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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2014
$1.10 (includes tax)
VOL 117 NO. 23
Rec director retires Page 21
68 Avenue will be repaved th
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CRAIG LINDSAY
Grand Forks Gazette
Despite not receiving any provincial grants as of yet for infrastructure projects, the city will be going ahead with paving 68th Avenue (Kettle River Drive to 19th Street). At the regular meeting on May 26, Grand Forks city council chose 68th Avenue over 22nd Street for pavement rehabilitation. Those two streets were recommended by Urban Systems for the mill-and-replace program for pavement rehabilitation. Staff also asked that council approve a budget amendment for the project, which will be partially funded through either gas tax money, a borrowing bylaw, or reserves from the slag fund. The mill-and-replace program involves crushing the existing asphalt, placing a crush gravel base which includes the existing milling, and placing a new asphalt surface. “The background is that, based on the current condition and the lack of funding that has come forward from the provincial government in being ready for the replacement of these assets, and based on the expectation of water conservation moving forward, we have the expectation that we will be able to essentially repave one of the roads.” Staff recommended 68th Avenue, said Allin, “The rationale behind that is that
• See REPAVING page 8
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School District 51 teachers picket outside of GFSS May 28 as part of rotating BCTF strikes throughout the province. Craig Lindsay photo
Strike action continues CRAIG LINDSAY
Grand Forks Gazette
With no end in sight, the feud between B.C. teachers and the government continues. Teachers are continuing their rotating strike action as part of phase two of job action. In the Boundary, schools will be closed on Thursday as teachers will be picketing. There is also talk about a province-wide student walk-out on Wednesday. There is no word on whether it would affect Grand Forks or other schools in the Boundary area. Teachers in School District 51 were out on the picket lines on Wednesday, May 28 for the first time at schools throughout the Boundary. “We received a lot of positive support,” said Norm Sabourin, president of the Boundary District Teachers’ Association. “Most people driving by were very positive—honking and giving thumbs up. I was in Grand Forks in the morning and then stopped at spots west in the afternoon. Right across the district it was positive.”
Sabourin added that most of the administrative staff were supportive of teachers and some even brought out food for the picketers. CUPE workers, which include support workers at the schools, were also on the picket lines showing support. “We greatly appreciate CUPE’s support as well as the support of the administrators who came out and talked with the staff or brought food,” said Sabourin. Sabourin said he feels there is a better tone at the provincial bargaining table in recent days. “We’re still waiting to see that translate into movement toward a deal,” he said. “It comes down to that the government needs to provide some financial mandate so that there can be some area to bargain.” In a press release from the government last week, education minister Peter Fassbender stated, “It is unfortunate that the BCTF leadership is shutting down schools with their rotating strikes—it is always students and parents who bear the brunt when the BCTF orders teachers to walk out.”
City considers electronic voting machines
CRAIG LINDSAY
Grand Forks Gazette
Grand Forks city council is looking at bringing in automated voting machines for the November election to help make counting faster and easier. At its May 26 meeting, council received for information the proposed use of automated voting machines for general local elections bylaw No. 2000. First three readings on the bylaw are set for the June 9 regular council meeting.
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The report from staff stated: “In an effort to make the election process more efficient, staff is proposing the use of automated voting machines for the next municipal election.” The voting machine is designed to be very user friendly for the electors offering a large screen with detailed instructions. The most useful function is that at the end of the voting day a report is generated that gives the municipality, the candidates and the electors the election results very quickly.
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The cost for the machines is expected to be around $7,600, although the city will save money by spending less on poll clerks as the manual counting process will be eliminated. “It seems like a pretty innocuous machine,” said Mayor Brian Taylor. “It just counts ballots. It seems like it would avoid human error and be saving us a considerable amount of money.” Voters would still fill out ballots with the mayoral candidates, council candidates, and/or
• See ELECTRONIC VOTING page 8
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