A ratepayers group is threatening to bring down what it sees as back door maneuvering by Vernon 
city hall. The Vernon Taxpayers Association is demanding that a referendum be held to borrow $20 million for a new library/administration building. The city plans to hold an alternate approval process in which 10 per cent of voters’ signatures are required to throw the project off course. “We won’t lie back. We plan to keep them accountable,” said Tony Stamboulieh, association spokesman. “If you want to spend $20 million, it behooves you to get in touch with the community.” The association believes a referendum would be a better route to garner public opinion, and the alternate approval process will get little interest because people don’t understand how it works.
city hall. The Vernon Taxpayers Association is demanding that a referendum be held to borrow $20 million for a new library/administration building. The city plans to hold an alternate approval process in which 10 per cent of voters’ signatures are required to throw the project off course. “We won’t lie back. We plan to keep them accountable,” said Tony Stamboulieh, association spokesman. “If you want to spend $20 million, it behooves you to get in touch with the community.” The association believes a referendum would be a better route to garner public opinion, and the alternate approval process will get little interest because people don’t understand how it works. “We’re not naysayers but it’s arrogant for a group to think they can spend $20 million and put the onus on the public to oppose it,” said Stamboulieh. “This is a blatant attempt to bring through the back door a widely rejected idea by the taxpayers for a cultural white elephant.” The association is also upset that the city is proceeding with a major land use change at the same time that the official community plan is under review. If council refuses to have a referendum, Stamboulieh admits the association may try and collect 10 per cent of the voters’ names to sign the alternate approval process petition. Mayor Wayne Lippert says he understands the association's concerns. “Council looked at holding a referendum but we went for a counter-petition because of the timelines involved. There’s not enough time to get a library if we went to referendum,” he said.
Okanagan Regional Library wants a financial commitment from the city by September, and Lippert says delaying the matter further could jeopardize government grants. Prior to an alternate approval process in July, the city will hold three information meetings for residents. “We want open communication with citizens,” said Lippert. Coun. Barry Beardsell supports the Vernon Taxpayers Association's call for a referendum. “It’s a mega investment and it should be voted on just as happened with the performing arts centre and the Multiplex,” he said. Beardsell also opposes placing the building between city hall and the museum. “I think it will be a blight on the civic grounds,” he said.
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Council must change course June 1 EDITORIAL
For a council that promised to be open and re-establish public faith, the City of Vernon’s handling of a big-ticket expenditure is troubling. Instead of actually going to referendum and seeking permission to borrow $20 million for a library/administration building, the city is using an alternative approval process. It is a little-known system, and, as a result, citizen participation is traditionally low. Municipalities count on residents not knowing about it, not understanding how it works or caring enough to physically go to city hall to sign their name. And with 10 per cent of all voters’ names needed to block borrowing funds, the process is stacked heavily towards the city. And such a system goes completely against democracy.
If Vernon council is truly interested in meeting our cultural needs and wants buy-in from the community, then the community should be actively involved. That means not only giving them information, but allowing them to take ownership by voting yes or no during a referendum.
Mayor Wayne Lippert says a referendum would waste time and risk access to government funding, but it’s questionable that such money would simply disappear because the city took time to go to referendum. And if we’ve actually come to the 11th hour, one has to ask what the city and Okanagan Regional Library have been doing for all these years? Why weren’t details established well enough in advance so public approval could be sought through legitimate means? We would encourage concerned Vernon residents to contact city council and let them know that the entire process should be placed on hold until it can be done right.
Mayor Wayne Lippert says a referendum would waste time and risk access to government funding, but it’s questionable that such money would simply disappear because the city took time to go to referendum. And if we’ve actually come to the 11th hour, one has to ask what the city and Okanagan Regional Library have been doing for all these years? Why weren’t details established well enough in advance so public approval could be sought through legitimate means? We would encourage concerned Vernon residents to contact city council and let them know that the entire process should be placed on hold until it can be done right.
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