» Feature: When you're ready to lock up the kids Sidney & Saanich _ Peninsula B2,3 Audited Circulation 12,933 An Island Publishers Newspaper Wednesday June 27,1990 40¢ by Glenn Werkman The Review The control tower at the Victoria Airport will be closed from 12 midnight until 6 a.m. every day effective July 1, but runway lights will be left on to aid landing. aircraft, Transport Canada public affairs officer Bill Almolky con- firmed. The move has Sidney Mayor Norma Sealey objecting in strong terms to a “non-consultative pro- cess” that puts the safety of resi- BUSINESS Al6 dents near the airport in jeopardy. “Had it not been for a number eS CALENDAR BT of people raising objections we would have known nothing about | CLASSIFIEDS BS this,” Sealey told Sidney council MMUNITY — Bij Monday. Ee “Because of the increased GARDENING A20 {| safety risk I don’t think it’s a viable option to consider.” OPINION AG,7 Sealey received support from council to send a brief to Transport OUTDOORS A18]| Canada’s regional director of Air | Navigation protesting the change. SPORTS B4 Ald. John Calder said: “They must have spent millions on a sophisticated control tower that took 18 months to two years Aig} building and now they want to close it at night.” Ali6 Sealey said it’s likely the move is to reduce the cost of airports and A18 | to make them as near as possible to self-sustaining. A20 She objects to the move on AT {several points. Victoria has histori- cally been used as an alternative for Vancouver-bound aircraft in inclement weather and late- arriving charter flights often use the airport. He said Vancouver will be the AT | air traffic control after July 1. Almolky confirmed the main runway lights will be left on all night and fire protection in the event of an air disaster on the ground can be provided through an agreement with the North Saanich Volunteer Fire Department. Hours of operation for the air- port's Crash Fire Rescue service ' were altered a few years ago so there are no personnel from 12 midnight until 6 a.m. Sealey said: “Our residents and the travelling public have a right to know when safety is being com- promised for a monetary saving that is pretty minuscule in the overall costs of Transport Canada, particularly when you consider the costs for keeping the lights on and bringing in staff on an “on-call” basis, which usually requires some renumeration for that “ready Status.” ; Almolky said persons with objections can submit written Statements to Transport Canada’s regional director of Air Naviga- tion, 800-Burrard St., Box 220, Vancouver, V6Z 238. . Incoming aircraft will be expected to listen for other aircraft in the area to give location reports and tower staff would have to be called in during winter months when runway-clearing equipment is being used, Sealey said. Continued on Page A2 Sunday drive the old fashioned way. only airport in B.C. with 24-hour _ by Valorie Lennox The Review Proposed increases in North Saanich council stipends were blocked by Ald. Dee Bailin, Ald. Don Caverley and Ald. Art McKinnon Monday despite Mayor Linda Michaluk’s argument that low stipends make it difficult for lower income people to serve on council. The proposed increases would have raised the mayor’s stipend to $12,500 from $7,830 annually and aldermen’s stipends to $6,000 from $3,550 annually. Ald. Brian Dunic backed the ‘increase. As the owner of a small business, he said the time required by council costs him income. “Today just doing interviews for council cost me $40 out of my pocket,” he reported. Bailin opposed the increase for alderman but agreed the mayor’s more demanding job deserved the proposed $12,500 annual stipend. In speaking to people who might be interested in running for coun- cil, she said the present stipend was not questioned. “It’s considered a volunteer job.” She also doubted present alder- man had questioned the stipend when running for council. Michaluk said a more adequate Stipend could make the difference between a good candidate continu- ing to serve on council. Personally, she said she added together the North Saanich mayor’s stipend and the Capital Regional Direc- tor’s stipend before deciding she could afford to serve on council. When she admitted that to another CRD director during the CRD stipend debate, the other director told Michaluk “if you’re running that close to the line on your expenses, you’re not rich enough to be here.’ That attitude will lead to only the wealthy sitting on municipal councils instead of getting the best possible people from all levels o society, Michaluk said. “We have to make our stipends such that any resident of North Saanich can run for council,” ‘Michaluk said. For example, she said the stipend should be enough Airport control tower will close at night Aldermen reject proposed raise to cover day care costs if a young: mother wishes to run for council. Having done the job for two to four years, she said all council — members should realize that the job is worth more than the pro- posed increase. Ald. Maurice Chazottes said he divided the stipend by the hours spent at council and committee meetings over the year and real- ized the effective remuneration is ‘$10 an hour, roughly what a good waitress will make on wages and tips. His calculation did not include the time spent on council outside of regular meetings. Continued on Page A2 Plan changed, then passed for Central Saanich’s future by Mare Davis The Review Bowing to public pressure, Cen- tral Saanich council made more than two dozen changes to the - Official Community Plan before adopting it as a bylaw Monday. Central to the amendments was a decision to recommend a policy of slow long-term community growth and housing in the munici- pality. The second draft of the com- “munity blueprint had recom- mended the controversial goal of slow to moderate growth for Cen- tral Saanich. Another key amendment made to the plan was a decision that no further development will be per- mitted in Tod Inlet and the Mt. Newton Heights areas until local area plans are adopted. This move effectively allows residents further input at a local level in deciding the extent of development of those areas. Showing a concern for environ- mental interests in the Mt. Newton Heights area, council made a num- ber of recommendations which include the following three key concerns. — Consider environmental characteristics, including slope, vegetation and landscape features. — Identify and recommend pro- tection of areas with important habitat and heritage features. — Consider impact of potential Continued on Page A3 Se ee)