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Town committed to safe workplaces
Wednesday June 18 2008 By Rick Bonnette At our council meeting on June 10 we had  Steven Mahoney, the Chair of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) speaking to us.  
Mahoney delivered a powerful message about the importance of workplace safety.  It is unbelievable that two people every week in Ontario die while on their job. Many of you will remember the graphic commercials, one showing the young lady slipping on kitchen grease while carrying a pot of boiling water and severely burning her face, and the other of a construction worker getting blown off the seventh floor of a work site to his death caused by a propane tank explosion.
As shocking as these commercials are, they are based on real workplace accidents in Ontario. Many workplace accidents that occur happen to our youth having their first summer job. We all have a role to play to make sure that all employers make sure that our employees have a safe working environment to work in, and do what we can to avoid these horrific accidents.  
After Mahoney’s presentation, I signed the Community Workplace Health and Safety Charter. By signing the Charter, the Town of Halton Hills is making a public commitment to actively participate as a learning community that provides and receives best practices for enhancement of employees physical, social, and mental well-being, in all employee sectors within our community.
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All the best to Dr. David VanderBent for a speedy recovery. Dr. VanderBent had a medical practice in Acton for over 40 years, and retired due to illness.  
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If we get a dry summer like we had last year, remember to give the trees a good drink of water, even the ones on the boulevards. The Town just doesn’t have the resources to water all of the trees in our community.  
The average tree generates 117 kilograms of oxygen in a year. Plus, having healthy trees in front of your house does increase your property values.
Do you want to save water? Get a rain barrel. They are fabulous, and their doors have screens to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs.
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On behalf of council, I welcome the following new businesses to Acton:
X Marks the Fitness Spot
Rexall Pharma Plus
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Congratulations to Midas of Georgetown on celebrating Midas’ 40 years in the auto service industry.
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The Mayor’s Artwall is presently showcasing oil on canvas paintings by local  Williams Mill artist Margaret Peter.   
Margaret’s interest in texture is reflected in her floral, landscape, and fossil images. For inquiries, please e-mail margpeterprints@sentex.net.
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Keeping it real! I can be reached by telephone at 905-873-2601, ext. 2342, or by e-mail at mayor@haltonhills.ca.
—Rick Bonnette is the mayor of Halton Hills

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