The North Okanagan Regional District has chosen three people to sit on a steering committee that will guide the future of valley-wide governance. Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert was chosen to represent large-sized communities, Armstrong Mayor Jerry Oglow to represent medium communities and Stan Field, of Electoral Area C, to be the voice of rural communities in NORD. The three men will meet with six politicians from the Central and Okanagan-Similkameen regional districts to begin a process that could lead to an amalgamation of services. Last week, Community Services Minister Ida Chong told districts staying separate might not be an option and to form a working group by mid-October. Lippert said he‘s looking forward to helping shape a new direction for governance in the Okanagan. “I‘m glad to be involved with it. Vernon is the largest player in the North Okanagan and as mayor I should be there.”
During the NORD meeting Wednesday, some directors wondered why other members didn‘t have more of a say in who was appointed. Director Juliette Cunningham said she has concerns about the process, not with the people appointed. “I think it would have been useful if we had input as a council on who would represent us, but it appeared it was already decided before the meeting.” Lippert said he has met and worked with his counterparts in the other Valley communities, which will be a benefit to the work they do. “We already have that working relationship and that will help expedite this process.”
The group will start with an outline of their work plan, to be finished in November, followed by community consultation and a report for the minister by March. NORD chairman Jerry Oglow said their objective throughout the process will be to find the best way to deliver services in the Valley, something they will figure out along the way. “Once consultations are finished and input is received, then obviously the real debate will begin on what exactly it means, what‘s working well and what‘s not working well.”
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