School District to Seek Help in Dealing with Pine Beetle

Tuesday, January 10, 2006 08:02 PM

Trustees with School District 57 have voted in favour of writing to the Ministry of Forests and the Ministry of Education for financial assistance in dealing with the removal of Mountain pine beetle trees from School District property.

It's estimated $214 thousand dollars will be spent this year, as the School Board is "piggy backing" on the City of Prince George's contract. It is estimated removal of the trees could cost $600,000.00 money the Board doesn't have and has no way of recovering.

Trustee Michelle Marelli noted the cost involved in the north to deal with the pine beetle, is comparable to the costs being incurred by their lower mainland School Districts which are facing seismic upgrade costs. "This is a true hardship for a School DIstrict which could not project the costs, it is important we are 100% reimbursed for these costs." Marelli says the removal of the trees is a safety issue, and it will impact our neighbouring School Districts as the flight of the beetle continues.

Acting Board Chair Lois Boone wanted the letters sent to the local MLA's and the Education Critic, saying "You get a lot more reaction when the item goes to the critic."
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Posted on Tuesday, January 10, 2006 08:02 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Percy on January 10 2006 8:39 PM

The reason we have two MLA's and the reason they are in power is to represent the wishes of those who elected them.

It is now their responsibility to go down to Victoria and lobby for our needs in PG.

We have a problem. We have a need. They are the solution. This should not be a problem.

We know that they have our best interests at heart. We also know that there is additional funding available for those ridings who have been loyal and have supported these dedicated and loyal residents of the interior of PG. So, let the resources flow. Percy

Posted by: Mike on January 10 2006 10:44 PM

Percy--logic always seems to evade politicians. However we will wait and see the reults.

Posted by: SpeakingOut on January 11 2006 9:23 AM

Our government's lack of attention to this problem created this problem. The Ministry should assist the School District, by all means. It's all our tax dollars anyways so I say we should give the School District a break and send some of it their way. The funds the School District have already should be spent on educating the kids.

Perhaps maybe Kinsley could forgo one of his trips and make a contribution to the cause? LOL (real loud).

Another idea, the high school students who are interested in forestry could learn from the falling, bucking, and removal of these trees, could they not? The trees could actually be bucked up and stacked for firewood and the kids who hate math and have bad attitudes could be doing the stacking! What a good lesson in manual labour that would be for them!

Posted by: diplomat on January 11 2006 11:31 AM

>"The reason we have two MLA's and the reason they are in power is to represent the wishes of those who elected them.<"

Actually we have three:

Bell, Bond and Rustad!

Any in-action on their part in respect to the wishes of us (who elected them) may have very dire consequences in the long run, methinks.