Spall votes down governance study assistance

By tyler olsen Morning Star Staff Sep 08 2006 http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/
Spallumcheen council has decided to give no help to a group that wants to conduct a study into how the North Okanagan is governed. The newly assembled council denied, by a vote of five to one, a request by the Society for the Future Governance of the North Okanagan for assistance by township staff. The vote comes hot on the heels of a similar decision by the district of Coldstream. Leading the charge against the group was Mayor Will Hansma, who said staff was already strapped for time. “If people want to do (a study) they can go ahead and do it, he said. “I think all the material that is required can be accessed publicly.” Hansma added that the township should only co-operate so far as the Freedom of Information Act requires them to do so. The lone dissenter was Coun. Lorna Bissell, who raised her hand high in support of giving the society help for their study. “I’ve been living and breathing the chaos at NORD and I hope there is another body of governance out there,” said Bissell, who is also a director with the North Okanagan Regional District. “Anybody who has the guts to sort out something for the region has to have the information.” She said she has heard from other governing bodies that the society has requires only one or two hours of staff time. After the vote, Hansma reiterated his position. “It can lead to more and more and I’m not willing to go there,” said Hansma of the information request. “I don’t regret not giving them another opportunity to mess it up even more.” Hansma said that society members should get involved with local governments if they want to create change. He pointed to Jack Borden, a former Vernon councillor who was a key proponent of the Greater Vernon Services Commission, one of the governing bodies the society would be looking at.
“As far as I’m concerned, if he wants to reevaluate that...he should get involved with council,” said Hansma. Borden said the decision by Spallumcheen council will not have a negative effect on the society’s plans. “Although we very much appreciate co-operation, we don’t think it’s a setback for our society at all and what our objectives are.” As for Hansma’s statement that he should get involved with council if he wants to change things, Borden said the society wants to undertake an objective study which would be impossible if the participants were part of government.