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Muni and community disconnected

The 2010 Statements of Financial Information, in which the RMOW reports the salaries of staff members making over $75,000 per year, has just been released.

The 2010 Statements of Financial Information, in which the RMOW reports the salaries of staff members making over $75,000 per year, has just been released. Somehow I wasn't surprised to see the payroll of plus-$75,000 earners increase by approximately 11.5 per cent, or nearly triple the four per cent "contractual" municipal wage increase mandated in the employee handbook.

The RMOW's payroll as a whole increased by more than 10 per cent, at a time when they should have been drawing down staff after the Olympics.

The entire municipal payroll is approximately $26 million and the $22 million payroll of the municipal employees paid more than $75,000 is only going to 78 of the municipality's approximately 323 full-time equivalent positions. That means that 86 per cent of the municipal payroll is going to less than 25 per cent of the municipal staff.

This all comes at a time when Whistler homeowners are scrambling to make their property tax bills. Speaking for myself, I've seen my business income decimated over the last three years. Of the people I work with, several have had to close and move out of the community, the rest are just hanging on.

Never has the disconnect between the municipality and the community seemed greater to me.

David Buzzard

Whistler

Plaza fantastic

My lovely missus was giving me an earful the other night. She kept going on at me about writing a positive letter for a change. So I told her I would acquiesce if she promised to put a sock in it, fetch me another beer then get back to the dishes!

Last weekend's soft opening of the magnificent Olympic Plaza has given me a perfect opportunity to do just so. Kudos to everyone involved with the vision, planning and construction of this fantastic space.

It really is something that the village was missing and will become a great nucleus for locals, guests and visitors alike to converge. I can't wait for summer to finally arrive so that I can lie down on the lush lawn, unleash the kids, gaze up at the mountains and ruminate about the wonderful town that we are privileged to live in.

Fingers crossed that when everything is completed, the final costs of the plaza will come in FIRMLY on budget!

I also fully agree with councillor (Tom) Thomson to revisit the idea of some sort of ice rink in the plaza, so that the area is used to its fullest potential year round, just as long as it doesn't mean I have to sell my first born in order to continue to live here.

There you go dear, how's that??

Harvey Lim

Whistler

What's their secret?

I've been fortunate to have spent the last two weeks travelling across Canada and the U.S. on vacation showing my parents some of the great sites of North America.

I was happily surprised to find free parking readily available in downtown Banff and even more surprised to find all of the parking free (at least in the summer) at the base of Jackson Hole ski resort.

These guys are obviously finding a way to do it and both Jackson Hole's Teton Village and Banff look modern, clean, almost manicured in quality and presentation of their villages.

If the present administration cannot work out how to do what these guys are obviously doing, well, then maybe it's time to ask them what's their secret.

Erin Day

Whistler

 

Clarify investment

As I was writing out cheques for the 2011 RMOW tax payments, it dawned on me that in addition to funding yet another parking consultant, we are now getting into the restaurant business at Cheakamus Crossing.

Sure, saying that funding comes from the two per cent Hotel Tax implies that it's not coming from our pockets, but in the end that tax forms part of the 11 per cent of the RMOW revenue stream - it all goes into the same pot. Just great, another bottomless pit to look forward to funding for a long time. When restaurants in Whistler are already struggling, our civic leaders need to be clear on why the RMOW is making this "investment" on our behalf and just what section of the municipal mandate empowers them to invest "taxpayers'" money in a restaurant!   
Randall Jang

Whistler

 

No construction on weekends, please

I'm sick of all this noise! As a resident of a quiet Whistler neighbourhood I feel that we should have some sort of restriction on construction noise, at least on weekends.

Now I understand that with snow eight months a year every moment of decent weather needs to be used in the construction of new properties, but I feel that weekends should be off limits!

I work in the nightlife industry so I get very little sleep as is. To have the sound of jack hammers and explosives at 9 a.m. on a Saturday non-stop is very disruptive. I'm sure I'm not the only one in Whistler that feels this way. I hope that the muni looks into this and does something to improve the situation.

