THORNHILL

Stories by
Malcolm Baxter

It’s still early days

ig.
8
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And rew Webber

WHAT ADDITIONAL services do Thornhill resi-
dents want to see in the future?

What issues do they think need dealing with now?

And what’s their attitude to the present form of
local government and possible alternatives?

Those, says Kitimat-Stikine regional district staf-
fer Andrew Webber, are expected to be some of the
areas covered at next Thursday’s public meeting.

On hand will be Eugene Lalonde of Municipal
Management Services, the consultant handling the
community's restructuring study,

While he anticipated Lalonde would provide
bickground information on the ins and outs of
restructuring, Webber said the emphasis will be on
listening to what the public has to say.

“Tt will be left open-ended,’’ be explained, ‘‘We

don’t want to be forcing the issues.’
- This meeting is part of what's called Stage H of
the the study, the first having been gathering of
slatistical information such as current levels of ser-
vice, assessed values of properties and taxation.

Lalonde has also been working out potential
boundaries that might apply if Thornhill decided to

change ils unorganized status.

Stage II concentrates on finding out what resi-

Braun's, ‘s
island i

ia “Skm approx,

ereerrrrry!

\ ‘To Onion Lake
“ (Dubose Flats) -

_—_—

WHERE'S THE boundary? At right, Andrew Webber checks out
~ the map (above) which shows the area being studied by the con-
sultant. It ranges far bayond Thornhill’s current borders.

low, those figures:

Terrace East
(Gossen Creek :
to west of Cedarvale)

Head count

AS PART of the boundary expansion exercise, the Kitimat-
Stikine regional district bas put together up to date estimates of
population for Thornhill, Terrace and the surrounding areas. Be-

dents think about their community now, what prob-
lems, if any, they indentify and what their vision is
oF a future Thornhill.

Having got answers io those questions, the con-
sultant will then assess whether the issues raised
can only be addressed by a change in government
structure and if so, which system would best do the
job.

Webber conceded it is theoretically possible —

people’s concerns could be answered without any
change at all.

With the study only in its early stages, he stressed
people shouldn’! attend the mecting expecting to be
presented with specific options for restructuring.

That will come in a later public meeting, likely in
February or March.

This week Lalonde has been going through a
round of consultations with various groups includ-
ing the Thornhill Planning Advisory committee and
the Terrace chamber of commerce. He met with lo-
cal] native band councils on an earlicr visit.

Jn addition to tomorrow night’s meeting, the
regional district will have a display in the Skeena
Mall ihis Friday and Saturday with staff present to
answer any questions on the restructuring study.

Drawing the line

IF THORNHILL makes the change to become a self-governing district,
should it change its boundaries at the same time?
That's one of the questions being looked at by the consultant.
And he’s been ranging far and wide, looking at an areca
extending from New Remo to Kieanza and as far south as Onion
Lake and the Dubose Flats.
While it’s a fair bet a number of the areas will quickly te
eliminated, it’s likely others will show up as logical
candidates for inclusion.
But while it makes sense 10 have boundaries that take
account of potential growth over the long term, what

are the immediate implications?
A - self-governing Thombill would be
responsible for providing services — road
maintenance, for example — within those
expanded boundaries.

What would be the cast of providing those
services? Is the tax base large enough to
justify taking on those costs?

Or will the result be that property owners of
the more populated areas heavily subsidize

ervices for the outlying areas?

Policing a moving target

Terrace oss sscrssrsscrssensersctccscessessateseserses Lestseneoeese we 11,433
Thornhill ........... sasasecsouseaesesnsesanssneatensesessoensereeses 4041
_Jackpine Flats/
Old Remo/
. Braun’s Island ............... secsesseatectetsassaasiscssessnesssen OOO

Kitsumkalum Reserve ..cccscsccsssssssccssssisscecsssssceesens 191

Terrace Nortl...ucscssessecerecearestecssserersenes sesseesues sacees . 591
New Remo/
’ Rosswood/ Pek
Copperside srvnmnsanetsennrsistrncrriie ee eee cesta 640

