Mms Cmnadian Charritlon. Frlday, May 21, 1999 - 5 R.oad safety challenge timely, organizer telis town council By IRENE GENTLE The Champion Milton will soon have an oppor- tunity to dlean up its traffic track record with a firat-ever moad safety challenge week, counicil has heard. Fromn May 3010o June 6, tise town will compete against 35 Ontario communities to raise awareness of road safety, witis tise aim of reduc- ing traffic accidents and deaths. Escis day of that week will be dedicateti to specific safety issues, such as truck, cisild seat, intersec- tion anti bicycle safety. The competing communities will then be eligible to win awards in each of tise safety categories. At tise endi of the week, a safer roads in Ontario award will go to the communities with the Iowest number of collisions per capita dur- ing that seven-day perioti. Council gave its unanimous sup- port to the event. The road safety challenge is a four-year-olti provincial initiative aimed at reducing accident and deatis rates. That's something Milton could use, said local organizer Jan Mowbray. "Milton has one of the worst traf- fic records, with 151 collisions anti five dead in 1998," she saiti. "0f those, 80 per cent were driver enror." Mucis of the problemn stems from congestion, said Ms Mowbray. "Traffic in Milton bas increased in recent years," she said. "Anti changing existing speeti limits is pointless if police can't enforce it." Contributing to tise problem are gridlocked highways which encourage commuter spilluver untu local roads sucis as Derry Road and Steeles Avenue. Tise tiownloading of provincial highways sucis as tise former Hligisway 25 (now Regional Road 25) has just worsened tise situation, saiti Ms Mowbray. In contrast, tise road safety chal- lenge will be a fun-filled attempt to drive safety tipa home. Take tsuck safety, for instance. To help tise event fly, organizers are hoping to enliat botis volunteer and financial support. Tise group is also looking for product help, sucis as computers witis interactive programns for a maIl tiisplay on bicycle safety. To iselp, or for more information, caîl 519-853-3766. Three ail-candidates meetings There are three aIl-candidate meetings left in Halton Students eligible to vote will have tise opportunity to prior ta election nigist on June 3. learn more about tise various party platforms tisrough a Incumbent Ted Cisudleigis of tise Progressive second meeting on Tisursday, May 27 in tise auditori- Conservatives, Moisan Anand of tise Liberals, Jay um of Milton District Higis Scisool. Tisat meeting "Il Jackson of tise NDP anti Guisseppe Gori of tise Family mun from 1-2 p.m. Coalition Party will aIl be in attendance.Th atmeigwltk pceoMndyMy Tise Milton Jacyees sponsor tise first meeting, helti Tsd aImeigwl aepaeo ody a on Wednesday, May 26 attise Milton Leisure. The 31 attise Lîbrary's Cultural Centre on Churcis Street in meeting will mun from 7:30-10 p.m. anti will be cov- Georgetown. ered by Cableworks 14 for nortis Halton. The event will mun from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Four out of five kids are flot correctly buckled into a car seat when riding in a motor vehicle. Is your child one of them? At The Co-operators, we care about the satety of young children, so we partnered with the Canada Safety Council and the Infant and Toddler Safety Association to help address this alarming statistic. Find out more about correct installation and use of car seats at a Good Bears Buckle Up car seat clinic in Burlington on May 29, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or in Oakville, June 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cati The Co-operators at (905) 681-7711 for mare information or to register Goood Star0 A MESSAGE PROM REGIONAL CHAIRMAN JOYCEf SAVOLINE 1 arn pleasedto pstsent tise results of tise Region of Halton's 1998 operations. Despite tise many challenges faceti by tise Region in 1998, Halton achieveti an overall operalional surplus of $7.3 million anti tise Region's balance sheet improveti significantiy. Our strong fmnancial position anti pnudent fiscal management is recognizeti by boUs Canadian anti American bond rating agencies, whicis continue ta rate Halton as "AAA", tise isigist financial rating avaiable. 