Star request before NORD

By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star - April 09, 2008

Silver Star residents are waiting to see if a push for municipal status will get the blessing of politicians. North Okanagan Regional District directors will consider a request today from the Silver Star Property Owners Association to support a governance review. “We’d like to look at all the options so people have all of the information,” said Ted Pleavin, association president. While the options range from joining the City of Vernon to remaining part of the BX-Silver Star electoral area, the preferred option of many residents is forming a municipality. “This area needs some permanent say in what happens here,” said Pleavin. Some residents claim NORD has not been responsive to the community’s needs, and Pleavin says that situation wouldn’t likely change if Vernon was involved. “It’s another distant body from us. It’s a long-distant body and it’s not right,” he said. A governance review was done three years ago, but Pleavin insists there is a need for it to be updated.

“The last review wasn’t complete and it didn’t allow us to talk about municipal status,” he said. He added that the resort now has 200 permanent residents and 800 homes, as well as commercial property. “With all of the building going on, there will be a lot more. You also have to look at the very large tax base. Finances aren’t an issue.” Jerry Oglow, NORD chairman, isn’t sure how the board will handle the association’s request, but he will support it. “If any community wishes to look at its options, it’s not something I would discourage,” he said. Stan Field, BX-Silver Star director, also favours Silver Star residents accessing information on governance models. “There’s interest in reviewing the issue,” he said. But Field believes the process may only require looking at the old governance report, partly because it cost about $40,000 to compile. “There’s a cost attached to these reviews and it’s not a cheap cost,” he said. The City of Vernon recently refused to support the association’s bid for a governance review, but Pleavin says the request will be resubmitted to council with a clarification attached.