GARDEN OF BIASES

VICTORY, as the tragic
Count Ciano so well put it,
has a thousand fathers;
defeat is an orphan.

The West Vancouver school
system can proudly claim many
noble victories. Innovations.
Scholastic achievements. And so
forth. | ,

* But what will stick for a long
time in the average citizen’s mind
is the disaster of Peter Lefaivre’s

‘grand scheme to raise between $5
_ Million and $6 million for Sentinel
secondary school. “4

; But according to the latest fig-
ures, the fund stands at only
$41,549; expenses ate up no less
than $124,656 of the $166,205

/ Taised, including $64,000 paid as
salary to the fund's private-enter-
prise development officer, Allan
Holender; and Lefaivre, Sentinel’s
principa! and father (there’s that
word again) of the dream, quit.
and is living in the United States.

Lefaivre went ona month's
stress leave last October, then

‘resigned. _ j

He left behind; as Terry Gould
wrote in his commendable news- '
breaking story in September’s

Saturday Night magazine, an em-
“ bittered daughter and son, and a
wife who had recently acquired

multiple sclerosis.

It was a resounding fall from
the pinnacle of popularity that
Lefaivre had enjoyed as a

’ respected and much-admired

| teacher and principal.

It was from the platform of that .

.- reputation that Lefaivre launched
- his grand design in 1991 — to
considerable admiring media
coverage far and wide, and some
surly but largely muted local
Skepticism. |
The skepticisin was to prove
well deserved.
Lefaivre’s scheme was supposed
to raise these huge sums to build
facilities that school taxes

Now Open ¥ Wed. tilt 9 p.m.

roll over Sentinel

couldn't,

‘Writer Gould cited a five-storey
library, a 250-seat theatre, and a
tennis bubble.

The source of the moncy was to
be various fundraising schemes,
such as Sentinel’s 30th anniversary
reunion — which proved to be an
$18,000-in-the-hole flop — and a
share of the $12,000 per year
charged by the board to foreign
students studying in the West
Vancouver public system, a pool
of $88,218 of the $166,205 raised
for the development fund.

So, while tax money as such
wasn't at risk — and there have
been no suggestions of criminal
misuse of funds — the fact is that
$88,218 in international student
fees could have been put to other
and better use.

Trustee Peter Bradshaw, board
chairman since last November,
said the initiative was a parents-
school one. it came to the atten-
tion of the board under the
chairmanship of Jean Ferguson,
and the project continued during
the subsequent chairmanship of
Barbara Howard.

‘ During the latter's tenure, the
board voted — unanimously — to
approve the scheme, ‘‘but several
trustees were always very nervous
about this,’* according to Brad-
shaw,

The Holender contract was
tenewed once, but in June 1992 it
wasn’t extended. _-

The 1992-93 school year had
barely started when Lefaivre went
on stress leave, and at the end of
October, Gould writes, he was

gone ~—- the day after a furious
Jast lunch with his daughter.

There seems little doubs that, as
well as receiving the imprimatur of
the school board, the Sentinel
project was also strongly backed
by superintendent Doug Player,
who also styles himself chiet exec-
utive officer of the school district.

Thanks to the extremely incon-
venient timing of board meetings
on the same night that council
meets —— it appears to convenience
the authorities, not the public — |
couldn’t attend last Monday’s
meeting of the board when the
Sentinel scandal (is there a kinder
euphemism for it?) was discussed.

By now, the project has fong
tanked. Lefaivre’s successor as
principal, Bob Overgaard, gave
the board a study of the,scheme
last February. The board has now
called for a thorough audit.

The Sentine! experience hasn't
cooled board chairman Brad-
shaw's philosophic support for
such special-project fundraising.

In this case, he told me this
week, the scope was simply too
large. And no such project should
put public money at risk. But, for
instance, Irwin Park sciiool has
recently raised $24,000 for a
playground through fundraising
ventures. ‘

“To be honest with you, I think
he (Lefaivre) fell into the Peter
Principle,’’ dyadshaw said.

My. conclusions are, doubtless,
not very oriyinal.

First: the buck stops squarely
on:the desks of the school board
members. :

» good quality"

“second hand skis from $40

Used sporting goods for all seasons.

f

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EXCELLENCE DOESN'T HAVE TO
COST ANY MORE THAN SO-SO.

MERCEDES
VOLVO
BMW.
ALFA
HONDA.
SiCBC CLAIMS

Centennial Auto Body’ has’ been specializing i in excellent hody
repairs to fine automobiles since 1983. We guarantee all our
work and are surprisingly reasonable. Call Manuel 980-8200.

JEWELLERS

importers of Gomstenes ° + Menufocturers of Fine Jewellery

Capilano Mall, North Vancouver 984-2040

Eaton Centro, Burnaby 430-2040

“Absolutcly,’’ Peter agreed with
me when { talked to him.

The trustees exercise final power
— and judgment. And in turn
they can be judged.

They’re human, they can make
mistakes, and the job is largely a
thankless one — its successes ig-
nored or taken for granted, its
failures visible and embarrassing.

I won't be alone in looking at

tinel very closely in this eutumn’s
elections.

Second: if this were a com-
parable disaster of the federal or
provincial government, almost
certainly a head would roli: that
of the responsible cabinet
minister, perhaps other heads too.

In light of that, it’s my view
that Doug Player should consider

himself lucky if he keeps his job.
the trustees’ performance on Sen- ra ma nf : ra

On Ocr. 257H
MAKE Your VOTE
Count }

A Real Choice |
for Real Change

‘ f
Put up a lawn sign
for Reform! Call 926-6659

‘PARTY OF CARADA
Jabot Deus elenn, Official La for Herb Grubel

A general local election will be held on SATURDAY,
NOVEMBER 20, 1993 for the electors of the City of North
Vancouver. Nominations for qualified candidates will be *
received from'9:00 am, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1993 to.
4:00pm, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1993, for the following _
offices:

Mayor
v 3 year term 1 to be elected

Councillor
43 year term 6 to be elected

School Trustee-School District No. 44
/3yearterm 3 to be elected

Nominations will be received at the City Hall, 141 West: .
14th Street, North Vancouver, BC, between the hours of ‘
8:30 am, and 4:30 pm, MONDAY to FRIDAY, except
Statutory Holidays, except TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1993, .
when the hours will be 8:30 am, to 4:30 pm, and FRIDAY,
OCTOBER 15, 1993 when the hours will be 8:30 am to
4:00 pm. Nomination documents, requirements, proce-
dures, and related information for candidates can be
obtained from the Clerk's office at the City Hall.

B.A. Hawkshaw
Chief Election Officer

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL:
CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, CITY HALL
985 - 7761