uncanny free-style knitting knitting ability was one of her special special talents and indicative of just how unordinary Shirley really was. She was an active support er of many local fundraising ventures--hockey, figure skating skating clubs and more recently, a Meals on Wheels volunteer. She was nominated for an "Ontario Volunteer Service Award." Shirley's distinctive raspy voice and straight-from-the- lip approach made her one of Orono's unique community characters. Mom's Kitchen became the hotbed of downtown downtown Orono scuttlebutt when Mat decided to unleash Shirley on his clientele. If there is an afterlife, I believe Shirley would have been pleased with her funeral--maybe funeral--maybe a little embarrassed embarrassed with all the fuss. Not one to crave centre stage, Thursday was probably a bit uncomfortable for Shirley-- especially since she was not in her customary support role. Her concern now will be for the people she leaves behind. Kelly Adams Orono "Thanks" Orono Crown Lands Trust board members Dear Editor, The Orono Crown Lands Trust held its annual meeting on April 26th. Some members of the board after almost six years of volunteer service, stepped down from positions on the board. I was one! It was a privilege to work with the board from the beginning and its Orono supporters. John Thomson, the lirst Chair of the Trust, has also stepped down from his position. position. With vision and dedication, dedication, John founded the Orono Crown Lands Trust. He initiated initiated and brought to successful completion, incorporation of the Trust, the Trust as a registered registered charity and the partnership partnership contract with the Ministry of Natural Resources. Resources. John held the position of chair with dignity, respect and appreciation for those with whom he worked. Thank you John! Thanks to all the members of the Trust Board for the dedication dedication and work which has resulted in the growth and success of the Trust. Being an active member of the Trust Board has been very rewarding for me. Congratulations to the new board. 1 wish them continued success, June Smith Orono