i

services, cutting.

~ Hospital Tax; Comedy of

confusion continues —

With the Municipal Tax Sale only a matter of hours away, the ‘‘circus’’ surrounding the tax payments: by the hospital ‘continues. Another letter to council from the Mills Memorial Hospital Board Chairman of the Finance Committee was read at Monday nighl’s council meeting and it resulted in another victory for Cily Hall.

The letter addressed to the mayor and council is as follows:- ;

On September 30, 1975, the Mills Memorial Hospital wrote to Municipal Council asking for consideration in the form of a grant in lieu of taxes to cover the tax bill

resented by the

unicipality. for 1974-75.

read,

Also included in the request was that the: District of Terrace designate hospital lands as non-taxable to be included in the Tax Exemption By-Law up for revision at that time.

The hospital has not received a reply to this letter up to the present time. May we at time time, Tequest a reply and again request that you include hospital lands in the 1976

amendment to your. Tax

Exemption By-Law.

After the above letter was Mayor Gordon Rowilarid made it quite clear that the statement made by the Finance Committee Chairman was not factual. He, in fact, read into the meeting a letter dated December 4, 1975 sent to the Board Chairman, then Bill

Hospital Board makes futile gesture

The Herald has learned, despite the Mills Memorial Hospital Board's in camera meetings, that after four years of haggling and bravade, the members of the Board voted to pay the $7,000 in taxes owing the District of Terrace in back taxes.

However the gesture is a futile one as there is no source of revenue from which the money can be obtained. The provincial hospital authorities have already indicated that there is no known way that they can authorize this payment.

There is still hope that City Hall will relent in- dicated by Board Chairman Vic Jolliffe ‘ona CFTK open line show in which he suggested that the two sides could solve the problem.

However Council, which has already paid half this amount to the School Board and ‘the Kitimat-Stikine Regional District, has no intention of relenting even if

..it-had. the’ power.ta.rescind,

an account payable. Council has timeand: timé again

board » request. the funds from the Kitimat-Stikine Regional District Board in view of the fact that the hospilal serves the com- ‘munity beyond Terrace’s borders. ;

It would appear thal the hospital grounds and a chunk of the new con- struction will be sold tomorrow morning at auction.. There is a reserve bid to cover the taxes so someone can pick up this choice property and a piece of a hospital for the $7,000 owing. ;

There are some com- plications however. The Hospital Board can still pay back taxes for a year before the sale becomes final. It will have to pay interest and costs to the successful bidder however.

Chairman Jolliffe speaking to CFTK’s Al Parfitt mentioned

* possibility of Supreme Court

=the: BC. vAssessmen

action which again would cost the taxpayer a pile of money. - : Chairman Jolliffe still seems to feel that this is a problem between -the municipality _ and -the Hospital Board. whereas the decision to tax,came from

Authority and was subject.to

another at the

provincial level, ao .

If “no one bids on the.

property tomorrow morning it will. revert to. the Municipality. ;

Hospital told to cut costs ... or else

Rumblings coming out of the Mills Memorial Hospital Board of Trustee secrel meetings indicate that. the hospital is in such dire financial straits that, a task force had to come in from Victoria to put the brakes on spending. = -

It would appear. that the Board is presently: locking ‘at a $235,000. operating deficit which ‘is stil clim- bing with three months still to go in this fiscal year.

The task force of three spent several days at the hospital showing where and how costs could be cut. These involved-cutting back slaif and closing award. = *

In an effort to scale back, a ward it would appear, was

indeed closed for a short’ time but had to be reopened by a rash of new patients..

There also is discussion of

rescheduling surgical. cases and indeed consideration is taking place which would see many surgical cases being sent to Vancouver: hospitals in an effort to

reduce the number of highly |

skilled personnel on -staff now. Lay-offs in the less skilled areas are also being considered.

Whatever measures are. taken British Columbia Hospital Insurance Services has warned the local trustees that it will not consider any overspending

this year as had been the

ease over the past few years.

Terrace

-NOTICE

Herald instead of the usual 80. customers are advised that’ cents because of the our paper boys will be EXTRA edition delivered

your homes this week.