Lakelse Lake.......sscsssssesseuscesssesesseatssseansanseens S23

wie 433

The representation issue

CHANGING THE system of

: govemment also changes the way

voters are represented,

: _ At present Thornhill residents
‘are represented on the Kitimat-

Stikine regional district board by
a single director,

A formula based on population

gives that director three votes

“when decisions are made on what

ire called ‘“weighted"? issues.
Under that system Terrace has
two directors for a total of six

-. ‘weighted’? votes.
~” Jf Thornhill incorporates, it will

get its own council consisting of a
mayor and six councillors. That
of: course means only those

elected by Thornhill residents
will decide what happens in
Thornhill,

If amalgamation takes place,
there will be a single council
which will govern the enlarged
Terrace,

But, rightly or wrongly, some
Thornhill people see that as a
threat. They argue that because
Terrace has a much larger popu-
lation, that city will dominate
such a council.

The solution, they argue, would
be to have a ward system which
would ensure a certain number of
seats on the ew council would
goto Thornhill.

POLICE SERVICES for the
Thornhill arca is a good example
of how complicated restructuring
issues can get.

In the city of Terrace, policing
costs are part of the annual
budget and therefore a factor in
sclling property taxcs.

In Thornhill, policing is the re-
sponsibility of senior govern-
ment, not the Kitimat-Stikine
regional district.

Senior goverment recovers
some of that cost through its rural
tax levy. Even though that tax has
been climbing dramatically over
the past 10 years, it’s doubtful it
yet truly reflects the cost of the
service.

If Thornhill were to incorporate
and its population were to exceed

 §,000, its taxpayers would be
direcily responsible for paying 70:

per cent of the policing costs, The
rest would be covered by senior
governments.
That’s what Terrace pays now.
However, if Thornhill were to
amalgamate with Terrace, that

would likely push the population
of the combined community’s

through the next level of 15,000. —

At that point, local taxpayers
pick up 90 per cent of the polic-
ing tab - in other words Terrace
as well as Thornhill residents
would be paying more,

But that’s not the end of it.
Recent government discussion
papers on the police ‘cost issue
have suggested a new system
which would see an across the
board per capita tax levy,

That would mean everyone paid
the same regardless of where they
lived,

Which makes it a little tough to
work out the tax implications of
reorganization.

The same uncertainty exists
when it comes. to the health sys-

tem. Thornhill and Terrace resi-—

dents currenily pay a hospital dis-
trict health tax. —

But the system is undergoing
major changes at the moment and

that could change who Ievics |

taxes and over what arca.

Dispelling the myths |

WHEN THE restructuring issue comes up in conversation, it Is likely .

two ‘‘myths”' will soon make their appearance.
The first is that Thombill is the largest unincorporated area left in the

province.

Not, sa, says regional district administrator Bob Marcellin, Until
recently, there were a number of much more heavily populated areas
around Victoria that remained unorganized,

-That’s changed with the formation of six new districts, but that still
leaves areas like Westbank outside Kelowna, much larger than Thom-

hilt and satill unincorporated,

The other myth is Thornhill residents are getting a free ride when it
coines to using Terrace’s recreational facililles and library.

Again, not true, They pay taxes for both which are passed on to the
clty, In fact, the library agreement was recenily renegotiated which had
the effect of Increasing the cost share covered by Thorabill a and Lakelse

residents.

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, November 23, 1994 - AS

CORRESPONDENCE FOR THE TERRACE STANDARD

The Mail Bag

Use a little compassion

Dear Sir:

Regarding your recent issue on the death of Sandy Alexander. [
really feel bad for the family of the 13-year-old child, having to
have lost him in such a way.

[I’m sure they fcel very sad and can only hope Gime will heal the
hurt of this devastating loss:

It seems to me, from going through a few of the focal papers,
when young nalive people have died that the Terrace press is really
great at exploiting their pictures and life stories in the paper.

Tt doesn’t seem to be enough that they have already left our world
but also the family has to endure ihe bashing of the press on the in-
dividual’s life styles and the way the person lost their life.

T can speak from experience on this issue as in 1978 my sister lost
her life at the very young age of 16, The Terrace press was quick to
splash her picture all over the front page, with no respect or
decency whatsoever for the few remaining people i in her family.

It was a tragic loss for us and the second loss in our family in six
weeks. But ihe story was-told as the press wanted to sensationalize
it. I guess that’s why you pul pictures of dead people in the paper.

