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

H PORT PERRY "WEEKEND STAR" FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2000 - 3 Users are placing 'unreasonable' demands on staff: parks chair By John B. McClelland Port Perry Star Scugog Parks and Recreation chair Ken Carruthers is angry over what he calls unreason- able demands being made on municipal staff members by user groups. And the Ward 2 council- lor said Monday morning he wants something done about it. Speaking at a special meeting of the Parks and Rec committee, Councillor ,Carruthers said it is time for the township to come up with a clear statement of what municipal staff can do and are expected to do for groups that use recre- ation facilities. Without referring to a specific user group, Councillor Carruthers said township workers were upset recently when an inference was made that they were not helpful or supportive enough. "It is not fair that our staff must put up with that," he said, noting there are just two full-time parks staffers, and that they are extremely busy in the summer months. "They can't be expect- ed to work Friday (evening), Saturday and Sunday," said Councillor Carruthers. : And he said it's not Carruthers right that a private citizen can "walk in and start telling our staff' where and when they should work. . Councillor Carruthers said this sort of problem has cropped up in the last couple of years, and it did not occur before that. Councillors agreed with his suggestion that the municipality come up with a written policy statement which spells out the oblig- ations staff members have to groups and organiza- tions that use municipal facilities. Councillor Carruthers said the township must also spell out clearly its policy for use of chemicals on municipal parkland. Scugog's policy at pre- sent allows staff to use chemicals only on a "spot basis" to cope with a seri- ous weed or insect prob- lem. Canada AM to broadcast from town A producer with CTV's morning program, Canada AM, says the show will broadcast live from the Steamboats on Scugog Festival next weekend. The actual date of the show is yet to be con- firmed, but it will be Thursday or Friday, June 8 or 9, from 6:30 am. to 9 a.m. : Host Jeff Hutcheson will interview Capt. Jim Hendricks of the African Queen, who will be bring- ing the famous steamboat here for the festival. | CORRECTION NOTICE Please be advised that the Pontiac Buick GMC "Red Hot Performance" ad that appeared in this publication the weeks of May 15/22, 2000 included incorrect information. The annual lease rate for the GMC Jimmy was 1.9% instead of 2.4%. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. © Durham should see ef. million Board applauds new literacy funds The Durham District School Board has commended Education Minister Janet Ecker for providing Ontario schools with $70 million for elementary literacy, read- ing and special education initiatives. "For the Durham (public) board this means an additional $2 million annually to implement programs to support early literacy: leaming opportunities," board chair Doug Ross said. ~ Beginning in the fall, the board expects to hire a number of additional Reading Recovery teachers; programs will target children in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 3. The funds will mean that school that Scored low on PR@CK'S 168 - 178 Queen Street, Port Pern literacy test results can expect added help in the on: $. of programs and teachers to raise the level of reading competency in their areas. Parents will also be given the chance to. help because of the added funding. "Funding will be provided to train and assist par ent volunteers for breakfast clubs and early literacy initiatives," said Mr. Ross. "Computer software that. assists in literacy and reading skills will now be : extended to Kindergarten to Grade 3 classes." __Scugog trustee and board vice-chair Bobbie Drew : "applauded the extra funding as "a direct boost to our young s Students | ina vital area of their education." | MEN'S * WOMEN'S ¢ KID'S o SHOES ~ 'sale ends June 12 ~ o lids adh EER Rok of BRE ON FOOL 005-985-2521