Public consultation process only as good as the people învolved DEAR EDITOR: On February 28, 2005, Multon counicil passed a resolu- lion to adopt the Guiding Principles fo r Public Consultation, indicating that the "Town supports the open flow of information between govemrment and the communily in order to assist in the decision making process on issues that affect the public." As a member of tbe public and a board member of the Milton Rural Residents Association, 1 appreciated the fact that counicil agreed to set oui these guidelines. An amend- ment to the original motion to accept the guidelînes resulted in the addition of clariîy and trans- parency to the issues covered and direcîed that the public consultation principles be brougbî back to commitîee in approximately one year's time for review and furtber refine- ment. Tbis amended motion was passed by a 7 to 4 vote. Tbe guidelines as a wbole bave resulted in improved com- munication between tbe Town and tbe public. Tbe Town Web site is now a mucb more valu- able tool for findîng out about issues, agendas and minutes from commitîee and council. Town staff is to be commended for tbis improvement. Notices for public meetings and delegation requests bave become more open and, in mosi cases, lead-time bas been more adequate. Tbe abilitv to requesi delegatc status up until tbc inorning of ibe meeting allows lime to invesîîgaîc tbe issues before deciding tbe necessîîy or importance of speakîng before counicil or commitîce. Input bas been soliciîed from tbe public and efforts need t0 be made bo ensure ibat tbis input is valued and respected. Wiîb some issues like tbe Brookville Park expansion, pub- lic input is being asked for five montbs before tbe projeci is scbeduled to begin. However otber issues like tbe 2006 budg- et only allowed tbe public îbree days to try and understand tbe budget before it was quickly passed by council. Tbere seems t0 be concern about notification of îower con- struction and developmenî applications tbat are now catcb- ing tbe public, and in some cases counicîllors, off guard. Tbe public consultation process is only as good as tbe people involved. Tbe public bas a responsibiliîy 10 be informied and to make tbeir feelings known. This could be to comn- mend a decision, seek clanifica- lion or debate an issue. Tbe Town bas a more difficult task in tbaî îî needs 10 be recugnized as beîng supportive uf public input. Ofîen tbis input comes from only a few members of tbe pub- lic and tbis sbouldn'î dimînisb the importance of wbaî tbey bave to say. I hope tbaî counicîl appreciates îbat ibese people are moîivaîed by genuine înîerest in îbe îown of Milton, tbe commu- nîty ibai we sbare and tbe envi- ronment îbat surrouncls us. Tbe Guîding Principles for Puîblic Consultation serve as a cbeck for us ail and aîm t0 make sure ibat our directions are encouraging tbe besi possible results for Miltonians. I trust tbat counicil will accepi tbe pub- lic's coinments and will sbare its review of the guidelines witb the people of Milton. In tbis way we tan ail see ihe process of work- îng logether. We cballenge the members of town counicil îo look beyond tbe basics required by policy and legislation. More residents were concemred abouî tbe planned development at James Snow Parkway and ihe lower ai Ontanio Street and Derry Road. Event counicillors requested staff give îbem better notice of issues sucb as îbe towers. Together we can provide the best possible input on decisions îbaî will and do affect ail of the residents of Milton. We encour- age interesîed members of the public t0 attend tbe Community Services Commitîee meeting tbis comîng Monday t0 bear and be involved as tbis issue is pre- senîed by Town staff. JIM HARDING, SECRETARY MILTON RURAL RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION LHINs flot Iikely to improve health-care systeç£lm DEAR ED[UOR: In your discussion of Local Healtb Integration Networks (LHINs) in tbe February 17 Champion, you mentioned possible cost savings tbrougb îbe reslrucluring of healtb-care delivery The last bout of resîrucluring in tbe 1990s was characterized, 1 believe, by a series of arbitrary moves and amalgamations. With a decade of reflection, t tbink bonest people will admit tbese moves served none of us well - as 1 predicîed ai tbe lime. To face anoîber sucb upheaval is disconcerting, since the lasî allempi caused a lot of people a lot of pain for litîle or no gain. To add insult 10 injur3ý bospilal maintenance workers, wbo perform the essenîtal tasks of keep- îng our patients fed, warm and in dlean sur-round- ings, are facing încreasing insecurity about îbeir jobs. One bas to wonder whos responsible for îhreaîening front-Ine workers wbile cowering bebind tbe vague promise of cosl-savings îbaî are unlikely 10 arrive. Will ibis improve your cbances t0 acbîeve îimely access t0 tbe excellent bealîh care îbaî you and your family deserve? 1 sîncerely doubî il. DR. GARNET MALEY PRESIDENT HALTON MEDICAL SOCIETY The Canadian Champion, Friday, March 3, 2006-A7 r~4rfr nof Mf re-irir# heavily criticized a t meeting 'Time Capsules' are gems of infor- mation extracted from past issues of The Champion and other publications in otier to provide a window into Multont past. Explanatory comment is sometimes provided to, place the situa- tion in conteut. May 1907 A Good Roads meeting at Milton was addressed by Mr. Campbell. While admitting the good work done by the statute labor system ini the early days in Ontario he said it was completely out of date now that lie and naaney expended under il was simply wasted inastuuch as the results were nil, Tht roada wvere not unpove n erw ould buntil a better systtm would be adopttd. in order ta participate in the Governient appropriation for raad improvemnent ail that would be nec- essary would be the adoption af a county roads systeni. This baving bten dont the Government did flot require any expenditure on moads but would psy to tht county adopting such a system. ont third of whatever amount would be txpended. Reeve Higfinbotam of Milton distributed among those at tht meeting niaps of tht county printtd at his exptnse n wbich tht designattd county roads were marked in red fines. They were grealy apprecated. jailer Vanailen attended tht fumerai af tht lat Johnson Harrison an 2Oshi of April, but did notgo frirn tht Methodiat Church, whtre dht service was held, to tht cemettry Ht caught cold or grippe and two days ago pneumonia dtveloptd. His niany frienda wiil be sonry to htar that this morning Ilis physician gives no hope for bis recovely as bis heart bas become extremely weak. Ail lots now sold in Eveigreen Cemetery wiil be sold with a condi- tion that tht Company wiil take Perpetual Gare of tht saine. Tht Directors bave on band $500, wbich wiil be placed in a "Perpetual Care Fund." HaIf the procetds of ail new sales wiil go int duis fund. Ail who owm lots at present can corne under Milton ~ Time Capsules Ibis system by psyimg 50 percent ai tht original cost of Itir lots, wbich will go into tht fund. This wiil btsa grtat benefit to, lot owners and wll be tht mtans of inducing mamy ftem surraunding country tc, purchase lots in Evergrten Gemttery At 11.45 on laesday evenlng a flue braIte out among tht old foundry buildings on Comumercial St. owntd byJohun Stewart. It began in tht ont next the creek which was unoccupied and whlch bsd been ustd for yeats as a paint shop Tht latter fact may account for tht rapid- ity with wih il burmed. It was a miass of flarnes befare it was notictd. Tht fire brigade losî no liae about geuig ta, work but btfore they could gel their hase coupltd tht fire bad exîended to anothir of tht Stewart buildings occupitd. by tht Halton Creain and Butter Go. also ta their ice-houat snd ta, that oi Fred Waies. These wert ail burned but s good deal of the buiuermacng plant and butter which had bten prepared read or ipment was savet4 By tht good work ai tht lire brigade tht main building af tht old foundiy was save but tht enghse house was practicaily destmoytd aithough the engine whlch stood i suad whlch was used until last year by tht Milton Electric 14ghtand Power Go. and its belting were lte, if any damaged. Tht hase frons tht carpet factory was tbrowîng water on tht fîames for some lime before tht Iatg- er hase was laid sud did extra goad work. Mtn wert busy yestenlay at tht two icehauses. Tht outer ice was badly homey-combed but that inside wss undamaged. Il was covered as quicldy as passible sud there wiil be no ice famine in Milton. This matrial is assewmbled on behafof the Milton Hwistca Society by fint Dills, who can be reached at jdills@idirectcom. If you received a blood transfusion or blood product before 1992, you may have been infected with hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus that slowly damages your liver. Symptoms do flot show up for years but you will eventually get sick. Before 1992, screening for this disease was flot consistent and many patients became infected through the blood system. So ask your doctor about gettmng tested. Detection is key to controlling the virus and you may be entitled to financial assistance. 1-877-222-4977 www. health. gov. oit.ca/hepc slpttsC