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é-- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, March 27, 1984 letters 'Bus drivers should make decision for such a great decision in calling the buses out early. Parents! Perhaps there are a few of you out there, who were fuming at the time, because your child didn't get home. Maybe your telling everyone how you drove from your home to the school and back home again with no problem. Thats fine, I'm pleased you and your child got home safely, this time! Would it really have been so bad if your child had had to stay in Port Perry overnight. My child stayed in Port on the night in question. She was fine, quite safe and well looked after by one of Port Perry's many thoughtful residents. Please remember we didn't have just your child to worry about. It's quite possible that the route your child goes on also goes into an area that the storm may have been worse in. We didn't deliberately keep your child from you. Most of us have children of our own and certainly can understand you wanting them home with you. In the interest of safety, it was thought best to leave them where they were at the time. Writing letters to the paper isn't really my bag. This situation has me furious and I refuse to sit back any longer and let myself and fellow drivers be put in a bad light. We are well trained, sound minded, competent drivers. | would hope that none of our drivers would say roads were unfit just to hear themselves. If we run and complete the route thats great; if we attempt the route and run into difficulties and end up in the ditch, that's not so great; that's when we should have known better than to attempt route com- pletion on unfit roads; when we refuse to do our runs because of poor road conditions that's wrong too. We're not capable of making such decisions. So you see, no matter what, we still end up on the firing line. As for the incident in question maybe a wrong decision was made,- maybe the drivers in question did make a hasty decision. On the other hand a few lives might have been spared. It might have been your child! Think about it! I personally stand with the drivers. Yes, Durham Board, you need to alter your policy. I've driven in some pretty bad storms, because the one in authority was reluctant to go with an early dis- missal. | didn't realize an hour or so education was so important that it took precedence over a child's life. Put the final decision in the hands of - manager. It people who live in the area, know the roads, know the routes, know what a bus will or will not do on treacherous roads. Why leave it up to one individual, couldn't several agree on it? Also, see that one or two of these people could get out and check some of the areas. No offense intended but principals are indoors most of the day, as is, in all probab- ility, the transportation never ceases to amaze me that these decisions, in most cases, are always being made by people who have never sat behind the wheel of a bus, let alone travelled the road involved. As for bus route com- pletion, it most certain- ly does not comfort me to know that I've been transporting students in a school bus for 7 and one half years for an organization that does not think I'm competent nor capable enough to make a decision on whether the roads are fit or not for me to complete my route. Nor does it comfort me to know that if I chose to make such a decision in the future for the safety of my students, that this same organization will not stand behind me and give me full support. Well, Mr. Upton should the situation be- fall me in the future, I'll take it upon myself to make such a decision, Be it right or wrong. There are times when we are in such places we cannot contact nor locate you to make such decisions and it must fall on our shoulders. Further more, I feel that the statements you've made in the paper and all the hupla the public has rasied over this particular case will only intimidate the drivers. They'll be try- ing to get through at all cost because to refuse is against board policy and upsets parents. Is this what you want? I doubt it. "Yours truly, J. Powell, R.R.1, Oshawa Kin congratulations Dear Sir: I would like to take this opportunity to express publicly my congratulations to Mr. Richard Bouillon of "beautiful downtown Blackstock" upon being made a Life Member of the Kinsmen Assoc- iation. All club members were as proud as I, Rick, to be able to share in the festivities which marked your singular and well deserved achievement on the night of Saturday, March 24th at the Latcham Centre in Port Perry. I have no doubt, as well, that they share my pride in acknow- ledging you as a reliable friend and fellow Kins- man. Because of my over- commitment in other areas - especially PUSH Ontario - I have not been as active in the Kinsmen Club as I would like to be. It is only due to Considerable sadness Dear Sir: * It was with con- siderable sadness that | read the article in the March 13 Port Perry Star regarding two dogs being savagely shot on Sunrise Beach. Surely, the human animal is more sophisticated than the four legged species. Violence is unacceptable. However, | feel rather helpless when | instruct my children to respect the rights of others and their property and to be considerate of others, while at the same time | see them being threaten- ed by unkept dogs while merely riding their bicycles down the road or playing around our home. | have grimaced myself after picking up the garbage strewn around by nuisance stray dogs, even in the confines of my garage. 