Drugs struck off list

Dealing with a

gone\NEWS A9

Some users of prescription drugs
find Pharmacare coverage is

loss

Are you up for it?

A hospice volunteer says it’s 4
privilege to work with those in
grief\COMMUNITY BL

Ultimate is being called one of the
most demanding on the local
Sports scene\SPORTS B6 —

WEDNESDAY ~~
MAY 6, 1998

NEARLY 700 people crammed into the R.E.M. Lee
Theatre May 4 to tell a school district committee it
can’Lcut the elementary band and music program.

With a projected deficit of more than $1.5 million,
cutting the program to save more than $600,000 is one
of the options facing the budget advisory committee.

A concert band played outside while a children’s
chorus and a trio of young flautists received standing
ovations inside as the crowd drove home ils point.

Parent George Clark challenged the budget district
advisory committee to remember for whom it works.

“The money you are talking about is our money; it is
not your money,” said Clark.

Don’t cut music, crowd

Parent and musician Jose Coosemans also paid trib-

ute to one of the more high profile people scheduled
to lose his job — district music vice principal Terry
Anderson.

More than 60 parents and students added their voices

to the demand to keep the music program alive.

“T can’t imagine the cost to our children if the board

goes ahead with these cuts,” said parent Kim Beaupre.

“By balancing the books, are we taking into account

the long term cost to our kids?” she asked.

School board chair Roger Leclerc and school super-

intendent Frank Hamilton reported that education
minister Paul Ramsey was sympathetic during a meet-

out by Skeena NDP MLA Helmut Giesbrecht,

Elementary music teacher Becky Bloski said music
brings together students of different races and, social
backgrounds.

English teacher Betty Geier said students who study
music de better in other academic subjects.

“Those subjects keep them informed but music
keeps thei alive,” she added. -

Before the public presentations, a member of the
budget advisory committee, Canadian Union of Public
Employees official Rita Hali questioned the rationale
of the proposed cuts, ,

“CUPE is very upset that school district cuts always

93¢ PLUS 7¢ GST
VOL. 41.NO.4

tells trustees

lent positions considered surplus because the district's
school population has dropped from last year,

The list of projected cuts totais more than $2 million,
reflecting the amount needed to operate within the dis-
trict’s proposed budgel this year and to absorb a defi-
ck of just under $630,000 from last year.

A $7,000 allotment to the district's science fair is
threatened, nearly $74,000 in savings could come
from eliminating an elementary technology teacher
and $196,000 would be saved by eliminating support
for extra curricular transportation. a

While Leclere said no decisions have yet been made,
lay off notices have gone out to teachers and others in

“Spend the money the way we want, on keeping
music in these communities.”

Nearly 11 full time equivalent positions are to be lost
in eliminating elementary music and band and a senior
secondary stage band and choral group.

ing in Victoria May | but provided no new money.

He did offer, and the board accepted, the services of
a team of experts to look at ways to free up money by
making the district more efficient, said Leclerc.

A letter offering support — but no money — was read

have an effect on the services to children,” she said.
Hall also ran through a list of other school districts
containing more students but fewer administrators

than is the case here,

Also on the chopping block are 12 full time equiva-

o-op news brings on tears

By JEFF NAGEL
SHOCK AND TEARS were written on the faces of Ter-
race Co-op employecs and longtime members Friday after
they found out the grocery and department store will close
permanently June 30.

The decision, made by Co-op board directors April 30
and released early the nex! morning, to close the main
store and put the building up for sale will throw 80 people
out of work, oo

Manager Ed Berney said it was the only option the 53-
year-old Co-op had to try to save some part of its opera-
tions — namely the garden centre, building supply centre
and cardlock and bulk fuel plant, which will ail continue to
operate.

Fierce competition from new retailers Like Canadian Tire
and Real Canadian Wholesale Club, along with the current
economic downtum, resulted in steep losses in recent
months, Berney said.

“The new competition even in a strong economy would
be a tough thing to compete with,” Berney said. ‘When
combined with the bad economy, it becomes insurmount-
able,”’

He said the Co-op was projecting losses of more than $1
million this year on average annual sales volumes of $15
million if the main store had continued to operate.

“Tt would have been bankruptcy and then we would have

had nothing,’’ said Co-op president Sandy Sandhals, ‘‘It’s |

a heartbreaker —- it really is.””

Berney said several different options were considered,
including ones that looked at a temporary closure of the
department store, rather than a permanent shutdown.

“We couldn’t handle the losses to wait that long,’’ he
said, adding the sale of the building will help cut down the
$4 million the Co-op owes ils suppliers and bank. ‘“These
measures Will reduce our debt to a manageable level.”

Selling, the building means there is no going back and no
chance for a reprieve. It also means other businesses lo-
cated inside the Co-op building will have to either close or
move to new retail space.

Copper barber shop, Shear Edge hairstyling salon, and
Cinaway T-shirts and design have all been given notice of

the impending closure, Bemey said. Keenleyside Insurance
may be able to continue in its location for now because
they have an entrance from the strect, Also closing will be
the post office and lottery ticket outlet there.

