NEW “The Grill on the Green” Restaurant OPENING SOON! |
visit www.elmiragolfclub.com & sign up to WIN our “FREE Golf Fore Life” contest
SWEET SPRING SALE!
3 greenfees for $104.99 | Sat. 10-3 | Mon. to Fri. 10-6 | Limited time offer ends April 11th
BOOK YOUR TEE-TIMES ONLINE
40 Eldale Road, Elmira
www.elmiragolfclub.com |
Memberships & Tournament Dates Available | Wed. Men’s League May - Sept. | Junior Camp July 14th - 17th
519.669.1652
04 | 05 | 2014 VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 14
APRIL BRINGS DAFFODIL CAMPAIGN LIVING HERE PAGE 32
COMMENT PAGE 8
SUNSHINE LIST ONLY PART OF THE OPENNESS REQUIRED
The sun shines on a growing list of government workers
Leaked budget document hints at Hwy. 7 delays
ELMIRA MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL SATURDAY
Kitchener-Conestoga MPP accuses government of flip-flopping; government has since stuck with original 2015 start date for project
STEVE KANNON Woolwich and Wellesley townships contributed nine members to a list of almost 3,600 people in the region who earned more than $100,000 on the public payroll in 2013. Across the province, the list — which includes doctors, nurses, teachers, police and firefighters in addition to civil servants — grew by 11 per cent to 97,796 names, up from 88,412 in 2012. The provincially mandated salary information was released last week. In Woolwich, chief administrative officer David Brenneman was the highest paid of township employees, taking in $141,820.61 plus taxable benefits of $799.47. Director of engineering and planning Dan Kennaley was paid $109,585.63 plus $799.47 in taxable benefits, the same as director of finance/treasurer Richard Petherick and director of council and information services/clerk Christine Broughton. Township fire chief Rick Pedersen received $109,585.63, while director of recreation and SUNSHINE | 7
www.OBSERVERXTRA.com
WILL SLOAN
Elmira Maple Syrup Festival volunteers Tom O’Hara and Carl Mueller bring out the ticket booth and sift through some old signs on Wednesday in preparation for Saturday’s festivities. [ELENA MAYSTRUK / THE OBSERVER]
Plans for a new Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph could be pushed to 2016, according to leaked budget documents released by the Ontario PC Caucus on Tuesday. Despite a 2015 start date approved at Queen’s Park in December 2012, the leaked “Budget Rollout Calendar” states, “Construction is planned to start in 2016-2017 and be completed in 2020-2021.” The provincial government first approved the highway in 2007 after decades of discussion, but progress has been slow. Members of the Provincial Liberal government deny the allegations. In an interview, Conservative Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Michael Harris used the leaked document as evidence of Liberal flipflopping.
“Just look at the track record: a promise in 2007 when there was an election; cancelled in 2010; there was a by-election in Waterloo and it was committed in 2012. You know what? They’re all about making announcements to convince people if you vote for them they’ll deliver, but Highway 7 is a great example that the Liberals just want to trick voters.” He added, “I think you really have to ask yourself: Will this highway ever get built? … This Highway 7 should have been done by now.” The highway is expected to take pressure off the current route (at two lanes, one of the busiest of its kind in Ontario) and the 401. All parties are in agreement over its merits. “There have long been calls for a new Highway 7 or improvements,” said HWY. 7 | 7
WHERE TIRES ARE A SPECIALTY,
NOT A SIDELINE.
Farm - Auto - Truck - Industrial - Lawn & Garden - On The Farm Service
ELMIRA, ON | 519-669-3232
AT PARTICIPATING STORES