Free Press $1.30
March 17, 2016
ST
Includes G
Council signs MoU with CIRD Figure skaters wrap up another season A17
Digital tools help create stunning artwork A16
INSIDE
opinion A8 letters A9 entertainment A16 sports A17 community B1 classifieds B8
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Two Sections, 36 pages
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ENJOYING SNOW-COVERED PLAYGROUND
Ken Alexander Free Press
Dr. Bruce Nicolson appeared before the District of 100 Mile House council on March 8 to request the District sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Interior Rural Division of Family Practice (CIRD).
Mitch Campsall
Mayor Mitch Campsall and chief administrative officer Roy Scott had met with CIRD representatives on two earlier occasions to consider the request. It was agreed council’s support of the request shouldn’t be construed as financial support. The CIRD wants to enter into an MoU with the District, so the respective roles can be identified to • Improve patient access to local primary care; • Increase local physicians’ influence on health-care delivery and policy; and • Provide professional support for physicians. Later in the meeting, councillors unanimously approved a motion so Mayor Campsall can sign the MoU with the CIRD.
Monika Paterson photo
Leah Viscount, left, Drayton Seabloom and Jordan Mitchell enjoyed some fresh-air time and had fun playing in the snow-covered playground at the Cariboo Family Enrichment Centre’s Early Care and Learning Centre in 100 Mile House on March 14.
Some people felt School District 27 is showing them disrespect
Ken Alexander Free Press
When parents and area residents left the Bridge Lake Elementary School (BLES) gymnasium after the public meeting called by School District #27 (SD27) on March 2, most were disgruntled and disappointed. These folks also felt they didn’t get any information from SD27 and the school trustees that would help them form arguments against the potential closure of BLES due to the lack of students. When imposing a 90-day consultation period to consider the school closure, the school board Trustees took into account:
• The decline of students from 27 in 2013/14 to six in 2015/16; • The impact of the lack of students was having on SD27’s budget; and • The proximity of the BLES to Horse Lake Elementary School being 38 kilometres. The initial agitation at the forum was how the format had been changed 24 hours before it was held. The expected public forum had been changed to a WorldCafe format that many of the 160 parents, residents and business owners in attendance thought was an attempt to put a gag on people from talking about what they thought was the reason for the rapidly declining enrolment at
the school. SD 27 schools superintendent Mark Thiessen told the members of the public that statements about behaviour or conduct of any specific staff member would not be tolerated. He also refused to change the format that went on for more than 90 minutes even though only a few people talked to the table facilitators to voice their concerns and offer information. Most of the people mingled with friends and talked about how peeved they are with the meeting format and what a waste of time it was for everyone. Cariboo Regional District Area L Director Brian Coakley
noted he talked to Thiessen. “I told him it was the most undemocratic meeting I ever attended in my life. People should be allowed the opportunity to speak at the [microphone] and when they finish speaking, they should sit down and the next person gets up to speak, and if we’re here to [midnight], we have to wait until everyone is heard and then we go home. “This idea of having cards where you fill in the questions... I don’t know if all those questions will be asked; I don’t know if someone will go through those questions and only ask the ones they want to answer. That is totally undemocratic.” Continued on A5