Clearing the Tracks
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Clearing the snow and ice that is packed into crossings is a weekly event in Provost and at other crossings by Canadian Pacific Railway crews for smooth travelling of freight trains that rumble through town several times a day. ©Provost News Photo.
Print version in January 31 edition of The Provost News.
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Teachers Plan Strike Vote
Buffalo Trail teachers, meeting in Vermilion Wednesday evening, authorized the taking of a government-supervised strike vote in a dispute over terms for a 2006-07 collective agreement.
The vote was triggered after the provincially appointed mediator said she was not prepared to propose terms of settlement because she felt the positions of both parties were too far apart.
Under Alberta labour law, a cooling-off period of 14 days now follows after which a strike vote can be taken. The date for the strike vote has not been made public.
President of the Park Plains East Local of the Alberta Teachers’ Association, Lorne Maier said that Buffalo Trail teachers were “reaching the end of their patience” dealing with trustees over the collective agreement. “We had a very good turnout of members who showed their displeasure by way of a 96 per cent vote in favour of authorizing the taking of a strike vote,” Maier said. Wednesday’s authorization vote was the latest step in a lengthy bargaining process that began in May 2006.
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One of the principal issues in dispute concerns the board’s proposal to restrict existing access to leaves for family medical reasons, critical illness, bereavement and sick leave for teachers on temporary contracts. The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) reported that the board also wants to reduce access to personal leave for all teachers. The length of the agreement and major monetary issues remain unresolved.
Rest of story in January 31 edition of The Provost News.
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Highest Interest: Water-related Facility
• Arena 2nd in Survey • 86% Would OK Tax Increase for New Building
A new water-related facility like a swimming pool or water park received the highest interest from those who returned questionnaires in a survey that gleaned answers from the public about a proposed multi-use recreation facility in Provost.
No numbers are immediately available but second most popular was an ice arena while third choice was for playgrounds and walking trails. Fourth was for some type of physical and wellness fitness centre like a workout or gym facility.
Eighty-six percent of those returning questionnaires about a new recreation facility indicated that they would be in favour of paying higher taxes to get a building to suite their needs.
Chief administrative officer of the Town of Provost, Terry Hurlbut told The Provost News that he had received preliminary data from a firm hired to conduct the survey for a new building in a yet-to-be determined location.
More details will be prepared, but Paul Conrad & Associates of Spruce Grove reported that 62 percent of surveys sent out in the town were returned while 38 percent from the east side of the M.D. No. 52 where residents might be using a new facility, were filled in and sent back for tabulation.
Paul Conrad of Paul Conrad & Associates told The Provost News in a telephone interview in October that he wanted to have at a minimum 25 percent of the public reply to the survey (see PN Oct. 25, 2006).
The polling firm said that for the survey to be statistically usable, that 208 forms would have to be returned. There were 376 returned “So they were quite happy” says Hurlbut.
Rest of story in January 31 edition of The Provost News.
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Former Resident to be Honoured Here at Canadian Film Premier
Full story and photos in January 31 edition of The Provost News.
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Street Spokesman
This week we ask : "What Do You Like Least About Winter?"
. . . and we heard opinions from Gloria Gross, Herb Meier, Darci Penman, Ken Gross, and Karen Green .
Check out the January 31 edition of The Provost News for their answers.
Want to Subscribe to The Provost News? Click here. |
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This, along with many other stories and pictures can be found in this week's edition of The Provost News.
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