This week:

Bottom line

ilton Jovial leaned back
in his chair and placed
his feet neatly on the

far corner of his desk. Yawning,
he folded his hands behind his

neck and rolled his head back to —

stare at the ceiling. It had been a
bit of a marathon but he had
enjoyed his Labour Day weekend.
He hadn’t seen his New York
office for more than a year. "It’s
probably working better in my
absence," he mused.

The real highlight of his week-
end, though, was his stop in Mil-
waukee. There, he had visited his
son, Robert John Jovial. Things
were going well in Milwaukee.
Bobby, or RJ as he liked to be
called, had done a good job with
Milton’s corporate flagship... Jovial
International Plastics Corporation.

Recreational Activities had been
RJ’s major, but he had somehow
graduated from university with
something far more valuable. A
real degree: RJ. Jovial, Bachelor

of Business Administration, a first
rate efficiency expert who had
placed 36th in the class of ’86.

With RJ at the helm, JIP was a
true masterpiece, a prime example
of the power of free enterprise in
action. An efficient high-tech pro-
duction line it was, with a mini-
mum number of workers that
ticked away like a top-of-the-line
Swiss watch. And to Milton’s
delight, with every tick the plant
sucked in a generous amount of
cash at a production cost that was
the envy of the industry.

"Eove that kid," Milton whis-
pered aloud. "Wonder what he
could do with this place?”

A gentle rap at the door inter-
rupted Jovial’s speculation. "Good
morning sir," Mercy Pringle
chimed as she flowed towards
Milton’s desk. "Have a nice week-
end?"

Jovial stared in silence. Glowing
face, jong blonde hair.. "Oh,

News in Brief

(Part |)

Mercy," he said finally. “Yes. Yes
I did. Haven’t seen Bobby for
almost two years."

"Bobby?"

"My son. Good looking boy.
Great athlete... Even better busi-
nessman. You'd like him."

"Yes sir," Mercy returned, un-
willing to be distracted. "What's
her name... Squirrel, Herby’s sec-
Tetary... Just dropped off some-
thing called a quarterly manage-
ment plan. Said you’d want it right
away."

Milton’s private life was some-
thing Mercy never questioned. He
had a son? He had never even
talked about a wife. And he didn’t
seem like the marrying type... His
one and only love was for money.
Was he married? Separated?
Divorced? None of the above?
Mercy wondered, but didn’t ask.

"I'll be out front if you need me
sir," she said as she turned to
leave.

Jovial didn’t respond. His usual
and obvious interest in Mercy
Pringle had been distracted by
something of greater importance, a
management plan, the forecast of
how much money he would make
in the next three months.

Jovial’s eyes scanned the page
quickly as he searched for the
bottom line. Inventory, production,
sales... Profit! Jovial’s anticipation
and excitement turned instantly to
shock. His feet dropped slowly
from the desk to the floor. He
placed the report on the desk and
switched on a lamp. Maybe the
light was bad. But as he looked

‘again, he knew that wasn’t the

case,
“Six hundred and sixteen thou-
sand, seven hundred- and fifty
dollars?" he gasped with tears
welling in his eyes. "This can’t be!
That’s only a little better than two
hundred thousand a month."
Jovial pressed the intercom but-
ton. "Mercy! Get me Squish!

Now!" .

"Sir?"

"Now!"

In less than 30 seconds, Herby
was sitting in Milton’s office.
"What’s this?" Milton raged. "I
asked for a quarterly plan! Not a
doomsday report!"

*Milton," Squish replied quietly.
"This is a plan. A very sensible
and responsible plan."

Squish had expected the report to
upset Jovial a bit. But he was
surprised to see him close to a
coronary. After all, he had talked
io Jovial about a responsible,
sustainable forest industry before.
The annual profits might be less,
he had told him, but they will be
there every year.

Milton ripped the report into
shreds and tossed it in the air.
"Squish. I’m disappointed in you.
I hired you to maximize profits
through an intelligent harvesting
plan... And you give me this? I
could have made more money than
this if I had have taken my fifly
million and put it in a savings
account,

"Why do you think I left the
comforts of the New York skyline?
For my health? For the scenery?
No Squish. J left the comforts of a
$3.5 million penthouse and a
$30,000 a month office to design
and build Jovial Logging Incorpor-
ated... Another success story in the
annals of Jovial International Hold-
ings Incorporated.

"The guys on Wall Street would
laugh me out of town if they saw
this Squish. Do it again! And this
time, do it right!"

