A10 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 14, 1998 HAVE EMERGENCY bag will travel is the motta of Terrace tire chief Randy Smith. A Red Cross volunteer, Smith is in Puerto Rico on disaster relief following Hurricane Georges. Fire chief Smith is in Puerto Rico TERRACE’S FIRE CHIEF and emergency coordinator is working on disaster relief in Puerto Rico. The American Red Cross asked Randy Smith, who is also a Red Cross volunteer, to help with relief efforts for survivors of the hurricane that recently devastated several Caribbean Islands, Florida, Alabama, Missis- sippi and Louisiana. least $1 billion in property damage. According to. Smith, more than 1,200 people in Puerta Rico have been displaced from their homes and are living. in 250 temporary reception centres in schools, factories and churches. _ Smith explained that American Red Cross workers are working around the clock providing the injured and homeless with basic necessities: water, food and Now downgraded to tropical storm status, Hurricane Georges has claimed more than 320 lives and caused at Councillors tackle mayor on secrecy SOME CITY councillors are taking issue with mayor Jack Talstra’s policy of keeping discussion of many topics behind closed doors. The issue came up at a commnitice meeting Friday when councillors were to discuss whether in-linc skat- ing should be allowed on cily streets. Councillor Vai George ob- jected to Talstra’s decision that the topic would be debated in-camera, arguing there’s no reason the public shouldn’t know about it, “T don’t know why it’s in- camera either, to ‘be honest,”’ said councillor David Hull. “We have to look at a number of alternatives that might get misrepresented,’ Talsira gave as his initial response, In Jater discussion — just before closing the meeting to the public — Talstra said his “‘better’’ explanation of why it should be in-camera is that’s what routinely hap- pens with legal opinions that are given to the city. He said its particularly important to take care in discussing items where the city could be exposed to liability. “We have an opinion Val George - from our solicitors, which is usually introduced to coun- cil in-camera,’’ Talstra said. George and Hull said it’s proper that administration initially designate such items in-camera, but they argued that if council has checked the material —- as was the case with the in-line skating issue —- and decided it could be discussed open- ly, the change should be made, **That’s for council to de- cide,’ George said, adding council raises _ public suspicions if too many items are unnecessarily discussed behind closed doors. “We have to be careful about what we put in camera,’ George said. “The public misinterprets © things when you go in- camera,’” “That’s a problem that’s existed for 30 years and it’s probably going to exist for the next 30,” replied Tal- stra, who then directed the doors be closed. It’s the latest in a series of items that have been kept in-camera. A week ago Talstra de- fended a decision to discuss noise complaints about Skeena Cellulose’s chipper in-camera because of the “‘sensilive’’ nature of the is- sue, And on Sept. 17, council held a day-long ‘‘think tank’? seminar that was con- ducted entirely in-camera. Topics covered at that closed-door session — in- cluded the multiplex, the skateboard park, the farm- er’s market, policiag and fire department issues, pub- lic works projects, the budget, taxation levels for 1999, the airport and city boundary expansion, and forestry and Skeena Cel- lulose. Box 22, . IMPROVING ‘Terrace, B.C. daar ohtes Cares YOUR ccepla ROAST ae mo "Your donation is AND STROKE CANADA'S 638-1966 tax deductibla “FOUNDATION | 41 KILLER Your In Memoriam gift is a lasting trioute, Please send your donation to the address above, along with the name and address and the name and address of the next-of- kin, for an acknowledgement card. ty . ! When the drifts start piling high, you can = aaa a count on ARCTIC Snowplows to break through. Bullt to withstand the rigors of our hard winters, the ARCTIC Snowplow [5 constructed of durable steel Available for most light, trucks. 5 CALL US TODAY 635-6334 HEART AND STROKE FOUNDATION [iam blankets, He'll replace those workers who are burnt out. Smith has never been asked to volunteer his services before internationally, and he says it will be a good learning experience. “My whole career involves help- ing people and this is just another avenue,”’ he said. Smith is doing a variety of jobs. He’s coordinating a mobile unit supplying food, delivering. medical sup- plies, and doing needs assessment reports for families. His job is to get people out of the temporary recep- tion centres and back into their homes. But some homes have been completely destroyed by the hurri- : oo pre RET ENRS cra te ff cane, meaning Smith then figures out what’s needed to MA i EY ee help those affected. To Smith, going to Puerto Rico is a great opportunity to be involved in the management of this type of dis- aster, ‘We don’t have that many disasters here. It’s okay to be book smart but you need practical experience.” Smith is in Puerto Rico for at least three weeks, saying the experience will be worthwhile when it com- es to dealing with local emergency situations, “T think this is great. [ just have to convince my wife," said Smith before his departure. _THE CITY's new social planning commission needs a few community-minded people. The group is being set up to help put a human face on - the city’s planning issues at the same time as 2 major rebuild of the Official Com- munity Plan (OCP) is to™:.’ take place, . The idea is that besides the concrete civic infrastruc- ture of sewer and water lines, pavement and zoning, the OCP in the future will. also look at quality of life issues like the standard of. rental housing in the city. © And the new commission ©: | would be responsible for de- veloping social goals, objec" |. tives and policies that would - become part of the OCP, While council has moved: -.. to create the commission, ~ the response so far hasn't. - 3° been overwhelming. Councillor Linda Hawes said they’ve had inquiries from four local citizens and three of the 11 organizations they had approached to. serve on the commission. **T think this is an impor- lant opportunity for the pub- lic to have some input on the direction that Terrace ~- takes in the future,”’ Hawes 220 2°: said, ae Those who volunteer: to: serve on the commission — will meet one night a month, ©: Anyone interested can call. the city platining departinent at 615-4028, ae You could save thousands! -. 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