False alarm policy won't be changed CITY. POLICY on levying stiff fines for false alarms from security systems will remain unchanged: tomers are triggering ex- cessive numbers. The city collected $7,400 in fines for false Councillors “opened” the “alarms* in°°1998:° That door a crack to a review of number. is: only $2,800 so 3) the policy last Monday, far this year, but most of ; . but by Friday they’d:re- the fines come late in the Gl Madels eAir * Cruise jected any changes. — year after the free. alarms emit +¢Am/Fm Cassette *4 Cylinder The rethink came in re- *Aulomalic RON KUECHLE of Ron's Hobbies was just one af many home-based businesses out at their assacia- tion’s trades fair Nov. 20 in the arena banquet room. The association makes these events a regu- lar occurrence. Hotel room tax sponse to a Kermode Youth Centre request that the cily waive the $900 in fines for false alarms. in-: curred there this year. « The goal of the policy is to avoid RCMP time being taken up responding to false alarms. ©. The first four false alarms are free. A $100 fine is charged for the fifth, $200 for the sixth and . $300 fines are assessed for each faise alarm after that. City treasurer Keith Norman says the- policy is working, noting the 750- plus faise alarms recorded prior to the bylaw’s intro- duction in 1994 was cut in half in subsequent years. He’s projecting about 450 false alarms for 1999, but only a handful of cus- are used up. The Kermode. Youth Centre said it incurred the fines because it was train- ing new youth workers. Councillor Olga Power said that’s no excuse. “It happens to all vol- -unteer groups, like the Happy Gang Centre,” she said. “It’s part of the job of training to make sure these things do not occur.” Norman suspects some businesses turn the sys- tems off afler they’ve used up the ‘free false alarms and fines start to kick in. RCMP Sat. Darcy Gol- lan said the more sophisti- cated criminals responsi- ble for many breakins are often able to bypass the alarm systems anyway. Only a fraction of the alarms turn out to be real. ” Power Door Locks . *Power Windows’: *Remaining Manufacturer's Warranty* @ “798 Models . ben a Me im Available. oe *integrated Child Seat “ #2.4L DOHC 16 Valve Engine «Automatic eTili/Cassetie #Power Windows *Remaining Manufacturer’s Warranty" aPower locks * Power Mirrors ' Deep Tint Windows *Full Size Spare Tire * Aluminum Rims | d eC a re S U r ace S . . *Air Conditioning *Cruise Control * Tilt Sleering Vacancy rate cl im bs hig her *Am/Fm Cassette eAuiomatic Transmission #4,0! Engine APARTMENT VACANCY rates are up in Terrace and *High Ourpur the amounts landlords are getting are down. Terrace’s vacancy rate rose to 16.6 per cent from 14.7 per cent a year ago, according tu the CMHC, it’s even higher in Kitimat and Prince Rupert, where the vacancy rate is around 29 per cent. CMHC analysts blamed sluggish economic conditions in most northern communilies for vacancy rate increases. Average rents paid for apartments here dropped from $545 a year ago to $527 now. The range of average pric- es here is from $409 for bachelor suites to $644 for threc- bedroom suites. One-bedroom units average $480 and are most plentiful, with a 24 per cent vacancy, while three- plus bedrooms are more scarce, at 10.9 per cent. tourism council was rela- tively new, formed to han- dle tourism promotion ac- tivities being spun off by the cily. City council feit- tourism advertising should be paid for and overseen by the businesses and sta- keholders who benefit: “Terrace Tourism has been ‘around for a couple of years’ now,” Nelson said. “Now we can demon- strate how Terrace Tour- ism helps them and has oe . o, Deghh. - helped them.” a po eee oe m4 i Since then, the council! jum ae a _ SATE and chamber of commerce have also explored other options, such as charging a $50 fee on all local busi- ness licences. That was ubandoned over disagreement over whether all local business- - es would pay or whether it would be just those that benefit fram tourism. Some solution needs to be found, Nelson said, not- ing the council can prom- ote Terrace as a tourism destination in ways indi- vidual businesses couldn't, “We all need to work ‘together on this as a com- munity,” she said, She said Terrace is making good steps to be- coming a better destina- tion, via the planned linear ‘park, beautification efforts and the farmer’s market. “It would be disastrous if that momentum did net continue.” Nelson said hotel and motel owners representing SL per cent of local rooms would have to agree to the tax for it lo go ahead. Bed and breakfasts wouldn’t charge the tax. FACED with an impending budget crunch, the Terrace Tourism Council is once again looking at the idea of setting up a hotel/motel room tax here to finance its operations. Council coordinator Rana Nelson said the two- per cent room tax — over- whelmingly rejected by hotel operators three years age — once again locks like the best bet to pay for tourism marketing in. light. of declining federal gov- ernment and city contribu- tions. A $40,000 annual grant from Human Resources Development Canada runs out April Ist, she said. City council, which cut its subsidy from $45,000 to $35,000 this year and plans to eventually reduce it to zero, isn’t likely to agree to a major increase. “Definitely it’s worth looking at again,” Nelson said of the tax, adding she realizes it will be contro- versial. “There are some people that don’t think the tourism tax is going to go. But they don’t know my powers of persuasion,” she added. There’s no other venture the tourism council can envision that would bring in the same money as the room tax, she added. Smithers and Rupert al- ready have the room tax, so there would be a level playing field in the region. “Smithers gets $40,000 for tourism from their hotel tax,” she said. “Rupert gets over $100,000.” The last time the tax was contemplated the THANK YOU A special thank you to all supporlers who re-elected me Councillor on November 20. Chili Pepper Red, White, Green to choose from *Remaining Manufacturer’s Warranty" _ “We Feature Toyota, GM, Chrysler & Ford Products _ Picturas not exactly a3 Illustrated. Ss 100 Air Miles with every purchase 4542 Lakelse Ave., Terrace pir#7262 635-6855 AVUOA L SU Lege ekaal Cail _NNational CarRertat_ Green means go- 1 wae ; AM gh Sometimes riding high seas in a 32-foot boat is the only way to reach an islana's downed power line. So in order to service British Columbia’s ocean communities, our employees combine hard hats and fife jackets. It’s just one example of the extremes we go to in keeping the power on. The main transmission towers supplying Vancouver Island were damaged by last winter's snow pack, Employeas developed a method that allowed us to repair the damage without intequpting power, | will endeavour to work hard to represent all citizens of Terrace and address your concerns as they arise. & Thank you again, Rich McDaniel, City of Terrace Many BC Hydra powerlines are locaterd in remute areas around the prowince 19 SONNE CHCUMTISEANEES, access 4% possible only by boat ar helicopter oo. For mare information. .: * “BCHYDRO" (224-937 vein the: Lower Mainla CFNR is pleased to announce the appoint- ment of Ron Bartlett to their team of sales representatives. Ron brings many years of sales experience and expertise and looks _ for- ward to this new position.