All elected officials should have the right to speak at regional hospital district meetings, according to the City of Vernon. Council unanimously agreed Monday that discussions at North Okanagan-Columbia-Shuswap Regional Hospital District meetings shouldn’t be just open to board members, but all politicians who attend. “Any elected members should be entitled to go to meetings and ask questions,” said Coun. Barry Beardsell. “I don’t want a vote, just the ability to ask questions.”Beardsell brought the issue forward as a result of a Dec. 3 meeting in which the NOCSRHD board discussed local issues with Health Minister George Abbott. Beardsell and Councillors Juliette Cunningham and Buffy Baumbrough were in attendance, but because they aren’t appointed to the board, chairman Rhona Martin would not let them speak. Cunningham says that seemed to go against what’s happened at other district sessions, and there needs to be consistency. “There’s not a clear policy of who gets to speak and who doesn’t,” she said. “It shouldn’t be up to just one person to decide who speaks.”
Beardsell insists that under the current rules that restrict who can participate in discussions, some important issues may not be raised. As a result of council’s vote Monday, the NOCSRHD will be asked to review its policies.
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