The group that sidetracked borrowing of $20 million for a library complex isn’t calling for the concept to be scrapped. The Vernon Taxpayers Association 
is urging the city to delay a final decision on the proposed library/office building until the official community plan is finished. “Let it be completed and go from there,” said spokesman Tony Stamboulieh. “If council wants to bring the project back then, give us some real input and then vote on it (through referendum). We’re not saying don’t do it.” Stamboulieh added that his group was only opposed to how council was seeking public approval to borrow money and is not necessarily against a new complex being constructed.Council will receive a staff report today at 10 a.m. about the recent alternate approval process to long-term borrow $20 million for the project. The taxpayers’ association collected 6,000 names against borrowing, far exceeding the 2,777 names or 10 per cent of voters required. Based on that process, Mayor Wayne Lippert is calling for the complex proposal to be scrapped by the city and for Okanagan Regional Library to pursue a library on its own. But Stamboulieh believes such a move would be premature and the current OCP review should be completed first as part of integrated planning “The OCP review will be completed in May and will reflect the views and vision of the citizens of Vernon,” he said. “If the proposed civic complex fits in with this integrated approach, then council can come back to the citizens with that proposal.”
Lippert says the association's views will be considered. “If council believes that’s where they should go with it, that’s where they should go,” he said. Lippert added that the downtown core was always pinpointed as an area that should be looked at outside of the OCP. “It’s been identified that it needs to be revitalized. A lot of people are using the OCP as a way to block things that are needed,” he said.
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