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

132nd Year No. 4 â€"â€"â€" ks Waterfoo Chronicle| Gina D‘Aloisio, a business major at WLU, takes the lead in the peanutâ€"pushing part of an obstacle course relay race, in the Turret Lounge, Jan. 22. The race was a part of WLU‘s Winter Carnival. Rodney Glichrist nhoto Are they crazy? A polar bear plunge was part of the action at UW‘s Winterfest liast weekend. Enthusiastic Wilfrid Laurier University students braved the biistering cold last Friday to engage in a friendly tugâ€"ofâ€"war contest. The event was part of the university‘s winter carnival Rodney Giichriet photo Mark Bryson photo Ald. John Shortreed challenged Burke on the issue, claiming the appeal was handled "out in the open‘"‘. Reporters were later told, however, that Shortreed was not present when the decision was made by aldermen at a caucus session. In fact, says Ald. Andrew Telegdi, a "straw vote"" was taken prior to the open meeting, leaving no question as to how the subject would turn out in council. ‘"If we would have voted against the appeal (in camera), it would have ended there and no one would have ever known we discussed it," said Telegdi, one of three aldermen opposed to the measure. With a large gathering behind him ‘*Your citizens don‘t know what you‘re doing because the decision was made behind locked doors," said Burke. chamber Burke then switched his attack to the *‘*closed door‘‘ approach council took prior to approving the appeal process. ‘‘Regrettably the decision to appeal was made by this council behind closed doors per cent because it was phased over two stages. The award brought a fire class firefighter an annual salary of $36,725. The hardened feelings are a result of a recent ruling which gave Waterloo fireâ€" fighters a 7.32 per cent increase in 1986, according to city information. The fireâ€" fighters say the award was actually 5.38 *‘The mayor and this council find the fact (arbitrated salary) so abhorrent and deplorable, that you‘re prepared to quesâ€" tion the integrity and honesty of the arbitrators," he said. Then speaking to a suggestion that the city bypass the arbitration process, Burke said to do so would be "total disregard for the laws of the province of Ontario." Represented by Windsor firefighter Pat Burke, past president of the Ontario Fire Fighters Association, the local firemen were hoping to convince council into dropping its legal action against their recentlyâ€"awarded 1986 arbitrated salary. Pulling no punches, Burke blasted Mayor Marjorie Carroll and personnel director Terry Haliman for staging an ‘"unwarranted attack" on the city‘s fire Chronicie Staff Wateriloo firefighters feel they have been on the receiving end of unwarranted and childish attacks by city council and on Monday night expressed the outrage with a salvo of their own. Council roasted for ‘attack‘ on city‘s firemen star **You don‘t wait a year and then become champion of an issue," said Shortreed, claiming Telegdi had known for over a year about a manpower shortage. Telegdi countered by saying the shortâ€" age has only taken place over the past three months. Telegdi gave additional flame to Burke‘s arguments, saying the Waterioo Fire Department has operated a total of 41 times in the "past little while" with a roster of less than 12, a figure suggested by the Ontario Fire Marshall‘s office as ‘"adequate‘‘. Shortreed accused Telegdi of grandâ€" standing and criticized his defence of the Taking one final shot at Carroll, Burke recalled the mayor‘s memorable comâ€" ments in 1982 which stated that fireâ€" fighters are so pleased with the arbitraâ€" tion process that "their teeth are tanned." He called the remark "childish, uninâ€" formed, undignified and unfounded." Carroll declined to respond to Burke‘s comments . ‘"I have no intention of debating with Mr. Burke. It‘s not the first opportunity he has grasped to take a strip off me," she With a ratio of one firefighter for every 1,000 residents, Waterloo holds the disâ€" tinction of the lowest ranking in the region and one of the worst in the province, said Burke. In 1974, Waterioo had one fireman for every 676 people. ‘‘Firefighters are fed up with the demeaning attitude being displayed with respect to them and their collective bargaining rights. And they‘re particularâ€" ly upset about the demeaning comments made by the mayor to the press regarding their salary status and the arbitration process,‘"‘ said Burke. Carroll said she did not remâ€">â€"mber making any such statement, but if she did, then she was mistaken. Focussing on Carroll again, Burke said his information was "significantly difâ€" ferent‘‘ from that supplied to the press by the mayor. He was referring to a statement made by Carroll that both stations are full to capacity. look at the facts. Since 1974, Waterioo‘s population has risen by 17,000. By month‘s end, he said, manpower at the city‘s two stations will have dropped from 67 to 64 during the same period. The shortage, he said, has resulted in an accumulation of 3,200 overtime hours worth $57,000. Burke told council that instead of making "‘ about the award, it should