I don't think I'm asking much, just one or two mornings a week of peace and quiet in the summer, is that not why we all live in Whistler? To enjoy the sounds of nature, not the sounds of construction!

Jessey Craymer

Whistler


"Heroes" get thanks

A big thank you to the silent heroes' of Whistler Blackcomb. Skiing at Whistler Blackcomb over the years for our young family has been great. Our two girls, Heidi and Holly, were enrolled in the Whistler Kids ski camp this year and had a great time and their skills have improved greatly this year!

So it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to our first weekend skiing as a father and his daughters on the first free weekend after the kids ski camp wrapped up for the season!

It was on our way from the Roundhouse to the Harmony Chair, before our first run, when all our worlds changed very fast and very dramatically. My seven-year-old, Heidi, was skiing ahead of us, followed by our eight-year-old, Holly, with dad taking up the rear. As I rounded the corner I saw my precious little girl, lying on the ground moaning in pain, having not seen the drop off that myself and Holly had to work our way down from to get to her. I was expecting her to get up in a few moments, like she does when she falls, but unfortunately not this time.

I checked her leg where her pain was and it became obvious something was very wrong - likely a broken femur. People saw me huddled over my daughter and one couple volunteered to ski down to the Harmony Chair to get help and alert the ski patrol. Another couple phoned ski patrol to help ensure they were on their way. Within about 10 minutes the silent heroes, and I do mean heroes, arrived en masse!

There must have been seven ski patrol folks there checking Heidi over, setting up a perimeter around her for safety, checking her vitals and body to determine the extent of her injuries. They quickly determined that in fact she had broken her femur very badly.

Dr. Nick Carr, part of the ski patrol team, was there to ensure she was taken care of on the hill and Bart Ross, another seasoned patroller, went through the protocol necessary for dealing with such an injury and preparing her for transport to the Whistler Health Care Centre. It was amazing how professional and caring they were talking her through the ordeal. Another patroller, Dave Gatan, was terrific in helping ensure Holly, my oldest, was not scared that her sister was hurt. He talked to her all the time to ensure she was OK and that any questions she had about what was happening were answered. He did this all the while he was recording Heidi's vitals and coordinating the arrival of the helicopter for evacuation off the mountain. He then offered to either ski down to the health care centre with Holly or bring her down on a "skidoo!" Wow, did Holly's face light up with the prospect of her first ride ever on a snowmobile!

I then had a moment to look around and noticed what seemed like at least 20 yellow jackets around us, the mountain safety folks. They had completely blocked off the ski run so that no one would ski into the situation on the mountain and make things worse.

They also ensured there was a clear path to the helicopter that had landed just down the hill near the Harmony Chair. We evacuated on the helicopter (thanks to a) great pilot, who also was a patroller, and landed ever so smoothly where an ambulance was waiting for us, again with top notch experienced and seasoned professional paramedics.

Dr. Paul, his first name, at the hospital was great, as were the staff. They x-rayed her and confirmed a serious femur break, made her as comfortable as possible and then prepared her for her ambulance ride to Children's Hospital in Vancouver.

My wife drove up from Vancouver, to meet us in the Whistler Health Care Centre and accompanied Heidi down to Children's Hospital in the ambulance.

While in the Whistler Health Care Centre Kira Cailes, the Whistler Patrol Supervisor, met us and checked to see that everything was going well. I can't believe it but she managed to even get our backpack in the Roundhouse picked up and brought to the hospital - totally amazing service! They thought of everything, and gave us their numbers should anything else come up where we needed their help.

I can't thank these silent heroes enough. They magically appeared when we needed them most! I wish to thank ALL the great folks who helped that morning, including those who I did not have the pleasure to meet nor the time to get their names. They perform their work and often do not get the thanks they more than deserve.

This is our opportunity to publically thank them and giving them some of the recognition they most certainly deserve in our eyes.

Heidi ended up breaking her leg that Saturday morning, received surgery Sunday afternoon to insert "flexible nails" but no cast.

