NV teachers to get second instalment of pay hike District 44 board facing budget deficit of $5.5M NORTH. VANCOUVER District 44 teachers will get a.pay hike beginning Dec. By Surj Rattan News Reporter : The news was applauded by the North Vancouver Teachers’ Association (NVTA), whose members were wondering if they would ever see the second instal- ment of the 14% wage increase negotiated with District 44 in Feb- Tuary.. But while North © Vancouver teachers are happy, the North Vancouver District 44 School ‘Board (NVSB) remains on shaky financial ground. . In February, the NVSB and the NVTA signed a two-yeer collec- tive agreement that gave the union a 7% salary increase in each year of the contract. The two-year collective agree- ment is retroactive to September 1990. and expires June 30 1992. The contract took effect on July » 1990, But that contract was thrown into limbo in June when former compensation commissioner Ed Lien rejected: the contract, calling it excessive. Lien, who was appointed by the former Social Credit government, made the ruling under the now- defunct Bill 82 which allowed him to-roll back any public-sector col- lective agreements he deemed ecx- cessive compared with private- sector contract settlements. - The new NDP government has since fired Lien and abolished Bill 82. It has also told all school boards to pay its teachers the sal- ary increases originally negotiated. But several school boards have already spent the money they sav- ed when the collective agreements with their teachers were rejected by Lien. ; - While the NVSB: said it had the . $86,223,854 budget. -- NORTH VANCOUVER SCHOOL BOARD ability to pay the NVTA the first year, of the contract, it has said it could not afford the second year. -But NVSB superintendent Dr. Robin Brayne said the NVTA will now be paid the second year of its collective agreement beginning on .3h, Union president Linda Watson weicomed the news: ‘‘1 think it will be a big help for teachers’ morale."’ Teachers’ salaries account for 67.2% of the NVSB’s current Effective Jan. 1, 1992, a District 44 teacher with no teaching experience and four years of university training will make $30,856 annually; a teacher with 12 years’ experience and a masters degree will be paid $61,086 annually for a 195-day work year. The financially-stricken (NVSB) has now asked the education ministry io allow it to run a defi- cit of $5.5 million. Education Minister Anita Hagen has said she will consider allowing school boards to run def- icits of up to 2% against current school board budgets, but that the money must be paid back within two years, Hagen rejected a NVSB request to either increase its current block funding allocation or provide it with a special aid grant. At an emergency board meeting called last week, the NVSB passed several motions, including asking the education ministry to ailaw it to run up a $5.5-million’ deficit against its current budget of $86,323,854. That motion also called for the NVSB to write to Hagen telling her it will try to pay off the $5.5-million deficit within two years from revenues generated during that time. NEWS rhoto Mike Wakefield SEVERAL RESIDENTS of a townhouse complex on Mountain Highway had to be evacuated last Wednesday morning after a natural gas leak occurred in one of the units. Natural gas ‘had escaped through a hot water tank after it had ruptured. The gas leak stopped after gas and hydro was cut off to the unit. Residents were allowed to return to their homes a shor? time later. NV energy plant proposed $100M waterfront facility to be powered by hydrogen/natural gas A TEXAS-based industrial company is proposing to build a multi-million-dollar energy plant along the North Van- couver waterfront to feed a clean source of fuel to its Albright and Wilson Americas chemical plant. Tenneco Gas Canada Ltd. has submitted a prospectus and pre- liminary planning report to the provincial energy ininistry as the first step in applying for an energy project certificate for a proposed - cogeneration facilixy in ..North Vancouver District. The proposed plait, to be built at an estimated cost of $100 mil- lion, would be powers! by natural gas and hydrogen, tw clean fuels, and would produce both electric power and steam for Tenneco’s Aibright and Wilson Ainericas fa- cility. Excess steam and slectricity would also be made available to other nearby industries and to B.C. Hydro. . The Albright and Wilson Americas plant produces sodium chlorate for industrial use in B.C. and abroad. The energy plant would be located on about four acres of waterfront land just east of the Second Narrows Bridge. The site is owned by the Vancouver Port Corp.; it is bordered by the Albright and Wilson pliant to the north and northwest; Tolko In- dustries Ltd. to the east; shallow tidal areas to the west; and a nar- By Surj Rattan News Reporter row strip of land to the south of the site that Albright and Wilson currently leases for its barge- loading dock operations. The application