Wednesday, January 20, 1993 @ School board faces deja vu Corinne Jackson NEWS REPORTER A six-year-old debate reared its ugly head at Mon- day’s School District No. 9 meeting. A growth spurt at Wood- land Elementary is causing an uncomfortable situation for its students. And some trustees believe the solution is as sim- ple as moving a portable onto the grounds. Others, however, want to know if there are better ways to remedy the situation. “Everyone knows there’s a problem, but what we're say- ing is 'that other solutions have to be explored,” trustee Mickey Kinakin said. After much debate, a mo- tion was passed that will see aschool boundary review take place. Woodland Park will re- ceive a portable if the study recommends such a move. The motion passed 4-3 after three trustees voted in favor, three against and one ab- stained — successfully pass- ing the motion. For some, the vote created a case of deja vu. Six years ago, the board voted 4-3 in favor of closing four rural schools because of budget constraints. According to Kinakin, rural parents and some trustees were angered with the decision, but other trustees promised that prob- lems — like the one at Wood- land Elementary — would not happen. The board has been forced to deal with the problem now that it has resurfaced, and Ki- nakin said, “it’s incumbent to explain if something changes, why.” One solution the review may consider is moving the boundaries and shuffling chil- dren to other inner-city schools to deal. with over- crowded classrooms. “If there are pressing prob- lems and they can move the boundaries a bit... that makes more sense on a purely ethical level than having kids sitting in portables.” Kinakin said it’s unlikely rural schools would reopen any time soon, unless num- bers warranted it. The portable up for grabs is one of five sitting at Stanley Humphries Secondary School. In other board decisions, Castlegar Primary, Robson El- ementary and the Stay-in- School program for young moms have been promised one portable each. Vandalism has students frustrated Corinne Jackson NEWS REPORTER Kinnaird Middle School enough is enough. After a vehicle plowed through the school’s front doors Saturday and Tuesday, principal Bruce Gerrand said students are getting frus- trated. “What I’m hearing from the kids is ‘I wish that whoever is doing this would leave us alone,” Gerrand said. “We try and pride our- selves on having a nice school.” He said the senseless vandalism “makes you so angry.” Castlegar RCMP say the two incidences may be related to a Tuesday break-in at the Glade students say Esso, where a pick-up is believed to have smashed into the station’s door to gain entry. An unknown quantity of cigarettes was stolen from the Glade Esso, while there are no reported thefts from the KMS incidents. “I feel (there’s a) connection,” Hudema said. unique.” “The method by which entry was gained was As for other recent Castlegar break-ins, Hudema said, have, there’s nothing to indicate (these three “by the physical evidence we im Wednesday, January 20, 1993 Mi Mayor Audrey Moore on three committees Scott David Harrison EDITOR George Cady said he is looking for positive relations between with Castlegar. Amid rumors that Castle- gar may be shut-out of com- mittee representation, Cady has appointed Mayor Audrey Moore to three Regional Dis- trict of Central Kootenay po- sitions Saturday. Moore found herself on the three committees when Cady released his 1993 appoint- ments, including the five- member Building, Planning and Development Services Committee. “(Moore) is very interested in the future developments within the regional district and we can use her knowl- edge,” Cady said. Moore will also serve as Committee in dealing with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Cady said Moore was the ideal selec- tion, pointing to her Second Vice President status with the FCM. The Castlegar representa- tive will also serve on the five-member Government Awareness Committee. Meanwhile, Area J Direc- tor Ken Wyllie was also ap- pointed to three committees, while Area I Director John Voykin was appointed to four. Wyllie joins Moore on Gov- ernment Awareness and he will also serve on the Re- sources and Boards of Health Committees. Voykin will act as Wyllie’s alternate of the Boards of Health, but he will also work with the Waste Manage- ment, Court of Revisions and Building, Planning and De- velopment Services Commit- Neil Rachynski NEWS