NORD committee is a slap in the face

– Managing editor Scott Neufeld VERNON COURIER

Just when it seemed local politics couldn’t get any nuttier, the North Okanagan Regional District took things to a new low on Wednesday. The regional board selected a three-person committee to analyze the local government structure and didn’t pick a single Vernon resident. This issue could have a significant impact on the future of the Okanagan but the North Okanagan’s largest city won’t be represented by any of its taxpaying residents.

So who made the final three? Electoral Area C director Stan Field will represent the rural communities, Armstrong mayor and regional district chair Jerry Oglow will represent the mid-sized communities and Mayor Wayne Lippert was picked to represent Vernon. Both Field and Oglow are well-versed in the history of local government and should be valuable members of the committee. Lippert has been in office for less than two years and does not have anywhere near the depth of knowledge of the other two committee-members. Not to mention Lippert doesn’t live in the City of Vernon. Lippert resides in Electoral Area C, in fact, Field lives closer to Vernon than Lippert does.

This issue is too important to leave in the hands of someone who doesn’t pay taxes in Vernon. The city needs someone on the committee who will more directly represent the needs of Vernon residents. The city should also be represented by someone with more experience, someone who is intimately familiar with the region’s long history of government struggles. Clearly, long-time councillors, Patrick Nicol and Barry Beardsell, both East Hill residents, are both more suitable candidates. Even council veteran Pat Cochrane, a Coldstream resident but a
downtown Vernon business owner, would be a better fit. What made NORD’s decision to pick Lippert even worse is that Coun. Juliette Cunningham moved to have the decision left to Vernon city council. She said the city should be allowed to decide who will represent them. This suggestion was ignored and should raise alarm bells for Vernon residents.

If NORD ignores Vernon’s suggestions on picking committee members, how many more Vernon suggestions will they ignore during the government review process. According to Oglow, the committee could decide whether to leave things as they are or even recommend the formation of a single Okanagan district. Should a decision of this magnitude be left up to a committee of two Area C residents and an Armstrong resident? By already ignoring Vernon in this process, NORD has turned the government review into a farce.