WEDNESDAY
S I N C E
APRIL 3, 2013
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Vol. 118, Issue 52
105
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New gym offers journey to fitness Page 2
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PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
Recruitment project aims to help lure skilled labour BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
SHERI REGNIER PHOTO
On Tuesday at city hall, Joanne Crossman (right), from the Glenmerry Citizens Group, handed a petition with 905 voter signatures to Sandy Lucchini,Trail’s deputy corporate administrator.
Group presents petition to city BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
The City of Trail’s proposal to dispose of a riverfront Glenmerry lot was a hot topic around Greater Trail during the month of March. More than 20 residents took to the streets in an effort to obtain 600 signatures by 4 p.m. on April 2, to stall the process of the sale. On Tuesday, just past noon, Joanne Crossman handed over a petition that contained 905 signatures to Sandy Lucchini, deputy corporate administrator for the City. Next in the process, is for Michelle McIsaac, corporate administrator, to review the signatures and compare them to the official B.C. Elections voter list. Once signatures are confirmed, the list will have to be presented to council at the next meeting on April 8. “Six hundred signatures is enough to defeat the bylaw,” said Lucchini. “But this needs to be presented to council and they will make a decision whether or not to take this to a referendum.” Crossman said the past month has been a monumental learning experience for her, and
those who joined the cause, to question the city’s decision to dispose of the riverfront lot. “I really want to be clear,” she said. “This is not a petition against a family or council, it is about the process taken to dispose of parkland property.” On Feb. 21 and Feb. 26, the city ran an ad in the Trail Times that outlined council’s intent to adopt a bylaw on April 8, to allow the disposal of parcel located between 3650 and 3660 Rosewood Drive in Glenmerry. By chance, Crossman noticed the ad, and was surprised that the city could proceed with a sale of the last piece of riverfront green space in Glenmerry to a private bidder; without ever posting a sign or informing neighbourhood residents. The city opted to use a notice of “alternative approval” process to notify citizens of the city’s sales agreement and intent to sell this prime piece of real estate, she explained. “If citizens allow city council to adopt this bylaw it will set a precedence which will allow this council and future councils to sell parkland in any neighbourhood in the City of Trail, using this same quiet process.”
Rural areas across Canada face a unique challenge when recruiting and retaining professionals. According to Statistics Canada, over the next decade, British Columbia will be faced with one of its largest economic challenges: ensuring enough workers, with the right skills to maximize potential economic growth. With this forecast in mind, the Lower Columbia Development Team, along with the Lower Columbia Initiatives Corporation (LCIC) has issued a request for proposals to create a unified regional recruitment package to allow employers, educators, and healthcare providers to attract and retain key employees. “I don’t think it’s any secret that there are talks of skill shortages today and projected for the future,” said Sandy Santori, executive director of the LCIC. “It is imperative that our local companies remain competitive and productivity is enhanced.” Santori said that over the last year, LCIC undertook a retention and expansion project that involved surveys of over 150 businesses in Greater Trail, and what the workforce renewal committee was hearing, was a need for a centralized
WEATHER
March goes out like a lamb BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
The warm and sunny long weekend escorted March out like a lamb. While most of the month was cool and unsettled, a high-pressure system accounted for the dry and warm conditions during the final week of the month. Even though the temperatures may have seemed warmer than usual, the mean monthly temperature averaged out to be only slightly milder than normal. Saturday was the warmest day, at 20 C, the first 20-degree or warmer day in the month of
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recruitment package. “During the interview or recruitment process, the discussion is usually around wages and benefits,” he said. “Lifestyle and resources in our entire region should be a part of that process, because there is more to it when attracting someone from the outside.” Santori said that LCIC is seeking either a local or external source to develop a robust integrated workforce recruitment tool so that employers can sell the “entire package.” He said that the information package will capture the attractions, benefits and services available to potential employees and new arrivals, all in one resource. “Quite often, the most difficult part of the recruitment may be the potential employee’s spouse,” said Santori. “A unified package will make the transition easier even after they move here.” Although, exactly what form the recruitment package will take, has not been decided. Santori said it will be compact, web-based or possibly a USB flash drive that the person can pick and chose areas of interest. “We need to enhance the recruitment process and bring the lifestyle See TRENDS, Page 3
Saturday, April 6 11 AM - 1 PM
March since 2004. That year, a record high of 23 C was recorded. The Southeast Fire Centre reports that only 67 per cent of the normal 61.4 mm of total precipitation fell last month. What a difference a year makes. March 2012 was the wettest March on record with 111 mm of rain, stated the report. Only 9.1 mm of rain fell this year, or 19 per cent of the monthly normal. “The last two winter and spring seasons were long due to a weather phenomenon known as La Nina,” explained Ron Lakeman, forecaster for the fire centre. See WEATHER, Page 3
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