The Prince George Citizen — Wednesday, December 20,1989 — 25 Third front Here’s a key tally of votes Dec. 18 City council Boxscore W Tho OiiActirm "w jflBl f <./r/ *■ 1 g H --- ITI6 WUBSTIOn ■■■--- Mayor Alderman Alderman Alderman Alderman Alderman Mothus O’Beimc Sintich Approve fire department budget of $5,415,000. (Mothus/Dezell. Carried) Backhouse Becott Brady Dezell Goodkey Kinsley Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Approve $250 travel grant for Prince George Symphony. (Brady/Good- Yes Yes No No Yes No Yes No No key. Defeated) Approve new amusement arcade at 5232 Domano Blvd. (O’Belrne/Kln- Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes sley. Carried) Table police budget of $8,905,000 to a January budget meeting. (Moth- Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes ] Yes Yes us/Becott. Carried). Approve tabling transit budget of $557,000. (O’Belrne/Becott. Carried) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Official motions on selected issues have been paraphrased FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET APPROVED City money matters dealt Deciding how to spend more than $100 million of taxpayers money requires some of the toughest decisions city council makes during the year. However, when the expenditures are detailed, the list weighs more than two kilograms, and requires both detailed study and hours of argument. City council spent 25 minutes at this week’s meeting discussing, and defeating, a $250 grant to the Prince George Symphony Orchestra, and 10 minutes approving a $5,415,000 budget for the fire department. The travel grant advisory committee recommended four grants to local organizations, including $250 for the symphony to aid their travel to Quesnel for a Christmas concert. The committee also wanted its mandate changed so “on occasion, those activities that are considered to be in pursuit of excellence, are eligible for funding.’’ After extensive disucssion, the aldermen voted to aid Prince George Ringette, the Yalenka Ukrainian Cultural Society, and the Spruce Capital Boxing Club. However, as Aid. Steve Sintich pointed out, “If the symphony finds itself in the red, you can bet they’ll be here to ask for a grant anyway. I feel we should deal with this then.’’ The change in mandate was approved, but the grant to the symphony wasn’t. The city lost $2 million less due to fires in 1989 than in 1988, and Chief Ed Parent said the fire department deserves some of the credit due to increased inspections and training. Council approved an additional expenditure of $97,300 because building a shop at the Ospika fire-hall was budgeted at $65 a square foot, and the actual cost to date has been $118 per square foot. Council also approved a late addition of $6,000 to the fire budget of $5,409,00 for a new generator. The budget for the new year reflects salary increases and $12,000 for maintaining hydrants, from last year’s budget level of $5,255,000. The finance department wants to spend $7,700 on office equipment including $1,390 on five chairs, $985 on three desks, $1,925 for nine dividers, a typewriter for $995, $1,390 on five chairs, $555 for three adding machines, $265 for a bookshelf, and $225 for a table. The little items add up to big bucks, like $226,000 for insurance, and the city makes a profit of $1,205,000 on investments and other earnings. Salaries and benefits for the computer department are estimated at $384,000. Before giving provisional approval to the finance department budget, Aid. Denise Goodkey wanted to know why sewer rates haven’t risen although costs have. Usage has gone up as well as costs, keeping the two roughly in balance, explained city finance director Bill Kennedy. Revenue from the Downtown Parking Commission is down in the provisional budget because the taxes mainly go to pay off the debt on the parkadcs, and the DPC has used some of its operating surplus to reduce debt, Kennedy said in response to another question. To make the decisions needed requires lots of talk — a total of eight budget meetings of which Monday’s was the fifth. And, of course, items can only be provisionally approved until everything is tallied and the city can see what the totals are. ★ ★ ★ Council approved a new amuse- > ment arcade at 5232 Domano Blvd. Council was told an arcade operated by applicant Barry Yip in Redwood Square on Victoria Street had caused no problems for other businesses, nor the doctors at the nearby medical centre. Real estate agent Harry Backlin, appearing on behalf of Yip, said the present arcade strictly enforced a no-smoking, no-eating, no-drinking policy and had good security, while Yip said the new arcade would be operated in a similar manner. * ★ ★ B.C. Transit wants to raise what the city pays to $557,000 a year to with in subsidize bus services and transportation for the disabled. Council previously voted to only approve a five-per-cent increase, which would mean an expenditure of no more than $553,300. detail Aid. Pat Brady and Aid. Colin Kinsley objected to the price rise, and council members voted to table the transit budget until a meeting could be held with B.C. Transit and a new budget produced. Radio ~ % JBk Fun kids' flashlight Ijk ^ 3^95- 60-2289 » 21-1639 Pocket-repeat memory game Calculator has adjustable _display angle 65-563 m 097 save$5 Convenient lint remover Check the white pages for the Radio Shack store or participating dealer nearest you 61-8100