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Wednesdsay March 3, 1999 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER A3 Residents may get break if assessm ents were wrom Photo by Peter J. Thompson S W E E T S P R IN G : Bronte Creek Provincial Park head interpreter Sheila Wiebe shows how settlers heated maple sap and reduced it over heat to make maple syrup. The park is open weekends for demonstrations of the process throughout the spring. The Town plans to examine its options regarding the reimbursement to residents of interest lost due to erroneous property tax assessments. According to Ward 1 councillor Kevin Flynn, many residents have appealed their assessments in the wake of the introduction of Current Value Assessment (CVA). Trouble is, he says, while the Town charges interest on overdue accounts it does not pay interest after successful appeals. Although Flynn explained he knows of no other municipality that pays interest, he says it's hard to make a valid argument against doing so. "From a resident's perspective the logic is inescapable," said Flynn. After all, he continued, homeowners are compelled to pay taxes based on government assessments. If, after appeal, that assessment is proven wrong, residents are entitled to a tax reduction but not the money collecting interest in government coffers. "Most, if not all, residents of Oakville would support the principle that interest should be paid by the municipality at a rate at least equal to the amount earned by the Town during the period between tax payment and appeal proceedings," said Flynn. "When the payment has been made under duress, as is the case in appeal proceed­ ings, the argument is more compelling." On Monday night, Flynn's motion was accepted by Council and now staff will look into the matter and report back. Suspended, sentence in gun incident (GUELPH) An Oakville man who got a shot­ gun from his car, loaded it and went after another man at a local gun club last summer was given a suspended sentence last Friday after pleading guilty. The 50-year-old man pleaded guilty to posses­ sion of a weapon for a purpose dangerous to the public. Court heard the complainant in the case has been charged with sexually assaulting the accused man's two young children. Last Aug. 23rd the accused, who can not be named to protect the identity of his children, and the complainant were among 50 participants in a shoot­ ing competition at a club in Eramosa Township. After the competition, many people gathered to socialize in the clubhouse. The accused man's eight- year-old son was going around squirting people with his squirt gun when the complainant apparently banged on his table and threw a pop can on die floor in an effort to make the boy go away. The accused man confronted the complainant, then left the clubhouse and said the man "better not be there when he got back," Crown attorney Pamela Borghesan told the court. The man, a part-time gun dealer, went to his car and retrieved a Remington 12-gauge shotgun, loaded it and pumped the weapon, making it ready to fire. The man was walking toward the clubhouse with the shotgun in both hands when three witness­ es tried to stop him. Borghesan said that while the three men hung on to him, the accused continued to make his way toward the clubhouse. Many people inside the build­ ing screamed and ran away when they noticed what was going on, and the Crown said the complainant believes at one point the gun was pointed at him. Finally, another man was able to wresde the shot­ gun away from the accused and ran away with it. The accused man then entered the clubhouse, picked up a wooden chair and began poking the complainant in the midsection with it. -Torstar Network ^ F in a n c ia l re p o rt w in s a w a rd fo r T o w n o f O a k v ille The Town of Oakville's annual financial report for the year-end 1997 is winner of the Canadian Award for Financial Reporting. The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) honour was presented to the Town for excel­ lence in government accounting and financial reporting. This marks the first time the report has been submit­ ted and received such recognition. "We're pleased that our financial report was acknowledged by this financial body," said Town Finance Director Michelle Seguin. "We intend to pro­ duce a similar document each year and continue to ensure quality in reporting of this information." According to the GFOA, the award represents a sig­ nificant accomplishment by a municipal government and its management. DEjONG HOMES New to Oakville! 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April 8th in the commu­ nity room of police headquar­ ters, located at 1151 Bronte Rd., from 7 to 9 p.m. The meeting will discuss issues of effectiveness and efficiency within the service and how police can best meet the safety and securi­ ty needs of Halton. Public partici­ pation is part of the process which includes input from regional adm inistration, regional council­ lors and members of the Police Services Board. 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