Mayor Meets with Taxpayers Association

Betty Selin and Starlee Speers Astral Media Radio, Vernon Wed, 2008-03-05

The Mayor of Vernon and the Taxpayer's Association spent a couple of hours on Tuesday discussing some of the most contentious issues in the city . Discussions ranged from giving Landing Residents sewer at no cost to concerns about the Western By-pass and the total cost of the civic complex. Mayor Wayne Lippert says they also discussed a request for a moratorium on sprawl development..."In essence it's happening. There hasn't been a moratorium because we're trying to work with the development community around the associated fees. No development wants to do work until they know what the guiding principles are going to be."The Mayor says his door is always open and he invited the Association to meet with him on a regular basis.

Tony Stamboulieh with the Vernon Taxpayers Association says, there was quite a debate with the Mayor and adds it was a good meeting. He says, that's why they issued a press release the day after the meeting. "Well I think it's a good thing for people to know that the Mayor felt he should talk to us. He's called us a fringe group in the past, now he's inviting us for conversations. That shows a change of heart and a change of direction." Stamboulieh says, the Taxpayers Association is going to take up the Mayor on his offer to hold monthly meetings.