You can be sure that if any-of these people who so tragically lost
their lives were of any other race other. than’ native, the press
wouldn’t be so quick as to splatter the pictures of dear departed
ones — would they.

I truly believe if the press were laken to task and one of these
families sued the butts off them, maybe they'd think twice next time
about how to tell a story of one who bas lost their life.

So, Terrace press, think before you post any more pictures of
deceased native people and try a little compassion instead of racism
(maybe that’s not the right word),

As the other lady said, put yourself in their shoes. How would you
like to see your cousin, uncle, brother or sister remembered in this
way,

Surely we all don't have picture perfect lives but it docsn’t have
to be put in writing, for all the Pacific Northwest ta see — does it?

‘Bonita Mercer
Terrace, B.C,

Doesn't like the litter:

Dear Sirs :

Having just spent three months in your beautiful city Ii am ren
with many fond memories to take back home.

The spectacular scenery and wonderful, friendly people have left
an indelible mark on my mind which I will always treasure.

My only disappointment is the seemingly endless amount of litter
surrounding the streets, especially around school areas, and the ap-
parent unconcern shown by those students (cigarctles in hand)
depositing this mess.

From ali accounts this is a common problem in Terrace which
seems such a shame as it is so noticeable, surely not just to visitors.
This one detraction, however, will not deter me fom expounding
the virtues of a great little town,

Chris Baillie,
Nelson, New Zealand

_ Try the Brown whine
Dear Sirs 0 7

Rob Brown’s ‘‘A taste’of Whine”’ in the Nav. '9 issue left: me
wondering ifa whine was in the mind of the reader or the writer.

Those who responded to Liberal leader Gordon Campbell’s ‘im-
prudent and political announcement on KCP - for different reasons -
are accused of whining. Rob Brown’s reaction, of course, is not.’

I represent the people of Skeena. If there are'a great number of
people in this constituency who are opposed to the completion of
KCP and who are prepared to pay compensation. for a breach of a
legally binding contract, J have not heard from them.

Make no mistake, there is a cost 1o any cancellation and I have not
heard opponents express ally willingness 1o further. tighten. their
belts or accept reductions in service. I can’! imagine’any court in
the land allowing us to simply ‘‘abrogate the deal’? as Rob sug-
gests,

Maybe it is time for the opponents in Skeena to come out of the
closet and see if they are a majority and address some of the issues,

Like many, I am waiting to sce what the B.C, Ulilitics Commis-
sion Hearings on KCP put in their report. They are the ones who sat
through hours of briefs and received thousands of pages of docu-
ments related to the subject. They might even express a need for a
further study and a broadened mandate. What is the risk in waiting
another mouth for them to report?

Rob Brown, like Gordon Campbell, has already made’ up his
mind. That is their right. I am rather surprised that Rob thinks Gor-
don is sincere and therefore believable. They might even tum outto |
be right in the long run.

I just don’t have the luxury of ignoring information - I’m nol sit-
ting in opposition - so if ] wait until the report is in and J volunteer a
comment on people who take a position for political benefit without
the report that is whining? That's pretty lame, Rob!

I was asking for a public inquiry into Kemano II, as it was then
called, in the late 70s before Rob was around. Since then we've had
the 1987 Settlement Agreement signed by a Tory government and a
provincial government supported by Gordon Campbell at the time.
The issuc is more complicated today. It is not as simple as Rob likes

~ to make it,

There may be some difficult choices which need to be made on
this issue. It seems only prudent to wait until all the information is
considered. Any decision will have lasting implication. _

: eee Helmut Giesbrecht,

MLA, Skeena

THE START IS FOR PEOPLE LEARNING TO READ

. because. the: Salvation ‘Arm
gram. Cee

The Start |

: Big demand for food |
THERE WAS a big demand for food at the food bank

| _ last week.

About 1,600 people got food last week.’ :

‘That’s alot more than last year at the same time. ~-

And it means the food bank is out of food. and. out of
money. .

It costs more ‘than $3,000 a month. to: run the. food
bank, That amount does not include food that is donated,

Food bank worker Terry Mahoney says some items
were cut from the bags. Last year the food bank did not
have enough money: for sugar and toilet paper. This
month it did not have enough money to buy potatoes.

She said the food bank is looking for help. It will give
out. food again in January, It does not open: in December _