The

Insights

by Tod Strachan, if consultation with Rod Amold and Doug Davies

Squish was speechless. He had
never seen his boss like this.

"Milton. Calm down and let me
explain," he said finally. "The plan
(I happen to have another copy
right here) is a good plan. It’s
responsible. It’s workable. And it’s
sustainable. In the forest industry,
you can’t make a better plan than
that"

Jovial grunted his disapproval.

"I’ve told you before," Squish
continued. "You need a respon-
sible, sustainable harvesting plan.
The annual profits might be less,
but they will be there every year
for as long as you want to stay in
business." _

"Not very long with this plan,"
Jovial snapped. "I did a few calcu-
lations of my own based on what
you and others have told me and I
came up with a quarterly profit of
twelve million dollars."

"That’s ‘ impossible,"
laughed. oo ;

"|’ve got an annual allowable cut
of 600,000 cubic metres," Jovial
said ignoring Herby’s lack of
business sense, "and if I can tum
forty percent of that into overseas
quality lumber at $200 a cubic
meter I will realize a profit of
forty eight million dollars a year.

"That’s what I call a plan. Now
you do yours over again, and bring
me back a bottom line I can live
with... Or maybe you don’t like
working here."

Squish

Next week, the debate continues.
Will either of these two men
change their way of thinking?

The Ministry of Forests has extended the deadline for public

Commission, titled The Future of Our Forests. Minister Claude
Richmond said he Has released one discussion paper prompted by
the report and intends to issue others. Copies of the reports and
discussion papers are available at the Kalum District Forest Service
office and the Terrace Public Library.

Alcan Aluminum reports a loss of $5 million in the company’s
operations during the second quarter of 1991. In the second quarter
of 1990 the company made an $84 million profit. David Morton,
chairman and chief executive officer of the company, blames low
prices brought on by a glut of aluminum on the world market for
the loss. Morton says cost control continues to receive "stringent
attention" in Alcan’s operations.

Dennis Macknak of Saskatchewan has been appointed director
of regional operations for the University of Northern B.C.
Macknak was previously executive director of the Churchill
Research Centre, a member of the University of Manitoba northern
studies committee and associate professor of education at the same
university. His job, which starts Oct. 1, is 10 ensure that UNBC
programs and services are available "as widely as practicable"
throughout northem B.C. The university is scheduled to start
classes in the fall of 1993.

submissions regarding the report of the Forest Resources —

INCOMPREHENSIBILITY

File
The following statement is taken from a British Columbia

Chamber of Commerce news release issued recently to present the
Chamber's position on recent developments that resulted in the

indefinite shut-down of construction on Alcan’s Kemano Completion

Project.

A recent decision handed down by the Federal Court of Canada,
Trial Division has ruled that Alcan’s Kemano Completion Project
will be subject to the Federal Environmental Review Process. This
decision in essence nulifies an agreement reached in 1987 between
Alcan, The Federal Government and The Provincial Government.
That agreement, reached after many years of discussion, negotiation,
and litigation provided for Alcan to proceed with their hydroelectric
project. This agreement was ratified by an order in council by the
Federal Government.

In order to achieve this agreement, Alcan had to give up one half
the water to which it was entitled under the water licence, granted
in 1950's. In addition Alcan agreed to spend million of dollar to
build a cold water release of Fisheries and Occans scicniists as well
as Provincial Environment officials.

Is this the final revenge on the salmon?

Letters
to the
Editor

Thanks from
a volunteer

To the Editor;

I have just read your report on
the Terrace Volunteer Bureau and
Seniors’ Information Centre. This
new organization is only in its
infant stages —. we have a long
way to go.

We are simply attempting to help
our senior citizens to enjoy life a
little bit more. Your report in the
paper has really impressed me.
Thank you — very much. —

Bob Goodvin _

(just one of the volunteers)
Terrace

Buy local,
sponsor
local

To the Editor;
I would like to congratulate and
salute groups like the local 4-H

Club and the Timberland Horse |

Show group for putting on their
shows and events. I feel very
disappointed, though, when groups

like this shop out of town for their

awards and trophies. I realize that
at times prices may vary, but at
least the local businesses should
have a chance to bid.

Executives and committees can
become too budget-conscious and
forget local businesses. Local
businesses are the first to be asked
for a donation or advertising dol-
lar. How many out-of-town busi-
nesses sponsor local events or pay
for ads?

Bob Park, proprietor

All Seasons Sporting Goods

Terrace

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