Top LGH doctor applauds mo Fram page 1 always gorten along with her.” One person who never got along with Schamborzki, Dr. Peter Richards, president of the Lions Gate Hospital medical staff and one of Schamborzki's harshest critics, said the CEO's removal was expected and necessary. “We're happy with the news,” said Richards. “f’s a logical extension with the trouble with the board.” Tke appointment of Boyd to the interim CEO position was well-received by Richards who said the medical staff at LGH look forward to working with him as well as his eventual replacement. “We met him (Boyd) and we like him. We were impressed with his quali- ties,” said Richards. “We're looking forward to working with someone who js a better manager of the system.” Richards did not offer any specific candidate choices for the position. Schamborzki’s three-year contract with the NSHR was offered to her last year by the since-terminated board and took effect last January. The contract's terms were not released but a figure thrown around during last year’s negotiations was $159,949 per year which represented a 3.2% increase over her 1996 compensation of §155,000. The board’s renewal of Schamborzki’s contract and her planned pay hike sparked outrage from many health circles and prompted two board members representing both doctors and unionized hospital staff to quit in protest. Although the terms of Schamborzki's severance package were not released, Kelsey said they follow those laid out in her new contract. The NSHR had just recently shed ovo other outstanding packages because their recipients had managed to find alternative employment. Former Lions Gate Hospital chief executive officer Bob Smith and former chief operating officer Lynette Best have both found work in Vancouver hospi- tals since their dismissals. The NSHR saved about $170,000 in the process because their severance packages only covered them for as long as they were unable to find employment of at least equal compensation to their previous pay levels. Before the pvo were able to relocate, however, the NSHR had forked over about $160,000 to Smith and $71,000 to Bes?. The impact of the $170,000 subsequently saved in the process will likely be cormpletely offset by Schamborzki’s package because an effort to find alternative employment for the ex-CEO has already been made —~ and failed. NSHR’s Monday press release states: “significant efforts were made by all concerned to find alternate criployment options for Dr. Schamborzki prior to the termination of her contract, however none proved satisfactory.” Bob Fearnley, North Vancouver City’s representative on the NSHR’s munic- NEWS photo Terry Peters BERT Boyd, a former hospital administrator, has been named the interim Chief Executive Officer of the North Shore Health Region. ipal liaison board, agreed with Schamborzki’s removal but blamed the recently fired board for the region’s curren fiscal fiasco. “T guess it’s unfair when anybody gets let go, but under the circumstances | think it’s necessary,” said Fearnley. Schamborzki was unavailable for comment to press time Tuesday. schamborzki had stormy tenure WHILE Inge Schamborzki’s reign as the North Shore Health Region’s chief executive officer lasted little more than two years, the former Vancouver General Hospital administrator has made her share of enemies. She was hired as the CEO of the NSHR board in January 1996. A little more than a year later, she dismissed Lions Gate Hospital’s top administrator, the popular Lynette Best. Nearly instantancous calls for _Schamborzki’s dismissal were issued by both doctors and nurses employed within the region. But Schamborzki weathered the storm and with the support of the region’s board main- Smoke Council votes 4-3 to ban smoking in ali public places starting July 1 Jolanda Waskito Contributing Writer SMOKES are out at all North Vancouver City pubs, INGE Schamborzki’s reign as CEO of the NSHR ended Monday. tained the move was part of a staff pruning exercise aimed at making the region more efficient. Just as the uproar over Best's dismissal was subsiding, word of the board's plans to renew Schamborzki’s contract, complete with a raise, threw relations within the region into an unrecoverable tailspin. . Although most parties’ con- cerns centred more around the CEO’s relationship with them than her salary range, irreparable dam- age to their relations had been done. Last summer, the region’s physicians severed all personal con- tact with both the board and Schamborzki. They refused to attend board meetings thar Schamborzki restaurants and bingo halls starting July 1. attended. Hutchinson remained a steadfast Schamborzki Clear in N. Van City Said Coun, Bob Fearnley, “Everyone knows smoking is killing people. And second-hand smoke is killing peopte.” Coun. Darrell Mussatto, a paramedic, said that as a healthcare worker, he sees firsthand “how the tragedy of smoking and second-hand smoke affect Then-board chairman Diana