Council debates petition

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star - April 27, 2008

Residents could soon be signing a petition on health care at Vernon city hall. It’s anticipated council will decide Monday whether to use city hall as a venue for a petition demanding more resources for Vernon Jubilee Hospital. “The city should really get involved because the community is in terrible straits in regards to the hospital,” said Coun. Barry Beardsell. The petition, which was started by the Vernon Taxpayers Association, asks the provincial government to increase funding for acute care beds, operating rooms and permanent nursing staff at VJH. “I fully support residents signing the petition because it puts weight behind us when we talk to the government and the health board about these matters,” said Mayor Wayne Lippert.However, Lippert admits there is some reluctance about city hall playing host to petition campaigns.“Are we setting a precedent where we open up the door for petitions that aren’t appropriate?” he said. The petition is currently available at the Coldstream municipal office, and Mayor Gary Corner says there was little debate about it there.“People agree that it would be nice to have better facilities and we are a growing community,” he said.

The petition is also available at doctors’ offices, Butcher Boys, the Halina Centre, Towne Cinema, the Falkland General Store, the Lumby Pharmacy, Askew’s in Armstrong, the Enderby Credit Union, the North Valley Echo, the Enderby IDA Pharmacy and the Ashton Creek Store. It is also available outside of Buy-Low Foods and the Schubert Centre weather-permitting, and it can be downloaded from www.vernonblog.blogspot.com.

“The petition seems to have taken on a life of its own,” said Kay Stamboulieh, with the Vernon Taxpayers Association.

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Morning Star Editorial May 27 Petition requires council support

It’s hard to understand why there has to be much debate at Vernon city hall over a petition about conditions at Vernon Jubilee Hospital, Making it available to the public is a no brainer. Especially when you consider that city officials have shown significant leadership in lobbying the provincial government for increased resources at VJH. Getting behind a grassroots petition is just the next step in the evolution process. There appears to be some concern that permitting this petition to sit on the counter at city hall will set a precedent for future petitions, and particularly those issues that council doesn’t endorse. There is always a chance of that, but if those issues are as significant as conditions at VJH, then they should find a place at city hall. While Vernon is debating whether to assist the petition organizers, there was little talk in Coldstream. It was deemed to be important to the community there and counter space was found in the municipal office. But not all of the pressure should be on Vernon because VJH serves the entire North Okanagan. City halls in Lumby, Armstrong, Enderby and Spallumcheen, as well as the regional district, should be getting directly involved and ensuring their residents not only know of the petition, but take action. Without proper health care facilities, North Okanagan communities will find it challenging to attract new residents or businesses, and tourism marketing might as well be shelved. So much rides on our hospital being the best it can be.In the end, now is the time for all municipal councils to do the right thing and not be left sitting on the sidelines.

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Don Quixote Note: Council is coming up to UBCM resolution time and maybe they should consider their backing and promotion of last year's UBCM resolution:

B154 HOSPITAL CAPITAL COST FINANCING : THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Provincial Government assume 100% responsibility of capital hospital expenditures for all municipalities in British Columbia and eliminate the hospital property tax imposed on taxpayers outside the Greater Vancouver Regional District area.