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The Centennial Centaurs and Riverside Rapids kick off the HSBC Classic with duelling wins.
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Six-figure earners common at SD43 Jennifer McFee jmcfee@thenownews.com
Last year, 845 School District 43 employees earned more than $75,000 in salary and taxable benefits. Of those top earners, 116 made more than $100,000 between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010. This number is up from 88 staff members who earned a six-figure salary between July 2008 and June 2009. The previous year, 47 district employees earned more than $100,000. Supt. Tom Grant led the pack with total compensation of $162,716.08, plus $5,284.71 in expenses. Next up are assistant superintendents Dan Derpak, Sylvia Russell and Julie Pearce at $145,199.88 each. Assistant superintendent Maureen Dockendorf made slightly less at $141,191.08. Secretary-treasurer Rick Humphreys ranked fifth at $139,499.21. Student services director of instruction Dave Taylor and human resources director Jamie Ross both earned $136,020.06. Patricia Gartland, international education director of instruction, received $130,240.64, plus $33,179.46 in expenses. Rounding out the top 10 at $128,003.79 is Sylvia Pritchard, who retired earlier this year. This total reflects her end-of-contract payout, which included accrued sick time and vacation days. In total, the district paid $186,167,845.90 in salary and benefits for all employees, plus $1,039,740.63 in expenses. The majority of elected school trustees received $25,267.20, with Keith Watkins making slightly less at $25,249.64. Board chair Melissa Hyndes made $27,767.08, with vice-chair Brian Robinson at $26,517.27.
Paul vanPeenen/NOW
SPREADING SEASONAL CHEER: Students at Port Coquitlam’s Citadel Middle School carry Christmas hampers they put together for families in the area to vehicles waiting to transport them. The hampers were delivered Wednesday.
Councillors raise hospital concerns
Report says Eagle Ridge Hospital lacks a ‘clearly articulated role and mandate’ John Kurucz jkurucz@thenownews.com A scathing report questioning the role, mandate and service levels at Eagle Ridge Hospital has at least two Coquitlam councillors demanding answers. Released in November 2009, the service review of the hospital prepared by Ontario-based physician Robert Bear questions staffing levels, services offered and the hospital’s overall mandate. The report also highlights a number of challenges faced by hospital staffers, including emergency room nurses who are “constantly pressured” while working in an understaffed department. The report goes on to make 27 recommendations, the most notable of which argues that the hospital needs a “clearly articulated role and mandate.” “At the present, Eagle Ridge Hospital does not
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serve as a fully functioning community hospital and its role as a contributor to the Fraser Health network of hospitals is unclear,” the report states. Though the report was never released publicly, Coun. Neal Nicholson received a copy and was shocked by what he read. “This is a community issue. Eagle Ridge is our community hospital,” he told The NOW. “It’s never reached its full potential, and it’s never had a clearly defined role or mandate. Nobody knows what it’s supposed to be doing.” Nicholson introduced a notice of motion at Monday’s council meeting calling on Fraser Health to “quickly and publicly address all 27 recommendations, placing the highest priority on clarifying and communicating the role and mandate of Eagle Ridge Hospital.” The motion also calls for the development and filling of medical leadership positions at the hospital.
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That part of the motion is derived from the second recommendation of the Bear report, which calls for the appointment of a series of department heads in areas including surgery, emergency medicine, medicine, anesthesia and rehab medicine. The report also calls for department heads to be appointed for the medical care unit and ambulatory care. “I didn’t realize that these things weren’t in place,” said Coun. Selina Robinson, who seconded Nicholson’s motion on Monday. “That there is no one in charge, that freaks me out. There is no mission or mandate.” Not so, says Val Spurrell, who serves as Eagle Ridge’s executive director of acute care programs. Spurrell said 80 per cent of the report’s recommendations have either been fully implemented or are in the process of being implemented.
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