New chief Craig Richardson takes over leadership at fire department. Page 7 To africa Nanaimo grandmother continues humanitarian work. Page B1 Liona Boyd Canada’s first lady of guitar returns to the stage. Page 3
VIU volleyball culminates Page 20
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THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2014
VOL. 25, NO. 97
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Council facing budget choices
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discussions begin on list of 400 options to cut or keep. By Tamara CUNNINgham THe NewS BULLeTiN
KARL YU/The News BULLeTiN
Frosty fire
Firefighters from east Wellington Volunteer Fire department put out an abandoned vehicle fire in the Maxey Road area Tuesday morning. A white Ford F-150 pickup truck was found in a ditch in the 2600 block of Maxey Road fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on the scene.
Recycling investment includes Nanaimo facility By ChrIs BUsh THe NewS BULLeTiN
Jobs and investment in Nanaimo are being touted from a proposed provincial paper and packaging recycling project. Multi-Material B.C., a nonprofit organization that will manage residential packaging and printed paper recycling, announced Thursday it selected Green by Nature EPR to manage a provincewide collection and recycling
program, which will start servicing about 1.25 million B.C. homes by May 19. The $32-million project is the result of a producer-pay system mandated by the provincial government and include construction of a material recovery facility in Nanaimo to sort and prepare collected material for shipment to processors and markets. Another major component of the project will be a container recycling and sorting facility on the Lower Mainland which
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will separate paper products from plastic containers and packaging. About 570 people will be employed through the new recycling system. Green by Nature is a partnership founded by waste recovery and recycling companies Cascade Recovery, Emterra Environmental and Merlin Plastics. The consortium will also involve more than 20 recycling subcontractors for its operations across B.C. u See ‘FEW’ /5
There are ‘lots’ of possibilities to reduce city costs, from shuttering Beban Pool to cutting staff, says one Nanaimo city councillor heading into budget talks this week. As part of a new approach to financial planning, Nanaimo city council has been given the chance to consider 400 projects this week that have the potential to affect property taxes. According to city manager Ted Swabey, everything on the list is “all important” and part of capital planning to keep the city running, from contributions to asset management to road and sewer maintenance. The list also includes fire services equipment, police station staff and a new licence plate recognition system for parking that totals more than $97,000. The decision list is in front of council this week and while staff members are giving politicians the option to pick and choose, they also warn there will be implications if projects and services are not funded. The majority of items funded by taxes go toward maintenance and renewal of city infrastructure and by cutting back dollars there will be an effect on service levels and increased maintenance costs, a staff report reads. If the entire run of decision
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packages are approved, Nanaimo faces a 2.8-per cent tax hike. Without any further additions to the budget, there will be a 6.1-per cent drop in taxes. Coun. Fred Pattje said while 2.8 per cent isn’t bad compared to other municipalities, council should still try every trick in the book to get the number closer to a cost-of-living increase. He’s keeping his cost-saving pitches for budget talks, but said if council doesn’t want to reduce asset management – a one-per cent tax increase – there are few alternatives other than to cut services. However, Coun. Bill McKay, who is aiming for no tax increase, questions if there are ways of reducing costs without slashing services, from looking at staff cuts and how protective services are paid for to consolidating city swim recreation at the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre to save on maintenance and energy costs. The city has future costs to consider, including a new reservoir and regional district sewer treatment plant, and should look at tightening its belt now, he said. “I want to look seriously at our swimming pools. Do we need two swimming pools in Nanaimo or should we consider a new modern pool down at the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre that replaces Beban,” he said, adding the pools cost every man, woman and child $45 a year to maintain. “I think there’s lots of possibilities for reducing costs – the question is whether or not there’s a will amongst my colleagues to do so.” u See ‘BUDGET’ /4
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