The Castlegar Sun like to be our Face In The Sun? know someone who would? ~ Wednesday, February 17, 1993 @ World Series Continued from 1A amount can be raised through the community One of the vital prerequisites for a-successful bid is to have 1,000 family passes sold by March 31, 1993. Organizer Dan Ashman is counting on Trail and area businesses to purchase tick etsvas well as the general public "We want to aggressively pur Sue this region. We have to get these tickets sold One reason why the organiz ing Committee is sure that ‘Trail will be successful. in its bid includes the fact that Babe Ruth Baseball will hold its 40th Anniversary in 1995, As well, no other Babe Ruth League has won as many titles as the Trail league has won—22 is the, latest count If the bid is successful, the nine-day, 17 game event which involves teams from across North America will bring more than 60,000 visitors and fans to the area. The organizing commit tee believes this will translate into $1.2 million being spent in Trail and the surrounding area This is a once-in-a-lifetime Opportunity for Trail, and we're pretty positive about the out come,” said Pipes. Trail is already in the process of upgrading Butler Park with the An organized press conference released the final stage of a process which wil) hopefully result in the Babe Ruth World Series coming to Trail in 1995. At the head table is Cal Hockley, James Ferraro, Jim Leslie, (all three are confirmed corporate » sponsors), Doug Stanley, Eleanor Gattafoni-Robinson, Brian Pipes, Sandy Santori and Dan Ashman. help of Go B.C. funding. Some of these plans include upgrades to the concession booth, obtaining an electronic scoreboard, com- plete tarp for the infield, upgrade to team locker rooms and the building of an indoor pitching and hitting facility. Trail Mayor SUN STAFF PHOTO! Shariene Imhott Trail will find out if it is suc cessful in its bid for the Babe Ruth Wortd Series this coming May Santori makes pitch for Cominco during public hearings in Castlegar KAREN KERKHOFF Sun staff Trail Mayor, Sandy Santori, gave compelling testimony on behalf of Cominco during the public hearings between West Kootenay Power (WKP) and B.C. Hydro Feb. 10 No other British Columbians live with hydro dams in their backyard. No other British Columbians are forced to stand helplessly by as their recreation- al resources are sent down- stream at the beck and call of our American neighbors. No other Bntish Columbians had a way of life inundated to accom- modate the provincial interest It's that time of year once again as the Castlegar Queen Committee prepares to crown a new set of royalty who will represent our community at various functions and events. The six candidates have been matched with sponsors, who they will represent until the pageant is held in June Standing (I-r): Miss Royal Canadian Legion, Alison White; Miss Madeleine's Fashions, Laura Kosowan: and Miss Cana- da Safeway, Lana Venier. Sitting (I-r): Miss Rotary, Sh Lions, Shawna Tarasoff and Miss Bel auna Mayer; Miss Selkirk -Air Cleaners, Nancy Chang Photo SUN STAFF = SFP And in return the Kootenays receive virtually nothing.” Santori said that had B.C Hydro paid its full taxes, the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary would have. paid around $4 million instead of the $300,000 which the RDCK actu- ally paid in 1991 “Our major employer, Comin- co, is forced to pay increasing taxes and water fees, jeopardiz- ing more than 2,000 jobs, while B.C. Hydro operates right next door with tremendous exemp- tions. Now, to add insult to injury, B.CT Hydro wants to charge WKP a rate that will encourage WKP to develop its own resources. What B.C. Hydro is really proposing to do is force the electric customers in this part of B.C. to pay a premium for the energy we need, for energy that is produced right here. Frankly, we have paid enough.” The hearings, which com- menced Feb. 9, are in résponse to B.C. Hydro’s request to levy increased power purchase rates towards WKP. B.C. Hydro is Proposing to increase rates, stat- ing that when it and WKP entered into an agreement in 1986 it was with the understand- ing that WKP would receive a favorable rate for power pur- chase while developing their own resources. B.C. Hydro claims WKP failed to fulfill their obligation to develop resources, and must now pay rates which B.C. Hydro claims is comparable to other customers But WKP’s Director of Com munity and public affairs, Mike Bradshaw, said that developing resources for WKP customers was not a viable solution. “As far as developing our resources, the terms of the rela- tionship did suggest that we develop new resources, but it also suggested