REPORTER Castlegar taxpayers will be paying for a “status quo” budget. That was the city’s message to 26 people at Monday’s Second Annual Public Budget Meeting. The city’s op- erational budget was dealt with, and the more contentious item — the cap- ital budget — was put off to a Feb. 17 public meeting. The estimated expenditures of the city are over $10.5 million for 1993. Out of that, $4.3 million is collected for items such as hospitals, schools and the Regional District of Central Koote- nay. That compares to 1992's expendi- tures of around $10 million. After tak- ing into account the transfer of over $1.5 million to the capital budget, the city’s operating costs are about $4.7 on. The city “states there are no signif- icant increases. Increases reflect infla- tion, both in salary costs and in pur- chases of goods from external suppli- ers and agencies.” Downtown revitalization is expect- ed to cost just over $2 million, and the RCMP building $1.7 million. Coun. Lawrence Chernoff said Celgar Pulp Company’s increased taxes will offset the cost of these two projects. But Coalition Unaccepting Rash Bureaucracy vice-president Walter Flux criticized the city, saying it relies too heavily on taxes from major indus- try. Celgar and Pope and Talbot make REVENUES 4,946,731 (46.9%) 391,960 (3.7%) 394,627 (3.7%) 4,292,149 (40.7%) COTaxes & Grants ZdService Fees Z) Collections Ml Prov. Grants up more than 56 per cent of the city’s property tax revenue. Flux argued that the city “is placing too much dependency on Celgar and ‘Pope and Talbot” to finance its capital projects. City administrator Gary Williams replied by saying capital projects de- mand long-range planning, which, in turn, means some assumptions must be made. “We see no reason why (Cel- gar and Pope and Talbot) won't be here two years from now,” Williams said. For the second year running, resi- dents will also see a two per cent de- Wi Internal Rentals EXPENDITURES Co) Administration” C2 Other WM Street Maint. Protective Serv. Trans. to Capital Collections crease on their property taxes. A de- crease has also been proposed for 1994 —the fourth straight year the city has proposed cuts. Castlegar and District Chamber of Commerce president Ron Armbruster seemed satisfied with the proposed 1993 budget. “There’s nothing that really jumps out at me,” Armbruster said. “It looks like a fairly responsible budget to me.” Mike O’Connor’s comments were not so favorable. The CURB president said voters won't have a say on whether Castlegar converts to one cen- CAPITAL PROJECTS (_J Downtown CZ) Paving RCMP Building MM Fire Hall Equipment Other Projects tral fire hall. “I don’t like the fact that (Coun.) Kirk Duff said we don’t have a choice on the new fire hall and if it’s in the contract that it’s a political decision,” O’Connor said. The turnout at the meeting was light. It appeared the city had expect- ed in excess of 100 people to show up. “The public needs to come out. We need a true representation of the com- munity,” Chernoff said. “Are the pro- jects important? Is the budget worth- while? e? “After the fact isn’t good enough.” Committee formed to cases are) related to other incidences.” B.C. Hydro gathers with media Discover Carl's Drugs School & Office Supply Sale Lined Paper 200 Sheets, Enviro Plus study capital projects paving referendum, Coun. Jim @ Crown corporation says it is not holding Kootenays for ransom Neil Rachynski NEWS REPORTER B.C. Hydro wants to lay it on the line. The Crown corporation has requested a meeting with me- dia agencies in the Kootenays. The gathering will discuss B.C. Hydro’s application to in- crease the cost of electricity to West Kootenay Power. Peter McMullan, B.C. Hy- dro’s manager of corporate communications, said that re- cent stories on the proposed increase did not prompt the meeting. Instead, he said it is meant as a way to address WKP’s responses to the first news release issued by B.C. : y crease by one-half of one per cent. WKP contends the rate hike will be about 16 per cent. McMullan said the meeting is also designed to allay the perception that B.C. Hydro “is holding the Kootenays to ran- som. “Our interest is to make sure you know everything,” McMullan said. But WKP director of com- munity and public affairs Mike Bradshaw said it’s not a perception, but rather a reali- ty that B.C. Hydro is holding the area by ransom. “If we're talking about a sense of fairness then we need a level playing field,” Brad- shaw