'This mans tias Ialton can homsow as Use lowest rates possible in tise markcet. TIhis past yesr was marked by significant changes matie by tise Govemment of Ontario ta tise municipal/provincial ftuxnn relation- sisip for a number of services. Tise Province assumed 45% of tise cost of local education in Halton in excisange for tise Region being responsible for tise fMl coat of public healUs, Higisways 25 anti 5, landi anibulance, property assessment, social isousing anti additional costs for social assistance, chiltiren's services anti GO Transit. On top of tise atideti responsibility of completely ftunting services for Halton resitients, social assistance anti social isousing costa for tie Greateroronto Ares (wisich incluties tie Region of Halton, York, Peel, Durham anti tise City of Toronto) are heing shareti. These "pooleti"charges atiteti in exceas of $41 mrillion dollars to tise Region's costa in 1998. In total, all of tisese changes asideti approximately $127 million of tise Region's total spentiing. However, more change in 1999 includeti tise Province introducing 50% grant fuinding for public healtis anti ambulance. I addition, tise Province provideti Halton with one-time grant assistance to help with tise transition ($15 million in 1998, anti $2.5 million in 1999). Altisougs tie changes occuipieti mucis of Council's fimie during 1998, tise Region was able to accompliss a number of initiatives sucis as, continuation of tie cast iron water meter replacement pro- gram; securing a private sector operator to builti anti operate a 4n0 450 slip marina in Bronte Harbour, sisifing certain regional plan- ning responsibilities to tie area municipalities that will enaisle "one stop shopping" for landi use changes anti opening a srnall business enterse centre to encourage tie entreprencurial spirit in Halton. Overa, we facetia lot of challenges in 1998 -- we had totdo more witis Icas. Counicil anti staff worked isard anti were able to continue ta provide Halton resitients witis top quality service anti programa. I look forward to working witi tise Halton community ta ensure tisat togetiser we meet tise challenges anti opportunities tisas lie aheati. If you have any questions, please contact mie at (905) 825-6115 or as any of tise numbers noteti below. STATEMEWF 0F CURRENTr OPERATIOl FIJNDFD BY PROPEKI'Y TAXES General govemmrrent Social services Social isousing Protection ta peraons anti property HealUs services Roadways & GO Transit Planning anti development Reereation anti cultua services Waste management FUNDEJ) BY USER RATES Water/wastewater Total siendibur %S($000's) 1998 BUDGET $ 16,027 118,174 36,242 45,227 14,523 13,705 1,8,54 1,108 17,349 302,938 IRVzUE:: property taxes - General Purpose 171,597 Property taxes - Soliti waate 14,574 Watertwastewater billinga 56,297 Solid waste disposaldiversion fees 2,101 Ontario grants 70,935 Otiserorevenue 17,216 ,Ilit revenue M =272 Exoe revmma ~ ov xnditur 29,782 Net transfers ta reserves and capital 29,782 s.~k.mnlmyur $ - COST FOR AVERAGE 1997 HOUSEHOLD ACTUAL 1998 1997 $ 11,239 43,962 657 41,622 7,850 2,963 1,847 1,110 16,157 $ 65 .3 270.85 210.05 269.32 71.12 n19.14 8.13 6.54 102.09 $ 32.61 49.17 0.00 189.91 10.98 29.83 6.07 5.05 86.38 38,073 402.75 402.75 165,480 $1,525M3 812.75 68,810 14,40 57,426 2,150 40,765 19,147 37,227 30,414 $ 6,813 FIANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS M$00s): Cash and short terni investments Net long terni debt Capital fund Reserves Reserve funids Debt per housesolti Current expenditteeiiousesolt M%, $ 2W,7» 1997 $ 227,325 61,634 57,576 82,295 67,196 508.95 1,618.84 Copies of tise 1998 Consolitiatet i Fnancial Statements auditeti by KPMG froni whicis tisese isighhlgis were extracteti are available from tise Corporase Services Departmnent upon request by calling extension 7042 as one of tise numbers listeti below: Prom Buuligton (905)6 From Halton HuIs (90)8' From cton (519)8 From Oakville (905)8 CAM WFLDON, CA Direcor ofFinancial & Pureisasing Services anti Reguonal Treasurer 1151 Bronte Road, Oakvllle, ON UNI 3L1 19-4-540 78-8113 surphn for âe yeur