INNOVATION
AWARDS NIGHT
Tapping into the spirit of Smithers.
Smithers minor hockey hands out hardware
OUR TOWN/A5
SPORTS/A17
“Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back” 39 days ‘til Relay for Life, May 26th.
THE INTERIOR NEWS 105th th Year - Week 16
Smithers,, B.C.
Wednesday, y, April p 18,, 2012
www.interior-news.com
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Public hearing postpones project By Dan Mesec Smithers / Interior News
INSPIRED POET Reuben Wisselink was inspired by the Highway of Tears.
COMMUNITY/A16
INSIDE OUR TOWN A5 LETTERS A7 SPORTS A17 COMMUNITY A16 THREE RIVERS B1 CLASSIFIEDS B10
FEATURES EXPERTS
A11/25
WEATHER Wednesday HIGH: 10 LOW: 2
Thursday HIGH: 10 LOW: 0
Friday HIGH: 9 LOW: 1
Saturday HIGH: 10 H LOW: -1 L
Sunday HIGH: 9 LOW: -3
Council unveiled their 2012-216 five year plan and budget highlighting council’s direction on a number of infrastructure projects over the current term. However, the focus of the evening was on councils decision to postpone the rezoning of the old Christian Elementary school for a housing project until they can sift through the information received during a public hearing Tuesday night. “This budget puts a high priority on fixing the roads,” said Mayor Taylor Bachrach. “Everyone’s aware of the challenges we face and the current condition of the roads for many people isn’t acceptable. The reality is that we haven’t been investing enough in the maintenance of our roads and streets. This council has chosen
to tackle that issue and to make some progress on getting on top of the problem.” Though the budget still need to be adopted by council it has clearly set out a path to focus more time, effort and money to the badly damaged roads that seems to be a continues issue for council especially after the tough winter. However, council also held a public hearing into the rezoning of the former Christian Elementary school on Walnut Drive from a P-2 to R-3 designation. Recently Kevin Stunder, Managing Director of Aurora Resorts Inc. The same developer currently completing the Watson’s Landing project, proposed a 30 unit housing development on the Christian school lands that has the potential to breath some much needed life into the stale site.
See TOWN on Page A4
SCHNAI DAI SWIM Slush Cup participants brazed it all, attempting to ski across the ice water at the top of Hudson Bay Mountain during the 2012 Schnai Dai celebration. Dan Mesec photo
Audit shows ministry lacks forestry data: RDBN By Andrew Hudson Smithers/Interior News
Troubled by an audit of how the B.C. government manages timber, mayors and rural directors at the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako is seeking independent advice on forestry. On Thursday, the
RDBN’s forestry committee discussed what Smithers Mayor Taylor Bachrach called a “pretty damning” report released in February by the B.C. Auditor General. The report found B.C.’s forests ministry lacks clear timber goals and is not
doing enough to replant trees, invest in silviculture, provide accurate forest data, manage big-picture changes or publicly report its results in a measurable way. In response to the first issue, the ministry said its key timber goals—to maintain a valuable timber
supply and keep wood costs competitive − are set out in law, while more precise targets are decided regionally. On other issues, the ministry largely defended its record. For example, the ministry noted that since 2005 it has stepped up replanting
to 20 million seedlings to recover areas hit by pine beetles and wildfires. On the final recommendation, the ministry did agree to start publishing the results of its longterm timber plans in a measurable way. Lack of public information seemed to
be the sticking point among members of the RDBN forestry committee. “Some of my concern is that quite often this stuff is held behind closed doors,” says Bill Miller, RDBN chair and director of the Burns Lake rural area. See RDBN on A2
see page A-28