Ida Chong has decreed that the Mayors of all 3 major cities be on the Super Regional Discussion group. This will add the Mayor of Penticton and the Mayor of Kelowna and since Mayor Lippert of Vernon has already been appointed by the NORD board, NORD will have to add another member.
Since the orginal intention of this committee was to have representatives from one large sized community, one medium sized community and one rural community then this decree will cause problems. The City of Penticton will now have 2 representatives as will the City of Kelowna and consequently it is logical that there be a second appointment from the City of Vernon.
Now one would expect NORD to have a meeting prior to Nov. 26 to choose this representative from Vernon. They seem to wish to choose a NORD member and since the recent Vernon appointments for 2008 have been announced that makes only Coun. Gilroy and Coun. Cunnigham elgible to be anointed and elevated to the Super Regional Committee.
Furthermore Coun. Gilroy is a long time residential taxpayer in Vernon as is Coun Cunninham and this at least would finally give Vernon Residential taxpayers a representative on this august body.
As both the Mayors of Penticton and Kelowna actually sit on their respective boards then it is obvious that unless the appointments to NORD are changed by the Council on Monday that either rookie Gilroy or rookie Coun. Cunningham will get some more valuable experience representing Vernon on this elite team who will forge the Valley's future. Our only veteran Councillors with Vernon Residency status Coun. Nichol and Coun. Beardsell will have been relegated to the sidelines by recent committee shuffles.
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Members of Board prior to Minister Chong's decree:
Regional District Okanagan-Similkameen
Chair D. Ashton, City of Penticton
Director J. Slater, Town of Osoyoos
Director G. Logan, Electoral Area ‘H’
The Central Okanagan Regional District
Robert Hobson Kelowna Coun., Peachland Mayor, Graham Reid and Central Okanagan East Electoral Area Director, Patty Hanson.
The North Okanagan Regional District (NORD)
Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert, Armstrong Mayor Gerry Oglow and Electotal Area C director Stan Field.
The three appointees are suppose to represent the interests of 'a large city rep, a medium city rep and an electoral area rep,' respectively.
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