¥ CYPRESS BOWL ski hill management has won an out-of- court settlement for the recovery of search and rescue costs incurred when a group of skiers was lost earlier this year on the mountain after skiing out of bounds. But a local search and rescue of- ficial is concerned that the settle- ment, which sets a precedent for North Shore ski areas, could hinder the future reporting of missing skiers. Said Ross Peterson, coordinator of the North and West Vancouver Emergency Program and the man responsible for the North Shore Rescue Team (NSRT): ‘We have some concern that a well-publiciz- ed charging for soniebody's service By MICHAEL BECKER News Reporter night, they give us access to their buildings and food and drink, These can be seen as direct costs to the mountain and they don’t bill us for that, They've pitched in as their contribution fo the communi- ty and we're extremely grateful. “It’s going to be hard to gauge the effectiveness of this approach might very well delay a cal! for assistance. Cypress has been very obliging to us during rescucs. aid there They've opened chairlift: for us ail IRC decision to be appealed by the BCTF THE B.C. Teachers’ Federation will ask the entire Industrial Rela- tions Council to har an appeal of a recent IRC ruling that allows two North Vancouver teachers to withdraw from the union because of their disagreement on religious grounds with the BCTF’s pro- choice abortion policy. BCTF executive voted Monday to re- quest the full IRC hear the appeal. And a majority of the North Vancouver Teachers’ Association executive has since concurred with the decision of its parent union, clearing the way for the BCTF to file the appeal. BCTF president Ken Novakowski had said Wednesday the appeal would be filed once NVTA approval had been given for the BCTF action. In the recent {RC decision, three council vice-chairmen voted 2-1 to allow Justin and Nancy Wasilifsky, both of whom teach in North Vancouver schools, to withdraw from the BCTF and the NVTA because of ‘‘profound’’ religious belie?s and opposition to the unions’ policy of “reproductive freedom.”” But the decision, according to the BCTFE, ignores precedent set in the area of exemption on religious grounds, attacks the union’s democratic rights and will open the door to other members wanting to opt out of their union membership for religious reasons. “The decision,’’ Novakowski said, ‘‘is a major policy shift."’ In a ruling prior to the most recent IRC decision, a three-man IRC panei voted 3-0 to reject the ‘Wasilifsky application. Novakowski said the importance of the case requires a hearing before the entire IRC, not just another three-man panel. Auto...... ree | Classified Ads..........24 Editorial Page.......... Home & Garden.........13 Mailbox .........-..... What's Going On........18 is a as a deterrence. We know the hor- revs that lie down those gullies, necd for some method of deterrenee, but 1 don't WEATHER Friday, sunny with cloudy periods. Saturday, mainly sunny. Highs near 2U°C. Second Clacs Registration Number 3885 know if cost recovery will work," he said. Cypress Bowl recently settled with three of five skiers rescued Dec. 28. Mountain management billed the five tcens, Steven Knox of North Vancouver, Craig Fourier of West Vancouver, Brendan Leblane of Sardis, Bradley McDonald of Revelstoke, and Cuscy Clelland of Kelowna $264.60 cuch carly January, The mountain spent $3,200 — not including labor, management and equipment casts — on the rescue. More than 50 people, in- cluding NSRT volunteers and ski hill employees.aided in the search. According tu Cypress Bow! search and rescue coordinator Mary Lou Troman, Leblanc and McDonald promptly paid their 3 - Friday, August 25, 1989 - North Shore News Lost skiers pay Cypress settlement for rescue costs portions of the cost, but the mountain initiated court action in April to recover the remainder plus court and legal fees. Said Troman: ‘We asked for a small portion of our costs to basically have the boys take some responsibility. Two of them did quite willingly. We pursued the others because we didn’t think it would be fair for two to pay and three to not pay."* Troman said Cypress has not madc it official policy to go after search and rescue costs, but the mountain is tending in that direc. tion. “Policy is not written in stone yet, but I expect a policy to come out of this. It's the first time we've recovered costs from a search and rescuc. We certainly set a precedent here. No one on the North Shore has done anything of SUICIDE NOTE FOUND IN CAR WEST VANCOUVER Police recovered a_ suicide note Tuesday from a car belonging to a 23-year-old Richmond woman reported missing last Friday. A West Vancouver Police spokesman said a woman fitting the description of Kristine Anne Koszman, the missing woman, was spotted jumping from Lions Gate Bridge on the evening of Aug. 18. The victim’s body has not been re- covered. A red 1988 Honda CRX belong- ing to Koszman was found parked in the Park Royal South parking lot. It contained items including the note, clothing and her wallet. this sort,’’ she said, According to Whistler Mountain safety manager Roger McCarthy, the recovery of costs incurred for search and rescue operations in- volving out-of-bound skiers is commen practice throughout the province. “We've charged people for the last cight to 10 years for rescues outside of boundaries. We've charged the full cost of rescues and we've collected,’ he said. Rescue costs can build up fast. Snow-cat tractors can cost $100 per hour to operate and helicopters can cost as much as $550 per hour, While rescue costs vary according to the duration and complexity of the operation, Whistler has billed as much as $5,500 for a singte rescue, 0 NEWS photo Neil Lucente THIS WILD and crazy performer stuffs ping pong balls into his mouth during a free show at the Pacific Na- tional Exhibition. Entertainment abounds at the annual fair held at Exhibition Park in Vancouver. See more PNE photos on page 18. Bridge jumper linked to missing woman Fhe missing woman was last seen at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 18, after finishing her work shift at a Van- couver Safeway store. Koszman is described as being 5’ 10°’, weighing 132 pounds and having blond hair, blue eyes and a slim build. She was last seen wear- ing a white T-shirt, blue shorts and runners.