Satuitday, Janoaty 4;'1992 me | Water hikes force WKP to up fees further Jonathan Green NEWS REPORTER Already alarmed by a proposed rate increase of 8.9 per cent for 1992, West Kootenay Power customers may be getting more than they bargained for. _In November, WKP applied to the B.C. Utilities Commis- sion for a 4.2 per cent rate increase as of Jan. 1. : At that time, WKP was awaiting the commission’s deci- sion on new supply agreements with Cominco Ltd., which, if approved, would result in a further increase of 4.7 per cent. But now, because of a government decision to increase wa- ter fees charged to hydro-electric producers by 15 per cent, an additional increase of 2.1 per cent is in the works. All these numbers add up to a total increase of 11 per cent this year. : ' . WKP’s Mike Bradshaw Said of the three, the water licence fee increase was unavoidable. “It’s a government decision,” he said, “It’s one that isn’t within our spectrum of control.” : In a previous interview, Bradshaw said that a deal was struck to p Cominco’s excess power, which would then be sold to WKP customers. . “We rely on Cominco for a cheap supply of power,” he said. Thursday, Bradshaw said that after receiving approval from both the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Resources and the B.C. Utilities Commission, the agreements with Comin- co are a done deal. “In broad terms, the Cominco agreements have been ap- proved,” he said, “The 4.7 per cent will likely come to pass.” _ For now, the BCUC has granted WKP approval of the 4.2 Led ce increase on an interim refundable basis, effective fan.1. Bradshaw said that before final approval for the increase can be granted, it must go before a public hearing, with the key word being refundable. “Tt could be rolled back a bit after a public hearing,” he said, “That’s why it’s refundable.” Bradshaw said that WKP customers can look for the rate’ increases in their statements for January-February. Fireside fumes @ Castlegar hotel owner outraged with city over hike in business licence Scott David Harrison EDITOR 9 Ernie Turta staged a tax revolt and won. The owner of Castlegar’s Fireside Inn con- tacted The News Tuesday to complain about the cost of his 1992 business licence. Turta was outraged to find out the cost of do- ing business in Castlegar had gone up by some _ 150 per cent. “I can understand the cost going up, but not that much,” he said Tuesday. Turta paid $180 for his business licence in 1991. However, that fee was going to jump to $380 this year. “That is unbelievable,” he said. “I’m mad as hell at the city.” Turta said he was getting the runaround from Castlegar and asked The News to make an inquiry for him. : According to Castlegar’s permits and li- cences manager Phil Markin, Turta’s increase over hefty fees comes at a time when the city is attempting to _bring its business fees in line with other mu- nicipalities. Ata council session Nov. 5, the city agreed to consider the creation of a bylaw to allow it to in- crease licences in line with those in Nelson. * To Turta and other hotel-motel owners, that means théy could be charged a basic fee of $50, followed by an-additional $6 for every suite in 1992. . Z That compares to the $20 basic fee and $3 per suite they were charge in 1991. “That’s a huge increase, especially in one year,” Turta said. While increases are pending; Turta received good news of sorts late Tuesday. Following The News’ inquiry, Turta was in- formed he wouldn’t have to pay the $380 to keep his door open in 1992. - Instead; he was told his case would be brought before city council. “It’s a bit of a victory, ll say so,” Turta said when contacted Thursday. “T could stand an increase of 25 per cent, but not one that’s approaching 200 per cent.” Hall gains southern support Jonathan Green NEWS REPORTER The thought of saving Kin- ism,” he said, “Who knows $1,700 in revenue. what we could have been do- Veysey couldn’t understand how a dollars and cents atti- MaSannday, Wanuaty 4; 1992” Winter woes... CITY OF CASTLEGAR INSPECTOR Regional District of Central Kootenay. maintenance of municipal buildings and structures. regulations. © collective agreement. undersigned by Friday, January 24, 1992. day. There were no. injuries reported in the accident. * s uae News photo by Jonathan Green Just when we thought Old Man Winter had given up on us for the season, Thursday came along. Winter blew into Castlegar with vengeance, prompting a three-car Collision:near the Kinnaird bridge. The driver of this truck, which was bound for Vancouver, received the bulk of the damage, losing his front bumper. It also forced him to delay his Vancouver trek another Personnel Officer | City of Castlegar 460 Columbia Avenue, Castlegar; B.C. V1N 1G7 BUILDING/LICENCE A Building/Licence Inspector is required by the City of Castlegar, a growing municipality of approximately 7,000 people located in the This person performs regulatory, inspection, prevention, and enforcement work of a technical and administrative nature, involving the administration of applicable Provincial regulations and municipal bylaws relating to building,-property, and business licensing, and the planning, scheduling and supervision of work-_relating to the Much of the work entails responsibility for accepting or rejecting proposed or inspected work which does not comply with City bylaws on other legislation or regulations, and the incumbent exercises considerable independent judgement both in making technical decisions and in interpreting and. enforcing such legislation and The successful candidate will have considerable experience related to the work in a journeyman capacity and/or completion of a recognized course in Building Technology and/or extensive experience within the construction industry in a supervisory position and/or Level One, Two or Three certificate from the Building Inspectors Association of B.C. (B.I.A.B.C.). Level Three preferred. The salary range and benefit package is in accordance with the Interested individuals should submit a detailed resume to the naird Hall has another sup- porter, and he’s not even a Canadi Doug Veysey teaches com- merce at Myrtle Point High School in Myrtle Point, Ore- gon, about five hours south- west of Portland. In atelephone conversation Thursday, the former Castle- gar resident said that the old hall kept him out of trouble in his youth. “We could have been run- ning in the streets, vandal- “Going to Kinnaird Hall kept me on the straight and narrow.” Veysey grew up in Castle- gar, and graduated from high school in 1976. § Through his subscription to The Castlegar News, Veysey learned of the Dec. 17 council meeting that dealt with the fu- ture of the 50-year-old hall. Figures introduced at the meeting showed that the hall costs the city $15,000 yearly to maintain, yet generates only tude could be applied to the hall’s future. 5 “It may not be cost-effec- tive,” he said, “but the amount of good done is beneficial.” Veysey believes that the people of Castlegar should come to the hall’s rescue, and offered to contribute to the cause. “I would pledge $50,” he said, “and I encourage the peo- ple of Castlegar to do the . same. Ki Hall deserves a chance.” Members of the local motor vehicle branch and the RCMP were out in full force Monday, randomly checking vehicles on Columbia Avenue for safety in- fractions as part of the CounterAttack campaign.Const. Russell Sangster got to do the dirty work, checking the air brakes on large trucks. Mo Barry of the MVB got to keep his uniform clean, documenting Sangster’s findings. To serve and protect News photos by Jonathan Green HOURS: Mon.-Thurs. & Sat. EE ! Regular or Diet Big Dipper Ice ‘Cream 4L : . | Limit of 1. 1 Plus Deposit EEN I BA Ground. 2° | scot 1 Lean - 5-8 Ib. pkg. 3°Kg. Ib. Se anna n= == - === === <4 iNo Name White or Whole Wheat (Jumbo | Sliced Bread 1 irowels qa 10 Roll Pack es 570 g. em of 2 With this Coupon. || Loaf “719 |" SAS ee : 3 a Potatoes q “7 49 1 J ee pecials for extra savings! — Castlegar Foods | Will honor all competitors in-store 635 Columbia Ave., Castlegar WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES. Prices Effective January 4-7th. coupons while stocks last. Watch for more | great savings in Wednesday’s Castlegar News.