4 - North Shore News - Wednesday, March 1, 2000

NV City addresses

Anna-Louise Pentland
Contributing Writer
NORTH Vancouver
City has voted to
implement a process to
protect councillors
against “frivolous
and/or malicious
charges of conflict of
interest.”

Part of the poliey would
enable councillors to hire
independent lawyers, when
necessary, and be reimbursed
by the city for the costs.

Coun. Bill, Bell brought
forward the motion. He cited
his frustration in getting clear
direction from city lawyers
about what constitutes a con-
flict. Part of the problem, he
said, is that the lawyers are
paid from the public purse
and so are unable to defend
both the rights of the individ-
ual and the «municipality
simulraneously.

Bell also said the provincial
government has left many
parts of the contlict of interest
policy in BHI SS too vague. “TP
good intentions pave the road
to hell, this policy is the road
to hell,” he said.

as an example, he said it is
unciear whether he could vote
on issues pertaining to suites,
because he has a legal suite in

ys dicnise

One of the only
defenses anaiost contin of
interes, is to show that an
erroy in judwement was made,
but in good mith.

To demonstrate good
tath, a councilor would have
to show chat a lawyer had
been consulted,

Bell said) accusanons of
conflict of interest: have got-
ten out of hand. “People are
using it as a tool to. stifle
debate, and what have you,”
he said.

Relt said he hoped some of
the lingering legal costs of
Mayor Barbara Sharp, who
was accused of contlice of
interest by Coun. Bob
Fearnley prior to the last
municipal election, could be
covered. Fearnley acctised
Sharp, who is married to a
firefighter. of voting on mat-
ters pertaining to the North
Vancouver City fire depart-
ment and participating in che
search for a new fire chief.
Sharp was found not guilty of
the charge.

Sharp said the accusations
racked up more than $21,000
in legal bills.

After being cleared in B.C.
Supreme Court, Sharp said
she took the unusual step of
going back to the court to ask
for increase costs. After the
courts awarded her the

Bargaining NV school
workers back strike vote

SUPPORT workers at North Vancouver schools
rated last week to take strike action if contract
negotiations are not satisfactory,

CUPE local 389 president Cindy McQueen said workers
have been without a ceatract since December 1999. Local 389
membership includes custodians, administrative staff and
teacher's aides. McQueen said bargaining sessions with North
Vancouver School District have proven fruitless.

Forty seven CUPE locals across B.C. are part of a K-12 bar-
gaining committee aiming to reduce workloads and increase job
security, benefits, pensions, and pay equity.

“We're short of 23 janitors,” McQueen said. “We don’t have
enough werkers to supply clean schools. They're not cleaned,
they're tidied.” She desenbed janitorial staff as “overwhelmed

and exhausted.”

B.C. Public School Employers’ Association executive diree-
tor Hugh Finlayson said unlike health care or college staff, K-
12 workers have no common bargaining table. Reaching a col-

lective agreement is difficult.

But he said CUPE locals had agreed Jan. 24 to an interim
accord and the ongoing assessment of technical issues — and
should wait und! the end of the accord process in mid-March

before considering job action.

—Katharine Hamer

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ict process

increased costs, she stil had
more than $12,000 to) pay.
Fearnley was stuck with the
remainder of the bil, Sharp
said she’s not sure whether

she would take auvantage of

the policy if it is putin place,
calling the event “water under
the bridge.

Though Fearnicy support-
ed the majonty of the motion,
he did not support the por-
tion deaing with protecting
council members from “trivo-
lous and/or — malicious
charges.” Said Fearnley, “I
had wo legal opinions saying
what 1 was saying was quite
accurate.” Added Fearnley,
“in faet, the judge never said
it was frivolous or malicious.”

City statf will be drafting a
policy for council to consider.

. Bay ‘mayor’ dies

TOM Sewell was con-
sidered by many to be
the unofficial “mavor™
of Horseshoe Bay.

Yhe man who lent bis fanily
name Co the community's man
naand pioneered sport fishing
in Howe Sound died peacefully
in his sfeep Friday. He was 88,

When Sewell and: his par-
ents, Dan and Eva, and brother
Art, moved to Horseshoe Bay in
1931, the only access was by
boat, tram and then) Marne
Drive. The tiny resort consmu
nity grew during the 1940s
when workers employed at
North Van) shipyards started
buying, summer homes ins the
area.

The Sewells owned and
operated the Whytecliff Lodge.
Sewell’s nuarina operations grew
and business turned to servicing
boats as well as renting them.

Interviewed by News con-
tnbutor Vikki Finkbeiner tor 2
profile story last November,

Sewell recalled his family’s
ets to build the bi s.
“We hada vision and ait of

thought and meanct labour

went inte it” he sid. “We had
nothing, and started business in

2 primitive way. We knew how

to drive nails, sa we built our

first Hoats and: beats and went
dato the maring aralinn keeping
business.”

Sport fishing boomed dur-
Ing the postawar years, bringing
vars like Bing Crosiy, Rav
Milland and Fred MeMiurrav to
fish from the marina.

Danny the 1960s, Sewell
shared fishing tips as host of a
radio program on CRG. In
1968, Sewell ventured into the
boat sales business and became
one of the larger dealers in the
Vancouver area.

fn recent years, operation of
the marina had passed to his son
Dan. Sewell is also survived by
his wite, Laverne, daughter in-
hw Marviou, daughter Tricia
and her husband David Forst,

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pte

TOM Sewell! passes.

grandchildren Corrinne Dewit,
Tamura Forst, Megan and Eric
Sewell and thtee great-grand-
childres:. Funeral services are at
li am., Friday, March 3 at West
Van's St. Francis in dhe Woods
Anglican = Church, 4773
Piccadilly South. In lieu of flow-
ers, donations may be made to
Canadian National Institute for
the Blind.

— Layne Cinistensen

Sal: LUS”

eeorewre see Pas ed
C vee tee .

Abe ee eee eee
peeweted ob
Ld