an obligation to ensure that any resource devel- opment would be cost effective for our customers. Before we go out and develop new resources we have to measure the cost against the alternatives, such as purchasing power from another source. The numbers bear out to continue to purchase power as opposed to developing. We don't believe it is in the interest of our customers The hearing place in Vancouver are now taking Community Services Administrator leaves Castlegar KAREN KERKHOFF Sun staff Castlegar and District Com- munity Services has been without an Administrator since Patricia (Tish) Lakes resigned Jan. 31 When Lakes became employed by Castlegar Commu- nity Services in 1988 it was a one-person operation. Since then community services has grown, and now employs seven full-time and one part-time employees. Bernice Kavic, spokesperson for the board of directors, said that Lake's efforts towards help- ing the community on behalf of Community Services are greatly valued. “During her time with Castle- gar Community Services, Ms Lakes advocated very effectively for the agency and the people it serves.” While pursuing post-graduate study, Lakes will also be working in a counselling position in the Lower Mainland Lesley Anderson, Castlegar Community Services office man ager, said the agency still hasn't found a replacement for Lakes, but applications are being sorted through in order to find a suitable replacement “We're in the process of short- listing, we have all kinds of appli- cations. We don’t know when the start date will he yet.” Even though Lake’s position is still vacant, it's business as usual at community services. Anderson said community services staff and board members are sharing Lakes vacated position until an alternate can be found. “We're doing a co-operative arrangement between the staff and the board. We're all working {ogether to meet our commit- ments to the community.” “PATRICIA LAKES Patricia Lakes left her Position at community ser- vices in January. Local dentist KAREN KERKHOFF __- Sun staff commends recent program | purgatory. The parent might be able to purchase Medical Insurance premium plan assistance Continued from 1A infrastructure and facilities, and the the pressure for expansion by local government services, points to the need for a financial plan As well as a local committee which is working without remuner. ation, a professional group of con- sultants has been hired by the city to guide the make-up of the plan and ensure that it reflects what future changes will be made in this ity over the next decade City hall estimates the entire process to-establish a Strategic Financial Plan will cost $48,000 “That's not a lot of money when we're talking about plan ning what to do with over $2 million,” said one city staffer The city is hoping to secure grants from the provincial gov emment to help pay for the plan ning process, since it is setting a precedent in financial plarming “Castlegar is the first munici pality to work towards a Strategic Financial Plan—because of this, the provincial government is watching us very closely,” Moore : : City councillors are optimistic that a number of Castlegar resi- dents will attend the Meeting and relay what they consider t be said community goals and values It’s mportant that this com- munity have a plan—a vision, and it will be a lot easier to do that if local people take an inter- est in béing a part of the pro- cess,” said Moore Penny Baker comes to Castlegar Penny Baker was a rising star in | the country music business 19 years ago, when she was bom again and | began using her incredible voice to | sing for Christ. She is a high-geared | Speaker and is a gifted psalmist and | songwriter. She has a well-rounded ministry that has reached not only | into the local church. but into wom- | en'’$ groups, prisons, and the mili- tary. The Full Gospel Fellowship | Church extends an invitation to | ¢veryone to come out and listen to | Penny Baker, who will be perform- | ing at 10:45 am and 6:30 p.m on | Feb. 21 As well, she will be per forming on Feb. 22-24 at 7 p.m — income families. Canada on a refugee status. is great parent family istry of Human Resources We all know about the infamous gaps or cracks bers of our society can fall through, but the gap which is soon to be filled, are those that can be found in children’s teeth—or more specifical- ly, the teeth of children who come from low In answer to the dental needs of the children of these families wito fall between the cracks, the Ministry of Health has announced funding of $400,000 which being provided to help young children who are in urgent need of dental care Castlegar dentist, Dr. Donald