Soggy June Month goes by without a single blaze in Coastal Fire Centre. PAGE 6 Picking season Gleaners serve community’s needs by collecting fruit. PAGE 20 Green Living Kitchen waste recycling practices have room to expand. PAGE 3
Rivalry revitalized PAGE 34
BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT NOW
DR. ANITA LAU, Optometrist
NANAIMO
250-390-2444 www.nanaimobulletin.com
SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012
VOL. 24, NO. 27
REVELLING IN RED AND WHITE
www.visionsoptical.com
District ends school year with surplus BY JENN McGARRIGLE THE NEWS BULLETIN
CHRIS BUSH/THE NEWS BULLETIN
Violet Johnston, left, her dad Damon, Kelly Kean, Amanda Daly and her dog Zoey, Emily Krytor, Sophie Johnston and her mom Megan Noakes are planning on sunny skies with a bit of a breeze for Canada Day celebrations at Maffeo Sutton Park Sunday (July 1), which will be a day filled with family activities, live entertainment and lots of food. For more on the celebrations in downtown Nanaimo, please see page 5.
Property owners wonder how tax dollars spent
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VICTORIA CRESCENT businessmen feeling snubbed by DNBIA. BY TOBY GORMAN THE NEWS BULLETIN
As the deadline to pay business improvement area taxes approaches, some business and property owners say they’re unhappy with how the money is being spent. Sam Yehia, owner of the Cambie on Victoria Crescent, pays $553 annually in levies to the Downtown Nanaimo Business Improvement Association. He said he has watched as other parts of downtown Nanaimo, specifically Commercial Street, have enjoyed rejuvenation and other efforts to make downtown more attractive, while Victoria Crescent has been ignored. “Victoria Crescent has been
neglected,” said Yehia. “I feel like the bastard cousin that never gets any attention. Improved lighting goes all the way to Cavan Street and it stops. Beautification goes all the way to Commercial Street and it stops. “Flower baskets up to Victoria Crescent and then stops … it’s unnerving to say the least. I don’t know if it’s politics or what, but I do know our block gets neglected and left behind.” The DNBIA collects more than $200,000 annually in levies from business and property owners to revitalize downtown. That money is matched by Nanaimo taxpayers and allotted to the DNBIA to perform its work. The levies are proportionate to property taxes and are due on the same day. “Victoria Crescent is an area we recognize as needing revitalization and while we’re aware of some of the frustrations, it is part of our plan,” said Corry Hostetter, DNBIA general manager, noting that hanging baskets
are not a DNBIA service, though it has consulted with the city to include the crescent. “We’ve included bike racks and purchased new Christmas decorations for the street, but other areas need attention too, and with our budget we can only do so much in one area at once.” She added that the China Steps have remained a priority for the DNBIA. Yehia also said he contributed $10,000 to have lighting improved on Victoria Crescent several years ago after a study revealed that illumination there was not adequate and helped foster illegal activity such as drugs and prostitution, as well as the potential for assault and theft. In its 2005 annual report, the DNBIA (called Downtown Nanaimo Partnership Society at the time), under capital projects, approved $184,000 to install improved lighting on Victoria Crescent. See ‘ASSOCIATION’S ‘ S /4
School officials expect the district to end the year with a slightly higher surplus than predicted earlier this spring. Secretary-treasurer Phil Turin expects the surplus at the end of this year will be about $2.8 million – up from the $2.3-million surplus predicted two months ago. “A lot of that has to do with some spending that hasn’t happened because of teacher job action,” he said. “That’s still a very conservative number, but I would rather be low than go up.” Turin said the district is in an unusual position this year because it received a funding protection grant, which ensured the district received the same amount in its operating budget as the previous year despite declining enrolment, funds were carefully managed throughout the year and spending on salaries, benefits and other costs is down because of the teacher job action. Earlier this year, he forecast a budget shortfall of about $2.1 million for the 2013-14 school year. The district is balancing next year’s budget with about $1.6 million of the surplus funds and trustees at Wednesday’s board meeting approved two extra expenditures using some of the surplus. The first is $72,000 to buy 12 automatic floor scrubbers, a recommendation coming out of the review of custodial services. The scrubbers are expected to speed up cleaning, reduce injuries and are more hygienic compared with a mop and bucket. Another 12 scrubbers would be acquired in the 201314 budget so all schools would have the equipment. The second added expense is $174,000 for technology upgrades, including software such as a virtual learning environment system, and network enhancement and expansion upgrades. Jamie Brennan, school board chairman, said the technology upgrades give the district the infrastructure it needs to help students succeed in the 21st century. “We’re thinking of our students, how they can be positioned to succeed in today’s world,” he said. “If you turn your back on technology, you’re handicapping your students.” The next step is to buy the hardware to support the infrastructure upgrades that IT staff have been working on – a review conducted by IBM K-12 consultants last year recommends the district buy data projectors for each teacher, up to four desktop computers per classroom and mobile computer labs for each school. The total cost of implementing the recommendations is about $3.8 million spread over five years. Brennan said with one exception, parents attending the district’s strategic planning sessions believe student access to technology is important. reporter@nanaimobulletin.com