She is expected to make a full and complete recovery and it is in many ways thanks to the expert, caring and professional attention to detail she received that morning that she will be ready to take on the hills this fall! As of her last checkup in June, she is doing great and now actually walking on her leg! Thank you all so much!

Paul, Martha, Holly and special thanks from Heidi Leigh

Delta

 

It Takes a Community to Raise a Child

Thank you from the students and staff of Myrtle Philip Community School to all the parents, businesses and community members who have supported our children over the course of this busy year.

A special thanks goes out to all those volunteers who make Hot Lunches, Fun Day, Field Trips and Special Events possible. To Armchair Books and Starbucks thanks for providing prizes for our Volunteer Tea - your help in recognizing these amazing people is much appreciated. The grade seven class of 2011 would like to thank the PAC for their generous support of their grad activities and for the commemorative T-shirts.

Special thanks as well to Karen McKibbon and Barry Burko for the slide show and Jim Budge for making memory copies for each of us. Have a great summer everyone!

Sharon Broatch

Principal, Myrtle Philip Community School

Whistler

Thanks for the hand

Like others before me, I am writing to thank the kind people who helped me after a sport mishap. I was the klutz who took a good tumble in the Comfortably Numb Trail Race on June 26. I should know your names, but for some reason my memory fails me. To the kind woman who picked me up and reassured me right after the fall, to the guys at the aid station, to the lovely ladies I shadowed for the rest of the run and everyone at the finish - THANK YOU!

You trail runners are a kind and tough bunch. FYI, I did break the hand, toe and obviously the tooth. The bruises and scrapes are impressive, too.

To the new organizers of the race - great job. Can't wait until next year! (I'll work on the klutziness, though.)

Vicki Romanin

Whistler

 

New play site coming soon

On behalf of our Board and childcare staff at Sea to Sky Community Services, I want to warmly thank (Pemberton Council) for making a generous contribution of $3,500 toward our new playground in Pemberton through your Community Enhancement Fund.

The funds you have donated will go toward building a new play site for children enrolled in our Peak Learning Pre-School at the Pemberton Community Centre; your support will contribute to a site which will be open to the public and families for use outside of our operating hours, a wonderful opportunity to enhance the quality of life for the neighbourhood. (While a playground exits in an adjacent for-profit childcare centre, it is locked and only available to children enrolled in their program.)

We highly value our positive, collaborative relationship with mayor, council and the Village of Pemberton and are enormously grateful for the support you have extended us over our years of charitable service in Pemberton.

We noted in the June 24 issue of the Whistler Question there were concerns voiced by council regarding our request for support and how it was presented. In preparing our submission we worked closely with Village of Pemberton to prepare a submission we hoped would be received favorably. Unfortunately during that process we received no indication that our presence was expected or required at the council meeting where a decision was made - we absolutely would have had one of our staff attend had we known we should do so. Please accept our sincere apologies for our absence.

As with many charities operating in the Sea to Sky corridor, we struggle to balance the cost of operations such as space rental and leases and the importance of providing fair wages for staff as well as low and, where possible, reduced fees for families to access our services. As a result of these challenges, our childcare program closed with a deficit at the end of our last fiscal year and funds we had earmarked for the project were put toward operating costs. Since then we have amalgamated childcare sites and have unfortunately laid off staff in our work to balance effective and accessible services to our communities with fiscal responsibility.

Municipal grants such as your community enhancement fund are critical for charities like ours to remain responsive to community needs in times of fiscal restraint. Once again you have our sincere thanks for your generous support.

I would be very happy to address any questions or concerns you may have about this project or about our operations in general. Please feel free to contact me at you convenience. As well, please visit our website at www.sscs.ca to learn more about our charity. Once again, thank you.

Lois Wynne

Executive Director Sea to Sky Community Services

Helmet-up please!

In the past week there were three separate pedestrian/vehicle collisions that occurred in Vancouver with two people at last report in critical condition. Last Sunday, I saw the very unfortunate outcome of Little Dipper - a small black bear cub that was hit and killed on Highway 99 between Alta Vista and Nordic Drive.