1 love dogs and believe they are a functional creature, affording their masters both protection and friendship. There is nothing as beautiful as a well trained, collie or golden lab around our homes in this relaxed country setting. However, | cannot tolerate stray dogs charging at me or my children while simply taking an evening stroll. Dogs, like children and adults, must be in- structed to respect the rights and property of others. Last night, dur- ing a leisurely stroll with my wife, we were con- fronted by three dogs, a shepherd, black lab and a doberman, in the mid- dle of our path. How do you reason with three dogs? | felt threatened. I could almost agree with the savage action of the individual on Sunrise Beach, however, I would prefer to have reason prevail and convince the owners of the dogs to adhere to their respon- sibilities and care for and train their dogs. The animals should not be allowed to run wild, in- vade the privacy of others and intimidate private citizens. Violence is unacceptable and we are responsible. I have just moved to Fralick's Beach and have not yet met my neighbours. 1 hope this lettr does not jeopardize my assimilation into this beautiful retreat we all live in. However, my call to the Animal Control does not seem to have been effective ---- the dogs are still taking the evening walks while 1 watch from inside. Yours truly John O'Toole R.R. 3, Port Perry (Scugog Island) dedicated members such as yourself that the club has been able to progress, despite some of the less involved members who are not able - for whatever reason - to make a great deal of time available for club activities. Thank you, Rick, for your excellent example, your fine leadership qualities and all your [ RoTARY CLUB {a FRI, MAY 4 Spring BBQ & Dance hard work on behalf of Kin. Your accomplish- ments have been so large that they could not fail to be recognized as milestones in the development of the Kinsmen Club of Port Perry. Best of luck in all the Kin years ahead. Yours very truly, Jay S. Madsen, Port Perry, Ontario. Must keep up fight against arms disaster I was quite surprised at the letter from Linda van Andel in the March 28 issue. If she had bothered to read the article about our Oper- . ation Dismantle meet- ing she would have seen that Operation Dis- mantle's main goal has been to launch an inter- national referendum on balanced nuclear dis- armament. That means both sides. According to a U.S. State Department Publication, the U.S. and the USSR have sign- ed 14 constructive and lasting agreements which have not been violated by the Soviets. These include: the 1959 Antartic Treaty, the 1963 nuclear test ban, the 1967 ban on nuclear weapons in outer space, the 1968 Non-Prolifer- the SALT I Treaty and even the Salt II Treaty which was not ratified by the United States. We, in Operation Dis- mantle believe that as individuals we must keep fighting to get the Superpowers to the bar- gaining table. Other- | wise there will be a' global nuclear disaster. Finally, perhaps Linda van Andel would like to explain the mean- ing of her last para- graph. She seems to be implying some connect- ion between two unrelat- ed things. The United Church has been kind enough to let us meet there. For that we thank them. Sincerely, Margaret Wilbur, Scugog Township. chatterbox (continued) ed, complexions sallow, throats raw, hacking coughs are heard everywhere. I feel especially sorry for those moms with young kids in tow, who have been battling with boots and snowsuits and mitts since way back in October. I saw one such lady the other day in the grocery store. She was having a titanic struggle to get junior's boots on. Her other tyke, who look- ed to be about a year older was wailing because he'd dropped his mittens in the store. Poor mom had this look on her face which seemed to say: "If I can just get these kids and my eight bags of groceries out of this store, into the car, and home, everything will be fine." Winter has dragged on far too long in Port Perry. Spring, where the heck are you? We are all waiting .... and waiting .... and waiting .... LAKE SCUGOG Information Meeting This is your opportunity to address your concerns regarding the Biological and Water Level Control of Lake Scugog. PRESENTATION BY THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT (followed by a question and answer period) All Levels of Government will be represented by: Mr. Allan Lawrence, M.P., House of Commons Mr. Ross Stevenson, M.P.P., Durham York Mr. Gary Herrema, Chairman of Durham Region Mr. Jerry Taylor, Mayor of Scugog Township Mr. Lawrence Malcolm, Regional Councillor SUNDAY, APRIL 15th 2:00 P.M. Latcham Centre - Port Perry Sponsored by: SCUGOG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ] NT NOC ow