The Terrace Downtown: Lions Club will be receiving a grant in Heu- of rental of | the arena banquet room because of an affirmative

lie breaking vote by Gordon

Rowland.

collecting . $1. this week. to

Mayor save

. The Lions: jubmitted the «

following request ‘to Council:- . Loos _ Inthe past three years, we' iave hosted an annual, Hallowe’en party which was held in two sections: .

6 p.m. - 3 p.m: -party for, children iar 9 p.m. + 11:30 p.m.: party for teenagers. .

This annual, event has

‘ peen very successful due

the large number of par-.

ticipants and we haye_

os ae Nese 82a wee ane ng Litas Sek AF uma, BO a

received compliments from: embers of. the -Royal Canadian. Mounted Police about this event.

Weare planning this event again this year, to be held on Sunday evening, October 31, 1976, Although this event is very popular’ itis also very costly to our: Club as no admissionis charged and all refreshments, etc., are free. As this project is of great benefit to the community in keepihg persons amused on Hallowe’en night ' and minimizing property vandalism, we request that consideration bé given to waiving the normal rental fee for the arena banquet

room and permitting us to

A

Harvey, in which it was fii

stated: -

Please be advised that the Board's application to Council for a grant in lieu of taxes respecting Hospital lands taxed in 1975 has Deen given the consideration of Council of the District of Terrace. ;

May I further advise that the request has been denied with the recommendation that “your organization approach: the Regional District for assistance, in view ‘of the fact that the Hospital is a regional facility. .

I trust you will find the above self-explanatory; however should you have any questions or require any further explanation con- cerning this matter, please do not hesitate tocontact me at your convenience.

From left to right are: J.G. McMynn, Mayor, Midway, B.C.; D.C. Maroney, Alderman, Terrace, B.C.; D.A. Carmichael, Alderman,

PROVINCIAL LISRARY

PARLIANENT BLDS.

VICTORIA

B.C,

COMP.

Maroney studies civic leadership in disasters

Problems and respon- sibilities in planning for local government response to disasters were studied and discussed by about 40 mayors, reeves, aldermen and other elected officials

i during a recent four-day

conference on civil emergency planning at the Federal Study Centre, Amprior, Ontario.

The Conference of Mayors and Elected Officials ‘in- volving representatives from all provinces and the Northwest Territories was held September 20 to 23, 1976 under the auspices of Emergency Planning Canada.

Since the program of specialized conferences was started in 1957, a total of 28

Granisie, B.C.; $.K, Metcalfe, Alderman, Gibsons, B.C. English and 17 French _ language studies have been VOLUME 70 NO. 39 PRICE: 20° ' . i C) voy . : _ ow Po nei oo rman eee owes eee er renee . WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1976 TERRACE, B.C.:

the. _at-Monday night’s council

‘fiasco. _. However,

Pn ea

_ Jollif

There was speculation around City Hall all day: Monday as to what Vic Jolliffe would be saying

meeting: . Jolliffe had. ad- vised the City Clerk that he would be making . a. presentation during the Guest. and. Delegation

‘segment af. the meeting. However. :he.completely + refused “ta divulge © the

nature of his business.

ith,:the . Mills. Memorial - Hespital: tax: delinquency . r. Jolliffe had something ‘quite different to tell the coun-. cilmen.. . a :

much .

Infact Mr. Jolliffe warned Council ‘that its Horseshoe Drainage Ditch diversion project.. would result in a

* Jandslide which would in his

own words (1) Bury the houses that were built below the Skeenaview Hill and (2) Bring the houses that sit on

top of the hill sliding down. .

Mr. Jolliffe had two maps to. demonstrate his concern

and madeit:clear thata real °

danger exists asking that all

0

- in existance, be studfed':)). 5, - In a‘ written Mr. ‘Jolliffe sai

“I wish to speak to you this evening in regards to

presentation

lily.

the recently announced Horseshoe Drainage Ditch diversion. I would draw to your attention what appears to be a design-error — and ask that you have the following facts checked out.

