NEWS photos Paul WeGrath FIRED TRUSTEE Barb MacLellan (right photo, middle of frame) and others listen to Bob Smith at District 44 meeting Tuesday. GUIDELINES NORTH VANCOUVER school district official trustee Bob Smith's terms of reference until April 15 are as follows: {% prepare written report recom- “mending to the education minister policy changes to restore the fis- cal reliability of District 44; @ utilize school board resources ' for an expeditious conclusion to developing a‘ financial plan for district and communicating the - plan to affected constituencies; _ access up to $100,000 for spe- .f Chalized resources in reviewing : financial records and operations of ..district; ‘consultation. and. _advice in reducing operational - expenses and identifying efficient ‘ hes; ‘Bl invoice the ‘school district for ‘an amount equal to his salary and duties for time spend as official, : trustee. Funds to be reimbursed to Lions Gate ‘Hospital, | Smith’s employer. (Smith will leave Lions. Gate Feb. 29.): Ja rvis cal iS for forensic ai NORTH VANCOUVER-SEYMOUR Liberal MLA Dan Jarvis is asking for a forensic report to clear the muddied names of fired North Vancouver school trustees. By lan Noble Nows Reporter Speaking at Tuesday’s school board meeting, Jarvis asked government-appointed trustee Bob Smith if he planned on conducting a forensic audit. He noted the provincial government placed an ad in the North Shore News saying fired trustees had mismanaged the school __ system. “The minister put a $3,000 ad in the paper,” said Jarvis. “I think the air should be cleared for their (trustees) sake one way or another,” he added to loud applause. Smith said he has not asked for a forensic report. “I don’t know how much air-clearing there will be,” he said in response. Smith added that he will recommend a forensic report be undertaken if the process of analyzing school district finances turns up a reason for one. He said he wants to focus on the future. “What has happened is unfortunate but it’s happened. We can ped- dle backwards for too long,” said Smith. Fired board chairman Guy Heywood said he would not call for a forensic report if trustees receive an apol- ogy for being fired without cause. He said the decision not to have Smith look at this year's finances proves that the former board's admission of a $2.3 million deficit this year reflects contractual agreements. Heywood noted the board tried to have the agree- ments for teachers overturned, but lost in arbitration. Education Minister Art Charbonneau fired board taembers for being unwilling or unable to deal with a $5-million deficit. Before becoming a trustee, Heywood was president of the Liberal’s North Vancouver-Seymour riding asso- ciation. . | Education ; | Charbonneau’s: amalgamation ,. plans go through;:asked Bird: Trustee faced with ‘crippling’ contracts iy g the deficit. We have to find 2 anew ‘way to, the meet tthe requirements of the legislation hat" we've got in terms of collec- e agreements and other constraints.” mith said that may mean “very difficult deci= sions,” but lic. would not elaborate on what they will be:: He added that when he has specific ideas, he will share. them... "THE NORTH SHORE’ senior girls’ basket- all, championship ‘featured a contrast in teams as. the’ Argyle Pipers downed — Windsor Dukes 70-26 to claim the North Shore high school title Wednesday night. ‘By Andrew McCredie ‘Sporis Editer. The: ‘wiple-A’ Pipers; stocked with Grade 12 ~"piayers, who have jelled together for the past four Years, made short work of the inexperienced dou- ble-A Dukes, a team that features three Grade 10s ‘on its starting line-up. ' Paced by tenacious team defence and the hot hands of Corfuna Shmaler. (16 points) and Kim * Halls (13), the Pipers dominated the game from ‘the tip-off to the final hom. Windsor was led by ; Christina Kiperchuk and Alison Jenkins, both ho with nine points each. * Argyle coach Jack Tasakea was pleased at his team's performance, and a bit surprised at how well his squad shut down the Dukes. > “We had a really tough game during the league with (Windsor), and we knew it wouldn't be any easier in the playoffs,” coach Tasaka said follow- ing the trophy presentation. “But our kids really came through.” .... Windsor coach Jim Harrison knew his team was in fora fight, and was , philosophical after the game. “We won't meet any better team next ‘week i in the Vancouver Districts, so . ‘in. that way it was good,” Harrison said, referring to the Dukes berth in the upcoming Lower Mainland double-A tournament. “I was a little disap- * ‘pointed, I thought we.could have played better, but our shooting was just ter- rible and they got on a roll.” ” And while Tasaka looks for a short-term payoff with his skilled group of seniors, Harrison takes stock in his team’s prospeets over the next two years. you’ll have a revolt on-your hands,” she’ said to Smith. “We do expect quality public ‘education: ” Smith acknowledged he was concemed about © the reaction of parents, but it’s premature to discuss