Oglow Remains as NORD Chair and Governance Representation Too Rural

By Pete McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM

Armstrong's mayor will continue as NORD's chairman, but not all directors are pleased with his direction.Jerry Oglow was challenged for the one year position by Enderby councillor and former NORD chair Earl Shipmaker. The vote result wasn't released but indications are it was close, with some rural directors wanting to turf Oglow apparently for pandering to the city of Vernon.

Oglow tells KISS FM, 'I think what I read into this is that other people have things to offer that perhaps that I'm not offering and that's fair. That happens in every election.'Meantime, rural Enderby director Herman Halvorson went unopposed to become the new vice chair, previously held by Vernon's Wayne Lippert.Lippert wasn't even nominated for the position but didn't seem too concerned when queried by the media. "That's politics. I was happy either way but again that's politics and that's about as much a comment as I can make." Spallumcheen director Lorna Bissell was chosen as NORD's chair for the Regional Hospital District Board.

Governance Representation Too Rural By Pete McIntyre

There's concerns the NORD reps on the valley wide governance committee have too much of a rural flavour.Rick Fairbairn of Area D was chosen to be the regional district's 4-th member on the committee, while Herman Halvorson of Area F will take Stan Field's place. Field, the director for BX Silver Star, removed himself from the committee as he'll be away for three
of the upcoming meetings.

Vernon mayor Wayne Lippert had concerns with having two electoral area reps fill the spots, saying it would upset the balance of the representation. 'Both the Okanagan Central and Southern (regional districts) have one electoral area rep, one from a smaller municipality and two from the cities, a councillor and mayor, and I was looking to have that same level of balance in our regional district. 'Halvorson rejected city of Vernon concerns about having more rural reps than the other two regional districts.'I feel we're doing this thing as a region and that's what it's all about so I think I can represent the region just as well as anybody else. I don't have a problem with it.'

The 12-member committee has until next March to come up with new governance ideas for the valley, as requested by the BC government. The next meeting will be December 19 in Penticton. The regional district board members from through out the valley will meet in Vernon (Vernon Lodge) January 11.