District blocks community grant approval NORTH VANCOUVER District Council's decision on Monday night not to approve the 1991 grant recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Community Resources (ACCS) means that cheques ranging in value from $125 to $29,400 will not be in the mail next week to 39 com- munity organizations and societies. By Martin Millerchip Contributing Writer The volunteer ACCS provides an arm's length adjudication pro- cess for council on the many grant applications council receives each year from such organizations as Big Brothers, the North Shore Neighbourhood House, Emily Murphy House and Meals On Wheels. Mayor Murray Dykeman com- mended the committee’s work and acknowledged that *‘the recom- mendations they have brought forward are the result of a very intensive investigative process.’’ The majority of council voted in favor of the recommendations, but Aldermen Ernie Crist, Rick Buchols and Janice Harris voted against giving financial approval, which requires a two-thirds coun- cil majority. Both Crist and Harris were concerned that a substantial amount of grant money — close to $60,000 — was left ‘in the pot’? and had not been recom- mended for distribution. Harris said that she felt short- changed and asked, ‘‘Why was it not distributed?’’ ACCS chairman Dwayne Rouse told council last week that 49 ap- plications from non-profit organizations had been received, requeSting grants totailing $460,372. Council set a grants budget of $225,000, an increase over last year of approximately 70%, of which the ACCS recommended disbursing $165,658. After council deleted the $500 that had been recommended for the North Shore World Police and Fire Games Committee, $59,842 remained for late or additional applications. Sue Armstrong, a four-year member of the ACCS, described NORTH VANCOUVER DISTRICT COUNCIL the reserve amount as “prudent planning’? knowing ‘what's in the pipeline.” Armstrong referred to sports organizations that can only be considered far grants if they have achieved championship status and are advancing to finals competi- tions at provincial or higher levels. She pointed out that most organizations cannot predict that lype of success at the beginning of the year. In his presentation last week, Rouse predicted that applications would come from ‘tthe North Shore Child Care Resource Socie- ty, the Community Consultation in Lynn Vatlkey and other coun- cil-supperted initiatives.’’ Said Rouse, “Every effort has been made to liait recommenda- ions to an appropriate fevel of municipal support.’” Ald. Jim Cuthbert said that he understood the funds to be only partially disbursed and described the committee as having ‘shown some scrutiny and some responsi- bility.” Crist said he was not blaming the members of the committee, who he described as ‘*‘sincere,’* but he stated that “the ACCS has not been weil led this year.”* Ald. Paul Turner replaced Crist as this year’s council repre- sentative on the ACCS. Invited to comment on Crist’s allegation, Turner said, ‘‘! don’t need to respond, certainly not in kind. He should discuss issues, not people. That’s not debate.”’ Armstrong also disagreed with the suggestion of poor leadership and ‘“‘respectfully’’ pointed out that Crist had not attended any ACCS meetings this year. Buchols’ opposition to the ACCS rcommendations was based on philosophical rather than specific objections. “There is obviously no limit to the amount of money that we could offer to these groups,’’ he said and went on to describe council’s allocation to the ACCS as ‘‘overly generous.”* Failure to approve the recom- mendations as a whole does not at this time cal!l into question indi- vidual grants recommended for approval by the ACCS. Grant disbursements cannot now be reconsidered by council before May 20. Variety of sources to blame From page 1 droppings, urban runoff, boating activity in the harbor and both district and private sewage systems. The beach’s pollution problem is also compounded by the poor flushing action of Deep Cove harbor and Indian Arm. As a result of the May 9 meeting, several recommenda- tions, including a new draft test Program, will be considered by council on May 27 after council members finalize the technical steering committee. The proposats include dye testing the Deep Cove sewer systems for leaks on the week of June 4, when there is very little tide change, and on the week of June 10, during one of the highest tide changes. Bremner said he hopes the pro- posed testing will either help pin- point