Castlegar News Update ‘9 KOOTENAY SAVINGS CREDIT UNION In-house data system helps bottom line A top-notch management team successfully steered Kootenay Savings Credit Union through the economic landmines of 1990, giving the credit union even more stability to prosper in 1991. Installing a new in-house data processing system was probably KSCU's most worthwhile project last year, not only for the money it will save the credit union but also for the independerice it gives Kootenay Savings to branch out in new directions. New directions in turn means more stability, credit-union managers say. Prior to installing the $900,000 equipment for the system, called the Prologic Relationship Banking System, Kootenay Savings had all its data processing done in Vancouver, said Brian Hemsworth, manager for information services. KSCU estimates it will save about $50,000 or 10 Per cent, on its annual cost of data processing using the new system rather than having the work done in Vancouver. The credit union is spreading the capital cost of the new system over five years. In addition, service to KSCU members is faster, more efficient, and adopting new services — such a home banking program where members can access their accounts by telephone — has become easier with the new system. “*L think the major reason for switching over was this ability to be able to do what you want, when you want," Hemsworthr said. ‘‘There’s a lot of new things we'll be doing over the next three or four years We're choosing our own destiny. The system gives us that base. The technology is there.’" Sharing data processing with 50 to 60 other credit unions in the province restricted the kinds of programs KSCU could tap into and forced a compromise on others, he said With that restriction no longer in the way, Kootenay Savings is now looking at the possibility of providing data processing services to other B.C credit unions, And it can offer the services with a difference. Instead of sharing the system, each credit union would have its own block of the system through which its processing would be done, KSCU managers said. “Bach of them could in fact have their own computer system . . . allowing each credit union their Not only would that lower the costs of operating the Prologic system, but diversifying into that kind of role also helps to ‘‘cushion against bad economic swings."’ Other kinds of ‘‘cushions”’ include enhanced mortgage products Kootenay Savings offered its members this past year. “In the past, we've been fairly limited as to what was offered,”’ said Brent Tremblay, divisional manager for marketing and planning. ‘‘We now have one- to five-year conventional mortgages . mortgage transfer program and readvencashie: mortgages." Readvanceable mortgages, similar to a line of credit, was introduced to serve the credit union’s more aging members, he said. “‘Our membership is getting older, and older members have their houses bought and paid for. It's a convenience,”’ Tremblay said. But despite the additional services, Tremblay credits the instant teller machines and the hours and days of operations for attracting members. Membership now stands at about 24,000, including a two per cent increase in the past year, noteworthy given a slight decrease in population according to Statistics Canada figures, he said. “The trend over the last five or six years has definitely increased our market share,”’ Tremblay said. KSCU in turn credits those members for its Brian H Credit serv! t Union, shows how little space Is taken up by KSCU’s new In-house data processing centre. strong fifancial picture: net earnings in 1990 of $1.25 million, up 65 per cent over 1989, and assets totalling more than $181 million, up 9.3 per cent. “We had excellent growth in deposits,” said Bob Stewart, chief financial officer. ‘‘Our loan losses were also down which helped considerably. We . we were able to keep a good financial margin.’ That kind of stability has spinoff benefits, such as employment stability. KSCU now employs 137 people, part-time and full-time. The credit union recently hired six people to fill new jobs created by the installation of the Prologic system. maintained good control of our expenses throughout please see KOOTENAY SAVINGS page 7 Celgar project assures area’s economic future By LYLE KRISTIANSEN Kootenay West-Revelstoke MP A classic win-win situation appears to have been achieved with stringent environmental controls for an im- Proved and expanded Celgar pulp mill in Castlegar. Current em- ployment is thus preserved, construc- tion and more production jobs are gained, “and major environmental impacts of the old mill will be vastly reduced. I have been proud this past year to work at the federal level toward this goal, starting early last year to ensure that any federal review role be ad- dressed, rather than see court challenges to an exclusive B.C review process, as had recently hap- pened elsewhere in Canada. The joint provincial-federal process en- sued, issuing its recent recommen- dation for approval with a number of reasonable conditions. Having spent 17 years in local mills myself, and yet being an en- vironmentalist, I knew this was a of Parliament to analyse the relative direct and human costs of road ver- sus rail transport of goods such as wood chips. Public hearings and the good project if the issues could be addressed and satisfied. Certainly, the pollution from the existing mill could not con- tinue much longer, and without im- provements, necessarily linked to in- creased production to fund those improvements, the axe would cer- tainly fall in the not-too-distant future. Foreseeing almost certain appteval for the project because of the cleanup associated with it, I turned to concerns expressed from the Castlegar area, including the rail link to Grand Forks and chip-truck traf- fic impacts on rural residents 1 fought the rail line abandon- ment, and commissioned the Library final of the Celgar Expansion Review Panel confirm the importance of the transport issue, ‘so we must work to ensure that the Province moves quickly to address it with action Sadly, the province did not respond as it could have to save the rail link between Castlegar and Grand Forks. I wrote. Highways Minister Rita Johnston ow-Sept. 18, 1990, asking that her government in- tervene under a section of the National Transportation Act to keep the line operating. I pointed out to Mrs. Johnston that she herself had said in June 1990 that the line should be preserved. Not having heard from Mrs. Johnston, I wrote her again on Dec. 31, 1990, pleading that she avoid enormous highway improvement costs by saving the Grand Forks line and requiring use of the Slocan Valley rail line, thus also avoiding an unsettling increase in chip truck traffic on Highway 6. Again . . . no reply. Most recently, on Feb. 5, 1991, I wrote Highways Minister Johnston one more time, pointing out that the province’s 90-day option under the National Transportation Act had ex- pired, and that local Ministry of Highways offitials had no budget to study or plan needed improvements, as her had Despite this difficult history regar- ding transport for an increased volume of wood chips to an expan- ding Celgar pulp mill, I hope that the province keeps its promise to make. improvements to reduce to a minimum the highway impact on all residents of our region, including people in Robson and Castlegar. Regarding federal approval itself, I communicated urgently to federal Fisheries Minister Bernard Valcourt following both preliminary and the final panel reports, urging him to act quickly on panel recommendations that would see the Celgar project Proceed and do so much to clean up river Specifically, | asked her to consider the Arrow Lakes route option, which could bypass understandably concer- ned residents of the Slocan Lake and Valley districts. BREWED RIGHT. IN THE KOOTENAYS. With all pieces of the complex Celgar cleanup and expansion falling into place, Castlegar can look for- ward to a stable economy for many years to come. Combined with B.C. Hydro’s planned projects and the city’s increasingly diversified economy, along with its role as host to our regional commercial airport, Celgar will help to make Castlegar’s future assured. As your MP, I will continue to work to assist and encourage in- LYLE KRISTIANSEN +++ @veryone wins telligently planned development. But I will always attempt to do so con- structively, and not in a manner that tends to inflame public emotions and Provoke increased divisions within our community. Progress, not politics! Autoplan © Insurance © Registration ¢ Home * Bonds * Boats WALTER SIEMENS Notary Public Curriers Insurance Agencies “Where Your Business is Appreciated” © Licence Plates © Vehicle Transfers © Private Vehicle Coverage General Insurance * Mobile Home Life Insurance © Term Plans * Registered Plans Notary Public Service * Property Transfers * Mobile Home Transfers © Wills CHECK FOR DISCOUNTS! 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