The Ottawa Citizen from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • 25

INSIDE: A camp for kids, dogs and horses, C3 Action Line, C6 Classified, C7 Editor: Rob Warner, 726-5981 citythecitlzen.canwest.com UESDAY, JULY 13, 2004 THE OTTAWA CITIZEN SECTION We deserve op to $100,000 ayear, eoundDor ay Current $70,000 salary 'quite low' for amount of work, responsibility son to run for office if the pay is too low. He added that it was a long time between raises for councillors. Politically, Mr. Bedard said he believes a raise to between $80,000 and $100,000 is impossible because the public outcry would be too great. However, he believes the electorate would acquiesce to a three-percent boost for councillors.

See RAISE on PAGE C2 less than a week after city management asked for a three-percent salary increase and reported that union settlements are likely to be between three and 3.5 per cent. Those boosts had some councillors steaming. Mr. Bedard doesn't believe the current council should get a raise because its members ran knowing what their remuneration would be. However, he said the new council members in 2006 should have their salaries increased to better reflect their duties and responsibilities.

Mayor Bob Chiarelli said he will wait until fall when a community committee reports on the issue to speak out on salaries. However, Mr. Chiarelli said he finds it "distasteful" for council to be forced to vote on its own salaries. The mayor also said it is difficult to get a good calibre of per yesterday. Councillors oversee a budget of about $2 billion at the city, he said.

Meanwhile, federal and municipal middle managers, with much less responsibility, make in the $80,000 to $100,000 range. "The present pay is quite low when you compare it with middle-management jobs at the city or federal government," Mr. Bedard said. Mr. Bedard's comments come for very little money," said the Rideau-Vanier Ward councillor.

Salaries for elected officials should be pegged and then raised automatically each year through a cost-of-living index, Mr. Bedard said. "That way it won't be a political issue," the councillor said BY KEN GRAY Georges Bedard believes he and his fellow councillors are woefully underpaid and should receive between $80,000 and $100,000 per year rather than their current $70,000. "We work seven days a week PIPINGT0THETUNE0FS800 Cj XVXV George Muggleton, centre, a 17-year-old bagpiper who was thrown out of the Byward Market for playing his instrument, played his pipes on the corner of Conroy Road and Thurston Drive yesterday, raising $800 toward a trip to Scotland with his bagpipe band. The teenager said he needs a total of $1,300 to pay all of the fees associated with the trip.

Aside from collecting a little money by playing at a few bars in the area, he plans to set up shop on the corner again within the next couple of weeks. He had a little musical accompaniment yesterday from drummer Jocelyn Lepage, 19, and bagpiper Allie MacDonald, 15. City opts to negotiate over church parking lot Says it can't win legal battle with archdiocese over restrictions on site BY JAMES GORDON Facing the prospect of losing a potentially expensive legal battle with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ottawa, the city is trying to negotiate terms for a controversial development behind the Notre Dame Basilica on Sussex Drive. Last summer, the municipality's planning and development committee voted to allow the demolition of two vacant buildings, to be replaced by a temporary parking lot. It attached a condition requiring the lot only be used by parishioners, however, and council agreed.

In February, the archdiocese surprised the committee by announcing it would appeal the restriction to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), because it wanted to use the lot to generate an estimated $500,000 a year in revenue. While the city planned to take the fight to the OMB in two weeks, it hasn't been able to find a planner willing to defend its position. According to committee chairman Peter Hume, going before the board without one is akin to "going before a judge without evidence. "It won't be successful," the Alta Vista Ward councillor said yesterday. "When you can't find a planner willing to take your case, usually your case isn't that good." In response, city lawyer Timothy Marc approached the archdiocese, which said it would agree to a clause in the site plan that would require all parking lot proceeds go toward the destruction of the existing buildings, the eventual creation of new ones in the parking lot's place and disabled access to the church.

That offer didn't appease Lowertown community members and city councillors because it didn't address their concern that the temporary lot will turn into a permanent revenue generator for the church. Mr. Marc had a private meeting yesterday with community members and staff in Rideau-Vanier Councillor George Bedard's office to hammer out a counter-offer, to be presented in camera at committee today. See LOT on PAGE C2 WIRELESS CAFE ENTRY BALLOT reUtiers and titer fwniies tana rewiveu an nm eiiote. local laws and reoutatiom apply.

Entrants, by partkipatirM) fire has 'robbed' Vanier Chiarelli wants to 'revisit' cancellation of leaf pickup ace, crucial resources gpi JULIE OLIVER, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN KIER GILMOUR, THE OTTAWA CITIZEN McArthur Plaza, was a regular destination for many of the area's residents, especially its seniors. See FIRE on PAGE C2 CISCO SYSTEMS NAME: ADDRESS: CITY: POSTAL CODE. TEL (DAY): TEL (EVE): EMAIL McArthur of meetin BY JANICE KENNEDY The fire that destroyed a Vanier mall, leaving behind a pile of blackened rubble and losses estimated at more than $10 million, has also threatened something less tangible. Community connections. "I miss the Loeb (store)," said Michael Sloan, 48, a Donald Street resident who lives about half a kilometre from the McArthur Avenue shopping plaza and who grew up in the neighbourhood.

He was a regular customer for about 20 years. "I'm disappointed that the fire has robbed me of the Loeb store, as well as the other stores. The plaza was very convenient for me," said Mr. Sloan, who is disabled. The plaza's loss is also being felt by many store employees.

At 7-71 We would have to identify at least one-time funding for any amelioration that would take place this year." Mr. Chiarelli's statement came after councillors Jan Harder and Maria McRae said last week they were fighting to have a midsummer yard waste and brush pickup this summer. Ms. Harder's office has been busy with inquiries after the city halted the biweekly collection through July, August and September. "Eight out of 10 phone calls my office gets a day are about this," the Bell-South Nepean councillor said yesterday.

City staff have estimated that one extra summer pickup will cost about $270,000, she said. See PICKUP on PAGE C2 Mayor joins fellow councillors backing restoration of service BY KEN GRAY Mayor Bob Chiarelli has jumped on board the council bandwagon to restore some level of leaf and yard waste collection this summer. "I would be willing to look at revisiting that issue sooner than later," Mr. Chiarelli said yesterday. The mayor wants some kind of additional service initiated this year, but this must be discussed with staff before any details can be released.

"We need to get specific advice from staff," Mr. Chiarelli said. "It has budget implications. Michael Sloan, a regular at the Vanier plaza for 20 years, says the mall was 'very convenient' for him, especially since he has a disability. "It's a family that's been broken up," says Louise Masse.

"We're grieving and we're in shock." The 43-year-old Loeb cashier says that her store, like several other businesses in the 11 I 1 -CP; II i h-i rrr -K 1 1 a Uw tftt affldal tom only. All Mtritt btconw tht sote proort of Chco Strtttm Mtcsftst vtt wtt not bt rvtumtd. The wimwr rii be wlectcd randomry (ron tti atigibti Mtrtes submitttd. Tht irinntra must to prewnt to ckwm prim. Employ of Cisco System Bfcwsltst pvtldpitini sponsors, their distributors.

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