said. “B.C. Hydro is es- sentially holding all the cards.” The meeting between B.C. Hydro and the media was scheduled for Wednesday at 2 p.m. Deadline for The News prevented reporting the re- sults of the event. The meeting comes less than three weeks before the rate application hearing is slated to start in Castlegar on Feb. 8. Twenty intervenors have joined WKP in an effort to quash B.C. Hydro’s attempts at a rate increase. The opposi- tion includes the Cities of Castlegar, Trail, Nelson, the Celgar Pulp Co., the Regional Districts of Central Kootenay and Kootenay Boundary and the Castlegar and District Chamber of Commerce. McMullan said he expects the intervenors will attach other issues to the rate hear- ing, such as Arrow Lake Reservoir water levels, the Co- lumbia River Treaty and downstream benefits. He said the B.C. Utilities Commission will decide what is relevant. “(B.C. Hydro) put forward the same arguments in 1986 and they were rejected,” Brad- shaw said. “And they're plan- ning to put forward the same arguments again at the hear- ing.” Bradshaw would not say if the proposed increase posed a threat to the future of WKP. But he did say, “the thought hasn't escaped us. “I guess you have to look at this realistically. If B.C. Hydro wanted to make us uncompet- eo a good way to 0 it.” Recycled Steno Pad Poors Clipboards viny! Bic Pens Each 2" Binders 2-Pack Typing Paper rrr iso Casio Calculator scientific, reg. $32.99 .. *24.99 Encyclopedia Family. Webster. 10 Volume 324.99 Quality Counts! Many More In Store Specials Glue Stick unu. with bonus Scissors Message Pads For your telephone Scratch Pads 79* axe, 2s Geometry Sets noon., 10 piece. Reg. $4.99 .. $2.99 Page Protectors Prestonia. 10s *1.99 Prices Good Till Jan. 30, 1993 CARL'S PLAZA DRUGS "Your Friendly Pharmacy" + 365-7269 Neil Rachynski NEWS REPORTER It’s a first for city council. As part of its overall budget process, the city has struck a committee to deal solely with capital projects. Called the Strategic Finan- cial Plan Project, it will exam- ine unresolved plans that in- clude city hall renovations, paving and the construction of a central fire hall. The new RCMP building and down- town revitalization are also capital projects, but those plans have been approved and will proceed. The financial planning committee, chaired by Dave Gairns, will report to city council the priorities and af- fordability of the proposed pro- jects. It will also seek input from local residents. The city will have the final say on what projects will actually come to fruition. The committee will cost about $48,000 over two years, with $20,000 of that coming from a provincial grant. In its 1993 capital projects lan, the city has budgeted $204 ,000 for paving. In light of 1991’s failed $1.3 million Chapman said the $224,000 allotment is a Band-Aid solu- tion to local paving problems. Another $134,000 has been earmarked for the leasing and purchasing of equipment. The proposed city hall reno- vations have been estimated at $900,000, but the city is on- ly looking at spending $155,000 for phase-one im- provements. As for the implementation of a central fire hall, the city has looked at budgeting $600,000. Council has empha- sized that none of these pro- jects are set in stone. Still, the city has authorized its staff to plan the construction and equipment purchases for a central fire hall. The capital projects will be discussed at two public meet- ings, the first to be held Feb. 17. Coun. Kirk Duff would not say whether referendums will be held in Castlegar to decide the future of a central fire hall or city hall renovations. “Holding referendums will be a political decision,” Duff said. “Being an election year that’s a good question to ask us. I guess we'll know in time.” a brand new you and save $18.00 Come see the New Weight Watchers. People laughing. Meeting new friends. Listening to tapes or enjoying entertaining videos. So call the New Weight Watchers to become a brand new you. You'll love the changes in our Program. Almost as much as the ones in your mirror. For a brand new you. 1-800-682-8011 CASTLEGAR PorTUGESE HALL 421-13TH AVENUE Tuurspays, 7:00 PM. Half Price Join fors18.00 Offer Valid Area No.68, British Columbia, January 2-23, 1993. Cannot be combined with any other offer and is not available for at work. Individual weight lose may vary. © 1992 Weight Watchers International, Inc., Owner of the Registered Trademark. All Rights Rese: