A2 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, June 4, 2003 ” Trustee champions parent plan By JENNIFER LANG A TERRACE TRUSTEE who once championed the four- day scheol week broke ranks with his fellow board mem- bers last week, attempling to block the controversial plan al the 11th hour. And he may do so at tonight’s regular school board meeting, Hal Stedham now says he’s having second thoughts about the four-day week after reading a letter from a lo- cal parent outlining her cost-saving alternatives, ‘4 parent has done the board's work,” Stedham said at a May 28 meeting held to approve how the four-day week will work. “I cannot in good conscience support the calendar.” Tanis Purssell’s proposal, which reached trustees just hours before the meeting, finds other ways for the cash- strapped district to balance its budget. “Tanis is one. of the few people that really took the time to offer an alternative,” Stedham said later. “She helped me see things in a different light. That's why we have the 11th hour, the governor's reprieve - we're deal- ing with children’s lives.” Purssell’s suggestions include closing South Hazelton Elementary, reducing the district's travel budget, adding eight minutes onto the school day, boosting class sizes by .5 students, and going ahead with a 20 per cent job cut for more than 400 non instructional staff at the dis- trict. Those ideas are harsh, but Purssell insists they will be much simpler to reverse than a four-day week if - or when — the district’s financial situation improves. “You can’t change back a four day week very easily,” she said, “The trustees can force the four-day week on us, but they can’t force it to work.” What’s more, she doubts the district’s math, arguing the move will only save $750,000, far below the $1.4 million trustees say the four-day week will bring them, Purssell hopes other parents opposed to the four-day week will continue the fight even though the plan ap- pears to be going ahead. Just five per cent of Kiti Kshan parents answering a school survey said they support a four-day school week, for example, Purssell said. Despite 2 wide-ranging and candid debate where some trustees expressed strong misgivings about the controversial plan, the board has approved the four-day week calendar which closes schools on Fridays. Trustees say cost savings will come from not having to employ support workers such as bus drivers on the Fri- days when the schools are closed, Stedham was the lone trustee to vote against the mo- tion. The calendar contained only minor changes to the draft proposal circulated among parent and employee groups. Stedham is so impressed with Tanis Purssell’s 5- page letter, at tonight's board meeting he'll ask trustees to consider her proposals now — or for next year. Kitimat may delay Alcan action By JEFF NAGEL KITIMAT MAY postpone the start of its court action said. Save the Northwest group organizers were also He maintains Alcan took advantage of the gov- ermment’s inexperience will damage the economy or prompt Alcan to leave the region. neatalbintions 2 er hedges to black power sales by Alcan, the town's adminis- trator says. Trafford Hall now fa- vours trying to make extra time for further meetings with the provincial govern- ment after what he called at the legislature and pre- sented a 3,100 signature petition — representing 72 per cent of Kitimat voters. Hall said the province has been busy with its ac- tivist agenda and has not been able to closely ex- when the company began its move to cut aluminum smelting to sell power on June 8, 2001, just days af- ter the Liberals were sworn into office. Hall also rejected criti- cism that going to court Companies everywhere - including Alcan — ga to court to resolve disputes, he said. “This is the way civ- ilized people resolve things,” he said. “It’s a sil- ly argument.” Kitimat Landscaping and Contra 736 Enterprise Ave., Kitimat, B.C. a good session in Victoria amine the issue. May 28, Hal! and mayor Rick Wozney met four cabinet ministers — enterprise min- ister Rick Thorpe, sustain- able resource minister Stan Hagen, energy min- ister Richard Neufeld and Attorney General Geoff Plant. “They committed to meet as often as soon and as long as possible to fully understand this,” Hall said. “I was very encouraged by the response of our govern- ment on this one.” ; “These people are gen- uinely interested in a solu- tion.” oe Kitimat officials. say _ Alcan has cut aluminum production at its Kitimat smelter so it can sell ‘elec+ tricity instead. If that action goes un- checked, they argue, the company will win the abil- ity to sell power without restriction, potentially leading to the loss of hun- dreds of jobs at the Kiti- mat smelter. The town plans to ask the B.C. Supreme Court for a ruling on whether power sales violate Alcan’s con- tracts. Hall said the town will consult its lawyers to de- termine whether its case would be threatened if it delays filing. “Now that we have the government's attention and serious commitment [' think we can try to post- pone it,” he said. “We'll see haw much time we have without compromising our case,” Halt added. “We will not compromise our case.” Fears in Victoria centre on the 1997 B.C,-Alcan agreement that ended Al- can's claim for compensa- tion over the province’s cancellation of -its: half- built Kemano Completion Project. 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