HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2003-04-30, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2003.
Man talks of strategies to fight small crime
By Andrea Hruska
Special to The Citizen
Community Oriented Policing
committee member Richard Kular
feels hopeful that there are more
options for local business and
homeowners frustrated by small
crimes and boisterous activity in
their communities.
Kular recently represented the
committee at a one day seminar in
London on Crime Prevention
Through Environmental Design
(CPTED) and feels strongly that
implementing some of the strategies
of this program may bring peace of
mind to taxpayers. “We all know the
frustration we feel when the police
respond to a call about noisy
loiterers hanging around buildings or
parks and explain that nothing can be
done because no laws are being
broken.”
Kular continues, “This concept is a
See a lawyer, writer
Continued from page 4
apparent there was no power of
attorney for financial affairs.
Paperwork was in place at the
bank for me to pay bills, etc.
However I recognized I had no real
authority to deal with assets. As
there are other extended family
members, I felt it necessary to
protect myself and this estate by
doing everything as
compassionately, fairly and legally
as possible. Thus I set about
acquiring a power of attorney for this
person’s finances not knowing
anything about the process.
In an attempt to be non-partisan, I
contacted the lawyer who had
probated the other partner’s will for
assistance. Now, although I
recommend you pay a lawyer to
draw up your will and powers of
attorney, getting one on behalf of
someone else is another matter.
There are do-it-yourself kits
available for these items but as
regulations are always changing, it
only makes sense to see your lawyer.
He always has a copy then in the
event one gets misplaced. But as
this is relatively new ground,
lawyers have little experience in
acquiring powers of attorney in the
second person.
After some time I made an
application to the office of the
attorney-general and specifically to
the office of the public guardian and
trustee. For this area there is an
office in London but an application
also has to be approved by
headquarters. Don’t expect help,
they’re only there to process. This
was a frustrating, embarrassing
exercise which at times made this
applicant feel suspect. Although
there is apparently a booklet from
this office explaining this process,
they never sent it to me or even
explained the process in
conversation. Consequently many
happenings caught me by surprise.
The first step in the process for
either power of attorney is to have
the person, for whom the paperwork
is requested, assessed. The office of
the public guardian and trustee have
assessors paid for by the applicant.
Once the procedure is begun, a great
deal of paperwork must be filed on
their terms and at their convenience.
Once the office agreed to deal with
my application, they froze all bank
accounts, rerouted all mail, took over
all financial aspects and as there was
a house involved, turned off the
water and changed the locks on the
doors.
I can agree, that they were looking
out for the person’s bes’t interests.
However many personal items were
way for home and business owners
to change the environment around
their properties (to be less inviting)
and in effect, change the behaviours
of the people involved.”
OPP Sr. Const. Don Shropshall,
one of the two CPTED advisors for
Huron County suggested this “pro
active crime prevention program”
would also help control theft, break
and enter, mischief and property
damage.
Both Shropshall and Kular agree
that even simple changes around a
property, such as more lighting or
different landscaping, can
dramatically affect criminal
behaviour.
“People would rather commit
crimes hiding in shadows or lurking
behind bushes,” Sr. Const.
Shropshall explained. Therefore
adding more light sources or
trimming shrubs from the ground up
would be a deterrent.
still stored in that house to which no
one now had access.
Recognize that contrary to the
health issue, I was now dealing with
an agency far removed. In other
words a government agency now had
complete control. Regaining that
control is a real struggle and can be a
humiliating process regardless of
how honourable one’s intentions are.
The relative/friend had no available
funds.
If control had been refused,
application must be made for any
monies this person may need for
necessities from money that in
reality is theirs.
To pursue an application such as
this can be very costly for the
applicant if it goes to court, etc., and
some may back away for that reason.
They may not have the funds and
(the) estate may not either.
A person handling the financial
affairs of another person is required
to post a bond annually based on the
value of the estate. Early on in this
exercise I was told that the financial
affairs of many of the elderly are
handled by this government office
and I wondered if individuals give
up their quest because of the road
blocks they encounter.
