Legislative Library, Parliament Sldgs., B. Cc. Cominco Dell 501 300 p effective Feb. 20 as the company continues measures to stem its losses because of a poor metals market. “The layoffs are part of an overall cost-cutting effort as & regult of continuing losses and a poor metal market outlook,” Cominco public relations assistant Barrett Lawrie said Tuesday. o Se Seeing see Mane eats See Ee tee occur among office and Mario Como, who works as a lead burner at Cominco, received notice that he is being laid off from that department. However, Como, 33, is lucky in that the company is effect of the general roll layoffs becomes clear. pee fe employees are Cominco's production and maintenance workers who are paid “They (company officials) don't really know what areas will be affected as far as the union staff are concerned,” Lawrie said. “Probably several from every area.” ing him to another department and is not laying him “off the hill” as the Cominco workers call the permanent layoffs. “I'm only thankful I still have a job,” said Como, who has been with Cominco for 11’, years, the last eight as a lead burner. Como said the latest cuts are “the meat” of Cominco’ workers, indicating that several long-time experienced Feresdat “When tered ines Kovceutd Gr iesil) are kind of disheartening, kind of lousy.” eee eee hoens ee Cn ae vente ee burners is breaking up a closely-knit “We're all friends,” he said. “We've been like brothers. “These cuts really burt.” Como added that the layoffs are also raising concerns about worker safety, a concern that was echoed by union spokesman Schmidt. “Obviously, we're going to be monitoring the health and safety of the employees,” Schmidt said. He said the layoffs will “add jobs here and there” to the loads of the lays off 300 more “They (Cominco) are going to try to produce the same quantity with a smaller number of people,” Schmidt said, adding that the move would put an extra burden on the workers. for the plant Project. Although they weren't considered temporary employ- continued on poge AZ News Vol. 39, No. 13 Castlegar CASTLEGAR, BRITISH COLUMBIA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1986 4 Sections (A, 8, C&D) Homeowners finally have to pay up By CasNews Staff All good things must come to an end. And for some 65 homeowners in the Oglow subdivision, the end is here. The homeowners haven't had to pay municipal water or sewer taxes thanks to a special agreement between the City of Castlegar and the subdivision's developers signed some 20 years ago. But the agreement ran out this year and for the first time, property owners in the Oglow subdivision must pay for the city’s water and sewer systems. The homeowners will have to pay 31 cents a foot for sewer and 80 cents a foot for water. The owner of a home on a 70-foot wide lot would, for instance, pay $77.70. City administrator Dave Gairns sai the agreement — the only one of its kind in Castlegar — came to light during a recent review of the city's frontage tax rolls. But while Oglow subdivision home- owners will be paying frontage taxes for the first time, taxes for the rest of Castlegar’s property owners will drop. Finance committee chairman Ald. Albert Calderbank explained that the addition of taxes from the Oglow sub- division properties has helped swell the city's coffers. But the city is only allowed ta collect enough taxes to pay off the debt of the water and sewer systems. Homeowners in the north end will see their water and sewer rates fall by 25 per cent this year, while those in the south end will see their taxes fall by five per cent. Calderbank said the difference in the tax decreases is because of the differ ent sewer systems in the north and south ends. The north end system is older and more of its debt has been paid off, thus allowing for a larger reduction, he said. In any event, regardless of where they live, Castlegar property owners should have received their water and sewer tax notices in the mail by now. Deadline for payment is March 1 Astaforoff had cancer VANCOUVER (CP) — Freedomite Mary Astaforoff was suffering from terminal cancer when she died last November after a 54-day hunger strike in Matsqui Correctional Institute, says a prison official Tom D'Aquino said an autopsy on the 71-year-old woman revealed she had advanced cancer of the large intestinal area, which had moved into her liver and lungs. He said he didn't think Astaforoff was aware of her illness. Prison doctors had been watching her closely because of her hunger strike, but did not examine her for cancer or other dis eases, D'Aquino said. “We thought she was getting skinny because she wasn't eating,” D'Aquino said. “She was under constant medical supervision.” The news of her cancer was made public at a routine inquiry into her death held last Friday IT'S PANCAKE TIME . . . Roberta Zurek cooks up o bat- ch of golden brown pancakes for traditional Shrove Tuesday pancake supper at the Robson Hall. Supper attracted about 75 hungry residents. CosMewsPhoto by Chery! Colderbonk LOTS OF HELP NEEDED TO PUT ON SKI RACES By CHERYL CALDERBANK Staff Writer What does it take to organize and run a series of national ski races at Red Mountain? Good organization, a fot of hard work and hundreds of volunteer workers. Ron Anderson, chairman of the Canadiain men’s alpine championships taking place at Red Mountain this week and next, is responsible for running the series of races — downhill, slalom, giant slalom, and a super giant slalom. Anderson said a big part of his job was picking people for key positions on the Export A Cup race committees. “If I get good people for important jobs, it makes my job very easy,” Anderson says. Anderson's biggest job is helping form committee, chairing