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THURSDAY September 18, 2014 • www.langleytimes.com
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NEWS 10 Weeks to MEND
City looks into Brydon Lagoon solutions
BUSINESS Breaking Ground for Timms
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SPORTS Game On for Rivermen
Decision day has arrived B.C.’S 40,000 TEACHERS VOTE TODAY ON TENTATIVE DEAL DAN FERGUSON AND MONIQUE TAMMINGA Time s Re po rte rs
B REN D A AND E R SO N Ti me s Re po r t e r
the proposed task force would closely examine the results of a profesWith autumn quickly sional study carried out approaching, the immedion Brydon Lagoon and ate threat to fish in Langreport back to PEAC, the ley City’s Brydon Lagoon recommendation stated. has likely passed. “If nothing is done, a But a group of consimilar issue could hapcerned residents is hoppen again. It is weather ing the municipality dependent and difficult to will seriously consider predict,” the written prolong-term measures to posal to council prevent another said. massive fish kill “The feeling is like the one that Brydon pond is happened over well down on the the August long queue of projectweekend. ed projects on Water testthe capital plan, ing was done at yet we have what the lagoon afcould be considter thousands ered an immediof fish died folate crisis,” said lowing a stretch D AV E Councillor Dave of hot summer HA L L Hall, who chairs weather. It was PEAC. determined that Hall suggested it makes while oxygen levels were sense to use the “considlikely sufficient to sustain erable expertise” available aquatic life, the sharp rise through the committee, in water temperature was at little or no cost to the enough to be fatal. City, to develop possible On Monday night, Langsolutions. ley City council was asked However, Councillor to form a task force to look Teri James objected to the into possible long-term wording of PEAC’s recomsolutions to the problem. mendation, stating that The request came from any report from the task the City’s Parks and Enviforce should come directronment Advisory Comly to city council rather mittee (PEAC), which met than to the committee. early in September to ad“You’re setting yourself dress the issue of Brydon up for reams of informaLagoon. tion,” Hall replied. Comprised of members The point of having the from the Langley Field information brought to Naturalists, Langley EnPEAC is so members can vironmental Partners So“synthesize it and provide ciety, Nicomekl Enhanceinformation to council.” ment Society, Ducks Unlimited and City staff, Continued Page 9
DAN FER GUSON Langley Time s
The mood on the teachers’ picket line at LSS was upbeat Tuesday morning following news of a possible end to the strike. Results of the vote will be posted on our website at langleytimes.com when they become available.
There were smiles on the picket line at Langley Secondary School Tuesday, the morning a tentative deal to end the teachers’ strike was announced. “It’s a better day,” one teacher said. “You’re seeing a lot more smiles [this morning],” another said. The agreement was reached about 4 a.m. Tuesday in Richmond after five days of round-the-clock talks. “After all these hours, I am very pleased to announce that the parties have reached a tentative agreement,” mediator Vince Ready said. “I’m not at liberty to release any of the details, nor are the parties.” Teachers will vote on the deal today (Thursday). But if all goes well, the more than 19,000 Langley students could be back in class on Monday. “We would make every effort to be open on Monday,” said Langley School District spokesperson Ken Hoff. “CUPE and maintenance staff have worked while they have been able during the summer and if a deal is ratified then our classrooms and schools are clean and ready for students.” The Langley Board of Education held an in-camera meeting after the news of the tentative deal. The six-year contract is being called ‘historic’ and includes money to settle thousands of union grievances accumulated since the province removed class size and teacher staffing levels from the teacher contract in 2002. Premier Christy Clark said the deal includes increased funds to hire more teachers to address class size and special needs support. It is for six years, retroactive to the expiry of the earlier agreement last spring, with raises averaging just over one per cent per year. She also said the contract shouldn’t raise taxes. Education Minister Peter Fassbender said a plan is being developed to make up missed instructional days, which could involve rescheduling Christmas holidays, spring break or adding days to the end of the school year. More than 40,000 teachers have been without a contract since June 2013.
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