The Community
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Volume 112, Issue 28
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
$1 Including GST
Roof repairs on track Killam RCMP breakat Sedgewick Arena and-enter rates up by
94 per cent over 2018 Leslie Cholowsky Editor with files from Cpl. Trent Cleveland Acting CO Killam RCMP Statistics compiled from January to December 2019 show that the Killam RCMP Detachment has seen a dramatic overall increase in crime from 2018 to 2019. Total criminal code offences have increased 47 per cent from last year, with just three per cent of that attributed to persons crime and over two-thirds related to property crime. There has been a 94 per cent increase in break and enters reported, with 74 more instances this year over last, with car thefts rising by 74 per cent with 26 more instances. Complaints of Theft under $5,000 have increased by 63 per cent with 68 more complaints in 2019 than
2018. The Killam Detachment dealt with 177 calls for service from midDecember to Jan. 8 alone. In an update, the Killam RCMP member involved in an incident near Galahad where a police vehicle was smashed was not injured, with minor bumps and bruises only. Also, Killam members were not directly involved in the shooting of a suspect that occurred on Highway 13 east of Hardisty, but were en route to the scene. Killam RCMP responded to 47 calls for service from Jan. 1 through 8. An abandoned vehicle complaint was investigated and it was determined that the vehicle had not been stolen. RCMP were asked for assistance See RCMP P9
‘Everything’s on the table’ to balance budget, says BRSD Leslie Cholowsky Editor
Leslie Cholowsky Editor
Work on the Sedgewick Wild Rose Coop Recreation Centre’s Arena roof is going very smoothly, says Sedgewick CAO Jim Fedyk, with about two-thirds of the new purlins installed. He says the project manager did an inspection on Tusday, Jan. 14, but Fedyk hasn’t heard if the estimated completion date has been changed, he’ll know midweek. Initially there were not enough purlins delivered, but the remainder came in Tuesday, so work is proceeding,
he says. “The current work is cutting, drilling, and mounting each purlin,” Fedyk says. “The first seven lengths or purlins running west to east were in perfect shape (over the bleachers) so nothing had to be done there, but from the eighth purlin, from the west all the way to the east wall, an additional galvanized purlin is being installed between each original purlin.” He estimates that about onethird of the purlins remain to be twinned. The ice stayed in, while the work is See REPAIRS P9
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The Battle River School Division (BRSD) Boart of Trustees is looking into the future and says when it comes to finalizing next year’s budget, “Everything’s on the table.” According to BRSD news, trustees spent time during their Nov. 28 meeting getting a grasp on the issues affecting the finalization of this school year’s budget, including lower enrollment, provincial education funding changes, and drastic increases in insurance premiums. Assistant Superintendent Imogene Walsh reviewed some key points with trustees. She pointed out that lower-than-expected enrollment, as well as realloca-
tion of grant dollars by the province, meant that despite the board pre-planning for a potential reduction, more spending adjustments will be required within the current school year. The Board heard, too, that the Facilities budget was severely impacted by a 274 per cent increase in insurance premiums, and may be facing higher vehicle insurance costs and higher utilities costs, numbers that are out of the control of the division. Walsh pointed out to the board that lower enrollment also means utilization rates at schools are lower than capacity, making it less likely for the province to provide capital support for any school in need of substantial repair. She also spoke about the division’s fleet of school buses, with a need to repSee BRSD P17 Funded by the Government of Canada