Photo by GRAHAM PAINE JTasty treats Members of the 3rd Milton Sparks were et Milton Mail Saturday silling thoir girl guide coolcie. Among Uhm were (I-r) Kimr Louis, Danielle Lancaster and Nicole Wood. Everyone . ready for contract vote Dy HOWARD MOZEL, Speclalto lb, Champion Botb- aides in Halton's Catbolic bigb school. teacher dispute were scheduled te bol ratification votes on a new agreemnent emrly tbis week. flm region's 365 Catbolic bigb scbool teachers were expected to vote on their new tbre-year contract Monday. Resuits were not available ut press time. Tbursday, Hàalton Catbolic District Scbool Board spokcsmsun Cblis Jcweli said wbat was then thc board's latest offer by trustees will likely vote on Uic dcii by tele- 99.4 per cent flere were 353 ballots cast conférence cither Monday evening or out of a possible 365. A total of 351 teacb- Tuesday rnorning. Tbey had planned to crs votcd against the offer, only two in vote at last week's board meeting but a,« favour of il. detailed package was not ready in time. Few detabl The teachers bad been witbouît a contract since August 31, 1998. The new demi, if The teachers were lockcd out by the accepted,willbeineffectuntilAugust3l, board atl12:01 a.m. on Febrary 10 evens 2001. both sides continued last-ditch talks to On Februmiy 8 teachers voted to rejcct solve their dispute. flic lockout resulted in Wamsfe misw Cepssima ~ çrI.rLottors 87-22 Clasltli to clama lms week wben a tentative settle- ment was reached afler 75 bours of intense negotiationa. page 2 Eacb side is remaining quiet about thc details of the agreement until after the votes are taken. Joe Pece, president of Uic page 4 Halton Secondary Unit of the Ontario Englisb Catholic Teacbers Association pp. 6-7 (OECI'A), said last weck be will be e- ornrending teacbcrs accept the dc". pp. 18-20 flic labour dispute centred around thc requirerent under Bill 160 duat teachers' pp. 21-23 worlomds be increascd te 1,250 minutes ____ 1_ e PLACE on noe 15 v0 'Split arises over salary, council size Bv IRENE GENTLE lb. Champion Local politics is a "blood sport" that doesn't pay enough to attract the best people, says Councillor John Challinor. "Tbere's no question that being in public life is difficuit. It's flot for the council. «There bas to be some con- sideration for Uic Urne that is put in and the sacrifices that are mnade."p Hfis contients toucbed off a blazing debate that pitted padding paycbeques against pared down couricil size at last week's meeting. Coundilor Ron Funik said be was offended by Mr. Cballinor's suggestion that bad pay has prevented'qualified people fromn stepping up to tbe plate at Milton counciL. "The people 1 spcak to are sick of tbe bulishit," said an irritated-sounding Mr. Furik. 'I'm here for one reason only and tbat is the good of the towim" Mr. Challinor countcoed that low pay rates bave contsibuted te lacklustre elections in wbich too rnany counicillors, hlm mncluded, are bcing acclairned due te a lack of competition. "The quallty of individuals and the numbers who have corne forward have dcclincd," argued Mr. Challinor. "Wç're going to need better people thm we bave around Uic table today to dcii witb issues in Uic future."1 The salary discussion was raiscd in response to a recent court rulinig that stîipped count- cillors of their nigbt te one-tbird pay tax lrce. Tiat led te a debate in wbicb Councillors Rick Maîbocuf, Wally Hunter sud Ron Furik argued that wage bikes couldn't be considered wiUiout also Iooking at sbsinking count- Ron Furlk Cil size. "I believe if we're gomng to go tbrougb this procesa, wc sbould bc going througb the wbolc proccss," said Mr. Maiboeuf. The contcntious issue sparked a recorded vote, in whicb counicil agreed to appoint su independent citi- zen's committee to review councilior stipends by a margin of seven te two. Mr. Hunter and Mr. Malboeuf wcre opposecL A rnotion by Mr. Hunter to add su investigation of counicil size to the cornmittec's rnan- date was rcjccted in a six-tboee vote. Councillor Ron Furik, Mr. Hunter sud Mr. Maibocuf were in favour. Mr. Hunter said bie couldn't support a salary review that didn't also take a look at streamliing coundcil. "'rn not going to support increasing a stipend witbout asee SHARP onl page 2 .1~ A Metroland Community Newspaper Vol. 139 No. 100 Thesday, February 23, 1999 ,x32 Pages 750 (GsT incuded) faint of heart," he told