It all brings me to the point of asking why we still see so many people riding around Whistler without helmets on? Could it be that such vanity exists? Is it a lack of financial resources to purchase a helmet? Could it be poor judgment or just damn ignorance?

Cycling helmets are now mandatory for very good reason. Pique Newsmagazine has published three articles/letters so far this spring on this important issue, yet little seems to have changed in Whistler.

I wish to share the experience of those I hardly know and those that I know well on the subject of helmets and cycling.

Doug McCail was the first person that I knew of that had the very unfortunate fate to be T-boned by a vehicle while cycling down 22nd Street in West Vancouver many years ago. At that time helmets were not mandatory. Doug was all of 15 or 16 years old when this happened and it left him permanently disabled in both body and brain. His life virtually ruined!

A good friend from Toronto, Jerry, cheated death only by minutes at the age of 27. He fell off his bike at a very low speed while chatting with another cyclist. He hit an unmarked manhole that was being serviced. Not wearing a helmet at the time (not mandatory) Jerry was quickly rushed to hospital where surgeons needed to drill a hole in the back of his skull to relieve fluid and pressure build up or he would have died. I saw Jerry the next day in intensive care in critical condition. He was lying in a curled up position with his body in continuous convulsions. After a full year of medical care and support from family and industry Jerry recovered and was able to once again return to his work.

Paul, another friend from Toronto, was hit by an opened car door in Vancouver while cycling and was fortunate to walk away with only bruises and scrapes. I could only imagine what his outcome might have been had he not had a helmet on that day. Helmets are mandatory!

Mark, last year in Whistler, hit a large orange barrel that was on a pathway here in the valley. He suffered several broken ribs, a broken clavical, wrist and thumb. He took many months to fully recover. Very fortunately, Mark was wearing a helmet.

I've been cycling for 10 years now largely as my main means of transportation in the summer while living in the Vancouver area. Over this period of time, I have taken two very unexpected falls onto asphalt and concrete, both times making contact with my head. Fortunately both times I was wearing a helmet. I cannot tell you exactly how many other times I have had very close calls where regardless of wearing a helmet the outcome may have been crippling or fatal.

It's a wonderful feeling to have the wind blow through your hair, and you gals all look so beautiful doing so, but the cost of it is far too great for your family, friends and those that may be picking up pieces after that accident. The odds are stacked against you that you will fall off at some point or be hit at some point. And guys, we should all know better, we need to set good examples for the younger ones out there that are taking to cycling at a very early age.

Let's not mix up the message! Helmets save brains and lives so let's do the right thing for the benefit of all and Helmet-up please!

Brian Wolfgang Becker

Whistler

 

Taxes on taxes

Since the article in Pique (June 23, 2011) about the pros and cons of the HST vs. GST + PST appeared to be very one-sided, with even most of the "pro HST" side very slanted to the "anti" side, I am writing to give the view point of people and businesses that have been positively affected by the changes to the taxes.

As a local business owner who also works in the hotel industry, I have witnessed first-hand exactly how the previous PST was embedded into the cost of the final product and how the consumer was paying far more than the 7 per cent or 12 per cent as posted on their receipts.

PST was paid by businesses on everything from telephone, to electricity, to office supplies, computers and software, building supplies, new capital assets, and on and on, and they were not able to re-coup these costs back from the government, as they were with the GST.

The HST is a "final goods" tax that is only taxed on the end consumer, unlike the PST that was embedded in the cost from the manufacturer, the distributor and the final merchant - and then the consumer paid an additional 12 per cent on top of all of the embedded taxes.

Simply put, you were paying taxes on taxes.

For example, for something that costs you $115, you could actually be paying closer to $23 in taxes, instead of $13.80 in HST. With the new HST system, not only are businesses benefiting, but also you the consumer.

In addition, the tax on a hotel room in Whistler has actually been reduced with the new system, from 15 per cent to 14.24 per cent.

