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6 stouffville suntribune thursday oct 9 2003 opinion publisher ian pr0u0f00t telephone 9056402612 fax 9056408778 email jmasonyrngcom website wwwyorkregioncom editorial trustees play vital role in our schools respect for years school board trustees com plained the provincial tories showed them little taking away their power to tax and cutting their pay to 5000 a year their roles were diminished during the common sense revolution as the province forced school boards to stick to a strict perpupil funding formula a for mula that helped growth areas such as york region build more schools but failed to recognize the individual needs of boards parents demanded better busing special education more books better facilities but trustees hands were tied by a rigid funding formula its true the tories helped trim fat from school boards with their micro- managing but they left trustees inca pable of responding to the needs of their constituents it has been suggested taking away trustees power has had a ripple effect on next months municipal elections only 30 candidates are vying for 12 public school board seats and 10 catholic school seats across york region theres- little doubt trustees would have continued to been seen as a neces sary evil of local government had ernie eves and the conservatives won last weeks election but ontario has chosen change and dalton mcguintys liberals the archi tects of that change will alter the role of trustees as well the grits have not called directly for a new role for school board trustees ifs their method of governing that will likely see locally elected officials play a bigger part in education first of all the liberals have recog nized that a onesizefits all fundingfor- mula amounts to the blind centralization of a massive and diverse education sys tem a new formula must allow trustees and school boards to undertake needed longterm financial planning by provid ing benchmarked funds for forseeable costs such as staff salaries insurance hydro and other unavoidable increases the liberal government should not make the mistake of trying to determine whats best for school boards when deciding where specialized funding should go trustees educations grassroots politicians should do that job respect dont worry mr and mrs trustee ifs coming if someone bid say iheyd v bring the turkeyl letters to the editor residents wasting water not sorting recycling material a tv announcer was recently talking about the price of gasoline arid how people are upset about it they need the gasoline so they have to pay for it whatever the price then he outlined how much bottled water is bought people pay more for a bottle of water than a litre of gas and say nothing how much bottled water is wasted i work as a volunteer no pay at the stouffville recycling depot saturday mornings i was brought up to waste not want not i thought of this as i was pushing the plastic and tin back in the bin many bottles were still half full or more waste of money i should say so also people dont know enough to empty the water out water is neither tin nor plastic 1 or 2 which can go into the recycling bin people are still throwing in plastic bottles marked 4 5 6 7 or 8 which we volunteers have to get out before these bottles are buried dont bring in ketchup or syrup bottles car oil bottles that dont have a 2 marked on them or yogurt containers of any size or make please do your sorting at home leave at home what we at the sfouffville depot cant take for containers such as margarine sour cream and cottage cheese we take the lids only if the container is marked 2 on the bottom dorothy wagg stouffville the stouffviue sun welcomes your letters all submissions must be less than 400 words and must include a daytime telephone number name and addressthe stouffviue suntribune reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for clarity and space write letters to the editor34 civic ave po box 154stouffville l4a7z5 email jmasonymgcom terry fox runners schools raised more than 67000 an amazing day the terry fox run in stouffviue saw people of all ages infants to 80- yearolds from all areas of our town and beyond participate in pur best ever terry fox run more than 53000 was raised for cancer research sept 14 our school community added another 14000 for a grand total exceeding 67000 many thanks to all who participated pledged others volunteered the corporate challenge teams who embraced the idea of encouraging their staff and clients to participate and the staff students and parents at orchard park glad park whitchurch highlands and st brigid schools for celebrating the life of terry fox at their own school events darrell fox terrys brother was able to see first hand the spirit the community of stouffville pos sesses sandy schell kennedy stouffville terry fox run coordinator suntribune a metroland community newspaper 34 crvic ave 3rd floor stouffville ontario l4a7z5 phone 9056402612 fax9056408778 classified 18007433353 distribution 9052948244 website wwwyorkregioncom email jmasonymgcom member ontario community newspapers association canadian community newspapers association ontario press council editor in chief business manager sales manager new business debora kelly robert lazurko development distribution editor advertising director dawna andrews jim mason retail sales flyers general manager reporters nicole fletcher york region printing joan ransberry hannelore volpe advertising director classified bob dean retail sales manager steve kane real estate events management gord paolucd director marketing promotions sales representative managing director real estate debraweller susanberry mike rogerson production manager director of production shows manager stacey allen pam nichols johnfuthey- office manager 1 distribution manager classified manager vivian cneil barryblack ann campbell il off the top with jim mason warming up to another election its an amazing phenomenon every three years experts pop up like election signs more on them later offering advice on whom to vote for and why in the municipal election and in case youre still caught up in the postvote drama zzzzz of last thursdays provincial election there is a municipal vote en route too nov 10 to be exact its a little easier to spot the signs liter- ally now that all the klees and jaczek sig nage has disappeared from the land scape onvhitchurchstouffville municipal candidates were at it on the weekend putting up their signs in prime spots especially in the two stourrville- based wards 5 and 6 hes got nice signs a woman said to me of a candidate as if font selection and colour choice were prerequisites to work on council what is this whilevbu were out truth is theres much more to holding a council seat than dressing nicely and putting out nice brochures voters should do their homework before heading for their neighbourhood polling station on election day but with the last council meeting of the current term over two days ago watching your elected ones in official action is out of the question advice speak to the candidates oneonone theyll come to you if they dont it may be a sign ask the tough questions what will your neighbourhood look like in 10 and 20 years how will they improve your ward and the community as a whole dont accept answers like well have to study onthat when i get elected or it depends on what the people want hogwash if someone doesnt have an answer fair enough but then they should get the inforrnation and take a stand there are three preelection forums set thewhitchurchstouffville chamber of commerce hosts events for the may oral candidates wednesday at the ballantrae community centre and oct 30 at lafxham hall in stouffville the suntribune and whitchurch- stouffville public library hold a debate for council and mayoral hopefuls oct 20 at stouffville district secondary school wont be there then you dont have a leg to stand on during the next local crisis jim mason is editor of the stouffville suntribune