THURSDAY
S I N C E
FEBRUARY 27, 2014
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Vol. 119, Issue 33
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PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
Legislation aims to extend municipal terms to four years BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
The idea of extending civic election terms from a three-year to a four-year cycle has been tossed around the province’s annual meeting of municipalities for years. This week, Coralee Oakes, minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, announced she will put forth legislation in the near future to extend local government terms from three years to four, following the passing of a resolution supporting the extension at the 2013 Union of British Columbia Municipalities. “The move to four-year terms is part of a package of local election reforms.” said the minister in a release. “Four-year terms give local governments more time to consult, plan and achieve community goals and also help manage election costs.” This means all elected mayors and officials serving Rossland, Warfield, Trail, Montrose, Fruitvale and Salmo; regional district directors in Electoral Areas A and B; and nine trustee chairs in School District 20, would extend their rule into 2018. Although the decision to add one year to the current three-year term has been a battle between urban and rural, Warfield’s mayor said the process was completed democratically and could be beneficial to the community. “My opinion is to support the majority,” said Mayor Bert Crockett. “Rurally, being mayor or on council isn’t a job like in the bigger centres. But who knows, it may be a good thing.” Crockett explained his concern that the extra year could increase byelection costs if the elected official vacates the seat in the first three years. “Things change in people’s lives all the time and if the person becomes frustrated or walks away in Year Three, in terms of dollars and cents, this could end up costing more for a byelection.” In the 2008 municipal elections, the question to extend elected official terms was put to the voters in Trail and five other B.C. communities, and according to Trail Mayor Dieter Bogs, 60 per cent of Silver City respondents were in favour of adding one year. “Of all the communities asked at that time, the people of Trail voted the highest in favour of it,” said the mayor. “Personally, I think this it is a positive move that will add more stability to local councils.” What Type ofSeeIllness TIME, Page 5is
SHERI REGNIER PHOTO
Local students and music enthusiasts supplied the sweet sounds Tuesday afternoon when they banded together as the Trail and District After School Band. From the left; Darian Meunier, Lochlan Reid, Dawson Zanet, Anna Kyle, Ali Savinkoff, Haley Revolone, and Kevin Carmichael.
Community support helps band flourish BY ART HARRISON Times Staff
Not all that long ago it was beginning to look like traditional music education, in the form of concert band curriculum, was going to be a thing of the past in the Greater Trail area. School District 20 and the majority of local schools had cancelled in-school music programs with only Rossland Secondary holding on to it's band class. However, with the scheduled closure of the Rossland secondary program and students moving to J.L. Crowe, it looked like even that last bit of music education was in jeopardy. Then fate intervened when one of the Trail city council members approached the Trail Alliance Church to inquire about the possibility of any kind of a program that might give youths in the area something to do. “I'm so thrilled, the community got behind us,” said Terry Moon, a former band teacher at Crowe and now related to administrator for the music program
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the Trail and District After seven beginner students School Band. “It was needand nine intermediates “It was needed ed and wanted and the and has now grown to a and wanted and grants and donations we've total of 25 split between the grants and received shows the comthe two levels, with parmunity doesn't want music donations we’ve ticipants coming from to die in this area.” Trail, Warfield, Fruitvale, received shows The church is supplying Rossland, Genelle, and even the community the facility, storage for the as far away as Castlegar. instruments, administerRather than drawdoesn’t want ing the program, and the ing potential music stumusic to die in congregation provides any dents away from the newly this area.” needed additional support. revitalized music program When Moon began the at J.L. Crowe, the After TERRY MOON program in January, 2013 School Band is now acting it faced an uncertain future as a major supporter of the but soon the people of Trail and area school-based curriculum by providing began offering instruments that had additional structured music training been sitting unused in their homes. and time to practice with their instru“There has probably been almost ments. $50,000 worth of instruments donated “About 90 per cent of our students and we've been applying for grants,” are in the Crowe band program,” Moon Moon said. “We've now brought in about said. “We're supporting them to learn $40,000 in grants and everybody who their music for the school program as wants to play can.” well as additional music with us. The After School Band began with See ROOM, Page 5
Dr. Jeffrey J. Hunt N.D. (250)368-6999 E-Mail: huntandhunt@shaw.ca
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