"1990. " “4in the October 17, 1991 provin-.. “etal election Johnston used it to put - plebiscite questions on the ballot’, NVD A NORTH Vancouver District councillor denies he is attempting to prevent water- shed logging by seeking to close district roads to logging trucks. NORTH VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL By Martin Millerchip Monday night’s council meet- ing saw Coun. Ernie Crist reintro- duce a motion that failed almost two yeats ago, *492:'FHlday? Keg") 864" Nohi'Shoté Nels Coun. The motion intends to prohibit the use of Lillooet Road and Capilano Road north of Edgemont Boulevard to all vehicles with a gross weight in excess of 20,006 kg. Crist decided to reintroduce his nidtion after a recent district-con- vened meeting on drinking water disinfection saw a huge public outery about the Greater Vancouver Water District's (GVWD's) continued logging in the Capilano and Seymour water- sheds. On Monday, several speakers told council! they felt the logging trucks on district roads represent- _ Independent MLA challenges premier on democracy intent WEST VANCOUVER MLA | David: Mitchell is challenging: Premier Mike Harcourt to pro- -Claim ‘the. Direct Legislation Act ‘or:affirm the direct . democracy initiatives of the _" previous: provincial. govern- “ment. “By Greg Felton zs “Contributing | Writer. - .o ished ever since:: fitchell made the statement ata; re nt conference held’ to discuss . concepts of direct democracy. _ ‘The government of former pre- miei. Rita Johnston introduced and - rasseci the Referendum. Act i in July < concerning initiative and recall. © “The results were 83% and 81% Gn‘ favor. respectively. However, Mitchell said, the results were bind- “cing only on the: government that ; Passed them, : Mitchell said Harcourt’ s initial reaction was “lackadaisical” and showed that he had-no desire io do what the citizens of British Columbia wanted. ‘The government notwithstand- ing, one part of B.C. does have direct democracy — the West Kootenay town of Rossland, (popu- _ lation approximately 4,000). ‘City Administrator Andre Carrel Said that, as a result of passing a civic constitution in 1990, the ‘-council has changed the way it : ‘talks to citizens, the electoral rolls - The. act rectived Royal ‘Assent a on.March-29,° 1919, ‘and, has Jan- ° ate up 15%,-and'Rossland’s out- standing debt i is 30% less, At the same time, he said, the ‘annual infrastructure budget has‘. gone ‘up: ‘from’: $200, 000 to $450,000.. .::. - Carrel said putting spending into the hands of the voters has made the town more financially and polit- ically responsible. ; For example, Rossland citizens “voted to levy a $100 property ‘tax on.themselves to pay into a Water Quality Reserve to avoid borrowing costs.’ The citizens three times rejected . attempts of council members to raise their. salaries, yet’ they voted the same people in each time. ‘We Make it Hot! - HOTTEST TITLES! HOTTEST STARS! ~NEW RELEASES | “ARRIVING” & WEEKLY. — CHECK OUT OUR 'GREEN-DOT. | SPECIALS. fidults Only Video 792 Marine Dr. At Bewicke Turn on to TY. that Sizzles! ‘Because @¢ Ginything Else is Just TY. ed a potential safety hazard because of their speed and weight. Ross Muirhead challenged council to be consistent. He sup- ported Crist’s motion since it is already on record as opposing watershed fogging. Not to do so, said Muirhead, “would be like saying you had a policy against casinos and then handing out a gambling licence,” Coun, Janice Harris took the same cack. “This is another way we can reinforce our message to the GVRD (Greater Vancouver Regional District),” said Harris. But Coun. Pat Monroe pointed out that while there are laws for Crist steers big speeding, there are no weight lim- its on any district roads. Asked by Monroe whether dis- trict rounds were capable of carry- ing the weight of logging trucks, district director of engineering John Bremner replied, “By and large, yes.” Coun. Pam Goldsmith-Jones challenged Crist. “If the issue here is land use, we may be using traf- fic controls inappropriately,” she said. To which Crist replied, “You don't reaily think I'd leave myself open to being charged with dis- crimination against logging trucks, do you?” report on the state of the roads in question, and also to determine what other vehicles might be affected by a weight restriction, Asxed if his motion were a backdoor ploy to prevent water- shed logging Crist told the News, “No, it is not. We are not allowed + to do that.” Crist insisted that the district's local and collector roads were never built to take the heavy weights these logging trucks carry. Crist said it’s ironic that-distric taxpayers, who have said'no to logging, are paying for roads so _thai the GVRD can destroy’ the; watershed. Council decided to ask staff to What's happening in our District Our Neighbourhoods _ t the District of North Vancouver, we believe strong and active neighbourhoods are the foundation for a healthy and livable community. After listening to what people had to say about what they liked or would _ like to improve in their ° ... neighbourhoods,.a number of recommendations have been made _in the Neighbourhood Initiative's Interim Report. It's titled Creating a Shared Vision: A Framework for Neighbourhood Livability and Involvement and the recommendations are about working together to strengthen: .# a sense of cormmiunity + public participation in decision making = neighbourhood planning and design safety and security in neighbourhoods. : It is important that you make your views and priorities known on these yecommendations since they can make a difference in your neighbourhood. Contact us fora copy of the Interim Report, or look for a copy of the Our Neighbourhood newsletier at any library or recCentre in. the District. Call 987- 7131 (local 454) or fax 984-9683. We “need your response by May 31, _ 1994, so don't delay! Town Hall Meeting - Tuesday, May 17, teat ou and your neighbours i in. ae Central Lynn, Westlynn Terrace, a Upper and Lower Westlynn and: - Kirkstone are invited to a Town Hall Meeting i in your community. L Join Mayor. Murray Dykeman and Councillors Don Bell, Ernie Crist, Jim - Cuthbert, Pam Goldsmith-Jones, : Janice Harris and Pat Munroe at an Open House to share ix formation, plans and concerns about your.” community and neighbourhood. Get the latest on: . @ the Official Community I Plan ¢ InterRiver & Lynn Canyon Parks update noe + Lynn Canyon Park Ranger Program. ¢ environmental i issues youth and seniors issues ° * transportation & traffic plans a ¢ RCMP Blockwatch & comrnuanity. _ programs. al recycling programs & the Green Waste Site ° “Tuesday, May 17 . 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastview School 1801} Mountain Hwy.