The HST is better for the manufacturing industries, trucking, business services (accounting, security, advertising, welding, plumbing, pest control, etc...), hotels, construction, mining, forestry, film, ranches and farming, and is already creating new jobs.

My favourite quote from the independent panel report found on hstinbc.com: "[I]f we purchase a half-million-dollar machine the tax we get back will actually pay for a new pickup for the operator to drive to work on the machine. The tax we save on the pickup will pay the wages for an operator to run that machine for the month..." - Monty Hussey, Tilt Contracting.

I encourage everyone to visit fightfighthst.com and watch the video "Letter to Bill Vander Zalm" (or search the video on YouTube), hstinbc.com, and hstjobs.ca, and then whatever your final is vote ("No" to keep the HST, or "Yes" to go back to the PST + GST) at least you will have all of the information to make an educated decision.

Lisa McGregor

Whistler

 

Tax on personal income only

Interesting article (Pique, June 23) on HST but I couldn't find mentioned what is really wrong with it.

True it was said that it puts prices up but so do all sales taxes whether they tax goods or services, all services being sales. Much is made of benefits to businesses, which don't pay sales tax on things that are needed in the operation of their business. How nice.

All this could be accomplished by not having any kind of sales tax.

Rebates to those of very low income is a stupid waste of time and energy. Those of more median income have no such benefit but they are still paying a larger portion of their income than those many of larger income.

Large income recipients clearly would rather pay a lesser amount through sales tax than through income tax where taxes are taken based on ability to pay.

This flat tax notion needs to be eliminated. Income taxes have been reduced by both federal and provincial governments following which they both said we can't afford to do things so all those poor working slobs will have to tighten their belts and pay sales tax.

Sales taxes are costly to collect for there are too many handlers in the way.

Personal income ought to be the only criterion for paying tax.

Strength of the economy being the governing factor.

Terry Smith

Squamish

 

Multicultural Celebration cheered

A big thanks to all the organizers and volunteers for the Multicultural Event on Monday (June 27). We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was good to see so many locals and visitors come together and enjoy good food and excellent entertainment. Hopefully this will be a yearly event.

Ian and Ann Johnson

Whistler

Showing our universal gratitude!

It is the people that make the destination, value the people within and you will find the heart of community! Find the heart of community and you will have created the true reasons for others to make Whistler their destination!

We witnessed pioneering souls collaborating together for an exciting and refreshing new way of seeing the world! It is with great joy to engage and bring community together to celebrate the most sacred of treasures our diversity to learn, inspire and share with open hearts each of our cultures is a dream come true! Thank you very much, Merci beaucoup, Gracias, Salamat, Arigato, Makasih, Doh je, Thenks, Ghu long khu me-ah, Maketai, Dankseche, Dua Netjer en ek, Dhannvaad, Efharisto poli, Yuspagara, Go raibh mile maith agaibh, Dekuji and many, many more thanks go to Nicole Guertin from Lokl.com, Whistler Forum for Leadership  Dialogue, Summit Lodge  Spa, Main Street Restaurants and beyond, Independent food vendors, RMOW, Scandinave Spa, The Grocery Store, Hailey Guille, Quest University, Blue Highways, Cultural Art Group, Filipino Community, Tae Kwan Do Group, Capoeira Dancers, SLCC, ESLSAP, Tamwood School, Green Event Volunteers, Areito Dance Club, Steve@WMN.fm Music by: Harold Sliter, Luis Garcia, Lou Marocco, Neon Beige, Jocelyn  Pettit Band, The Volume Collective, Rachel Thom, Kostas, Filipino Community Choir, Trevor singing Oh Canada and the many, many  volunteers!  Rudy Bueno, Kelly Hourigan, Kelly Lau, Becca Dikinson, Amelie Bachesne, Alex Turner, Monica Suarez, Letasha Mateev, Nathan Furst, Celia Burnett, Arianna Nagle, Marie-Eve, Jocelyn Blais, Claudine Morchain, Carolyn Hill, Sinclair Elina, Jason Claulle, Helene Robert, Kristi Mcmiker, Frances Seaton, Friederike Mueller-Kissing, Sara Bath, Kevin Irvine, Ritchie Leaver, Naoemie Bourque, Isaac Upshall, Jody Wilson, Sylvie Mastellone, Buzzy, Jackie Guertin, Guillaume Gissinger, Tomohiro Tango, Lorna Hill, Marlin Beswetherick, Ami Sakai, Cole Manson, Frank Savage, Zenzo Nosaba, Ken Wakabayashi, Jonathan Phang, RJ Gomez, Willis, Donna Savage, Nuguru Oue, Emile Sanchez, Charles Floue, Jay L., Zendai Keshino, Yoriaki Korake, Amel Lopez, Trevor Dunn, Stan Matwychuk, Monica Rampoldi, Noha Ahmed, Marie Ro, Mero, Nicola Griffiths, Yumiko Arisa Tsuchida, Libby McKeever, Eriko Matsumoto, Taka Sudo, Tommy Thomson, Po-Chen Chen, Mike Williams, Vince Zerna, Magdalena Regalos, Naoto Kato, Ryoki Ogawa, Jennifer Julian, Sylvie Par, Nib Valdez, Pena Emino, Kogayashi, Kate Mason, Danielle Perron, Mike Polly, Ann Grinezs, Mario Ste. Croix and many more! What will we create for next year? Be sure to join in the fun to find out! Grazie Mille.