Ellis, said he felt the program was necessary, not only for Canadian children, but for children who have immigrated to “I have had the occasion to see these children, and I think it is a good way of getting them up to our (dental) standards of care. I think the program If a person is om social assistance, quite often they and their families also receive assistance for their medical and dental needs, but for the single or the low income family where the parent is working outside the home, they may ironically earn too much to be eligible to receive dental and medical assistance through the Min- Ifthe parent is working at a job with no ben- efits available other than a wage, the parent may find themselves in a medical and dental Elizabeth Cull The dental treatment program has a limit of $500 on a one-time only basis for children who meet program criteria, but the ministry is quick to assert that the funding is not intended to be used towards an ongoing dental plan Cull said the program is in response the the Ministry's “New Directions in Health which focuses on preventative nance, as opposed to spending Care situations through the Medical Services Plan of British Columbia at a reduced rate that coincides with their income, but it is virtually economically unfeasible to purchase dental insurance. The dental program funding from the Ministry is earmarked to-meet the dental needs of this spe cific group of ‘children “We must meet the urgent needs of low income children who have no other alternative. This is not an ongoing dental insurance plan. Once chil- dren are brought up to an acceptable standard of dental health, they and their parents will be coached by a health unit staff on how to take good care of their teeth,” said Health Minister Children must meet certain criteria such as they must have obvious dental decay and/or gum disease; they must come from adow income fami ly which is eligible for Medical Services Plan premium assistance, and must not be covered by any other dental insurance strategy health -mainte money on acute BY jad Wednesday, February 17, 1993 The Castlegar Sun Industry-wide bargaining mi KAREN KERKHOFF Sun staff ‘A 50-year tradition of industry wide bargaining for the Pulp, Paper and Woodworkeis of Cana. da (PPWC) and Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) might soon come to an end. Industry-wide bargaining, as Opposed to individual bargaining, is beneficial to both employers and employees said PPWC Local No. | spokesperson, Pat Donohue. “We've been well served by. joint bargaining for 50 years. We don't have to look far to see people who have been hurt by individual bargaining. It has also been good for the companies, it presents a level playing field.” But despite the benefits, a joint wage Caucus meeting in Vancou- ver, was held on Feb. 5 to discuss the Pulp and Paper Manufactur- = Penalties ers’ decision to break up industry wide bargaining in favor of indi- vidual bargaining. Individual bargaining entails each local PPWC union negotiat- ing a contract on their own behalf. Should individual bar- gaining occur, it is probable that have to work out the basic ground rules and how to proceed.” But Celgar Pulp Mill general manager, Jim Browne; id that local bargaining has its advan tages, especially for smaller busi nesses. “Local bargaining would be ‘We've been well served by joint bargaining for 50 years. We don't have to look far to see people who have been hurt by individual bargaining.’ — PAT DONOHUE PPWC Local 1 Spokesperson , gaining the terms of each agreenient could vary significantly. Donohue said that’ before negotiating a new contract in 1994, the issue of joint bargaining would first be addressed. “Prior to the contract expiring we would more effective. We have certain fixed resources on what we can spend. It seems to make more sense to bargain for what 358 want than what 12,000 want.” Browne also said each ldécal has its own specific areas of bar- ght come to an end gaining whieh wouldn't apply to or affect other locals, and rere fore local bargaining would be more cost effective “What's important (o MacMil 1 Bloedel isn't necessarily important to Celgar It seems to be a more application of our funds." Bargaining in the locality of the individual local would also have it's financial advantages If you're bar in Castlegar, rather than Vancouver, that's a cost advantage said Browne The length of time involved in negotiating a local contract could vary said Browne, depending on the issues which are on the bar gaining table “The time it takes to negotiate would depend on what is on the table. It could go slow or fast There are 25 unions in the pulp and paper