FRIDAY MAR. 23 2012 VOL. 38, NO. 47
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Mayhem, mayhem, man down!
Return to the good old days
Ready when they are
A look at what happens in a drill at Bowen’s volunteer fire department
Heritage festival will recreate atmosphere of steamship era
Marina enthusiasts are waiting for the herring to find their way to Bowen
This week’s sunny weather enticed a few families to take a stroll around sleepy Snug Cove but spring break saw many islanders leave Bowen in search for fun and sun. Susanne Martin photo
Thank you and goodbye All routes see same increase SUSANNE MARTIN EDITOR
O
ver the years, municipal council has been assisted by numerous knowledgable and dedicated community volunteers. At the March 12 council meeting, the discussion centred on the current committee structure. Mayor Adelaar said he wanted to streamline the committee structure and asked to repeal the Greenways Advisory Committee, a committee that was established in 2008 to “act in an advisory capacity recommending ways to implement greenway initiatives on the island. It will be expected to review and assess development proposals regarding greenways integrity and opportunities.” Another task of the committee was to pursue the securing of greenways lands through private donations programs, conservation covenants and Crown land transfers.
At the beginning of the meeting, councillor Alison Morse presented a list of current municipal committees for discussion and appointment of council liaisons if applicable. Mayor Jack Adelaar said, “I wanted to streamline the committee structure and here we are back to the same old, same old. I feel it’s important that we give consideration to an infrastructure committee. The others can be working groups. I want to clean up those 15 different committees.” Adelaar suggested appointing an infrastructure committee that acts as an umbrella committee between the other committees and council. “The infrastructure committee would move through the fluff, the issues that have no relevancy. The people on the infrastructure committee will be aware of what [council] is looking for,” he said. Continued PAGE 7
r e v a S Power t n u o c c A
SUSANNE MARTIN EDITOR
F
rom April 1, ferry fares will go up. For a return trip from Horseshoe Bay to Snug Cove, the passenger ticket price will go from $10.20 to $10.65, the price for a ticket for a passenger vehicle will jump from $29.20 to $30.40. In a press release, BC Ferries states, “Prices will rise by 4.15 per cent on average on all routes across the fleet. This increase was approved last spring in Bill 14, an amendment to the Coastal Ferry Act. Subsequent price caps will be determined following the province’s response to the BC Ferry Commissioner’s report. Fare increases are required due to the rising cost of operating and capital expenditures coupled with lower than anticipated traffic levels.” Councillor Allison Morse sits on the Ferry Advisory Committee. She explained
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that the 4.15 per cent increase represents less than the original fare cap of 8.23 per cent for the minor routes that the previous Ferry Commissioner had suggested. After the appointment of new BC Ferry Commissioner Gordon Macatee last May, he initiated a review of the Coastal Ferries Act to get a better understanding of the situation, according to Morse. She said, “When the Ministry of Transportation mandated the review, it reduced the fare cap for the first year for the performance term three to 4.15 per cent for all routes.” Morse said that BC Ferries’ contract runs on cycles that start on April 1. “In June of 2011, the BC Ferries Commissioner said this is our preliminary fare cap,” Morse said. “It was set by the BC Ferries Commissioner following a consultation process between BC Ferries and the government.” Continued PAGE 8