various meetings and making sure nothing is missed in all the things that have to be done to stage a race of this calibre. Besides Anderson's position, there are a number of other key positions on the Export A Cup race committee critical to the success of the training runs and races. A number of these positions centre around the race itself, such as race secretary Florrie Valentine and chief of calculations Rob Valentine. These _ People are surrounded by paperwork, ng weeks of pr The race has to follow the guidelines of FIS — the International Ski Federation, says Anderson. Another important job is the chief of race who is responsible for the technical running of the race All the committee members who work on the race report to the chief of race. a race Don Mousseau will handle those duties for the downhill and super giant slalom races, while Tom Johnston will be in charge of the giant slalom and slalom events. The chief of course also has an important job. He is responsible for course preparation, which includes setting up safety nets and fencing. The course has to be free of ruts, rocks and obstacles. The net has to be set up so the racer doesn't get tangled up in it. The racer also has to be able to ski off the course without any problems The two responsible for that are Bob Dunsdon and Bjorn Edblad. The chief of equipment’s job — handled by Merv Olson — is also an important one. Anderson notes that there are hundreds of items that have to be brought in from all over the country in order to run the race — ineluding nets and crowd control fencing, scaffolding for camera crews, as well as technical race equipment such as flags, banners and public relations equipment As well, there's the wax trailer and food trailer, and wiring to be done. The chief of timing is responsible for the timing of the race. Making sure there is a back manual backup to the electronic timing equipment is just one of his jobs. Loretta Bulfone and Pat Stevens will take on those duties. Other committee members include a technical delegate, chief of course control, chief of stewards, chief of medical, chief of finance, chief of press and media, banquet and pi . chief of 's, and chief of food services, as well as chief of communications tions. Anderson says that between 200 and 300 volunteers are involved in the races. Preparations for the Canadian championships began almost a year before the actual race, says Anderson. “We have to figure out if we want to do it and if we can get key jobs filled. Budgets also have to be prepared Any alternations to the course also have to be done well in advance, such as cutting brush or blasing rocks in the summer.” Many meetings are also held before race day “We have to make sure we have a list of everything that we're going to need . . . such as radios and all pieces continued on page A2 City blasts province By RON NORMAN Editor Castlegar council blasted the pro vineial government Tuesday night for “dragging (its) feet” in negotiations with Comineo Ltd. over reduced water taxes. Cominco has said that despite $69 million in federal assistance, it can't proceed with its $270-million lead smelter modernization unless the pro- vineial government reduces water li- conse fees. “The only thing that seems to be He asked council to write to the province expressing concern about the lead smelter project. The request came im the wake of an announcement Tuesday by Cominco that it plans to lay off 300 production workers, the largest single layoff in company history. “We have so many people living in Castlegar who are working for Com- ineo,” Calderbank said. Mayor Audrey Moore noted that Cominco estimates 16 to 19 per cent of its Trail workforce lives in Castlegar — or 480 to 570 of its some 3,000 em ployees. Ald. Nick Ogiow called the water license fees “the greatest single act of damage” to the Kootenays that he has seen in years. ALD. ALBERT CALDERBANK wants fees reduced He urged every organization and resident to write to Victoria urging the province to reduce the fees. The fees are levied by the province on electricity Cominco generates for its own industrial use from its subsidiary, West Kooteray Power and Light Moore noted that Cominco repre sentatives told her Tuesday the com continued on page A2 —INSIDE IT'S BACK: Due to popular demand, the Castlegar News has revived the On The Street feature in which six Castlegar residents are polled each week for their response a topical issue. Today's question asks residents for their opinion on a bylaw prohibiting smoking in public places in Castlegor ... AS SENTENCED: A 53-year-old Nakusp man was sentenced to 18 mon Employment Centres in Trail an three or four more weeks A2 | FORGET: WASHINGTON Dis to use the computer that tracks U.S. capital are out of luck who says he forgot what it is. & Frost had said he intent plicated to remember so thot h financial management, which h and mismanagement A city spokesman said the city planned to get the computer supercode” to override the code’ and allow access to the computer manufacturer to give them a REBELS WIN: Castlegor Rebels waltzed to an easy 10-1 win ths in jail on a manslaughter charge... AZ NO LAYOFFS YET: Layoffs expected at the end of January at Canoda No on knows the new computer password It was changed by cash management analyst Alvin Frost, 38 with Declaration of Independence would not have access to the system d Nelson have been delayed for trict of Columbia officials master financial a needing counts for the xcept that it has something to do tonally made the code too com is superiors in the city’s office of e said is “rife with incompetence master in the opening game of their best-of-seven playoff series against Grand Forks Border Bruins Tuesday night 8!