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stouffville suntribune thursday sept 11 2003 3 vmrsays byjoanransberry what challenges are facing you in grade 12 asked at stouffville district secondary school amie burford the challenge is getting the right credits to go to university or college jeff sutcliffe getting a better average so i can get accepted to a better university ashley lunde thinking about prom night what will i wear what will i do with my hair will i get a date ryan thom j have to worry about going to university giextyear r- tr staff photosjoerd witteveen hail to bill biu brown retked as whitchurchstdufrviue firec last call for fire chief brown byjoanransberry staff writer thirty years a firefighter and me leaving isnt easy just ask retiring whitchurch- stouffville fire chief bill brown mr brown had no qualms about the department being handed over to me new fire chief last week because he knows the local fire department will be in good hands with chief tim beckett tims a good guy hes very progressive hes got the time gand the energy to see the job through said mr brown teffetlrgchief admitted however to having some diffi culty saying goodbye to nine fulltime and 60 volunteer fire fighters i love the daytoday opera tion of a fire hall mr brown said i worked with very good people i vyillmiss them theyre my friends theres fellowship on this department theres no doubt about that the residents of whitchurch- stouffville were always number one with chief brown acting deputy chief paul stover said bul performed his duties with professionalism bill is a progressive man i worked with him for 12 years bill implement ed a lot of changes during that time he got a lot of things off the ground when we were on call bill was on call debbie brock administra tivesecretary for the depart ment worked with mr brown for 15 years she described the chief as a man with at natural ability to make a decision and a man with a permanent soft spot inhisheart we worked well together and i will miss him a great deal she said when chief beckett put his new office together over the weekend he wasnt worried about the future all that goes with being a firefighter thats the job but thats about to change bill brown provided a good solid foundation to build on chief beckett said he was ded icated to the fire department and the residents he always had the best interest of the department and the people of this town in mind when he made a decision and as a chief he knew how to make a decision he was a very good fire chief when mr brown left his full- time job in the automotive industry and took over com mand of the local fire depart ment from chiefwalter smith in 1986 the local fire department was made up of 20 volunteer firefighters thirty years ago our major function was fire said mr brown now its branched into rescue hazardous materials medical and fire prevention has a a big mandate we still see some horror stories but overall the public is learning preven tion we start to educate in the schools the teaching is making a difference msavjnghveshe said mr brown has saved lives he has saved many despite his best efforts a few lives were lost you deal with what you get he said you do the best job you can with what you have yes you remember the tough ones you see a lot of life being threatened when you deal with fires and accidents some stick in your mind ifs all part of your life i guess some of it was hard to do responding to emergency calls is no ninetofive job mr brown missed many a christmas dinner more relaxing weekends than hed care to remember and he and his wife sharon havent taken a real holi day in 15 years all that goes with being a firefighter thafs the job but thats about to change he stressed bom raised and educated in stouffville mr brown and his wife arecontemplating building a new home on property they own in bobcaygeon a new start in a new town has its appeal yes itll be quite a change for us he admitted bb small take far crooks two garage breakiris last week end in stouffville netted crooks a less- thanimpressive bounty 12 golf balls arid 3 in cadiantire money the first incident occurred friday night at a sandale road home with an unlocked garage door providing easy entry for the culprits i h they ransacked two vehicles parked inside and made off with 3 in canadian tire money police have no suspects or wit nesses the second breakiri happened on wheeler crescent sunday at 4 am three youths broke into the garage removing a golf club and 12 balls deciding to practice his drive before fleeing one youth took aim swung his club arid shot breaking a garage light at a neighbouring home he dropped the club and the three fled as the neighbour who heard breaking glass called police anyone with information is asked to call 9058811221 ext7500 or crime stoppers at 1800222ttps 175000 damage from fire at plant a fire in a manufacturing plant on woodbine avenue just north of bloomjngton road over the weekend remains under investigation on saturday night firefighters from both the wwtchurchstouffville fire department and central york fire servicesrespqnded tpa firjin the front section of crown manufacturing causing 175000on damages wwtchurchsfouffyille fire chief tim beckett said it took firefighters more than an hour to bring the blaze under control while cause of the blaze is not sus- piciousthe fire remajnsurier inves tigation me fire chief said v quotewrthyf we are blessed here in whitchurchstouffville and tlie need in igoma is so great larry simpson on twinning project with african village see story on page 5 contacting usi have a news tip please phone us at 9056402612 email us at jmasonyrngcom visit us at 34 civic ave stoujfviller