COW meeting HIGHLIGHTS 8:40 Monday Aug 13.

• At the morning COW meeting Brian Reardon made presentations on splitting up the Regional Economic Development Service and making it into a NORD function and leaving the Greater Vernon Tourism Service as a GVSC function. Revised budgets were presented and indications are that TOURISM can expect about $300,000 in 2009 when a hotel tax kicks in.
• Lorne Holowachuk, Transportation Specialist, gave a presentation of Transportation Key Facts, that will form the baseline for the ongoing transportation model. They will soon be available on the City's website for those of you who want to be bored by graphs etc.
• THAT Council repeals the Policy – Question and Answer Period, which was originally adopted June 7, 1999. was deferred until a full 7 man council was present. (Cochrane absent today)
• 2007 City Of Vernon Taxpayer Satisfaction Questionnaire was presented and will be on City's website shortly.
• Appointment of Council representative to the Library / Civic Building Advisory Committee was deferred until results of the Counter Petition are available. (Leon Gous and Marg Baily will be staff reps, there will be a library and Art Gallery rep (Named) and 4 others including 2 architect reps and 2 others.
• Coun. Cunningham asked for a special meeting after results of Counter Petition but it was decided to present results at Regular Aug 27 meeting.
• It was revealed that the audited Financial Statements for 2006 will be revealed at the Audit Committee meeting following the Finance Committee meeting at 1 PM Aug 16. The separate Airport statements also will be available.
• 48th st project appears to have come in at $1,284,000 against a budget of $1,097,000 leaving a $187,000 shortfall. This shortfall will come from the 2006 surplus out of one of the reserves where it found a temporary home and the tenders will be awarded shortly.