NORD turfs expansion

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star - March 07, 2008

A proposed expansion of the North Okanagan Regional District office has been halted at least for now. A weighted vote (based on population) resulted in $3 million for a building expansion being removed from the 2008 budget, which was adopted by directors Wednesday. “The likelihood of us commencing something in 2008 is less than zero,” said chairman Jerry Oglow. Proponents of removing the $3 million pointed to valley-wide governance talks and that the basic structure of NORD may change as a result of that process. “That will to a large degree dictate what we do with the building,” said Eric Foster, Lumby director. The expansion would partially accommodate Greater Vernon Services Committee staff who are in a rental office in downtown Vernon right now. But Wayne Lippert, Vernon director, indicated that the city may withdraw from GVSC’s water utility, and Areas B and C may leave the economic development function.“We don’t know if those people (staff) will be staying with the regional district or going to the city or Coldstream,” he said. There is also the reality that a referendum on borrowing $3 million wouldn’t likely be held until November, with construction not starting until spring 2009. But keeping the $3 million in the budget had its advocates. “We’ve been stalling things long enough,” said Rick Fairbairn, rural Lumby director. “We had a plan to move all employees from downtown to out here.” With expansion money removed, directors agreed to add $68,000 to the budget for maintenance work to the NORD office on Aberdeen Road in Coldstream.

The 2008 NORD budget includes a seven per cent overall tax requisition for the entire region. But each community is requisitioned based on the services it receives from NORD, and that varies. In fact, the budget impact can change from neighbourhood to neighbourhood depending on what services are in place such as street lights and recycling. At least one politician doesn’t believe the budget process has been transparent enough.“I don’t see any process for real public input into the budget,” said Barry Beardsell, alternate Vernon director.“Where does the public come along and give any input?”