THURSDAY
S I N C E
MAY 29, 2014
1 8 9 5
Vol. 119, Issue 83
105
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INCLUDING G.S.T.
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Rossland Fire Chief retires after 33 years Page 8
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
City of Trail reviews finances with auditor BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
SHERI REGNIER PHOTO
Stacey Cassidy, Trail’s community giving coordinator, gave Angie de Groot (seated) a hand in warming up to the idea of shaving her head this weekend at the Greater Trail Relay for Life. The event kicks off in Gyro Park at 9:45 a.m. with an opening ceremony and warm up followed by a 10 a.m. survivor victory lap.
Nautical theme hopes to drown out cancer Annual Relay for Life sails into Trail’s Gyro Park on Saturday BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
When Greater Trail’s Relay for Life sets sail on Saturday at Gyro Park, Angelica de Groot is hoping for rays of sunshine instead of a shiverme-timbers kind of day. Along with the event’s first ever nautical and pirate-based theme, the Fruitvale bookkeeper created a new two-member team called “Alliance for Angie’s Alopecia” that in just two short weeks has raised over $1,000 for the cause. However, the donations come with a condition that she shaves her locks at noon that day. This week, de Groot is ready to bare her crown, although she admits to feeling a little trepidation. “I thought I would try to motivate people a little bit so I put it out there that I would form a team and if we could raise one thousand dollars,
I would shave my head,” said de Groot. “I stood up in front of my church and told them what was going on,” she explained. “I also emailed family, friends and clients to tell them what was happening. “And to warn them there will be a drastic change in my look,” she chuckled. For the past year de Groot has been serving as treasurer at the Trail chapter of the Canadian Cancer Society and is now looking forward to collecting her pledges to add to this year’s revenue goal of $81,630. “I’m prepared but will probably have to wear a hat because I burn easily,” she said. “But I think when people have something tangible to look at, it’s easier to make a donation.” The relay’s “Nautical: Drowning Out Cancer One Wave At A Time” message encourages participants to embrace “fisherman, pirates and all things in-between” with event-day décor and costumes. See STILL, Page 3
Trail finances remain well in the black even though the city’s accumulated surplus decreased by $1 million last year. While $83 million of asset surplus might seem like a lot (down from $84 million in 2012), in terms of running the city, that amount is not the key financial indicator, according to David Perehudoff, Trail’s chief administrative officer (CAO). The net reduction in accumulated surplus, which is composed of a number of different account balances, is part of a reduction in tangible capital assets. Assets that have a physical substance and monetary value, such as city-owned real estate, buildings and equipment are considered a tangible resource. “This can occur and really does not impact the city’s financial position,” the CAO noted. “We would focus more on the other balances including operating fund (surpluses) capital and statutory reserve funds.” Those balances reflect a net increase of almost $650,000, he added. The city looks to its cash account or short term investments to pay for acquisitions such as the $1.28 million regional airport the City of Trail purchased earlier this year.
When Trail council and city staff develop a five-year financial plan as part of an annual budget process, capital expenditures and projects are funded through current revenue, other sources of city income such as grants, or from reserves. Long-term investments including the recent $1.7 million upgrades on Victoria Street were earmarked as a capital expense and funded by tax dollars. “Because a municipality cannot budget a deficit, effectively planned expenditures must be fully funded from tax revenue or other sources of revenue,” noted Perehudoff. “In focusing on this number, the city develops a financial plan that is both affordable and sustainable and tries to balance funding from prior years’ surplus to maintain a reasonable level of property taxation,” he added. Each year after an internal audit, city staff submits its year-end financial statements to an independent accounting firm for an external auditor to verify document accuracy and compliance with legislated standards. Craig Teindl, chartered accountant with L. Soligo Associates Ltd. made a visit to city hall for Monday’s governance and operations committee meeting and reviewed Trail’s 2013 finances with council members. See CITY, Page 3
Every week is Bike to Work Week for local cyclist BY ART HARRISON Times Staff
With increasing societal concerns about the possibility of carbon-based fuels contributing to climate change and the price of gas reaching ever-higher levels, cycling is becoming a far more popular method of transportation. Since 1995 cycling has been promoted and celebrated through Bike to Work Week from May 26 to June 1 but, for one local commuter, every week is Bike to
Work Week, and has been since the early 80’s. “The only time I don’t ride is when the roads are really icy, it’s too dangerous going across the bridge then,” said Jos Sharp, a career facilitator with the Skills Centre in Trail. “The roads aren’t great in December and January but if it’s dry I’ll ride it, it doesn’t matter how cold it is.” Sharp began commuting by bike when he lived in Vancouver and cycled from False Creek to See MORE, Page 2
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