The Prince George
Citizen
MONDAY, OCTOBER 7,1991
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CBC backs directive
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Smoke hangs over Zagreb 9 Uniform has changed 12 Leos grab share of first 13
Phone:562-2441 Classified: 562-6666 Circulation: 562-3301
PROPOSAL FOR DRIVEWAY ENTRANCES
Snow-clearing cost challenged
by BERNICE TRICK
Citizen Staff
At least two Prince George residents are questioning city hall’s estimated cost of opening driveway entrances during snow removal operations.
Gerry Boulianne and Elmer Stathan, who both plow snow in the private sector, believe the estimated cost of $701,000 to open driveways with loaders is “way out of line”.
The estimate stemmed from a report from the public works department at city council Sept. 9 on a pilot project conducted in the Foothills Subdivision last winter.
“The report says opening driveways took nine per cent longer
than to just clear the street, so that should be the added cost,” said Boulianne.
“We’re not talking here about complete snow removal on streets — just opening driveways.”
The nine-per-cent additional time would cost about $120,000, but there are other costs necessary for extra snow blowers, supervision and other factors, according to public works officials.
The city should forget about loaders and instead consider putting drop-gates on the graders, says Boulianne.
“The grader goes down the street at four or five miles an hour to clear the snow anyway. It only takes two or three seconds to raise
or lower the gates. How long does it take to go across a driveway?
“It’s so simple. As the operator approaches the driveway entrance, he lowers the gate and raises it again at the end of the entrance. All you have to do is push a button or pull a lever.
“It should not add costs except for the extra time taken and the purchase of equipment like the drop-gates.”
Stathan says this is probably the only city in North America which would consider using loaders because of the damages incurred.
“You can bet there’ll be plenty of damages when straighLedged loader buckets try to open inclined driveway entrances,” said
Stathan, noting it’s a lot easier to go along the side of the street, opening driveways as you go.
Both believe drop-gates are being used successfully in Mackenzie, Terrace and Smithers as well as Alberta communities like St. Paul, and feel that longtime operators here don’t want to try the new method.
“Right now the operators use our driveways as a place to put the snow from the street,” said Boulianne.
“It’s about time the city started clearing away its own snow instead of expecting residents to do iL”
“Give me that $700,000 and I’ll manicure every driveway in town,” added Stathan.
“I’ll hire Mexicans to do it. That’s not any more far-fetched than the city’s estimated cost to clear driveways only.”
Boulianne says the driveway opening is necessary for an increasing number of elderly residents, but is against a suggestion to flag the homes of those who need the service most.
“That’s wrong because it’s the same thing as labelling them and making them easy targets for break-ins and other criminal activities.”
No residents should have to pay a tax for the service, Boulianne said, adding that he’s disappointed in former alderman Denise Good-key who took a survey among
Foothills residents following the experiment
“All she did was show the city that some residents are prepared to pay up to $50 taxes for the service, but what about those who can’t afford it? Do we just forget about them even though they may need it much more than someone who can afford it?”
A committee of city administration, publics works officials, operators and aldermen are meeting this month to discuss the entire snow removal operation including driveway entrances.
A report and recommendations to council are expected at the end of this month at the earliest, says city manager George Paul.
Premier offers health user fee explanation
by Canadian Press
VICTORIA — Health care user fees might be a necessary part of a Social Credit government’s tax reform program, says Premier Rita Johnston.
But she also said in a weekend interview that it’s not an option she wants to choose.
The premier was trying to explain her earlier support for the concept after saying a week ao she “never, never, never” backed user fees.
Johnston said the key difference between her version and that of the NDP in its Oct. 17 B.C. election campaign literature is that they said she wanted to introduce health care user fees, while she said they might have to be introduced.
But presented with a transcribed text of an interview she gave in July, Johnston agreed that user fees could become part of her tax reform pledge.
“You go into the hospital and you’re buying a service,” she said in the July interview.
“I see nothing wrong with expecting you to pay a portion towards that service. . .The provision of health care is the one area I can see (the introduction of user fees) happening in.”
After her original quote was put to her, she said: “Yes, but that doesn’t mean I want it.
“But I don’t see a problem. I don’t see anything wrong with somebody having to go to the hospital every week if they are sick, but it doesn’t mean I would want them to go into the hospital every week.
“There’s a difference between wanting to, and being realistic in having
Our three ridings examined
Beginning today, the Prince George Citizen’s election team examines the three prince George ridings for the Oct. 17 provincial election.
