Vernon voices concerns over governance review

By Tracy Clark - Penticton Western News - March 21, 2008

A final report on the regional governance received unanimous support from the review committee but still did not go far enough in its representation of the largest communities, according to one Okanagan mayor. “It was felt that the district perspective did not necessarily follow along with what the large-city perspective may be,” said Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert of the position his council holds on the regional governance review, which was completed Wednesday The final report, which recommends further examination of an inter-regional authority and the merger of the three regional districts but does not recommend a single option, will be forwarded to Community Services Minister Ida Chong on Tuesday. Chong ordered the review last year at UBCM citing a need to address the fast pace of growth and pending effects of climate change that could impact the entire region. She asked the committee, which is made up of representatives from the three regional districts, to provide a direction for the future of the regional districts in the valley. The final report was completed a week ahead of schedule.

After the end of Wednesday’s meeting, Lippert said he felt the final report was good, but planned to take the report back to his council for further input. “We do need to have a look at what is there,” he said, adding that he expected the mayors of Vernon, Kelowna, Westbank and Penticton may also want to discuss and make “footnotes” or “addendums” to the report, some of which might come out of a meeting of the four mayors Thursday. “I am sure the mayors will look to add to it,” he said. Lippert said he wants to “ensure that there is a perspective of the larger cities,” in which 80 per cent of the population of the valley resides. But RDOS chair Dan Ashton said the report that the committee voted on Wednesday was the final copy. Any final additions or revisions to the report should have come forward at the final meeting. “If the mayors have some concerns I think it would be in their best interests to direct those concerns directly to the minister ... it was a unanimous vote to submit this,” he pointed out.

“So, in the utmost respect to Mayor Lippert, if there are additional comments or additional concerns they should probably be coming in at a separate time.” Rural Princeton director Gerri Logan, who represented the RDOS’s rural areas on the committee, said Vernon’s mayor had ample time to add his input into the report. “We have all sat at this table right from the start and Mayor Lippert has been extremely vocal in all his opinions ...” she said. “And I don’t think just because you have more people squished per square inch in your area makes you any more important than the rural people living in my area.” At this point Logan, who has also been vocal in her opposition to the option of merging the three regional districts, said she will wait to see what the minister will do with the report. “We could be right back in the battle. We don’t know now what is going to happen. But we voiced our opinion,” she said.