News Leader News for November 25, 2008
COUNCIL GIVES THANKS ALL ROUND
There will be a new Town Council sworn into office on December 1. The November 17 meeting was the last for the present Town Council. When Chief Administrative Officer Patrick Robins was asked to give his report, he asked Lyle Thomas to help him. The two Town employees brought out plaques and framed photographs of Town Council to present to members of Council on behalf of the people of Princeton. Each member of Council received a plaque expressing thanks for "dedication and service to the Town of Princeton from 2005 to 2008".
Mayor Randy McLean gave a short speech thanking the four Councillors with whom he has worked for the past three years. He expressed appreciation for their willingness to work hard for the people of Princeton, and he said he will miss the camaraderie of working with them and the staff to achieve goals.
Mayor McLean mentioned feeling very positive about the past three years.
His sentiments were echoed by Councillors.
Councillor Jim Manion said, "It was great working with you guys for the past three years," and congratulated Mayor McLean and the new Councillors. He thanked Town Hall staff for their support.
Councillor Ray Jarvis said he will miss Maria Sadegur, Pam Jones and Jim Manion on Council.
Mayor McLean thanked the people who had put their names forward to run for Council, and said he is looking forward to working with the new Town Council. He promised to fulfill his duties to warrant the trust people have put in him.
At the end of the meeting, several people thanked Town Council for their work and support during their term of office.
PXA RETURNS BEY
John Bey was elected President of Princeton Exhibition Association (PXA) at the annual general meeting held November 18. Carol Ruoss will serve another term as Vice-President. She was appointed Secretary as well, with Ruby Bey appointed Treasurer.
Directors are Stan Thompson, Terry Inglis, Ernie Willis, Eric Gregson, Sandy Gabor, Cathy Pusell, Judi Esdale and Peter Ruoss.
President Bey said he would like more members of user groups to attend PXA meetings in the future to improve communication between the groups and the PXA, and to discuss working together for the betterment of everyone.
Upgrades on the grounds continue. Recent improvements include a new electrical system that will save about $2,000 a year.
ATV BC has asked for a weekend to be reserved in June 2009 for another major get-together. President Bey noted some of the problems that arose last year. After some discussion, it was agreed that the PXA and ATV BC discuss how these may be resolved.
Horse racing dates are tentatively set for June 26, 2009. This will be the weekend before Canada Day.
Knowledge Network asked the PXA for permission to show photographs of Sunflower Downs on the network in 2010. The photos were taken by Gerri Logan. President Bey advised he had signed a document granting use of the photos.
A new lease agreement between the Town of Princeton, owners of Sunflower Downs, and the PXA which manages the grounds, is under negotiation. The new lease will include an annual $20,000 operating and maintenance grant from the Town.
President Bey noted a special $2,000 grant has been approved for repairs to the facades of the buildings at Sunflower Downs. The false fronts of the buildings need to be repaired and painted. Wayne Hooper has been generously volunteering to do painting required on the buildings.
There was some discussion as to whether building or buying a portable stage would be most economic. This stage proposal came up last year, and a grant application went in to Community Forest Corporation to finance purchase of such a stage. The application was denied funding.
PXA members may go ahead and plan how to build a stage. President Bey reminded members that this would be a stage that could be used by all community groups, and he said contacts should be made with other potential users to see whether they could contribute some funds. The newest idea would be to outfit a fifth wheel trailer as a sound stage which could be moved around the community by a half-ton pick-up truck.
All of the groups who use the PXA facilities are winding down for the year. The PXA will not meet again until February 10, 2009.
COUNCIL LOOKS AT TRANSIT SERVICE
A meeting in Kamloops in January will address the issue of BC Transit on regional highways. Southern Interior Local Government Association (SILGA) will attend the meeting, and asked Town Council to provide feedback about transportation services from Princeton to the Okanagan corridor.
Mayor Randy McLean stated his opinion that Greyhound bus service is inadequate.
Council partners with BC Transit and Community Services to provide weekly bus trips to Penticton for residents of the Similkameen Valley.
Council will consult with Community Services to determine whether there are ways to improve bus service through BC Transit.
DISTRICT BIDS FAREWELL
Two school trustees sat at their final school board meeting on November 19.
Dina Slowikowski-Campbell, of Princeton, and Marguerite Kempen, of Merritt, will not be serving on the board for the next three years.
Kempen, who has been a trustee off and on for the past 27 years, says she is retiring.
Slowikowski-Campbell ran for a seat on Town Council and was defeated.
Both were presented with an engraved old-fashioned teacher's bell as a farewell gift from the school district.
Kempen had gifts of her own to distribute jars of homemade jelly.
Both trustees said they had enjoyed working with fellow board members during the past three years.
DIFFERENT KIDS NEED DIFFERENT WAYS TO LEARN
All children have different ways of learning.
At the November 19 School Board meeting, Sylvia Wilkins, a teacher at John Allison Elementary School, outlined for trustees the different methods of addressing each student's learning needs.
Each school in Princeton has done a study to identify students at risk of failure.
Each school has developed a variety of ways of assisting those students having learning difficulties. Wilkins presented methods at work in her school.
One of the methods is Guided Reading. The teacher works with small groups of students and the students work with each other to increase reading skills.
Math skills are taught in groups which use games and other activities and resources. Students work with each other as partners in some activities. Understanding of the Math concepts is the priority outcome.
Teachers continuously assess each student's progress.
These are new methods using new learning resources. The success of the curriculum will be assessed as time goes on, and will be based on the overall learning progress of each student.