the pollution source or combination of sources. The DCCA has also made sev- eral recommendations including: —_— ee * circulating advisories to yacht clubs and tour operators 10 be aware of the sensitive cove en- vironment; ¢ district monitoring of the private sewage pump station for Eastridge Road residences; * continued maintenance of the district's five Deep Cove sewage pumping stations. Bremner said the coliform prob- lem has probably existed as long as the area has been populated. The district has been in- vestigaling the problem since 1985, Problems with high coliform counts at Panorama Beach go back to 1976. Bremner said that if the tests show the pollution comes from a variety of sources that cannat be remedied in a way that will guar- antee the coliform count remains below the ‘magic 200°’ level, the district may have to consider an alternative such as building a salt-water swimming pool that could be disinfected. | oS a" 4 Friday, May 17, 1991 ~ North Shore News - 3 & NEWS photo Cindy Goodman WEST VANCOUVER vet Dr. Sandy Jamieson nurses a joey. The mother of the baby kangaroo died last week at Stanley Park Zoo. Jamieson and veterinary nurse Deanne Lambert are attempting to keep the orphan alive. Kangaroo adopted by WV clinic Veterinary nurse lives with ‘Joey’ strapped to her body A LOCAL veterinary nurse has hopped into a new role as a surrogate mother for a young kangaroo. The marsupial! mother of the “joey"’ died May 3° at the Stanley Park Zoo. Since then West Vancouver veterinary doctor Sandy Jamieson, who also works at the zoo as a vet, and veterinary nurse Deanne Lambert have vowed to keep the joey jumping. Lambert now lives with the joey strapped to her body. The mon- th-old baby kangaroo is carried in a makeshift sting crafted from a sweater held together with pins. The joey is fed a milk-substitute product from a small bottle fitted with a nipple. Lambert has carried the joey for most of the week. Said Lambert “I guess it’s about the same as having a newborn baby — it's like your 3 a.m. feedings. Other than the fact that he sleeps on my stomach at night, it's like having a baby. My normal breathing and shifting around is what he needs [ guess."’ The nurse says she has bonded with the young kangaroo but ad- mits that raising it without the benefit of kangaroo comrades will be risky. “TL guess | would be upset if he By Michael Becker News Reporter didn't make it. It really is a gam- ble. They are extremely social creatures,’’ she said. Meanwhile Jamieson said the mother of the joey died acciden- tally at the zoo. The vet said a jocy will tend 10 remain in its natural mother’s pouch and firmly aitached to a nipple for about a month. “They stay in the pouch until about four months of age and then they start jumping in and out of it, looking around, stuff like that,”* he said. By the age of four to. six months the joey will give up the mothec's pouch. Said Jamieson, “It’s quite a medical feat we're attempting here in trying to pull this thing through. The majority of the work is nursing, carrying it around, simulating mother’s con- ditions and keeping it warm. “The sweater is Deanne’s idea. | had a different kind of pouch and stuffed it right against my skin. I'm not worried about people see- ing my chest, vhough,”’ he added. But Lifeforce director Feter Hamilton questions the notion of having a human surrogate mother for a young kangaroo, “We really have to Jook at if it’s appropriate to try to save this one animal by the method they're using. The person said that she’ll be carrying the joey for five months and she sleeps with the joey and so on. We have to look at how this is going to affect the animal and even the person. Does it mean that this animal will be bonded with a human for an en- tire life? How is this animal going te adapt to other kangaroos? It’s a very strange situation,”’ Hamilton said. The Stanley Park Zoo transfer- red about 10 of a family 23 kangaroos to three zoos in the United States on Tuesday. Hamilton said the kangaroo fami- Iy was halved to make way for a new exhibit. Said Hamilton, “I! thought it Was quite a strange coincidence (hat one would die) when they're preparing lo move some out of there (and) into a holding com- pound. In order to do that it would be quite traumatic for all of them to herd some of the kangaroos out of there.” Bur said Jamieson, ‘They're going through a transition there and our colony is so large we've got to cull it anyway. They're go- ing off to other zoos to increase the hybrid vigor, us Chey call it.”