A dispute over lease payments is threatening to shut down Vernon Regional Airport. A small stretch of the airport's runway sits on Okanagan Indian Band land. But unlike the vast majority of First Nation land issues in B.C., the airport operator and the band are generally in agreement on a new lease agreement. t's the federal Department of Indian and Northern Affairs that seems to be holding up negotiations, Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert said Wednesday. "I'm hopeful that we have everything sorted out," Lippert told The Province. "We have a meeting with John Jack and Cindy Brewer, who have a certificate of possession for the land, along with [OKIB director of operations] Edmund Gus." The last lease on the seven-acre plot in the middle of the runway ran out in 2006. Since then, the city of Vernon, which owns the airport, has made monthly lease payments of $4,100 to Jack and Brewer - double the previous tariff.
Lippert said both sides are feeling "a level of frustration." Vernon city council approved a new fee schedule of $3,500 a month, said Lippert. "I've spoken to [OKIB] Chief Fabian Alexis a 
couple of times and he said their council supported the original agreement, and the Jacks. "It seemed like everybody was onside." But when the proposal was sent to a bureaucrat at Indian and Northern Affairs, the deal stalled. Chief Alexis was unavailable for comment. Lippert said Jack and Brewer imposed a deadline of today on negotiations. If no agreement is reached the airport could be shut down Aug. 31 by Jack and Brewer, according to a recent report posted on castanet.net. "We've been making our payments under the [month-to-month] agreement all along," said Lippert, who would like to negotiate a 49-year-lease. "Indian and Northern Affairs Canada ... are the ones who control the leases. The lease the city enters into is actually with Canada," he explained.
With a runway only 3,518 feet (1,072 metres) long, the airport does not have any scheduled commercial flights, but it is an important amenity for the city of Vernon, said Lippert. "There are some charter flights that work out of it," he said. "There's an [aviation] business park [with] 125 to 150 good-paying jobs." Okanagan College offers a course to become an aircraft maintenance engineer at the airport, as well. "It's frustrating, because it's out of our control," said Lippert. "We've got a good relationship with the Okanagan Indian Band and we don't want to jeopardize that. Chief Alexis has indicated he doesn't want to lose that either."
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Don Quixote Note: Maybe our M.P. knew of the difficulty of working with the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs when he said “Government is not bad. We are trying,” said Mayes. “And it is very difficult when you deal with INAC (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada), a heartless department. But believe me, there are politicians who are representing you in Ottawa, and we do have a heart for aboriginal people.” Eagle Valley News July 8 Splatsin seek to heal from wrongs of the past
7 comments:
Why does the Mayor say, we don't have any plans to withdraw services to this Indian Reserve on TV, while the CAO is quoted in the paper as saying, why would we service them if we can't get a lease. Which one is out to lunch here?
Good let the airport shut down
This airport should be funded by the rich boys who keep their toys there and not by the taxpayers!!
The City should also NOT act as a banker to fund expansions or additions
Totally out of control!
"Good let the airport shut down"...
Wow, Im not sure where that came from, but I hope that the author understands that the airport brings in commerce to the community, which in turn employs local residents...This isn't about "rich boys and their toys"..it's about the City of Vernon showing no vision or leadership in resolving this matter two years ago when the lease actually expired.
What commerce?
Give us a number and a description of the goods involved in such 'commerce'!
The airport is a hangout for flyers in the main
I have to agree with the person in respect to the issue isn't about the airport being a place for rich guys and their toys...The bigger picture is about the lack of leadership and willingness by the Mayor and council to have addressed this situation before now...
And to the person who asked about "what commerce"..Business people fly in and out of our airport daily...With them, they buy land / create employment opportunities by bringing in businesses..etc..
Im sure we can all agree, commerce is not just about plane loads of bananas or cans of beans being brought in.
This issue remains...City hall dropped the ball and because of that..the airport maybe closed...
And to the person who said close the airport....And ask yourself one thing..what if you or a loved one needed an air ambulance? Where you do you think it would land...
As far as the ambulance propositon goes it has been clarified that the way it works is through Kelowna
There is no waiting plane in Vernon!
Everything is set up through Kelowna and it makes no time difference
As for those businessmen who come and go they can use the Kelowna airport like the rest of us and stop expecting the taxpayer to subsidise them and their friends
The Vernon airport is a highly overrated luxury that costs the taxpayer too much for too little!
Maybe the rich businessmen with their toys can take both the Mayor and the CAO out for lunch and try to sort out which one is running the place.
Oh wait, wasn't that why the last Mayor had to resign...
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