While some say they've gone too far and oth, ers say not far enough, Waterloo Regional coun- cil implemented the first real changes in the region's 25 year history Wednesday _ . _ - l b I I :Al. I __ _.., 'VO""" --e I __ I . The biggest shift to take place deals with local governance, In a 13-9 vote, regional council opted In separate itself from local municipalities. That means that with the exception of the may- ors, regional councillors will no longer sit on city or township councils, _ - - _-..--. Jan“. Region voles [or senumlion Cambridge Couni Ted Fairless argued against the move. "Well be like the MPs and MPPs," he said. "You have to have some association with the community. We'll be like the provincial and fed- eral mpresenlalives. you wont have the hands- on involvement you have now," he said. Cambridge Conn. Doug Craig believes the move is big step "down a slippery slope" towards one-tier government, "Splitting the regional and local coumals is a big mlslake." Craig said "Now they'll be work- ing at odds against each other instead of work- ing together" Mid been argued that the move would lessen the workload for regional councillors because they would only have to sit on one council, Il/ft-tii-ll. s ""_ ~~7 , ling mumcred by noting the move would RENOVATION LIQUIDATION SAL}: i(iiiiii:, up to "47!? ... .. by Ray Martin Special to the Chronicle ',r.:rr.y.t'trwill pay the tisr only Increase the workload of city ward council- lors, Reglonal council then voted down a motion to reduce the sac of council or push for local (cum cils to shrink. Instead they voted H-l in favor of maintaining the status qua Several councillors, including Waterloo Mayor Joan McKinnon, said she believes sepa- rated councils will actually increase the number of politicians required by municipalities. . . I - L ,A -f 1"fiiririUpp'osed ml reduce ite number of politicians and N be highly surprised if it does," she said. _ The council was unanimous in its support of a strong two-tier government as well as support- ing a motion that no special service boards would be created without elected representation on them, Jiliiu council also voted Ifr4 in favour of having Waterloo Region assume responsibility for all garbage collection. Prior [0 ie vote, regional chief administative officer Gerry Thompson explained that the region needs to take over garbage collection Jan. I, 2000 so u can gain experience with the system pnor to the end cl collection contracts m Cam- bridge and Kitchener, Thompson assured court- cillors from Waterloo that city garbage collectors would be absorbed by the region without loss of (Continued on page 5) 70% on Casegoods, Accessories, Lamps- off Resident's campaign to slow down traffic pays off A john Street West resrdent's campaign to slow down traffic on hes street may be about to bear (run, Steve Wagner and approx" mately 20 other people attended a Crty of Waterloo trafhc study open house last Wednesday at Waterloo); court- ell Chambers to examme ways to solve truffle problems on John Street West (my stall are currently recommending set- ting up two new stop signs at John Street West and Belmont Avenue and at John Street West and Dunbar Road for a one- year trtal period Lest August, Wagner put up a large home-made sign near his house on the boulevard where John Street West meets Severn Street. The handwritten Sign asked westbound motorists on the street to please slow down. "Between Westmourtt Road and Park Street, there aren't any stop signs," Wagner said last August, when asked why he put up his sign. "So the cars feel free to get as much speed up through these four to five blocks, without any interrup- tions, as they can." Al the end of last Wednes- day's meeting, Wagner said he was pleased that city officials were seriously considering set- ting up two new stop Signs on his street, possibly thirfall, However not everybody who attended the meeting was in favour of the signs, and that concerned Wagner to some extent. "I wonder if it's gomg to be more of an uphill battle than we malized, making a solution that's palatable to all the rea- dents," Wagner sand "But I look forward to stung what happens (during the mall periodhl really do " At last Wedriesday’s meenng, Cnty of Waterloo tralhc opera- uons coordinator, Chrrstme Tim Gardner Chmmde Stall Koehler, sand my staff settt out 74 questmnnmres last March asking John Street West resu- dents , they liked the Idea of the two proposed Stop Signs and possibly a third at john Street West and Avondale Avenue Seventy-four qucsu nonnmreywem gem out, Koehler sod of the 43 total questrortna1rc responses. 30 residents liked the stop up»; LI dudm and one was unde- cided s,r..sAecrrrr.os.csi'-ra'resisa Koehlcr can! staff decided m John Street West resident Steve Wagner posed with his homemade Sign on john Street West last September. Two stop signs may be installed onjolm Street West by this all, at least partly due to Wagner's actions. ‘Bosod on aepiseot 513mm urn-Isa Hm, one: GICs DEPENDABLE SERVICE SINCE 1959 46 King St. rt, Waterloo 886-2040 CLOSED SUNDAY AND MONDAY TUESDAY - THURSDAY 9-5:30 a; amend AT FRONT a REAR or STORE @WEI Ierrm © Days Wm SEMI!) oHxy* Wolenoo we lung St S 57971800 Kitchener 594'9700 ComDndoe tdrir33?? favour of the slup srgns at Bel- mont and Dunbar Road because those were the busrest Intersections on the street, between Westmount Road and Park Sued However accord- mg ttt traffx counts conducted at thc 1autrsectt0r1s thes past April stop Signs at the inter- sculun~ were trot mmplrlcly warranted .- The reWAm that we re Aung u lyi because we recognize that the rmdems would like some- 4.4% (Continued on page S) Dams: 'rtugrtH3 by MC c. n-NV-tpf-.. a b