6 ~ Friday, November 22, 1985 - North Shore News Editorial Page - News Viewpoint Voter apathy n North Vancouver City’s recent I municiosal election, only 18 per cent of the residents went to the polls to vote. Eigh- teen per cent. . Pretty disappointing considering those six local aldermen moid the community plan, making decisions on whether your residential block will be turned into an apartment com- plex, or whether your homeowner taxes will be raised, or whether your organization will receive a grant, or whether your complaints can be answered. ’ Voting turnout is traditionally higher when the mayor’s seat is up for grabs, but Mayor Jack Loucks was returned by acclamation, so residents relax their attitudes and figure someone else will do the voting. But it’s not the mayor making the com- munity’s decisions — it's the majority vote of six aldermen, with the mayor’s vote being the tie-breaker that decides local policy. The mayor being returned by acclamation for the fourth time in itself shows a lack of local enthusiasm. Is no one interested in challenging that position? Apathy is a democracy’s worst enemy. People think their one vote will not affect the final results, but if 21,000 North Van- couver City residents all felt that way, then what would happen? Would the aldermen elect themselves to office and win? Or would a minority: of voters with vested interests control the vote? ; Come on North Vancouver, it’s time to wake up. Get involved. Find out who your local aldermen are. Find out what their beliefs are. And find out what they can do for you. If you don’t vote you have no right to complain. Because if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. West Van woes est Vancouver Schock Board chair- man Margot Furk is whining about the inequities of school’budgets. The West Van board faces 2 budget deficit of $164,000, while Furk claims that two-thirds of the province’s school districts’ are currently overfunded. Ironic that free enterpriser Furk doesn’t want local politicians {o raise taxes to help the schools out ... especially in weathly West Vancouver where they can MOST afford it. ' i THE VOICE OF NORTH AND WEST VANCOUVER ‘north shore | news SUNDAY »- WEONESDAY > FRIDAY Display Advertising 980-0511 Newsroom 985-2131 Circulation Subscriptions 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 2H4 publisher: Peter Speck advertising director Linda Stewart managing editor Nancy Weatherley operations mgr. Berni Hilliard editor-in-chief Noel Wright North Shore News, founded in 1969 as an independent suburban Newspaper and avalitied under Schedute II, Parl IH, Paragraph Ul of the Excise Tax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shore Free Press Lid. and disitinuted to every door an the North Shore. Second Class Mail Registration Number 3885. Entire contents © 1985 North Shore Free Press Ltd. All rights reserved Member of the B.C. Press Council Pp, +~.245 (average, Wednesday “SDA DIVISION Friday & Sunday} YCLABLE mt Classified Advertising 986-6222 986-1337 986-1337 , WH 1S THE LEGISLATURE LIKE A SHOE STORE?.. i WEEE jae iia . LY hide LLL. ae peal aaa —_ TRAITS Ly ay (Ay:--wetit Bom PULOF EXPENSNE LNFRS |. Mailbox ———- WORK URGED OPEN LETTER TO NORTH VAN DISTRICT COUNCIL Please be advised that just this past month, I had spent several dollars, for each wheel of my car, for balanc- ing, plus a fair chunk towards aligning bath front wheels. The situation is getting ri- diculous and ‘out of hand’. We are paying high property taxes in the District of North Vancouver, and nothing is being done to the condition of the road bed; and it goes without saying that a new pavement...is overdue...for decades, I might say! The same day 1 had my car’s wheels. looked after - on my way home from work - I was trying to be very careful in the dark, driving slowly towards our residence at 1167 Seymour Blvd., but I couldn’t help hitting another deep pot hole, just above the Grantham Bridge area. If the road will not get paved and proper drainage put in — in the very near future — I see no alternative but to send you the future Volunteer Centre relies on News Dear Editor: At the recent meeting of the Coordinators of Volun- teers for the North Shore Agencies, the North Shore Information and Volunteer Centre was asked to express thanks to the North Shore News for printing the col- umn, ‘Opportunities for Volunteers’. That column instigated many phone calls from interested volunteers. These volunteers were then . interviewed by the North Reject Dear Editor: * Through your newspaper | wish to view my total disap- pointment, in the way West Vancouver Council passed plans to build a 20 storey highrise apartment tower at 22nd Ave. anc Bellevue. Apart from the public’s discussion period, the coun- cil debated the structures design, passed it and rubber Shore Information and Vol- unteer Centre and then referred to fill the needs of many agencies Over the years our column in your newspaper has pro- ven to be the best recruiting tool of all. With your cir- culation to all North Shore residences, our requests for volunteers are read by a high percentage of North Shore residents. The demand for volun- teers is ongoing. However, with your assistance, the Volunteer Centre and the co-ordiantors are able to mect many of the requests. We see publicity as one of our greatest needs. Thank you for -your community involvement and support. Marilvn McClaren Volunteer Co-ordinator North Shore Information and Volunteer Centre WV highrises stamped this major development in no !ess than 20 minutes, (This is proven on the televised recording) - during Council’s meeting on October 7. Obviously this is another example of the Council deciding behind “closed doors’’ and thus making a sham of public hearings. We feel the issue of more highrises, along the water front between 21st Ave., and 24th Ave., should be put [0 a referendum to the elec- torate, for a direct decision “highrises obliterating the water front’? - put it to a vote by the people of West Vancouver. John Fraser West Vancouver District potholes awesome bills for each of my future wheel balancing jobs. and - wheel alignment jobs (expenses). Furthermore: we? unders- tand that a major project... to. include curbs.and proper drainage with sewer hookups is also long overdue in the area described. Walter Kaegt-. Lorna N. Kaegi North Vancouver." °: Dear Editor: I would very much ap- preciate it if you would kindly publish these few words in order that I may thank the unknown person who, having found my wallet at the Western Shopp- ing Centre very recently, took the trouble to return It to my home. Unfortunately J was not at home when he called and was therefore unable to express my ap- preciation personally but hope I may do so through the medium of your news- paper. © Stephen Watkins North Vancouver