By lan Noble News Reporter THE North Shore Health Board’s top administrator is look- ing at Friday’s region- alization announcement as a green light. However, for at least a few board) =members, Health Minister Joy MacPhail’s pur- suit of a “simpler, more streamlined approach to health care regionalization” will be a stop sign. That’s because the number of board members has been shaved from 23 to 15. Unlike some other urban boards, the North Shore Health Board’s boundaries will not change with the New Directions, now dubbed the Better Teamwork, Better Care approach. Board CEO Inge Schamborzki said st the announcement reinforces the local board’s direction. Like all other boards, the North Shore board has been in a holding pattern’ since a teview of the NDP’s regional- ization process began in June. “This announcement puts wind in our sails,” Schamborzki said. Now the board can contin: ue amalgamating local health bodies that are funded by the province. Betore the freeze began, Lions Gate Hospital, Nerth Shore Home Support and Cedarview Lodge had been amalgamated under the board’s banner. That process will continue with North Shore Mental Health, North Shore Health, two Kiwanis care facilities, and local drug and alcohol abuse programs such as Seaview in West Vancouver and West Coast Alternatives in) North Vancouver. Some of those agencies are closer than others to amalga- mation, but Schamborzki said a date for the transfer of authority to the boards has been set at April 1. On the North Shore, that means approximaicly $160 million in local health funding will be distributed through the health board. Other agencies will be funded through’ the board, but are privately run so won't be = amalgamated, said Schamborzki. She added that MacPhail’s _ OE AH So Good! Sz WIENER SCHNITZEL soup de jour, salad Valid with this coupon only Group of 4 recelve 1 FREE SCHNITZEL } ‘Czechoslavakian Restaurant 707 7 Queensbury N. Van. 888-1 331 | "Excepting babies and children ‘for Christmas and New Year ' commercials.... HAVE YOU NOTICED? | Shans Peasover Suprise : In Huggies For screentests ... babies 4 mo.-4 yrs. 689-9466 children 5-14 yrs. 689-3014 eeeveeeeenesvsesoeSBHaneeeoee See your child on TV instead of in front of it!! Announcement will mean changes at the board level. Presiousty, the board had 23 director seats, although only 19 have been filled. Seven rep- resented municipalities and school boards, and 14 were appointed by the provincial government. Two local native bands also had seats. MacPhail, in an attempt to achieve more cflective deci- sion making, has limited boards te 15 Vierorta- appointed board members. That means some North Shore Health Board members will be pushed out. Schamborzki said she believes all board members are committed to the remonaliza- Hon process and are waiting, to learn shat the reduction means to their involvement in focal health reform. All new board appointments will be made within nwo weeks. Although there will be fewer board members, one seat has been set aside for physicians and another for a union member. To learn more about the health board, call 984-3842 to attend one of a number of workshops slated for the North Shore. Flyer in these newspapers | near you. Beginning in December. $500,000 approved for new WV police radios FOR the West Vancouver Police Deparunent, it’s out with the old and in with the new. On Monday, West Vancouver Couneil decided to spend $512,442 on new radios for the police department. Departing Mayor Mark Sager told the News the old radios have been in service for 26 years and are simply worn out. “If we can get another 20 years out of these ones that we're buying that would be great,” he said. Yo fund the new radies, $425,000 will be taken for the radio operating reserve fund and the balance will be paid for by lease financing. Police say the radios now in use suffered from decreased signal strength and increased maintenance. Replacement was becoming more difficult as parts were outdated and not kept in stock, Ov one sera Prine Watch for your Zellers Flyer in these VAN Network publications: Chilliwack Times, Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Times, Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam-Port Moody Now, Burnaby Now, The Langley Advance News, The Now Community The Delta Optimist, The Record, Richmond News, North Shore News and Vancouver Courier.