industry repre senting 12,000 union members across B.C Continued from 1A lence, encourages, promotes or incites an act of violence; any student who preméditates an act of violence; and repeat offenders. For a student who premedi- tates violence, he or she can expect to be suspended for a minimum of five days, and depending on the degree of vio- lence they could receive up to 15 days suspension. Repeat offend- ers, can expect to have their sta- tus as a student reviewed by the school board. Board Chairperson, Gordon recent incident which occurred at SHSS, Kinakin said, “Some- one can walk into the school with a beer and they get three weeks, but you give someone one week for a beating? The minor fighting that has always occurred in the school yards I'm not concerned about. What I'm really concerned with is the viscousness. Do you see the policy (of suspension) deter- ring viscousness?” Kinakin said students must receive the message that vio- lence is unacceptable in school, or in society. “One thing they must lear is that there are limits of social behavior. If they can’t stay with- in those limits they have to learn that it will be met with a severe statement, or the limits won't be meaningful. What the school has brought before us is a joke. The problems in the future will be See Editorial Page 6A worse. We need to draw atten- tion to this situation when it begins, or we're going to end up Paying the consequences.” With the exception of trustees Mickey Kinakin, and Evelyn Voykin, the board has agreed to support the new dis- ciplinary measures, investigate the possibility of providing counselling to the perpetrators of violence, such i resolution”, a counselling to teachers and staff to help them deal with the violence in schools. OUTLOOK: The forecast for Temperature: Max/Date §.4/13 Precipitation: 0.4 14 Number of Hours 16.1 REMARKS: shorts are not far off. WEATHER _ Wednesday; Sumny with bands of high cloud. Cold with tempera- tures ranging from lows of -14 to high near -3, Outlook for Thursday & Friday: increasing high cloud but still lots of sunshine getting through. Temperatures moderating slightly. A LOOK BACK AT THE PAST WEEK: Min/Date 4.77/14 Rain ») Snow Interests seem to be leaning toward spring subjects. Bicycles starting to appear. | guess tee shirts and at Castlegar, B.C. ARROW LAKE RESERVOIR FORECAST Feb. 12-1386.9 Feb. 19-1385.6 Vy - Normal Mean Mean 16 0.6 Normal Total Total 14 16.2 Normal Number “of Hours 13.8 Turner, lly respond ed to Hogg’s request for board support of discipline “We're very pleased to see this layout. We would like to see our schools as a neutral territory where our children can feel safe We as a board want to send out a strong message that violence won't be tolerated, and you have sent a strong message, as well.” But board trustee. Mickey Kinakin, was not as eager to embrace the new policy, and his hesitance showed through several questions he asked Hogg. Referring to a most Teachers and school board KAREN KERKHOFF Sun staff SHSS, would be violently She said, “I think what {the Approximately 10 concerned parents and com- munity members were on hand at the school board meeting to find out how the board planned to deal with the issue of increasing violence at SHSS. One parent was willing to speak with Castlegar Sun Staff, on the provision that her name not be released—she fears that her children, who attend assaulted by other students. is a start, a very small start, but the real problem is not being addressed. For them to say there has only been 11 altercations this year is not real— there are more than 11 a year. I'd like to see the school safe enough to send a child to school to happen.” 1] Suggested Parents attend meeting to get facts on school violence without worrying about them being beat up Why is it the aggressor is days? I hear from my kids that students are tak- ing knives to schoal. Someone is going to get killed, it scares me to think about what's going in school in three Gail Oglow-Graham was also on hand to listen to Hogg’s proposal to curb violence. “I heard a lot of information about the aggres- sors getting mandafory counselling, but I didn’t hear anyone mention counselling for the victims. And I didn’t hear anything about a program to make re-entry for that victim safe. All the emphasis was put on the aggressor, not the victim.” regrets the error and News apology Because The Castlegar News is no longer publishing, The Castle- gar Sun is running the following correction on its behalf. eee In the Feb. 10, 1993 edition of The Castlegar News, Warren Katelnikoff was wrongly identified as the driver responsible for a two-vehicle accident on 4th Avenue. Katelnikoff'was