AY January 29, 1997 tharsday: Kain tapering to showers High OC, low £C. ided a stunning backdrop ly stunning - : ‘equal -last.weekend during the kick-off evont of the Kokanee. ; atop 24t. Seymour. Pro and amateur riders eech ‘other during the two-day ‘competition. By fan Noble News Reporter A deepening funding crunch threatens to sink the embattled North Shore Economic Development Commission. North Vancouver District decided ata Jan. 6 in-camera meeting that it will yank its $73,770 year contribution to the commission in March, said District Coun, Ernie Crist. The district’s withdrawal follows Vancouver's decision to pull its $35,281 of the formerly $173,000-a-vear organization, which was established to foster, develop and pro- mote economic and employment development on the North Shore. Only North Vancouver City still bankrolls the Funding crunch threat to survival of NSEDC as district pulls plug which contributes $51,319 annually, likely can’t sion afloat on its own “fhe city wouldn’t carry on by tI don” t imagine it Would, We don’t have the money.” As of Monday, the district had yet to not Loucks or development commission chairman Peter White of it jon, The commission made headiines in’ March 1995 when economic development officer Bonnie Pyplacz left while the RCMP economic crimes unit conducted a probe of conmnission operations. According to the commission, Pyplacz had funneled commission funds to consulting firms controlled by her. Pyplacz returned $92,7 to the commission in July. In April 1995, Crist criticized the commis saying the district had nothin to show for the seven-year-old commission's efforts. At the time, he wanted the district to turn the funding tap. On Monday, Crist said his opinion of the cam- mission’s performance had not changed. It was Crist’s motions to notify the development com- mission that the district would withdraw funding and that the withdrawal would take effect as soon as legally possible that were endorsed by council. West Vancouver Mavor Pat Roname echoed Crist’s remarks regarding the commission’s Pr formance, saying her municipality was not getting value for money. “He was one of those things that really looked great but after six or seven years we only got two SEDC page 5 NEWS photo Cindy Geodman IT is the Best Of times Readers’ votes are in and the winne (applau please) businesses, personalities es across the North Featured in today’s News (starting on page 19) is a sp cial 24-page section paying tribute to the 75 winners in the first annual Best of the North Shore readers choice poll. Winners in the 68 categories were culled from the thousands of ballots distributed through- out the North Shore in the North Shore News.