Wednesday, November 12, 1986 Serving Terrace Bay, Schreiber and Rossport Softwood tariff forces Terrace Ba y Vol. 41, No. 45 35° K-C to evaluate stud mill prior to layoff decision The stud mill at the Kimberly- Clark pulp mill in Terrace Bay is not going to close...at least not yet. That was the word from company officials on Nov. 5, the day after United Paperworkers International Union Local 665 President Don Lavigne claimed the company would close the stud mill unless the new American duty on softwood lumber was lifted within three days. Lavigne made that statement. dur- ing a meeting of the Superior North Northern Development Council held in Terrace Bay on Nov. 4. Union officials later said they were organizing a delegation of concerned citizens and union members which was to travel to Ottawa today to meet with Cochrane-Superior MP Keith Penner and government represent- atives. K-C of Canada President Jack L. Lavallet posted a bulletin after Lavigne's announcement in which Lavallet said "no decision has been made by Kimberly-Clark manage- ment to shut (down) the stud mill." Lavallet added that "the. profit- ability of the stud mill is presently under study." He said that one the George Ramsay, Terrace Bay Township Coun- cillor, was one of several to lay a wreath and salute the cenotaph at the Remembrance Day evaluation is complete, the company will advise all employees of the plan of action. Lavallet was not available for comment this week. Acting Director of Industrial Rel- ations at the mill, Daryl Payette, did speak to the News last week and said "it is no secret that anyone with a stud mill is looking at the economics of that (following the tariff)." He said stud prices have dropped to the ex- _ tent of the 15 per cent tariff. "That hurts,"' he said, adding that there is "some urgency" to the fin- ancial evaluation of the stud mill, as "" Nosecret.. stud mills looking at economics " the K-C lumber yard is already get- ting full. When asked to give a date when the evaluation might be completed, Payette refused to do so, explaining that "if I were to give a date to you, I'd be lying...the evaluation is to be done as quickly as possible.' Payette stressed that 'the key is we are not doing anything differently than anyone else,"' He said other stud . Mills in the area have also postponed any possible layoffs under economic studies are completed. "We are concerned," he pointed out. ""We've got to survive here." He disagreed strongly with the American rationale for the tariff hike. The U.S. government has claimed that the stumpage fees in Canada are too low and that as a consequence the fees for stud mill products are unfairly sub- sidized by the government. "'That's not true," Payette said. He explained that the stud mill gen- erally produces studs for the housing construction market in the United States. As of Oct. 26, there are 61 employees at the stud mill. Payette did not think K-C would be represented in the union's Ottawa delegation. Lavigne could not be reached for comment before press time. Remembrance Day ceremonies held in Terrace Bay on Nov. 8. A parade was also held earlier in the day. Remem- brance Day itself took place on. Nov. 11. Bloody Mary Those travelling along Highway 17 east of Terrace Bay on Nov. 6 were probably surprised to see a car.wreck with injured passengers, but it was all just a field training exercise for the North Shore Ambulance Service crew. Here David Schinbein, NSAS Supervisor in Terrace Bay, is shown helping volunteer victim Mary Cashmore out of the car used for the accident simulation. The exercise was authentic in every detail, right down to the use of fake blood on the volunteers: (Photograph by Conrad Felber) Futures funding made available The Terrace Bay area has been selected as a community for assist- ance under the Community Futures program of the Canadian Jobs Strat- egy, Employment and Immigration Minister Benoit Bouchard announced on Oct. 31. "Despite high unemployment in the Terrace Bay area, there is strong evidence that it has the potential for economic recovery," Bouchard was quoted as saying in a Ministry news release. A total of 355 workers lost their jobs in a layoff which took place at the Kimberly-Clark operations in Terrace Bay and Longlac earlier this year. Community Features is a $125 million program designed to help communities which are faced with major layoffs and chronic unemploy- ment and to develop new employment opportunities. Bouchard added that 'Community Features builds on the existing strengths of the communities, allow- ing them to pull together and decide for themselves what are the best ways of dealing with their economic problems." A Community Features Committee composed of government, local bus- iness, labour and community rep- resentatives will be established, the . release noted. Through the program, funds will be provided during the next two years to help the Committee take a realistic look at the opportunities for develop- ing and diversifying the economy in the area. The release added that the amount to be spent in the Terrace Bay area will depend, in part, on the Commit- tee's recommendations. The Committee may also recom- mend one or more program options under Community Features to help workers start business, learn new skills, or relocate to seek jobs. There is also a provision for the establish- ment of a Business Development Centre to provide advice and equity investment in new or existing small firms. These loan investments can go up to $75,000 per firm from a $1.5 million investmend fund, the release pointed out. No timeframe for the establishing of the Committee was mentioned in the release. Contract awarded A $357,000 contract for additions and renovations to the Terrace Bay Campus of the Lake Superior High School has been awarded to L.J. For- tin Construction of Kapuskasing. Lake Superior Board of Education Operations Manager David Ditchfield said in a news release that the first $220,000 of the cost will be covered by a Ministry of Education grant, while the balance will be paid by the Board itself. : The release, sent out by Board Chairperson Pat Richardson and Dir- ector of Education Margaret Twomey added that construction will begin at the school this week. The project will provide new change rooms and a new entrance on Hudson Avenue. Existing. windows on the front of the school will be replaced and both the lunch room and staff room will be renovated. Ditchfield added that the project will aldo provide improved physical education facilities and will enhance the exterior appearance of the school. The release was dated Nov. 4...