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wi ciizr vvrk- v psgws are your diamonds secure ewellers across from clock tower stouffville stouffville tribune repair specialist 172 bullock drive unit31markham 4718660 vol8 no8 a metround community newspaper saturday feb 22 1992 60 pages 25 cents 41000 prentice withdraws support for rena floor ward councillor tables motion to cancel 28000 flooring home show in limbo sal bommarito staff reporter plans for the purchase of a 28000 arena floor have been temporarily suspended after a town councillor withdrew his support for the project the move has also put plans for the spring home show in limbo the show has been scheduled from april 25 to april 27 at the recreation cen tre 1 ward 6 councillor ken pren tice who has established him self as budgetminded during his short tenure on council dropped a political bombshell on council by tabling a motion the purchase be cancelled council had already approved the purchase on two separate occasions but prentice who supported the flooring purchase last month said his decision was based on incomplete informa- tion from staff defeated prentices motion was defeat ed but not before several heat ed exchanges involving pren tice mayor fran sainsbury chamber president larry rogalski recreation director marlane mckeewetheral and members of the public council did approve a motion by ward 5 councillor bob ancheril to hold a meeting with all interested parties to find a solution to the problem pren tice abstained from voting on ancherils motion the floor purchase has been suspended until such a meet ing can be arranged as members of council were reliant on staff to make deci sions when i made the deci sion to support the expenditure of money on the floor i was advised that a previous council had made the decision i under stood the new council was bound by the decision said prentice prentice said he later found out staffs advice was incorrect while the municipal act binds us to provide longterm commitments i believe the arena floor does not fall into this category said prentice that distinction may also reflect on other previous coun cil decisions he added prentices motion left some councillors and staff stunned and silent prentice had notified rogals ki about his intentions before the meeting but rogalski fought to keep his composure while addressing council this puts us in a very awk ward position weve had about 20 inquiries from vendors about the home show he said i held my cool when pren tice called i keep thinking this thing is a settled issue i dont know anymore we do want a home show what do we have to do to put one on marketing kits have already been mailed out by the cham ber to vendors interested in coming to the home show rogalski added the chamber had made inquiries about holding the show at a number of otherloca- tions including the markham fairgrounds and last years site the remax imperial centre but rogalski said last years experience was most difficult nobody wants to go through that again we lost money doing it he told council the chamber was also accused of scaling down its financial support for the floor ing the chamber has agreed to pay 5000 towards its pur chase over a period of five years how would you feel as a businessman you wouldnt honor the commitment said ward 1 councillor ivanka bradley political football sainsbury said the floor has become a political football for the town the mayor said fund ing from the floor would come from lot levies and not from taxes she said merchants have as much right as other groups to use the recreation centre especially since many mer chants support sports teams in town the recreation centre is a public asset it should be shared sainsbury said rogalskis statement the chamber was prepared to change its show dates to early may surprised mckeewether al the chamber was not pre pared to change its dates to early may i am surprised to hear it said mckeewetheral who sat shaking her head dur ing the debate following the meeting she said a solution to the problem may be difficult since the ice has already been rented from midapril o midmay the stouffville figure skating club has also booked the arena for its carnival in midmay she said the ice season was extended by a month by the previous council to increase revenues from the recreation centre about 10000 will be raised from ice rentals during that period said mckeewetheral in opposing ancherils motion for a special meeting prentice said i am not willing to give consent the feedback from my constituents has been over whelming even if the money for the flooring is coming from lot levies i think a percentage of the mill rate should be attributed to the floor when the budget is completed gypsy moth program cancelled york region officials and private landowners are stunned by the provincial governments announcement the gypsy moth spraying program will be cancelled for 1992 nearly 300 area landowners have already paid 30000 for a coordinated aerial spraying pro gram organized by the region and subsidized by the province york region information officer john scott said regional council dealt with the item at committee meetings this week it was a shock to council scott said we will return the applicants money scott said the region will be entering into dis cussions with the province regarding a provincial forest health and awareness program instead natural resources minister bud wildman announced this week 38million originally ear marked for the gypsy moth program will now be used for other higherpriority initiatives in its forestry program a release from the mnr states a oneyear cancellation of the program is not expected to seriously affect the health of the forest over a majority of the area these insects now infest but area landowners who witnessed the gypsy moth infestation in forested areas of northern york region last summer including whitchurch- stouffville are fuming they say the money is needed to prevent the destruction of trees and forests by the gypsy moth in their communities