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Trustees annoyed by chair postings
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Committee positions drew out emotions at board meeting. by Maria Rantanen
mrantanen@mrtimes.com
Two school board trustees expressed displeasure over committee appointments prompting sparks to fly on Wednesday. Trustees Dave Rempel and Kathie Ward were not reappointed to the board of the Ridge Meadows Education Foundation. Ward said she was “saddened” when she received a phone call removing her as the trustee appointee on the foundation’s board while Trustee Dave Rempel said he didn’t feel the subject was discussed properly in a meeting. He asked whether email correspondence was now considered a meeting, reading the board’s bylaw that said appointments should be discussed in a meeting. Trustee Stepan Vdovine said he was “surprised” that the committee appointments would come up at this point, since the request for positions had been put out 34 days ago. He added that Rempel’s concerns were “political grandstanding.” Trustee Eleanor Palis put forward a motion to have the topic discussed at a future meeting, but this was rejected by the board. According to the board of education’s bylaw, the board chair is responsible for appointing trustees to committees.
Amy Judd/TIMES
Proud of their hard work (from left) Kristopher Reimer, Sunjae Yoon, Zach Ashley and Zach McKay built two snowmen in the grounds of Eric Langton Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 12 during lunch break.
Snowfall fuels fun, not issues by Amy Judd ajudd@mrtimes.com
Maple Ridge firefighters dealt with four calls of downed power lines due to snow-laden branches on Wednesday morning, one instance which left Whonnock Elementary School in the dark, forcing it to close for the rest of the day. Everything was back to normal and up and running again on Thursday. According to the BC Hydro website, about 1,300 people, west of Hayward Street and east of 240 Street, were affected by power outages due to downed power lines on Wednesday, with power being restored by about 12:30 p.m. It appears drivers were taking it easy on the roads as there were no serious accidents or crashes reported to local police and fire departments. Residents need to be aware that after a snowfall melts quickly, such as in Wednesday’s case, all drains should be cleared and that is what city workers were doing all over the region on Wednesday morning, said fire chief Dane Spence. All other public schools were open and many took advantage of the snow by letting the children play outside during their breaks. For instance, students at Eric Langton Elementary took part in a snowman building competition and were so excited they barely noticed when the bell rang at the end of lunch.
Maple Ridge
Council seats attract hopefuls
With a muncipal election only 10 months off, locals are starting to discuss running. by Maria Rantanen mrantanen@mrtimes.com
There are 10 months until Maple Ridge citizens can file a nomination papers to run for municipal council, but some potential candidates have already declared their intention to run. John McKenzie and Grover Telford have decided to take the plunge and run for Maple Ridge council, joining Claus Andrup. McKenzie, who lives in Haney and has been involved in community initiatives to revitalize the area, has been involved with the NDP party for many years.
He said he doesn’t like the current provincial government’s focus on megaprojects while child poverty rates are the highest in the country. But he still believes Maple Ridge needs to develop its commercial base and he supports development of the Albion flats. McKenzie has been driving by the unused land for 20 years, and it’s time to “turn it into something that is useful for the community,” he said. McKenzie said he regularly attends council meetings, and there are a lot of issues that are pending that need to be moved forward. “We can’t be seen as a municipality that can’t get anything done,” he said. Progress, but not radical change is what Telford would like to see
in the community. concerns for the homeless in Telford said he would like to Maple Ridge and for many isosee more decisiveness and dirlated seniors in the community. ection from council to staff for Claus Andrup, who has lived commercial developin Maple Ridge since ment, but he’d like to 1994, has also made see the commercial the decision to run development done for Maple Ridge counin a way that Maple cil, saying “it’s time Ridge can be proud I stepped up to the of, for example, mixed plate.” retail and recreational Graham Mowatt ran development of the for council in 2008, and Albion flats. he said he is considerHe’d like council to ing running again but give the message that won’t make a decision Grover Telford Maple Ridge is “open for another month. Council hopeful for business.” Linda King said at More commercial this point she doesn’t development would mean more think she will run for council in jobs for the community and more November. money staying in the community, Nomination forms can be filed Telford said. starting Oct. 4 for the Nov. 19 But Telford said he also has civic election.
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