Reporter Ken Bemsohn looks at the Prince George North riding — where it is and who lives there — on Page 5 of today’s Citizen.
On Tuesday, a profile of the Prince George-Omineca riding by reporter Bev Christensen will appear on Page 5.
Reporter Paul Strickland examines Prince George-Mount Robson in Wednesday’s Citizen on Page 5.
Plane crash claims two
Two unidentified people are dead after their Piper Cub plane crashed Sunday afternoon near Fort Fraser.
Fraser Lake RCMP said the float-equipped, single-engine plane was seen losing altitude shortly before crashing in a farm field about five kilometres east of Fort Fraser. The plane burst into flames on impact.
to look at the opuons.
Johnston said it was unfortunate that she used health care as an example at the time without emphasizing it is only an option to be considered.
“It’s an option that is open to us and I think we have to explore all of those options. I don’t have anything hard and fast in my mind, and if I had my druthers, we wouldn’t have to make any adjustments, we wouldn’t have to bring in any user fees in any area.”
Fire kills city woman
An 18-year-old Prince George woman is dead after a Friday morning fire at Meziadin near the Cassiar-Stewart highways junction.
Stewart RCMP said Rayleen Gibson died after the mobile home she was sleeping in was engulfed by flames at 8 a.m. Police and the Prince George Fire Comissioner’s office are continuing an investigation today.
PUBLIC KEMANO REVIEW
Decision months away
The federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans won’t decide for several more months whether a public environmental review of Kemano II is necessary.
The department is co-ordinating the efforts of four federal government ministries in putting together an initial assessment of the project.
But even as this is going on, the federal government is going to court to ask that it stop.
The initial assessment is the first step in the environmental review process, and it began after Federal Court of Canada Justice Allison
Walsh ruled in May that Ottawa broke its own laws by exempting the project from review.
Both Ottawa and Alcan have appealed her ruling ordering a review. That appeal will be heard in Vancouver beginning Dec. 16.
The initial assessment involves gathering all the information and documentation on the environmental effects of the project. The calling of a public review is based upon this assessment.
John Payne, head of the DFO’s habitat conservation unit in Van-
couver, said he hoped to have the assessment complete by now.
“It’s proven to be a very complex issue and it’s going to take a few more months to complete,” he said.
Payne said the DFO has set aside funding to pay for the initial assessments of both the Kemano II project and the Great Whale hydroelectric project in Quebec.
Once Ottawa decides how the money will be split up, a committee of two or three people will be appointed to work exclusively on the Kemano assessment.
Economic forecasts checked
OTTAWA (CP) — Inflation probably fell, unemployment edged down, the merchandise trade surplus improved and the economy continued iimping along, according to a survey of economists’ predictions.
Statistics Canada issued its latest survey today of economists’ shortterm expectations, which suggested economic recovery was still inching ahead. The small group of economists surveyed saw better news for Canadians looking for work.
They predicted on average that the unemployment rate fell slightly to 10.5 per cent in September from 10.6 per cent in August The
group’s unemployment rate predictions for September ranged from 10.0 per cent to 10.7 per cent.
Last month, the economists’ survey was off the mark, underestimating August’s unemployment rate at 10.4 per cent. Statistics Canada is scheduled to report September jobless figures on Friday.
The latest survey of economic expectations also forecast good news on the inflation front.
A total of 25 economists responded the survey, conducted between Sept. 20 and Oct. 2. Statistics Canada said the respondents are all paid members of the Canadians Association of Business Economists.
The economists predicted on average that the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index fell to 5.7 per cent in September from 5.8 per cent in August.
Their September predictions ranged from 5.5 per cent to 6.2 per cent
For August, the economists’ average prediction for inflation was right on the mark at 5.8 per cent Statistics Canada is scheduled to report September’s actual inflation rate on Oct. 18.
Canada’s trade performance probably improved in August, the economists’ survey also predicted.
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Citizen photo by Dave Milne
Paramedics rush Lome Wildfong, 84, to ambulance and hospital after a two- vehicle collision at Foothills Boulevard and Highland Drive at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The city man later died at Prince George Regional Hospital. Police said Wildfong’s 1989 Toyota Camry was entering Foothills from Highland Drive when it and a vehicle driven by Dennis Pearson, 20, also of Prince George, collided. Pearson was treated at hospital and released.
Fatal crash
Gibson graduated from high school in Prince George this year and was employed as a waitress at the Meziadin Junction truck stop, about 64 kilometres east of Stewart.
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