January 15,1995 40 pages lost in Howe Sound TRANSPORT CANADA officials began an investi- gation on Friday into the disappearance of a small plane near Bowen sland. By Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter This is the second plane to go missing in as many days over B.C. coastal waters. The Piper Cherokee had two people and a dog on board when it left Boundary Bay air- port at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, according 10 Canadian Forces search and rescue spokesman Lt. Denise Laviolette. A mayday distress signal was heard from the plane 30 minutes later. Searchers traced the mayday to. the Bowen “Island area based on radar and " possible sighting informution, said Lavioletie. Next. of kin were being ‘notified about the situation to press time Friday. No names were released. _ > The aircraft: was travelling to Sechelt’ via Vancouver Harbor. The weather was rainy with limited visibility. The pilot did not log a flight plan detailing the trip. accord- ing to Lavioletic. Transport Canada investi- gator-Tom Storey, said a team of ‘investigators’ had been assigned to the incident on Friday morning. An extensive search was launched overnight on Thursday with !8 vessels, two planes and two helicopters, according to the rescue coordi- nation centre in Victoria. Military, Coast Guard, Coast Guard auxiliary and RCMP personnel — were involved in the search. Nothing was found as of Friday moming. At daybreak “on Friday. new search crews aboard 10 vessels, two heli- ‘Copters und two planes combed the area for the missing plane. On Wednesday, A Lear jet disappeared shortly belore it wus expected to land at the Masset air strip on the Queen Charlotte Islands. Five peaple were aboard the plane includ- ing a medical team from Vancouver. Debris from the jet was found floating in water near the air strip on Thursday. Office, Editoria! 985-2131 AVERAGING OUT Dollar-cost averaging is essentially a defensive policy most effective in fluctuating markets. Display Advertising 980-0511 SUN SPOT Sunshine and colf courses alike are in plentiful supply in Arizona's Valley of the Distribution 986-1337 . 25¢ NEWS photo Terry Peters NORTH VANCOUVER residents Frank Ashdown and Linda Suilivan give a big thumbs down to the planned closure of the Lloyd Avenue access ramp to the Upper Levels Highway. See page 3 for story. N. Vancouver school board budget reductions. NORTH VANCOUVER School District 44 (NVSD) will not replace four retiring senior administrators as part of ongoing budget cuts, according to a District 44 spokesman. Salary and benefits for the four positions account for approximately $350.00) from the dis- trict’s $94 million 1994-95 budget for the remain- der of the fiscal year. Administration costs account for approximate- ly 8% of the total budget. Teacher salaries and benefits account for approximately 75% of the budget. Effective, Dec. 31. 1994, Assistant to the Superintendent Ed Collins, Occupational Health and Safety Officer Edward Downing. Curriculum Coordinator R. Howard Cross and Continuing Edueation Director Dr. Doug Ledgerweod are relired from NVSD, District 44 Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robin Brayne ‘said the additional load on the remaining district administration is “quite signifi- cant” ; Brayne will take on the Continuing Education ° and Curriculum duties while District 44 secretary- NORTH VANCOUVER SCHOOL BOARD By Kevin Gillies treasurer Leonard Berg will take on the Health and Safety duties. Berg said any replacement of the administra- tors will be bused on funding levels for the 1995- 96 school year and beyond. Administration cost cuts imposed by the Education Ministry in the 1994-95 budget. and continuously reduced funding from the provincial government for urban school districts are being blamed for the cuts. For the 1994-95 school year, the combined total revenues of District 44 and West Vancouver School District 45 will surpass $135 million mark — almost completely funded by B.C. taxpiyers. That equates to more than $5.900 for every North Shore student in the public school system and the two school districts receive less per pup) than most districts in the province. Some private schools receive partial funding from the government, ‘Tuition can be as high as $5,000 for a !0-month school year. However, because private schools do not have to meet pupil/eacher ratio restrictions applied in the public school system and their administration is smaller, more money reaches the classroom in the private school system. The District 44 board starts preparing for its 1995-96 budget later next month after it receives funditig information from the Education Ministry. Meanwhile, District 44's Budget Advisory Board (BAC) — made up of parent. teacher, CUPE and administration representatives — pre- sented its interim report to the hoard on Tuesday night. The report identified various concerns the committee felt: District 44 should address in preparing the 1995-96 school budget. @ Revenue — The BAC blames the provincial government's failure to address inequities pointed out.in the Report, of the Technical Distribution Group for the shortfall between current spending fevels and forecasted funding. & Reductions — There is a perception that bud- gel cuts have been made on the “educational” side See Budget page 3 ‘REACHING EVERY DOOR ON THE NORTH SHORE SINCE 1969