EAGLE VALLEY
NEWS
Sicamous given spotlight in sledder video Page 3
Malakwa music event returns to support hall Page 7
Wednesday, May 21, 2014 PM40008236
Vol. 59 No. 21 Sicamous, B.C., • 1.25 (GST included) • www.eaglevalleynews.com
Support staff cut in school district budget By Chelsea Grainger Eagle Valley News
The School District #83 Board of Education moved forward with a revised preliminary budget on May 13 for the coming school year that will involve reductions to a number of educational services. The reductions are being made in order to accommodate a $1.8 million deficit the district is facing. “Many hours have been spent making these difficult decisions,” said Bobbi Johnson, board chair. “We take this decision to heart.” A decrease in enrolment that is expected to continue to decline, resulted in staffing and supply reductions that saved $620,000, but the district was left with a remaining $1.2 million to be cut from school district operations. The budget cuts will blanket a vast area of district programs such as reductions to the music program to save $20,000, cuts to deaf and hard-of-hearing programs to save $20,000, special education teachers’ reducMany hours have tions to save $40,000 been spent making and cuts to counselling these difficult staff to save $50,000. Holly Overgaard, decisions. We take this decision to trustee for the North heart. Shuswap, said that rather than eliminating Bobbi Johnson programs all together, SD83 trustee the board is making reductions with the hope they can rebuild these programs in the future. Other reductions will be made to speech and language pathologists, the adult education program and gifted student programs. Jennifer Henrie, whose son struggles with a language impairment, made a speech to the board asking them to reconsider making cuts to speech and language pathologists. “Speech and language pathologists should not be cut; spending money on SLPs in the school is not a wasted endeavour or an elective,” said Henrie. “It’s core, it’s essential.” Another substantial cut being made will be the change in elementary and middle school teacher/librarian staffing ratios to match those at the secondSee Public encouraged on page 2
Flush of uncertainty: Shirley Holcomb and Rose Adrian aren’t quite sure what to make of the miniature toilet donated for the Meals to Wheels garage sale held over the weekend in the Haven common room. The event was a fundraiser for the lunch program that runs Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Haven. Photo by Lachlan Labere
Concerns raised over water treatment facility
Meeting: Public requests consideration of alternate water source.
By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
Why did the cost increase from $4.5 to $7.9 million, and were alternative sources considered? The first question surrounding Sicamous’ proposed new water treatment facility was addressed last Wednesday at a public information meeting, in the full-to-overflowing district council chambers. As for the second question, that’s something district staff will be investigating. Providing the answers and updates on the water facility was project designer Timothy Phelan of Opus DaytonKnight Consultants Ltd. He began
the two-hour meeting with an overview of the whys – in particular, why the district is having to build a larger, updated treatment facility than what the original $4.5 million cost estimate was based on. “Following the event in 2012, the district is under a compliance order with Interior Health, and that compliance order is really related to the susceptibility of the watershed in the past few years, and what they’ve identified as a risk,” said Phelan. “Filtration deferral is no longer an option.” Phelan said the district already has significant water system infrastructure in place that is operating well. The proposed plant is being designed to “plug
in” to that system. It will handle eight megalitres per day, with potential to grow to be able to handle up to 12, and will bring the district in compliance with all of Interior Health’s treatment requirements. As an update to the project, Phelan said five tenders were received for the needed filtration membranes, and all of the proposals were under the budget estimate. Discussion also surrounded the proposed settlement ponds site along Holly Avenue where debris from the water system will be filtered out. Phelan said there should be no odour, and the silt waste would be trucked out once or twice a year, possibly disposed of at the landfill.
The question of the price increase was a hot point of interest for many attending the meeting. Phelan addressed this by summarizing the differences between what the current project provides compared to the $4.5 million project. He said the current project provides two-stage filtration that dramatically reduces backwash water which, in turn, reduces pressure on the sanitary collection infrastructure. Also, instead of discharging the backwash water (used to clean the facility) into the lake, the new facility provides a drainage course. The new project includes two electric generators See System for on page 3