NORD debate must end

Aug 11 2006 http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/ EDITORIAL

There seemed to be a common sentiment among North Okanagan Regional District directors Wednesday and that is to get the governance conflict over once and for all. In fact, that was typical of many comments as directors unanimously approved yet another revised version of a bylaw that would establish how the Greater Vernon Services Commission operates. “We should quit fooling around and get on with business,” said Herman Halvorson, rural Enderby director.But there’s no guarantees this will finally be the end of it. We just have to look back to last month when the City of Vernon’s three NORD directors voted for the bylaw but opposed it when it went before council for input. Naturally, NORD directors were suspicious that the city politicians would pull the same stunt again. NORD staff have gone overboard trying to clarify the bylaw so all of the city’s concerns are addressed. It should be abundantly clear what GVSC’s duties are and what it’s relationship is with the regional district. We would hope that the City of Vernon would end its protests and allow the bylaw to be adopted. Keeping the issue going would create ongoing uncertainty for civil servants at NORD and GVSC, and leave residents with a sense that chaos reigns and nothing is being done by government. If there is any hope that the end is near, it came from Vernon director Patrick Nicol Wednesday. “At some point we have to move forward and I can live with what’s there,” he said of the bylaw. “At some point we have to try something instead of examining it to death.” We couldn’t agree more.