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Seniors like you’ve never seen them
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Vol. 89 Issue 51 • Wednesday, December 19, 2012 • www.arrowlakesnews.com • 250-265-3823 • $1.25 •
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Burton’s Gail Detta awarded Queen’s Jubilee medal Claire paradis Arrow Lakes News
The Burton Seniors put on a fine spread Dec. 13, with a twist. This year in addition to the fine food a Queen’s Jubilee Medal was served up to local force in the community, Gail Detta. After the many salads, turkey, ham and dessert had been savoured by the well-dressed crowd, Paul Peterson got up to “say a few words.” A few of his words which included the announcement that Gail Detta had been awarded the Queen’s Jubilee medal surprised both the diners and Detta herself. Detta, who moved to Burton in 1968, jumped in when she arrived in the little town and started volunteering in the community, contributing in many ways, some of which Peterson read out to the audience. When she came to collect her award, the room stood and gave her an ovation of appreciation. “I gave Paul some information for the medal, but he had said there was no guarantee, and then I completely forgot about it,” said Detta. Detta, who organized the evening’s entertainment, soon moved on from the award to a slide show of historical images of Burton scanned from Whistlestops Along the Columbia. The slideshow was the precursor to a series of skits Detta wrote and wrangled local people to take part in. The Burton Boys were portrayed
by Curtis Stenseth, Garney McLean and Bob Robins, two of which left to find gold and women in the Barkerville gold rush. The next skit had three local women in a saloon with spittoon and a table holding a liquor jug complaining about a rule that kept men and women separate. The third piece had a Burton shopkeeper read out the letter that she had been sent by Hydro telling her that she had to relocate to either Fauquier or Nakusp, and that Burton wouldn’t exist after the flooding of the valley. A murmur ran through the audience watching the monologue, and Detta said yes, that was how it happened: Hydro had given Burton residents a month to decide where they were going to move. Clearly they had other ideas, and the town still exists to this day. Another skit had Brian Harrop playing John McCormick Senior, and there was a bit of to-doing about the fact that Mr. McCormick wouldn’t be calling himself “senior” until there was a junior around. Mr McCormick, Sr., had been a member of of the Burton agricultural co-operative which had produced fruit and vegetables until the prices became so low that farmers could no longer afford to grow and export food. The night was filled with more historical skits and laughter in the warm and cozy community hall while outside the snow continued to fall, covering the little town in a silent white blanket.
Gail Detta was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee medal by RDCK Area K director Paul Peterson at the Burton Senior’s dinner. The award was just the beginning of the fun. Below left, Detta with her award, and right John Banta interprets John McCormick Sr. Claire Paradis/Arrow Lakes News
Nakusp CAO responds to Delterra engineer Claire paradis Arrow Lakes News
Responding to a letter to the editor that Delterra Engineering’s Trevor Shephard wrote to the Arrow Lakes News, Nakusp CAO Linda Tynan agreed that Shephard did good things for the Village, but said there were differences of opinion as far as other issues went.
Although Shephard believed it would have cost less to have him complete the Nakusp water treatment project, Tynan disagreed. “Like all contracts we enter into there are complexities and management and council determined it was in the best interest of the village to terminate him,” said Tynan, who added that it was his perspective that costs would have been lower if the Village had retained Delterra
Engineering, and it differed from the Village’s. When asked about changes in staff and additional projects which led to delays in projects that Delterra Engineering was responsible, Tynan said they were separate issues from the reasons for the termination of the company. “I think they’re independent issues,” said the CAO, who acknowledged that staff turn over
and increased environmental reporting requirements did contribute to delays in Village projects. “But that wasn’t the final reason for terminating his contract,” she asserted, stating there were larger picture issues. “The Village took all of that into account and understands that, but over and above that we had other issues.” Tynan declined to comment on details surrounding the issues.
“There are always ups and downs,” she said, noting that “it’s never a comfortable situation” when contractors are terminated. “The fact is, Trevor did really good things,” the CAO stated, “but he got paid for them too, and that’s why he doesn’t get a lot of extra credit.” Tynan pointed out that like any contractor, Delterra Engineering was paid for his work.
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