Thearea of concern is the plan to dig a Large ditch and place an ‘eighty (80'") inch culvert in this ditch along the base of the Skeenaview Hill. By digging along this base and disturbing the

<2 Mast’. peaples; speculated . Work:be.suspended until an... natural: foundation, in- - sa he woul i pperalg-eeneicering stddy,-plceady’ stalling w large pipe whieh” \ I ‘two apeals by’the Hospital “with. the . ron

suggested thal the hospital’ ‘Bodrd,‘one “locally and-

could cause a.landslide on this hill, :which would:

1) Bury the houses that are built below it, and,

PREMIER BILL BENNETT'S announcement of his economic plans for the northwest last week have not raised the hopes of residents in the Terface area. Residents say Terrace, which suffers from more than 20 percent unemployment, needs jobs now, not in 1980. One resident. said the . -

cabinet should have'stayed home

trip instead.

s Lions child

broke by voting against the ©

use this room free of charge for this event. When the request was read ta counci] Aldermen . Gerry Duffus and Mary Little indleated -relictance of discussing the matter in public and “asked that the matter be dealt with behind closed doors in a Committee of the Whole meeting. -. Aldermen Helmut Giesbrecht and Sharron Biggs immediately in- dicated their. opposition to.

thig and insisted. that the . ‘matter be dealt with: in”

public, The matter went to the

‘yote and resulted in a tie

which Mayor’ Rowland.

secret hearing.

Alderman _Giesbrecht then made a motion that a grant in Heu of_rental be made to the Downtown Lions. This was seconded by Alderman Sharron Biggs. “Alderman Mary, Litile immediately ~“ debated against this proposition. She said that service clubs should undertake as their duty the organization of their charitable projects, as well'as financing them. — - ‘She suggested that the free drinks ete., would probably be donated to the

- Lions atno cost to them. She -said these groups mace plenty’ of money from such

and sent the community the cost of the

ren's party

things as circuses. and should not need any help from the city.

-.Duffus supported Mrs. Little, although with less vigour. He took the stand

‘that council had refused the

Kinsmen on’ at least two occasions and since this had been done all requests should be refused. a Alderman Biggs said that

‘this ‘effort by the Lions to

keep the children off the streets reducing vandalism is the only reason that she would vote in support of any such request, Alderman Duffus said that lhe city would have to ya rather large bill for cleaning up arid staffing the

is. intended,.to. carry. flodd --I-am:saying.

*. water, the Municipality

-are occuring

hesitation.

2) Bring the houses that sit on top of the hill sliding down. ;

If you were to walk up the sidewalk on this hill you would see that in the last year it has.dropped two to three feet at this point, right above where the District Engineers have surveyed to

8. 7 Mr. Chairmen, Members

of Council’ —: 1 am not an-+~ ; “tried to speak to the City ' . “Engineer. on. six occasions bubatall-times the‘Engireer . was “either in conference or

engineer, bu! I ‘do not believe. you have. to ‘be to noorwhat

hderstandthe log

“Dupe you | walk and see the area of concern for yourselves.

My by this plan, but as a citizen

Cabinet

Premier Bill Bennett and members of his cabinet met in Terrace last week in the first of a series of ‘‘working’’ cabinet meetings to be held in dif- ferent centres in the provinee.

The cabinet will meet in Kelowna September 29, followed by Prince George October 7 and Kamloops October 13. Dates of meetings in other centres in the province will be an- nounced later. ;

Premier Bennett said the meetings away from Vic- toria are sesigned to acquaint cabinet ministers: with regional problems. “Before and after the actual cabinet session,

ministers visit adjoining ~

communities to meet with local groups, and. tour

-facilities of particular in- -

terest to their portfolios. This gives all ministers a

chance to look and listen so

that we can develop policies in the future that will solve some of the problems that

in the par- ticular area.” .,

room during the parties. He said that it would take six people all morning to clean

The vote was called for

‘with Little .and .Duffus ‘yating against paying the

grant while. Biggs and

.Giesbrecht voted in favour,

Mayor Rowland was ‘then called upon to break the tie

and he vdted in favour without a moments

Dave Barrett, leader of

_the Official Opposition in

B.c., will be the guest 5 eaker at a banquet and

-qdance sponsored by the

all to take a’

home is not affected

and taxpayer of Terrace, I feel ti:ai this matter should be brought to your allention before work commences. Previous engineering studies carried aut by Willis - & Cunliffe, 1965, declared this part of the hill unstable, and recommended certain work -to be carried out.

