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Your Independent Local Newspaper Established in 1918 VOLUME 103: ISSUE 33
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021
HOLDEN ON TRACK FOR NEW CHARTER SCHOOL NEXT FALL.
tofieldmerc.com
BRSD WILL NOT PILOT THE NEW K-6 CURRICULUM.
SEE PAGE 2
SEE PAGE 3
Local residents appeal their $62K firefighting invoice, BESC responds MOUSH JOHN Editor
It wasn’t the kind of start the Zemlaks had hoped for in 2021 when on Jan. 28, around 3 p.m. they were alerted by a phone call from their neighbour who informed them that their shop was on fire and that 911 had been called already. When Samantha and Dale Zemlak – who reside on a farm on the west side of Beaver County – arrived on scene, their shop was fully engulfed and crews were tending to the fire. Their propane tank had caught fire and began to flare. “We looked after our children arriving home from school, and then waited for more information,” Samantha Zemlak said. However, it wasn’t until they received the
firefighting invoice of $62,000 earlier this month that they started questioning what had really ensued. “We felt sick,” Zemlak said. “It was 25 per cent higher than what we were expecting, and at first we were in disbelief. I reviewed the claim forms that accompanied the invoice, and noticed that the two pages attached listed two different invoice numbers. “My gut told me that I needed to question the invoice, and learn more about the Beaver Emergency Services Commission (BESC), and that’s when I began spending hours reviewing the operating bylaw, policies, and BESC meeting minutes going back to 2014.” The Zemlaks aren’t looking for a “hand out” she said, but the fact that they were unaware of the costs and the extent of it is what bothers them.
What’s Inside
Motor vehicle collision in Tofield, driver transported via EMS PAGE 5 The Zemlaks’ shop was razed to the ground in the fire, which was started by a propane tank. This is a view of the back of the shop. SUBMITTED PHOTO BESC Regional Emergency Manager Allan Weiss explained that this particular incident was a “dangerous goods incident” where firefighting crews had to spend a lot of time securing the scene and trying to get the fire under control, and then determining if people had to be evacuated.
“There were extenuating circumstances; it wasn’t a simple structure fire, but there was an actively burning propane tank, which led to the extended time that the firefighters spent,” Weiss added. “We would like to encourage everyone to have a conversation with their insurance providers
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because insurance policies vary with respect to firefighting costs.” The BESC has received a ‘Notice of Appeal’ from the Zemlaks disputing the invoice. “Since I have been here the past two years, this is the first of its kind, and
Loose Ends: Weird Hiccups! PAGE 5
Editorial: My reaction on BRSD not piloting new curriculum by MLA Lovely PAGE 6
Continued on Page 15
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