THE WEDNESDAY
JAN. 15, 2014
CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012
TRI-CITY NEWS
www.tricitynews.com
CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2012
Mural by community
Both art & karate chops
SEE LIFE, PAGE 13
SEE ARTS, PAGE 20
INSIDE
Tom Fletcher/10 Letters/11 Community Calendar/13 Sports/23
Down or up? PoCo taxes could drop in 2014 but residents may choose otherwise By Gary McKenna THE TRI-CITY NEWS
Port Coquitlam residents are being offered a choice between a tax decrease or having a redeveloped recreation complex. That was the message during Monday night’s city council meeting, where staff presented a draft financial plan that called for a 0.34% property tax decrease — a drop of approximately $6.71 per household. But if PoCo taxpayers
want a new recreation facility and seniors centre, that decrease would turn into an increase of 1% to 1.5% — a hike of about $25 per household. “We want the residents to help us make the decision,” said PoCo Mayor Greg Moore. “Is there room now to do it or later on when we know what is going into it and the project is more tangible?” Moore added that council and the city will be engaging with the public through the end of January to see if there is an immediate demand for redeveloping the rec complex, which is nearing the end of its lifespan. see SAVINGS, page 6
Lack of control of SD43 finances Audit says SD43 leaders need a financial education By Diane Strandberg THE TRI-CITY NEWS
A POWER-FUL MESSAGE
DAN EBENAL/THE TRI-CITY NEWS
Grade 5 student Carmen Cariglino and Grade 1 student Isaiah Johnston were among the Mary Hill elementary students to help BC Lions slotback Shawn Gore provide energy-saving tips from Fortis to their classmates during a visit Tuesday by Gore and teammate Jason Arakgi to the Port Coquitlam school.
A forensic audit of School District 43’s finances is recommending tighter financial controls — including the establishment of a finance committee and training for trustees and staff — to prevent the errors that led to the district to post an $8-million operating deficit last year. The long-awaited audit also recommends SD43 establish more stringent financial reporting, such as monthly forecasts, and establish a contingency
to cover unplanned expenses. Tuesday, the board was expected to approve all 14 recommendations by KPMG, which spent months analyzing the district’s financial situation, interviewing staff and reviewing memos and minutes at the request of CUPE and the Coquitlam Teachers’Association. Although it found no criminal activity or deliberate misconduct by current or former employees, KPMG suggests the district’s leadership team has been lacking in financial prudence, owing in part to a culture where education outcomes are more important than the bottom line. see SD43 LEADERS, page 12