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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1997-05-14, Page 30IN THE NEWS Times -Advocate, May 21, 1997 Page 3 Fire works • display The Stephen Township Fire De- partment couldn't have Umed the fireworks display any better on Sunday night. The im- pressive light show held in Cre- diton finished just as it started to rain. Firefighters exploded ap- proximately $4,000 of fireworks and the proceeds from this year's show go toward funding the next Victoria Day fireworks display. From left, Amber Lord, Erin Bowers, Lisa Johnson and Jenna Wareing react to the . fire in the sky. Council cuts funds for program rr Continued from front page ',i iiia' and the filial tooth.) ('uts . this' year will reduce the hoard's budget to $45,(MX) and the` cxiia $2.55u will nu longe; .hc• availahte for the 1998 Willie'. season. How- cvci. Brown -said the Arena Board . still has the option of otiering the tie time to the schools._ "It's up to the Aicna Board to manage the operation and they can still .choQM. to .,t lc: the 1.C,.le. s thou tic cision,". said BritNq adding n d,. Cpl 1 d the grant in response. t„ "holt tightenuig throughout all do partments." • Jack Glavin; Arena Board Chairperson. said he would like to keep the school skat ing program going. hut it will be difficult without the earmarked ftinds. "They're (council) saying its up to us as a hoard if we want td gi%c t the schoolsfillttcc time. but we won't get the money tit sup/hi/1 the pro gram," said Glasin, adding if it did offer the program the Arena Board (council would have to absorb a penses such -as staff hums and hydro. Glavin said council put the Arena - Board in a tough position because iMost of the 'money in rescrres was used to replace the deteriorating "chiller. a vital component in the arena's cooling system.. "They put us on the spot by drop- . ping the money from the_ budget- and leaving . it up to us to decide what to do_ We wani to uffos (the program) hut howit an ire..if a dory t: have imi iey-P' • Brown Said council didn't dictate how the board allocated the. 52.5.50 and' the money was used to pay for reg- ularice rental rates. port the pro-• ‘,..By doing so we were grant '+ 'subsidizing the arena ' not. just the school (skat- ing program,. The.arena. can provide that -ice in the noddle of the day at a very marginal cost," said Brown. Rob Snell. principal for Stephen Central School. said the free :kat- 1 ing at the arena was included in the They're saying 1I.s up to us as a ..board if we.want to give (the schools) ice . time, but we won't get the money to sup - school's physical education pro- gram, and all students were encour- aged to. take -part. He said he was .not aware of the decision facing the Arena Board hut remains optimistic the skating program will continue next winter. "We certainly appreciate the. fact the ice time was .available to us through the goodness of Township Council.. but if the • money isn't available through town coffers then We'll try to tout another way to - fund it, id Stiehl"' Co it t rfta1r _i an n tion tit *they .t ee•alrca y un.,. raising for the arena expansion pro- ject - "The hoard will have to figure nut where the money will come from and we hope -we can work out something with the schools." he said. • As of • Friday. Glavin � said. the Arena Board has ntit• rrr8d�' a final"; decision but he feels .there will he something -available to the schools "This program is important to the community -especially for the -kids' who don't play hockey. For some if these kids it's the only time - hey 'rc on the ice ". Keep a Strong Voice... RE-ELECT John Richa d • Promotes Job Creation • Knows Small Business • Makes People a Priority • Supports.a Balanced Budget • Stands up for Agriculture PERrII Mt[DiFSFi STRATFORD ONTA RK) 164 OrtW to Sv..I 271.1101 1.600-S4W-26n LIOTOWEL 102 Main Stroll W 291 1324 67 MARYS 26 Wailtn,ton Street S 2M-0566 LUCAN 169 Main SYNC 221-0496 UMW Inch rdson cyypp nee Mop is www cyp n»v-Ylc`toe•oe Perth -Middlesex John Richardson ...Dedicating himself to helping people II#Libeial :l PERTH -MIDDLESEX Autnon2 s1 Dy Mogi hit 0011.613 Official Agent OPP contract policing subject to new formula by Marion Duke Listowel Burner STRATFORD—It is likely municipalities being policed under Ontario Provincial Police contracts will face increased costs, effective Jan. 1. 