not responsi- ble, nor was he charged with failing to yield. The Castlegar News $ to Warren K which was held Feb. 8, the two sides brought an “agreement in Castlegar and District Teach- ers Association and School Dis- trict No. 9 have reached a two-year contract agreement After a “clarification meeting” Property owner seeks answers for tax levy Some downtown property own- ers are still waiting for the City of Castlegar to respond to questions that were asked during the city’s recent public budget meeting Downtown property owner Nick Oglow asked members of city council why the tax levy in North Castlegar is higher than those in other communities such as Trail or Nelson. Oglow, along with some part- ners, owns the Oglaw building in downtown Castlegar. Reading from a letter he composed earli- er, Oglow questioned city offi- cials during the public budget meeting why a 40-year-old building, no bigger than a medi- um sized home, should face a tax bill in excess of $9,000 per year. “This outrageous distortion of our tax system will not likely be found in any other part of the province. Our city hall will have the dubious distinction of having North Castlegar with the highest tate of taxation found anywhere,” read Oglow The property owner wants to know if city hall will be taking steps to remedy the situation or continue to push North Castlegar “into the slums+or bankruptcy.” As part of the upcoming Strate- gic Financial Plan, city officials plan to compare commercial mill rates of Castlegar to communities of similar size and circumstance “We've done a lot of compar- isons regarding residential tax rates, but we haven't done the same thing with commercial tax rates,” said a city hall employee \ c ” back to their mem- bers who voted to reject or ratify the package CDTA president, Bill Gorkoff, said even though concessions had to be made on both sides, CDTA members were generally satisfied with the contract. “It’s essentially a done deal. We feel it reflects the state of the economy. It’s not a large contract, but we were able to get improve- ment in a lot of areas.” Gorkoff said COTA members Environment are relieved that an agreement was able to be reached without action being taken, such as the teache strike which has occurred in other areas of British Columbia. School District No. 9 secre- tary-treasurer, John Dascher, also indicated that board members were satisfied with the contract “I think the agreement reached was satisfactory to both parties.” The package was ratified by CDTA members Feb. 8, while School District No. 9 board mem- bers ratified the package Feb. 15 ratify new deal at their regular monthly meeting The new contract will include an early retirement incentive plan, and a maternity supplemental benefit plan. The extendéd health benefit plan was expanded by adding a hear- ing aid and travel allowance rider, and there will also be increases to the substitutes daily rates and the professional development fund The new contract will be retroactive from June 30, 1992, when the last contract expired, until June 30, 1994. Local industry hoping for energy export policy KAREN KERKHOFF Sun staff ings to be done. It is long overdue.” But McLaren said Celgar’s Beehive burners will soon s ion will enable Celgar to operate within the Ministry’s become like the di of a past when “wood-burning emissions were belched out with P requirements. “We think the number will be no concer to the Wood wasté from sawmills, is currently burned in beehive burn- ers, but the Ministry of Environ- ment, Lands and Parks has been developing updated emission standards, and are moving towards phasing them out. Although Celgar doesn’t have beehive burners, they have been burning their waste and convert- ing it into energy for their own benefit. Celgar also burns Pope and Talbot's wood waste, but with Celgar's modernization, their need for energy will be * decreased, and Pope and Talbot will have to dispose of the wood waste in an environmentally and economically responsible way. Celgar Environmental Officer, Jim McLaren, said even though the plans to phase out the beehives will present problems for sawmills, the need to establish tough emis- sion guidelines is necessary. “It is appropriate the ministry is coming up with numbers, and how they are going to require the read- ‘,.. the U.S. has been willing to pay for electricity.’ — JIM MCLAREN Environmental Officer as stringent or more stringent than before, but we'll be able to comply with any of their planned objec tives. As we become more energy efficient the need for wood waste will shrink. Then they (sawmills) will have to look at more expen Sive options of disposing of their wood waste. If we want to keep bumer free we need to establish a Power export policy. ” One of the options available « sawmills would be the production and export of energy to the U.S which McClaren said would be both economical and viable “To make electricity they need someone to buy it. In this area electricity is cheap compared to what they are paying in the States, so there would be no mar. ket here, but the U.S. has been willing to pay for electricity.” But McLaren said there is one problem which needs to be looked at before wood waste energy could be exported to the U.S. “It is important for the Province to establish an export policy for electricity.” McLaren said the B.C. Energy Council will have made recom- mendations for an export policy by the end of March Celgar expansion still scheduled for June completion date SUN STAFF The Celgar Expansion Project is still scheduled for completion despite a four-week delay in con- struction Celgar Pulp Mill General Manager, Jim Browne, said the Prgject was scheduled to be 89.8 per cent complete at this time, but has fallen short and is run- ning at an 85.7 per cent comple- tion rate instead. * Each percentage point repre- sents approximately one week of work. We cannot name anything specific in regards to why there is a delay,” said Browne, who maintains that everthing from design changes to the weather have played a role Even though the percentage points are lagging, Brown said that contractors are still shooting for a mid-July completion date “They are still promising com- pletion will be on time} that’s important.” Since the project began in late spring, 1991, just under 80 per cent of the funding has been committed to construction— adding up to $678 million. In January, Browne estimates there were just under 1,600 peo- ple employed at the construction site and an average 999 workers were living in-camp. Consultant continues to work on West Kootenay hospital plan SHARLENE IMHOFF Sun Editor Hospital officials throughout the West Kootenay are holding regular meetings to discuss the findings made by consultant Geoff Rowlands, who has been hired to come up with an overall plan on how and who will pro- vide future health care services in this area. Rowlands, who has been meeting with individuals and boards in the health care field to gain knowledge for his fact-find- ing mission, is also determining demographic and population changes to complete his report to the West Kootenay Hospitals Planning Council. The council is comprised of administrators, chiefs of staff and board chairs from Nelson, Trail, Castlegar, Grand Forks and Cre- ston, ds well as representatives . from Kaslo, Nakusp and New Denver. “There's a lot of different views at this table and everyone is being forthright about their own needs. But at the same time, I’m amazed at how well every- one is working together on this plan,” said Greg Stacey, chairper- son of the planning council Stacey said he is “content” with the job that Rowlands is doing and is hopeful that the con- sultant will complete the plan by mid-to-late spring. “We are being very emphatic that we have the report done at this time,” Stacey said The cost of the entire process is approximately $80,000. The group is planning another meeting this weekend. Letters resurface burning issue of Blueberry Creek fire protection SHARLENE IMHOFF Sun Editor Recent Letters to the Editor found in local newspapers have resurfaced the issue of fire pro. tection in Blueberry Creek ncluding should be responsible for it and why Blueberry Creek fire protection was discussed during Tuesday 's whe city council rheeting, as council lors stated that an in-house report was being completed by Castle gar Fire Chief Gerry Rempel at council's request. "We've asked Rempel to check, into all possibil- ities, he'll have a report ready for us by the next council meeting,” said Councillor Doug Green. Last year Blueberry Creek resi- denis passed a referendum which supported the installation of their own fire protection service, despite the fact that Blueberry Creek is within a five-kilometre radius from Castlegar. At one time, fire protection Was offered to Blueberry Creek residents by the Castlegar detach- ment, but the offer was refused. "I don't know why it was turned down then, but I think it might be an opuon to make the offer once again,” said Green, who also sug: gests that Blueberry Creek resi- dents could join the Castlegar detachment as members. Green also questioned how the RDCK could support having another fire hall built and outfit- ted in Blueberry Creek when one already exists in Castlegar. "Cost- wise, I don't know why they would consider such a thing.”