Caterina Alberti

Whistler

 

Father Daughter Dance a great success

On June 4 Pemberton held its 13th annual Father Daughter Dance. The evening was great fun for both the dads and daughters who attended. The Father Daughter Dance is not only a fundraiser for the Signal Hill Elementary Parent Advisory Council (PAC), which supports projects and programs within the school, it is also a chance for daughters and dads to get dressed up and spend a special evening together.

On behalf of the Signal Hill PAC we would like to say a big "thank you" to all those that made our Father Daughter Dance a great success again this year! Toshi & Kaori from Sea to Sky Photography who provided the free photo-shoot and free picture download, Codi from Soul Funktion for the great dance instruction that got everyone on their feet, Dave and the gang from The Local who created amazing food for us, Layna from Orkidz who kept the girls busy creating their pet rocks. Pemberton Valley Nursery for our lovely flowers, The Flour Pot for the awesome disco cupcakes (they were so good), our DJ Melissa Leitch for the great tunes, Whistler Blackcomb, AG Foods, The Pemberton Valley Supermarket, Nesters Market, Grimms Deli and DiʼCarlos for providing our dinner ingredients and drinks, Valley Chainsaw & Westward Sales for the helium tank, Sabre Rentals for providing all of our cutlery and plates, The Blackbird Bakery made us delicious dinner rolls and Mount Currie Coffee Co. supplied great coffee. Frontier Pharmacy and McDonald's helped fill the gift bags for the girls and esound Production Services provided us with an amazing light show for the night.

Thanks so much to all of our sponsors and supporters. Big Sky, Spud Valley, Rona, Vida Spa, Billabong, Lush, Lee-Anne Kauffman from Stella & Dot, Bike Co, Cows, Scotia Bank, Pemberton Comm. Centre, Pemberton Rotary, NSCU, Napa Auto Parts, Pemberton Hotel Cold Beer & Wine, Aarm Dental, Great Glass Elevator, Crocs, Ziptrek, Rocky Mountain Choc. Factory, Canadian Snowmobile Adventures, Wild Play, Pemberton Valley Lodge, Lachelt Marketing, Rexall, Sportstop, Whistler Blackcomb, The Mill, Whistler Jetboating, Blackcomb Aviation, Melissa Perizzolo from Tupperwear, Fun for Kids and the Pemberton Legion. Lastly to our amazing volunteers who helped with set up, tear down and during the dance!

The long list of sponsors and supporters just shows you what a great community we live in. Thank you all! We couldnʼt have done it with out you!

Victoria Downes and Sammy Losee

FDD co-organizers

Pemberton