1998. Speaking lo the annual .conferen-ce of the Organization of Small Urban Municipalities, Staff Sergeant Michael Read, of the Contract Policing Section of the OPP, made a number of announcements. He prefaced his remarks with the proviso the Police • Services Amendment Act has yet to pass the legislative process. However, he said while there may be some modifications to the final legislation, no significant 't'changes are anticipated. The Act (Bill 105) is expected tato take effect Jan. I. 1998. Following his remarks, and answering a number of I questions, he was approached by a number of delegates with specific questions. • 'Staff Sgt. Read left little doubt in the minds of ;'municipal delegates the cost of OPP contract policing is likely to increase. The reason is that up until now costs were based on a 1982 costing formula. Now the Management Board 'of Cabinet has approved a revised OPP costing formula which will be used for alt costings. and preparation of -actual policing costs beginning Jan. I. 1998. Since amendment to the Police Services Act stipulate. alt municipalities will have to pay for policing, details of -the new formula have been eagerly sought.' At present approximately 576 municipalities. representing about 15 per cern of the total population of Ontario, receive OPP service at no direct cost. Moratorium Staff Sgt. Read said in November 1995, the soltcitor general announced a major review of the structure and financing of • policing in Ontario, and placed a moratorium on costing requests. • He advised municipal delegates they will soon receive an estimate of their OPP policing costs. based. on 1996 workload date. However: he stressed _these estimates "arc just that — estimates." in October municipalities wilt receive a better estimate, based on workload data collected from Jan. 1. 1997. 'These estimates should -assist you in assessing y• our policing expenditures." he said. - • Included in thenew-formula will be estimates for: • Direct costs (salaries, wages, and benefits of uniform and civilian staff);. - • Equipment costs (vehicles, uniforms, supplies, communication. dispatch); • • - • Support •Services (communications operators.. prisoner guards); • Indirect -costs • in supJtitt of the municipal OPP services; such as regional -and general headquarters (preciously not included in costings) - 'Not -104.141(W.----- -- - - -- - Staff Sgt. Read advised delegates it is unlikely any municipal police service will be charged for services provided by specialists, or special , teams of the Ontario Provincial Police called in to provide assistance. He said the feeling now is the practice of providing such service without charge to municipalities will • remain - even though revisions to Section 19 of the Act now provide that the OPP may. with the approval of the solicitor general. charge a municipality for any service it provides under the Act. Other services not included in estimates for OPP contract policing -will include: • Traffic patrol on King's highways; • Waterways policing, unless the -municipality is designated; - • Investigative' services maintained • . municipal police forces; . - • Provincial emergency/disaster • Policing in provincial parks or Crown land within a -municipality. ' Staff Sgt. Read said police services have always • . had. the responsibility of providing . "adequate and effective police services in accordance with the needs of the municipality." - However, there has never been a' defint'aon of "adequate and effective." he said. "That is up_until .• now. . the amended Act will define:adequate and.' effective.' " ' "The Act provides that at a minimum. all, -of the following core police services must he provided by a police force: crime prevention. law enforcement. assistance- to_ victims of crime. .public order maintenance, and emergency response." • . "A municipality will. also he responsible for providing all.the infrastructure and administration • necessary; including vehicles. boats. equipment. • • •communication.deviees, building and supplies." Staff Sgt. Read said. • - • Police boards - ` The -.Police Services Amendment Act alters- • the composition of police services boards. Staff Sgt. Read. - advised. "A hoard shall consist of an equal number /of municipal and provincial appointees. and one member' who is "neither a municipal council member or municipalemptoyee, and who shall be app?inted by the council." - Presently on a five -member board. the provinr.e has three appointees: and the muni.:ipality two (including the mayor as an ex officio member). Staff Sgt. Read also noted the amended Act now gives municipal councils tete responsibility of deciding whether to request an-OPP costing ft,rrpolico servicing of the municipality. Previously this i the -9nendetenfthe-Police ServicesBoard` `1 tr`� • 30% Discount on DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT RINGS and ANNIVERSARY DIAMOND RINGS Over $2000.00 with .Cash or Cheque 25% Discount on DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT RINGS, ANNIVERSARY DIAMONDS and WEDDING RINGS with Credit Canf or Layaway Plan from 9i(ay 1 to May 31