MAYOR OGLOW - The great Facilitator.**

I attended the special Open meeting of Council this morning that was set up to discuss the never ending story of Greater Vernon Services. After its emasculation last year and fall in status from a commission to one of the 18 committees of NORD, the Councils of Vernon and Coldstream, The Directors of Area B & C with aid from the newly appointed chair of NORD, Gerry Oglow met in an open meeting to discuss how this committee would function in the future. (It was like watching the King's men trying to piece Humpty Dumpty together again.)

The more important meeting that actually occurred was the last NORD meeting of December where a non-involved GVSC participant, Mayor Gerry Oglow of Armstrong was elected as the NORD chairperson and was the key reason why his final recommendations were voted on and passed UNANIMOUSLY by all participants.

Mayor Oglow chaired the effective part of the meeting, allowed reasoned and historical debate from all participants that wished to be heard both from Politicians as well as some of the staffs as required and then after a brief coffee break, made his recommendations that were accepted UNANIMOUSLY. (And Yes, Virgina, Coun. Beardsell was there.)

The recommendations included:

• He would accept the different methods that the Vernon Council and the Coldstream Council would use to decide who would be appointed to the GVSC committee. It appears that he would accept their recommendations. (It looks like Coldstream would have the same persons appointed to both NORD and GVSC while Vernon would continue its practice of spreading the load and have different council members appointed to these two boards.


• The 3 CAO's from NORD ,Coldstream and GVSC would be tasked with drawing up an acceptable bylaw that would address Delegated Authority for this committee and reporting back to the next NORD meeting.


• The current Vacant GVSC administrator's position will not be filled.

There appeared to a consensus to try to make a new structure develop "that would outlive the Politicians that had put it together !" The proof will be in the details that emerged over the coming months.

There was also acknowledgment by the NORD chair that the Vernon Request for a formal Service Review would proceed and may have an effect on the ultimate committee structure. Mention of the population stats in the Spring and how that would effect NORD and its voting structure was also referred to by Chairman Oglow.

A **facilitator is someone who skilfully helps a group of people understand their common objectives and plan to achieve them without personally taking any side of the argument. The facilitator will try to assist the group in achieving a consenus on any disagreements that preexist or emerge in the meeting so that it has a strong basis for future action. The role has been likened to that of a midwife who assists in the process of creation but is not the producer of the end result.