When I called the MPP’s office for
help I was told that the office of the
public guardian and trustee operates
at arm’s length from the government
and the MPP essentially could do
nothing on my behalf.
To give details of all the
happenings during the weeks of the
application would fill a book.
Suffice it to say that some of them
bordered on the ridiculous. Example.
One day I was asked to speedily give
them a list of names of some family
members so their office could
obviously check me out.
By day’s end I had faxed them that
information. To my knowledge not
one of those people has ever been
contacted.
When I raised the issue of the sale
of the house I encountered much
resistance. While they control the
estate, an inspector(s) is sent in
Kular also learned that CPTED
has been used for more than five
years in the Peel Region of Ontario,
where building plans for anything
other than single family homes must
first pass by a CPTED inspection
before being approved.
“We screen the desirable areas,
entrances, dumpster areas,
landscaping.”
Bill Lee, Peel Region Planning
Dept, explained. “We try not to
impose but rather help people to use
common sense and design
accordingly.”
“Lee also explained that the parks
department is another area that gives
substantial consideration to CPTED
when planning. Peel Region sends
at least two employees through
CPTED training each year.”
Although CPTED aims to assist
businesses and homeowners to make
locations safer, it does not translate
into direct discounts on insurance
warns
periodically to assess and inspect a
home. Each time, the estate is
assessed a cost. Many are therefore
benefitting from an empty house.
While a house is empty, there are
still all those expenses to pay (hydro,
taxes, heat, etc.), the house
depreciates and the estate pays the
added government costs.
Each time the Office of the
Attorney General paid a bill, sold an
asset or dealt with an investment,
they took a service fee of between
three and five per cent of the value of
that transaction.
Run, don’t walk, to a lawyer and
get your affairs in order. These
pieces of paper ensure you have the
say over your health and wealth.
That way your family can look after
you knowing it is as you want.
If you have aging parents, talk to
them about these Powers of
Attorney. Recognize that this is not
easy for the issue deals with
mortality and some just cannot face
that. Moreover, many seniors dislike
revealing aspects of their affairs.
My hope is that by sharing details
of my experience, I can spare
someone a similar difficulty.
Brenda Radford.
in exeter (519) 235-0640 in clinton (519) 482-3466 in listowel (519) 291-6189
Heartland gm
Community Credit Union Limited
Where membership makes the difference
rates.
Doug Sholdice, of Sholdice
Insurance felt that “from a risk
management point of view, it could
potentially lead to a lower claims
history and in turn help to lower
rates.”
Mosquito
trapping begins
later this month
Continued from page 1
accepting dead crows May 5 with
mosquito trapping to begin later in
the month, he said.
Crows, 12-inch, all-black birds,
are the only birds in which the health
unit is interested as they are
indicators of the virus.
The trapping allows the health unit
to establish if the types of
mosquitoes which transmit the
disease are in the area, said
THE MUNICIPALITY OF
MORRIS-TURNBERRY
NOTICE TO AMEND THE FEES & CHARGES
FOR THE CONSUMPTION OF WATER
for the Municipal Water Users
in the Hamlet of Belgrave
Take notice that pursuant to Ontario Regulation 244/02, Section
12 (6) made under the Ontario Municipal Act, S.O. 2001, the
Council of the Municipality of Morris-Turnberry at its meeting to
be held on
Tuesday, May 6, 2003 at 8 p.m.
in the Council Chambers at the Municipality of
Morris-Turnberry
41342 Morris Road
propose to consider the amendment of fees and charges for the
consumption of water.
Anyone may attend the meeting outlined above. Further
information can be obtained by contacting the Municipal Office at
519-887-6137.
Nancy Michie
Clerk-Treasurer
Dated April 3, 2003
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We provide the financing to suit
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Locally, CPTED will be used in
the design of a proposed skateboard
park in Brussels.
Home or business owners seeking
more information on this crime
prevention initiative can contact
OPP.
Moxham.
Anyone finding a crow is asked to
call the Huron County Health Unit at
482-3416.
For further information on the
West Nile Virus or SARS, check the
Health Canada website at www.hc-
sc.gc.ca
Check out The Citizen's
WEBSITE
at www.northhuron.on.ca