the issue until recommendations are made, he said. Smith said he has assumed no additional fund- ing will be available to help his budget-balancing act. He added, however, that he holds out hope, based on discussions with Vicioria, that some por- _ tion of the controversial Technical Distribution Report will be implemented. But even if that report were to be implemented, the ® money would go to Pay the debi, he said. “We'd simply get money in one hand and lose it in shoth- er.” . Some expressed doubt that Smith can balance next year’s budget if he can’t open what one woman called “crippling” contracts. : Only $8 million in leeway lies outside District 44’s contracts with its teachers and other employ- Smith told the News he will look at contracts to study whether there are opportunities i in the way services are delivered to assist the budgeting process, but he does not have authourity to alter or_- negotiate contracts. "WHER THEY: eo New - Two North S Shore teams advance to thie Cretan Cup: the Lower Mainland triple-A tournainent. ittpica:. ‘ Argyle’s first game is or. Monday, Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m. in Steveston. is . West Vaticouver. plays at 3:20 p.ta. in Richmond tomorrow, , _ And Sentinel. hosts a wildcard game at 3:30 p.m. with the winner. advancing to Crehan Cig play.” “The: top five teams in the Crehan ‘Cup advance to the B.C. triple-A tournament at Cepitano College “Two local teanis have qualified for the eight-team Lower Mainland double-A zone tour nent, © : Windsor + plays.on "Tuesday, Feb, 20 at Notre Dame. : C ‘Suttierland also advances {no g ame. times available). “And St. ‘Thomas Aquinas plas a wildcard game tony at tM Burset Single-A Collingwood takes on Pemberton today at 6: 30 F P. m. with the winner advancing ti to the c sin-, BleA. tournament in Rossland Feb. 29-March 2.- “The experience that the Grade 10s got this year is going to be invalu- Thody. able in the next two years,” coach Harrison said. “So we'll be here next year in a real fight for it, and two years from now when the Grade 10s are in Grade 12 we'll be back in the B.C.’s going for one, two of three I hope.” The three Grade 10 starters for Harrison are Jenkins, Kiperchuk and Gill For all intents and purposes, the.true contest for North Shore bragging rights came on Tuesday night in semi-final action that pitted Argyle against West Vancouver Highlanders, the dominant triple-A teams in the North Shore league this season. In one of the best games of the season, the Pipers roared buck from a 26- 10 deficit to shock the Highlanders 62-59. Argyle’s Joanna Smith scored nine of her 21 points in the final quarter to pace the Pipers, while Heather Osberg netted 19 points for the Highlanders. An the other semi-final, the Dukes beat single-A Collingwood 39-27. 4 night, W. Van land bank loss a worry WEST VANCOUVER j } Opponents of an amalga- | mated North Shore school } district fear their school | | | land bank could be stripped § away te pay’ the $5-million | debt of North Vancouver. By Ian Noble | News Reporter | The topic of land surfaced } during a ‘public session held { Tuesday night for West J Vancouver residents opposed to } their school district’s amalga- § | mation with North Vancouver... The land is worth approxi- mately $40 million according f Trustee Clive Bird. | He's a member of the Save ; Our Schools joint task force. J” Bird said the schoo! board has a « land bank for future elementary ‘J’ | and secondary school develop-’ ment that has been paid for'by.” ‘West Vancouver taxpayers. |». J What happens to that land if Minister * = Art Bird adds the district’s rights. | will be-diluted in an amalgama- tion simply by virtue of North Vancouver's much greater si size. “What's to 2 -stop’ . them: |: from { our capital Selling assets,” he said « of anew North Shore board.’ _ Bird | whether = ward ! ; will be implemented to’ assure 4 West Vancouver representation. ‘ ‘He added the size of the West Vancouver . board —..about 6,500 students —is.an efficient J" 1 size in terms of. finances and [: | education. 4 Ata North Vancouver school board meeting held on the same West Capilano MLA’ Jeremy Dalton asked what / the. Vancouver school district had to say about the ' ‘amalgamation ! issue. i “There isn’t any: comment, | forthcoming at this time,”, said | Bob Smith, who was appointed ; by the provincial government as | trustee after the province fired } | the entire school board for what .§ the government called financial } mismanagement. * Smith said he would. first like to‘ talk to West Vancouver | | residents. He envisions clear ‘deficit- reduction plan will.be-in. place J’ - before a possible amalgamation | of the two school districts pro- ceeds. On Monday, West | Vancouver will make its case § for remaining independent to a { | “work team” that will report to } a steering committee. The committee will submit a plan for provincial “restructur- i ing.” which includes the North } - Shore amalgamation, no later f than Aprif 15. ; . Vancouver- 7 North §;