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TuesdayOctober2120147POLITICSMUNICIPALFortSmitheducatorsexpressconcernoverjuniorkindergartenShiftingfundingstructurescouldmeanlossofveteachersnextyearByDALICARMICHAELEducatorsinFortSmithareteemingwithanxietyafterlearningthatshiftingfundingstructurescausedbythenewterritorialju-niorkindergarteninitiativecouldseeveteachersletgonextyear.RepresentativesfromthelocalschoolsandtheSouthSlaveDivisionalEducationCoun-cilSSDECweretheonlyresidentstoattendThebachaMLAMichaelMiltenbergerscon-stituencymeetingonOct.14armedwithconcernsovertheterritorysnewprogramfor4year-olds.Juniorkindergartenhasgoneaheadinthesmallercommunitiesandwevelaidoutwhatappearedtobeallthenecessaryback-stopsbutmaybeifyoureheretonighttheresstillconcernsMiltenbergerrespondedtothesmallcrowd.Theeducationadvocatesbroughtforthseveralcomplaintstheirprimaryconcernbeingthewayimportantfundingisbeingreallocatedwithintheschoolsystemtoac-commodateanewbatchofyoungerstudents.InFortSmithalonebasedonourprojec-tionsweregoingtolosevepositionsnextyearjustonjuniorkindergartensaidAnnPischingeranSSDECrepresentativewhositsontheFortSmithDistrictEducationAu-thorityDEA.Itsgoingtocost7milliontoimplementjuniorkindergartenbuttheresnomoneysowehavetonditwithinexistingmoneyandthatswhereitscomingfrom.Pischingeragreedthathavingjuniorkin-dergartenavailableforsmallercommuni-tieswithlessavailablechildcareoptionsisapositivestepbutdoesnotbelieveschoolsinregionalcentreslikeFortSmiththatalreadyhaveadequateresourcesshouldpaytheprice.ThereisAboriginalHeadstartinsomeoftheregionalcentresanditsworkingwellwelikethemodelthekidsaregettingagoodtasteofschoolbutitsnotasoverwhelmingasthembeinginschoolsaidJulieLyschairoftheDEA.Itsthesameagerangeasjuniorkindergartenbutitscultural-basedlearninganditsawell-establishedprogram.Wedontwanttoseeitmessedwithweappreciatewhatthekidsaregettingthere.Miltenbergersaidhewouldbringthecon-cernstocabinet.Wellrollouttherstyearandwellknowprettyquicklyhowitlooksbeforewepullthetriggeronyeartwohesaid.Imnotsay-ingwewontchangeitbutletsgiveevery-bodythecomfortoftakingalook-whatstheimpactwhatstheprojectedimpactandjustmakesurewereneandifwerenotwhatdoweneedtodoTechnologicalimprovementsneededprincipalApartfromconcernsoverfundingtheedu-catorsalsoaskedMiltenbergertoinvestigatehowtheschoolcouldprovidebetterinternetaccesstotheirstudents.Weshare16megabytesbetweenusJBTtheelementaryschoolandtheSSDECboardofcesaidAlKarasiukprincipalofPaulWilliamKaeserHighSchool.Therearedayswhenourinternetliterallycrawlstoastop.Wehavethenewstudentrecordkeep-ingitsallonlinebutsomedaysittakesthreeminutestomovefrompagetopagetoenrollakidinclassbecauseourbandwidthismaxedoutandthatisaninfrastructureproblem.KarasiuksconcernswereheightenedafterattendingtheNWTTerritorialEducatorsConferenceheldlastmonth.Wejustcameoffofthatthree-daycon-ferenceinYellowknifeandtheyweretalkingabout21stCenturyliteraciesandthewiredschoolandbringyourowndevicetoschoolhesaid.ThatsallneanddandyifyouliveinYellowknifebutitdoesntworkhereanditprobablyworksevenlessinthecommuni-tiesbutIcanonlyspeakfromthisridingsperspective.Miltenbergersaidhewouldlookintowhetheranewbreopticlineneedstobeinstalledoriftheissuecanberesolvedbypurchasinggreaterbandwidth.FortSmithaskstowntovoteon4MarenaupgradesEDUCATIONFUNDINGByDALICARMICHAELWiththerecentlyupgradedarenasettoopenincomingweeksofcialsinFortSmitharenowguringouthowtopayfortherenovations.InaChamberofCommercemeetinglastweektheTownofFortSmithannounceditwillaskthecommunitytovoteona4-mil-liondebenturetopayforalmosthalfthecosts.Aftermonthsofcalculationstownleadershavedecidedthedebenturewillbethemostefcientwaytopayforthefacilitywiththeleastimpactontaxpayers.Thetownisgoingtogoaheadwiththeprojectonewayoranothersaidtowncoun-cillorDonWebbwhomadethepresentationtotheChamber.Ifwedonthavethedeben-turethenwellhavetondthefundseitherbalanceoutotherreservesorraisetaxes.Thearenawasbadlydamagedbyareinthespringof2013buttowncouncildecidedtoreno-vatethebuildingratherthanbuildanewfacilitybecauseofthedifferenceincost.AccordingtoWebbanewarenawouldhaverangedaround25-26millionwhereastherenovationinclud-ingupgradesandinsuranceclaimsissittingatatotalofjustover8.3million.Thetownexpectstopayoffitspresent10-year4-milliondebenturebyFebruary2015undertakentopayforthecommu-nitysindoorpool.Ifthetownissuccessfulinattainingitsarenadebenturetheexist-ingtaxincreasefromthepreviousdebtwillstayinplace.Therestofthecostisexpectedtobepaidoffusingacombinationoffunds.AltogetherMunicipalandCommunityAffairsMACAandinsurancemoneyhavealreadycoveredjustshortof1.5million.Thetownhassaiditwillcontribute1millionfromitsRecreationInfrastructureReservesandanother1.85millionfromannualCapitalProjectFundingmonies.Theremaining4millionwouldbecoveredbythenewdebenture.AccordingtoWebbthecostofthearenatothetownasdenedunderthecurrentcontractcannotincrease.ThebuilderCABConstruc-tionhasagreedtocoveranyextraexpendituresthatmayariseincludingadiesel-runbackupemergencysystemtheremarshalrecentlyaddedtothelistofsafetycodeupgrades.ResistancetoupgradesChambermembersexpressedsomeconcernoverhowthenewarenaistobefundedandhowitwillrunoncetheseasonhasstarted.Someexpressedworryaboutdepletingthetownsrecreationalinfrastructurereservesincaseanewemergencyarises.Webbsaidithastakenaboutadecadetobuilduprec-reationalinfrastructurefundstojustoveramilliondollars.Wevedoneaprettycarefulreviewoftherecreationalfacilitiesintownwherepossibleshortfallscouldoccurhesaidnotingthatfundshavealreadybeensetasideforsomesmallerprojects.PotentialissuesaroundstafngneedsandprogramminginitiativeswerealsoaddressedpromptingWebbtostatethattownemploy-eeswhocutgrassandholdotherseasonalpositionswillbeinstatedtorunthefacility.Otherswereuneasywiththelackofinputintotheprojectbyresidents.ThisalllooksgoodbutIfeelthatyouhaveputusbetweenarockandahardplacesaidChamberpresidentJanieHobart.Youresay-ingagreetothiswhichwevehadalmostnoinputintotheusergroupshavebutnotthecommunityatlargeorwegethighertaxessoImstruggling...IfeelthatyouhavenowboundourcommunityandthevisionjustisntthereandImjustsodisappointed.DebenturevotetobeheldnextmonthThevoteonthedebenturewillbeheldonNov.17.Moredetailswillbeannouncedinthenearfuture.Forthoseinterestedthetownishostingpublicwalk-throughsoftheupgradedarenaonOct.25andNov.15.Thefacilityisexpectedtoopenforthesea-sonbyearlytomidNovember.Constructionisontracktobenishedfor2016.PhotoDaliCarmichaelPhotoDaliCarmichaelEducatorsfromFortSmithareworriedaboutfundingstructureadjustmentsbeingmadetoimplementjuniorkindergarten.Withthecostofthenewprogramtheycouldpotentiallyloseveteachersovertwoyearsequivalenttoabout25percentofthehighschoolsstaff.IfFortSmithresidentsdonotvoteinfavourofa4-milliondebenturetopayforarenaupgradestownofcialssaytheywilluseotherreservemoneyorraisetaxestocovertheircosts.