By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star - April 11, 2008
Vernon’s mayor is increasingly convinced that big city concerns about governance are being ignored. Wayne Lippert says he was disappointed with a meeting Wednesday that he and the mayors of Kelowna, Westside and Penticton held with Community Services Minister Ida Chong in Victoria. “There seems to be a lot of will to protect the regional districts,” he told The Morning Star. “I’m not confident that our concerns will be truly addressed.”The four mayors requested the meeting with Chong to express hesitation about a governance report that was presented to Chong by a task force made up of politicians, including Lippert. The task force recommended an investigation of two potential options — a single regional district or maintaining the existing three districts and creating separate authorities for common issues such as water and transportation. Lippert opposes authorities, claiming they wouldn’t be accountable to taxpayers and costs would increase.
While he has previously indicated support for a single regional district, Lippert says he would back the status quo as long as sub-regional issues are addressed such as the provision of services across boundaries and how municipalities and electoral areas interact. “The rules they work under are different than the rules municipalities work under and that causes friction,” he said. “Each electoral director is mayor and council unto themselves. They act independently.” Lippert denies that he wants electoral areas forced into municipalities. “It doesn’t matter if they are incorporated (as separate municipalities) or amalgamated.”
Chong didn’t state which governance option she favours. “The minister was quite cautious and wouldn’t commit. She will announce what she will do in May,” said Lippert. Some politicians have questioned why the mayors of the valley’s four largest cities met with Chong. “They are doing their thing and trying to change her ideas,” said Stan Field, BX-Silver Star director. “Are these the type of games going on in the valley?” But Jerry Oglow, North Okanagan Regional District chairman and task force member, isn’t concerned. “It’s such an important issue that those making the decisions need as much information as possible,” he said.
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Starlee Speers Astral Media Radio News, Vernon
Mayors back from Meeting with Minister
A meeting between the mayors and the Minister over regional governance issues didn't go as Vernon's Wayne Lippert had hoped. Lippert says, while the words weren't spoken Minister Chong's staff left the impression that municiaplities should pay more than the electoral areas. " I came away with the feeling her staff believes all municipalities should be subsidizing electoral areas."Lippert says, they received no clear direction from the Minister. Ida Chong has indicated she'll release her decision by the end of May.
Starlee Speers Astral Media Radio News, Vernon
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