people.” supporter and made limited efforts to reconcile the two sides. Eventually, word of the increasingly unwork- able situation on the North Shore reached Victoria: where then-Health Minister Joy MacPhail appointed a consultation team to study the local situation last fall. The team’s findings, released in January, sug- gested top-level changes must be made to heal the growing rift in the region. Health Minister MacPhail didn't waste any time and fired che appointed board chaired by Hutchinson a short time later. MacPhail stopped = short of firing Schamborzki too, saying only the board had the power to fire and hire the CEQ. The minister also appointed Len Kelsey to replace the board and administer the region. Kelsey, in turn, fired Schamborzki last Monday — a month into his tenure as the region’s administrator, bringing an end to a period of unparalleled acrimony. — Robert Galster Mussatto called the proposed bylaw “progressive” and said it was “about time.” Coun. Barbara Sharp said she’s been inside a Vancouver pub with 30% of its floor space reserved for non-smokers, and she “couldn't sce where the non-smoking area was because it (the smoke) was thick.” Sharp said most people don’t go to pubs because they can’t stand the North Vancouver City council voted 4-3 Monday for “staff to prepare a bylaw effective July 1, 1998 for 100% non-smoking in all public places.” Council debated the burning issue before, but had yet to come to an agreement. A proposed bylaw mirroring one passed by neighboring North Vancouver District was defeated by city council last summer. It would have phased in a 100% no-smoking policy by the year 2000, with 30% of pub or bingo hall floor space reserved for non-smokers by June 30, 1998. But a visit by Chicf Medical Health Officer Dr. Brian O’Connor behind closed doors before the council meeting started, seemed to have prompted council to act. “J have been consistently suggesting this 100% no smoking across the board,” Coun. John Braithwaite said. “It’s time we make a decision.” smoke. “It (the 100% smoke free bylaw) will happen anyway,” she said. “And now it’s going to happen a year and a half earlier.” But some members of council expressed concern for businesses which may be affected by the bylaw. “My concern is about lead time for local business and restaurants,” Coun. Barbara Perrault said. “Many are experiencing difficult times. [ give support of 100% non-smoking by the year 2000 . . . but to say to pubs and bingo halls that there is 100% non-smoking now, it’s just not fair.” Coun. Stella Jo Dean wanted council to adopt the same bylaw North Vancouver District has in place on the issue. Voting against the motion were councillors Dean and Braithwaite, and Mayor Jack Loucks. charges Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter dangelo@nsnews.com IRAJ Rezaci sat ina B.C. Supreme court- room last month and watched his son Mani be sentenced to 14 years in jail for attempted mur- der. Yesterday, the elder Rezaci, got the news that he himself would be sitting in another Vancouver courtroam soon after being charged with a string of immigration smug- gling-related offences along with forgery, assaulr and threat- ening. Iraj Rezaci, 45, a one-time member of the North Shore franian community, works as an immigration consultant ar his Universal Immigration Services office on Hornby = Street. According to the Vancouver RCMUEP invmigration and pass- port section, ail the charges laid against Rezaci_ relate to his oceu- pation. The News previ- ousty obtained search war- rant informa- tion indicat- ing that Rezaci_ fabri- cated a “refugee story” for an Iranian man, had altered an Iranian Identity Document and Iranian driver's licence made for a man for $2,000 and sent another would-be Canadian newcomer a Canadian passport in the name of Rezaci’s son, Behrang Rezaci, with the would-be neweomer’s picture affixed. Rezaei has consistently told the News that his criminal and immigration work problems stem from an [ranian govern- ment conspiracy against him in Canada. He has also stated that the North Vancouver RCMP “hate” him. In 1994, Rezaci blamed Islamic fundamentalists for the arson that destroved his Sohcil Business Services immigration consulting business ar 140 West 15th St. in’ North Vancouver. But no charges were laid in connection with the fire. The North Vancouver RCMP stated that Rezaci’s allegations could not be proved. Rezaci_ is a successful refugee claimant from [ran who came to Canada in 1991. Since then, he has been convicted of beating his now ex-wife on four occasions in North Vancouver. Rezaci is now charged with six counts of attempted illegal organized entry into Canada and two counts of counselling false refugee claims under the Immigration Act. He is also charged with cight counts of forgery and one charge each of assault aad threatening. Rezaci is scheduled for a court appearance in Vancouver provincial court in three weeks. Rezaei ... charged.