TERRACE
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$
S TANDARD
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VOL. 25 NO. 25
www.terracestandard.com
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Ski money wanted CITY COUNCIL is being asked to contribute close to $23,000 in cash and in kind to the co-op which runs Shames Mountain. The request works out to a $15,000 grant for My Mountain Co-op and free rent for 2013 valued at $6,500 for the office space now occupied by the co-op in the city-owned Kwinitsa Station House and a tax exemption valued at $1,200 for the office space. All together, if granted, the requests would essentially match what the city provided the co-op last year in the form of cash and office space. But whether or not city council will decide on the coop’s requests without first having a look at its books isn’t yet known. At a September meeting with directors of the co-op, councillor Bruce Bidgood noted that the city had laid down one condition for future financial support of the co-op. “What we agreed was on a year to year basis with an examination of the financial [statements],” he said of decisions for financial support. City council discussed the tax exemption request made by the co-op earlier this week and will be making a decision on the free rent and grant requests next month as it begins deliberations on its 2013 budget. It isn’t yet know if council will see financial statements before co-op members have a chance to at its annual general meeting which now is tentatively scheduled for late November. My Mountain Co-op’s director responsible for finance, Curtis Billey, said a decision to release financial information before the annual general meeting hasn’t been made. “I’m not sure yet,” said Billey about whether or not the city will have access to information prior to when the coop’s members do at its annual general meeting. The co-op is also awaiting final approval by the KitimatStikine regional district for a tax exemption for the Shames Mountain property. It’s worth close to $4,000. To date, the total financial support the co-op has received from the regional district includes a $100,000 grant and about $8,000 in tax exemption. From the city, the co-op has received $30,000 in grants to date and $15,400 in free rent and tax exemption. And as part of its purchase agreement with the Shames Mountain Ski Corp., the co-op is waiting on the reduction or cancellation of two outstanding debts owed to the province of British Columbia. Combined, the debts amount to more than $600,000 owed to the province. The majority, more than $420,000, is owed by the Shames Mountain Ski Corp. for the repayment of a tourism development loan. The rest is an amount owed for lease fees and has been assumed by the co-op. Some kind of resolution to both outstanding debts is inked into the purchase agreement contract for the ski facility. “Our government continues to explore options around debt forgiveness in order to facilitate the smooth transfer of this community ski hill to a new owner,” said a statement issued by the province.
LAUREN BENN PHOTO
■ Fall is here ALANIS MARLEAU browses gourds at the Skeena Valley Farmers’ Market on September 29, exactly one week from Autumn’s start in 2012.
Police seize drugs, guns A LOCAL man facing 11 drugs and firearms charges finds out if he can get out on bail this Friday. David Harry Edwardsen of Thornhill was one of five people arrested Sept. 19 following a 14-month long investigation into what RCMP are calling a Terrace-area organized crime ring. The charges against Edwardsen include four counts of trafficking, two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, one charge of production of a controlled substance, and four firearms charges. Edwardsen made a brief court appearance Sept. 20. The remaining four people have since been released. On Sept. 19, police executed five
search warrants on five properties in Terrace and area – Edwardsen’s residence at 604 Old Lakelse Lake Road, which is almost across from the Lakelse Pentecostal Camp, two other residences on that same road, one residence on King Ave. in Thornhill and a residence on Bohler Rd. Emergency Response Team officers, similar to a SWAT team, were among the officers sent to the Old Lakelse Lake Road address because of concern about weapons, said Terrace RCMP Inspector Dana Hart. Police say they seized 110 long guns, including rifles and shotguns, and several handguns from two of the locations they searched.
“Many...were loaded and readily accessible to the occupants,” said Hart. The drugs seized included more than 500 marijuana plants from three different grow-ops; 1.5 kg of cocaine; 24 tablets of ecstasy; 17 grams of hashish, 32 grams of magic mushrooms and also prescription drugs, reported police. “Additional charges are expected to be laid in the near future against further members of the criminal group,” said Hart. Several RCMP units took part in the investigation, led by the federal RCMP Drug Enforcement Branch.
Cont’d Page A4
Looking back
Liquid gold
Bike n’ Shoot
Terrace Public Library’s historical collection keeps memories alive \COMMUNITY A17
A look at why LNG is on the economic forefront of this region \NEWS A10
Come on out to the Rod and Gun Club for a new take on an old sport \SPORTS A27