Cassiar residents learn of financial assistance TERRACE — Cassiar residents this week began applying for severance pay and other finan- cial assistance packages. They are the latest in a series. of measures brought in by the provincial government since the Cassiar Mining Corporation “went into receivership and clos- ed last month, More than 400 people who have lost or are expected to lose their jobs because of the mine ‘closure are eligible for severance pay, relocation allowances and buybacks of homes they own. Former employees of Cassiar Mining Corporation are eligi- Band, province ink deal TERRACE —The Gitsegukla ‘band will get land, a pedestrian/vehicle overpass and cash in return for property taken up by Hwy]6. Details, to be released this Friday at Gitsegukla during a signing ceremony between the band and highways minister Art Charbonneau, were worked out -in January following a threat by the band to set up a toll booth _ on the highway. The compensation package covers land taken up by the highway in the late 1960s and "land used for the new Carnbaby by-pass. . ~Speaking last week, Gitse- qukla chief counsellor Ken Russell said the $980,000 ’ pedestrian/vehicle overpass will safely connect the village cut in two in the late 1960s. And the 267 acres it will get as part of the package will go toward residential development, es he said. © “We've been at this a long ; time — it started 10 to 15 years ago,” said Russell of attempts by the band for compensation. An additional amount of cash is to be given for water and ~sewer work, school bus costs and other expenditures made by the band arising from the route the highway takes through band land, Russell said the previous government wanted the band to . “cover one-quarter of the. overhead cost, Charbonneau will first attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Carnaby by-pass, sign the compensation package with the band and then altend a village feast. Raises put off TERRACE — Aldermen have passed on a 3.7 per cent pay in- crease — at least for now. Under a policy adopted in 1985, salaries for the mayor and aldermen are raised each January to reflect any change in the consumer price index for Vancouver, It also gives council the op- tion of deferring any increase and that’s just what it did this year, postponing any decision ona 3.7 per cent hike until August. Explaining the move, alder- man Mo Takhar said accepting -the increase now would be ‘‘set- ting a precedent before we settle with CUPE (the Canadian Union of Public Employees which represents the city’s hour- _ ly paid workers) and staff. [ didn’t think it was right,’’ -he added. . - Asked if the decision. in- dicated council might be look- ing for settlements with CUPE and the staff which were lower than 3.7 per cent, Takhar said he wasn’t aware of anything like that, “He repeated the intent was -. simply to delay any increase un- til after new contracts had been negoliated with employees. The- policy does not allow Expected next week is some kind of word on the efforts to sel! the assets of Cassiar Mining Corpara- tion. Four expressions of interest have been submitted and are being evaluated by a court-appointed receiver, ble, under a collective agree- ment with the company, for 16 weeks pay. Employers working for other companies in the town are eligi- ble for termination pay accor- ding to their contracts. [f people do not have a contract, provi- sions in the provincial Employ- ment Standards Act apply. In all cases employers are ex- pected to honour their collective agreements or provisions of the Employment Standards Act, says a provincial finance ministry official working on the Cassiar situation. If they do not, the province will pay but the employee will have to assign his or claim to the government which will then take action against the employer, said Steve Hollet. This provision will apply to the Cassiar Mining Corporation which doesn’t have any money — of its own, he said, The same principle of honouring collective agreements applies to the relocation package. If a person does not have such a provision, federal government assistance, as ap- plicable, will be granted as well as $2,000 per family unit and travel assistance for each family resident equivalent to one-way economy airfare to Vancouver or Edmonton. Homeowners will receive their down payment, principal payments made on a mortgage, the costs of approved additions Introducing Dodge Dakota Magnum Club Cat 4x4 and costs of required repairs. Buyback pravisions in collec- tive agreements are expected to be honoured. Again, if are not, the province will honour the commitments but will take ac- tion against the employer. Wk te kkk -In the meantime, the receiver appointed by the court to sell the assets of Cassiar Mining Corporation will report next week on its progress. Arthur Andersen and Com- pany received four expressions of interest last week. Each came with a refundable $100,000 deposit for the right to examine the company’s books and assets. This initial search for a pur- chaser is treating the company’s assets as one package. It in- cludes the Cassiar townsite and docking and shipping facilities in Stewart and in North Van- couver, Identities of the four expres- sions of interest were not reveal- ed, Formal offers to purchase Must be by accompanied by 10 per cent of the amount offered. Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 19, 1992 — Page A11 School tri TERRACE — The Aurora Summer Arts School may have to operate with little or no local government money this year. . Hard on the heels of Kitimat-Stikine regional district’s rejection of a grant request, council has now told Aurora to reduce the amount it’s asking from the’ city: For last year’s inaugral summer school, Aurora received $25,000 from the ci- ty and a further $10,000 from the regional district. It was seeking the same again this year from each. However, Kitimat-Stikine director Tom Goyert main- tained approving the grant would mean the district was “catering essentially to a special interest group’’. He also pointed out Aurora spokesman Norah Ferguson had made it clear the grant would be used to subsidise registration fees. If students wanted to improve their education, he argued, they and not taxpayers should be paying for it. Earlier, Ferguson had in- requests “steadily ~ told to dicated there might be room for a stight increase in enrol- ment fees — last year up to $525 for two weeks — but a “prohibitive’’ cost increase would defeat the goal of a steadily expanding enrol- ment. Although she explained Aurora’s intent was to reduce’ its dependence on local govern- ment grants, Lakelse director Sandy Sandhals said he could see Lhe request becoming an annual event if approved again. As for the city, finance committee chairman Danny Sheridan said heavy demands on its 1992 budget and a desire to hold the line on taxes might rule out a $25,000 grant this year, Aurora was asked to calculate the minimum amount it needed fram the city to be able to operate the school, The finance commilt- tee will then reconsider the application and decide whether to forward it for consideration in this year's budget. . with 36% more horsepower. DODGE DAKOTA MAGNUM 1| 232 HORSEPOWER MAGNUM 318 VS ENGIN (OR AVAILABLE 180 HP 3.9 LITRE MAGNUM V6 ENGINE) 2| LARGEST TRUCK IN ITS CLASS 3/ OWNER’S CHOICE PROTECTION PLAN. 2% Wis FACTORY FINANCING OVER 48 MONTHS ADVANTAGE: CHRYSLER a ST A! CASHTO YOU! age council members to award themselves an increase higher than ‘‘the average percentage increase granted to the district management group.” B Dodge Tucks | CHRYSLER AT YOUR LOCAL B.C. 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