was made on Dec. 6. Project manager David Sims said the proposed facility will produce between 80 and 150 megawatts of electricity per year and between 106,000 and 200,000 pounds of steam per hour, depen- ding on the final configuration. He added that the facility will create about 15 full-time direct jobs and 45 indirect jobs. During construction, approximately 100 jobs would be created. Sims added that the new facility will probably add $500,000 in an- nual focal tax revenues to North Vancouver District coffers. “The primary intent of the fa- cility is to displace existing indus- trial electricity load; the excess energy will be relatively small and the price at which that would be sold to B.C. Hydro is yet to be negotiated,”’ said Sims. Cogeneration produces electrici- Crunch hits Christmas fundraising efforts A DOWNTURN in the economy has resulted in a downturn in the fortunes of two North Shore ‘Christmas fundraising groups, according to orga- nizers. “We're not in dire straits, but we ase a bit anxious,’’ said Ruth Stout, executive officer of the West Vancouver Santa Claus Fund. Peter Mackay, co-chairman of the North Vancouver Christmas Bureau, echoed Stout's concerns. “Times are tougher,’’ he said. ‘“‘The numbers (of appli- cants) are up.’’ The deadline to make dona- tions to the Santa Claus Fund or the Christmas Bureau is fast approaching. This is the last week the two charities can use donations of non-perishable food items and new or nearly new toys for hampers to be distributed this year. By Ejizabeth Collings News Reporter ° ‘Maybe people are slow this year to think of Christmas, but in this business you have to think ahead,’’ Stout said;. ad- ding that she would like to receive donations by Dec. 18 so that the hampers can be made and delivered before Christmas. For food donations, the two groups still need staples, in- cluding such items as canned ham and stew, cereal, pasta, rice, powdered milk, coffee and cookies. ‘‘Whatever people put in ; Season to. Share - their own Christmas basket to make it special, we'd welcome too,’’ said Mackay. Toys for older children and young teens are also needed. “Toys for 12-year-olds are hard to come by. We get a lot of little toddler toys, but when you get up to 10 to 12, it’s harder,”’ Stout said. Mackay said sports equip- ment such as hockey sticks and baseball bats are popular for the boys and presents for girls in that age group are also needed. The West Vancouver Santa Claus Fund headquarters is located at the No. 1! Firehal! at t6th and Fulton in West Van- couver. Donations of food, cash and toys can be made there; all Wesi Vancouver firehalls are accepting toys and food. The Royal Bank at 17th and Marine in West Vancouver is accepting money for the fund. Food, toys and money can be left at depots at any North Shore Credit Union, the Lons- dale Quay and the North Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver. The North Shore News is sponsoring more than 20 North Shore food depot locations. See page 50 for locations of depots. The North Vancouver Christmas Bureau, located at 131 East 2nd St., can be reach- ed at 984-XMAS (9627). The West Vancouver Santa Claus Fund can be reached at 922- 6522. ty in a turbine generator whose water heat is captured in a boiler to produce steam for. industrial processes. ‘While not technically a new process, it is very attractive to utilities such as B.C. Hydro because it is a highly efficient: way of producing energy for industrial purposes,’’ said Sims. He added that the facility is be- ing built in response to B.C. Hydro’s efforts to encourage in- dustries to start producing their own energy sources. B.C. Hydro spokesman Peter McMullan said the Crown cor- poration supports the proposed cogeneration facility. “If the Narth Shore News can generate its own power then we (B.C. Hydro) won't have to sell you any power. We're encourag- ing industries to produce their own power,’ said McMullan. ‘It allows us to delay construction of large power facilities."’ Sims added that an en- vironmental study addressing the issues of noise, ecology and air quality will be held, as will a public consultation process. “Our project team is committed to environmental awareness and responsiveness,’’ said Brian Smyth,. manager of the North. Vancouver Albright and Wilson Americas pliant. ‘‘We have spent almost two years iooking at how a project of this kind might impact the Lower Mainland area and how we can ensure that impact is a positive one.”’ Sims said it will take about !8 months to obtain the piant’s nec- | essary permits and another two years to build the plant and manufacture its equipment. . He said tke facility could begin operation in the spring of 1995. 0 - index i High Profiles & Cocktails & Caviar ...23 Bi Comics @ Fashion @ Horoscopes BB Lifestyles @ Miss Manners @ Spiritually Speaking ..26 #1 Vintage Years @ What's Going On ....19 Weather Monday, showers, Tuesday rain. Highs 8°C, lows 3°C. Second Class Registration Number 3885