Berney said the gas bar will also close, but added that the
Kitsumkalum Tempo gas station at Kitsumkalum won't be
affected. It gets its fuel from the Co-op bulk plant, which

will continue to operate.

The food floor will operate at normal inventory levels
until June, he added, when there will be a sell-off of all
stock. Other departments will begin selling off their stock

sooner,
Members’ shares will stay in effect.

Berney says he’ll stay on and hopes this bitter pill will

turn out to be life-saving medicine.

“T personally hope that if I come back ta Terrace in 20
years it will be in an expansion mode and I would be pretty

proud to have been part of whal saved it.”

Sandy Sandhals

Loyalty, price don’t mix

CUSTOMER LOYALTY is dead and price
is king.

That's the interpretatlon many Co-op cm-
ployees are putting on the demise of their
locally owned grocery and department
store.

They say people are mare inclined to go
to new big box retailers ta get a better deal
than support their 52-year-old locally
owned cooperative.

“Loyalty doesn’t exist any more,’”’ said
10-year employee Martina Koch, who
works in the cafeteria. ‘People don’t care,
If they can buy a head of lettuce 20 cents
cheaper somewhere else, that's where
they’re going to go.”

Manager Ed Bemey said losses have

piled up despite membership of 8,000 that
grew by a couple hundred each year.

“Tt wasn’t a matter of needing more
members,’’ he said. “It was getting the
members we have to buy more at the Co-
op.”

Co-op president Sandy Sandhals sald that
desire to find the best bargain intensified
when Terrace’s economy declined in recent
months, .

“You can’t blame people,’” he said, ‘In

that situation you find the cheapest you can .

buy. Unfortunately there are some outlets
that sell thelr products cheaper than we can
buy it, so that’s difficult.”’

Cont'd Page A14

accordance with their collective agreements. —

The full board holds a regular meeting tonight in
Stewart but the most important meeting takes place
here May 12 — the deadline for the school board fo
adjust ils plans and present a balanced budget.

Condoms likely
In city buildings

CITY COUNCIL appears likely to narrowly vote to install
» condom machines in public buildings like the arena, pool and

library.

Three councillors - Linda Hawes, David Hull and Rich
McDaniel — ined up in favour of the idea during debate Monday
night, arguing that any small measure that could save lives is

worthwhile.

Val George and Ron Vanderlee vowed to vote against the
motion, saying abstinence should be stressed, not the message of

promiscuity they said condom machines would deliver.

Councillor. Olga Power was not present and. mayor Jack
Talstra, who would likely only vote in the event of a 3-3 tie, isn’t

saying yet which way he leans on the issue.

The recommendation from the committee meeting to install

the machines will come back to council fora vote on May 18.

“If we can make an impact in preventing even one unwanted
Pregnancy — because an unwanted pregnancy is an unwanted
child — then | think’ we have got a responsibility to do that," °

Hawes said. :

Hull said condom machines won't have a significant effect on
sexual activily, adding the promiscuity argument’s logic would
mean that the daycare centre for teen mothers beside Caledonia
encourages kids tohave sex and have babies.

He called it a scary world now for teens and said that if the
machines make even the smallest difference in preventing teen
pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases, it's worthwhile,

McDaniel said he’d oppose condom machines in schools, but
said he supports having them in other public buildings -- for the
sume reasons as Hull and Hawes. .

“I’m opposed to having them in the schools,” said councillor
George. “I object even more to having them in public places
because then they're available lo children of alt ages.”

“T think we should be teaching abstinence,” Vanderlee said.
“ICs working great in the States right now.”

Vanderlee also said a local doctor had! told hin the AIDS virus
is small enough to go through latex,

Hull and Hawes said thal’s incorrect, noting physicians use
latex gloves to protect themselves from the AIDS virus in
surgery.

The debate followed presentations by Sarah deLecuw and

Continued Page A2

Gov't office
move planned

PEOPLE PICKING up social assistance cheques will
soon be making a trip across the overpass.

The Ministry of Human Resources wants te move its
offices out of the health unit complex on Kalum St. and
into the B.C, Buildings Corporation building on Keith
Avenue.

That’s prompted the ministry to seek a rezoning from
the city to change the land from light industrial to P1
public and institutional,

It also wants a change of the Official Community
Plan designation from tight industry to community and
public use,

B.C. Buildings Corp. area manager Floyd Mann said
the old carpenters’ shop in the building is being
renovated for more offices. BCBC staff will move into
that arca, making room for human resources ministry
staff in the rest of the building,

If all goes according to plan, the move could take
place in mid-June, Mann said.

City planner David Trawin told councillors a rezon-
ing is required because of a change last year that stops
the use of offices in light industrial zones. He said the
proposed rezoning to public and institutional would
make the properly fit the adjacent zoning of Mills
Memorial Hospital,

Trawin said the land is better suited for that use than
as light industrial development.

City council introduced bylaws to rezone the land
and amend the Official Community Plan on April 27.
Because of the change to the Official Community Plan,
a public hearing is required, which has been set for
Monday, May 25 at 7:00 pm. in council chambers,