_ Perhaps that study could be “reviewed.” 0”

* Jolliffe said that he had

on holidays”. — . .

Following the meeting Jolliffe observed that he had been cut off from television coverage as the camera was

“working”

in Terrace

For example during the trip. to northwestern B.C. cabinet ministers visited Hazellon, Smithers, Prince Rupert and Kitimat either before or after the cabinet meeting.

Prior to. the cabinet meeting in Terrace the premier announced. that Prinee Rupert will become a ° major coal porl as the basis of long-range economic expansion in northeastern

The ‘premier — said development of port and rail lines are expected to cast between $50 and $70 million. “This will be the economic anchor beyond the forestry industry. in this area.”

Mr. Bennelt said Terrace would become the main- lenance centre for the railroad which will carry

-not only coal from. B.C.’s

northeastern coalfields but also sulphur, potash and coal from northern Alberta.

The cabinet meeting heard briefs from 15 groups representing the Indian community,, labor and in-

Municipal

~ District | “televised “live” by Skeerna' ©

held with over 2,300 elected officials participating. Following. deseriptive preserilalions and analyses of disaster threats. with which elected officials of all levels of government might _be faced, conference studies were largely devoted to problems of pre-emergency planning, immediate disaster response, and recovery actions by local ar jeaders. By means. of lectures, demonstrations and discussion groups the civic officials dealt with unusual responsibilities which they and their administrations would ‘have to bear to coordinate arid deal ef- fectively. with disasters ‘ranging from _ floods, hurricanes, snow storms, earlhquakes, etc. to nuclear attack. :

PARK AVENUE | ©

EALTY. LIMITED.

Tet

fe predicts Kalum Hiil disaster

only turned on following his presentation. , A CFTK spokesinan ex- plained that when the camera equipment was set up somehow or. other the piug into the electric power supply had come out and this was not noticed until after Mr. Jolliffe’s stint before council. He assured that: (he. mishap was nat intentional, -—- ~ All council and Regional Meetings are

Broadcasters on . Cable Channel 10. However, to this point the audio has been so. oor that the audience has ittle or no chance to follaw these meetings.

session

dustry and education and community organizations.

Some of the groups presented their briefs to t

cabinet and then met privalely with the ministers

concerned to further explain

their concerns,

_At the conclusion of the .

cabintt meeting the premier said the visit was “very rewarding and educational far all of us. We came here to listen and 1 know that all af. the ministers will return to Victoria with a much greater understanding of the problems of your area.’

The premier said he is looking forward to doing the same thing in other regions af the province. “I must emphasize that these cabinet meetings are not public relations exercises. They are working meetings where, in addition to transacting regular cabinet business, we get an op-. portunity to learn firsthand about problems

of our province.”

B.C. Hydro starts construction

B.C. Hydro has obtained an initial building permit from the District of Terrace and is presently excavating in preparation for con- struction on the Industrial

Park site purchased last

year,

A contract valued at $172,000 has been awarded to F, Hedges Construction

Terrace New Democrats ‘on Saturday, Octeber 9 in the Thornhill Community Center.

There will be a social hour

Lid. of Prince George for=

the foundation. . The | architects

anlicipated that the com-

plete building will cost tween §3.5 and $4 million, *:,

Dave Barrett guest speaker

at’ 6:30 p.m. with the banquet starting at .7;30

p.m. Mr. Barrett will speak at 3:30 p.m.

facing . residents in different parts ~

wt vo

are ~ working on the working ~ drawings for the remainder of the building and. this -:, - should go to tender towards *- the. end of the year. It. ig“

‘ r

7

Sh Neier M mnt eh A nt