By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: September 11
B.C.’s community development minister is accused of short-changing the City of Vernon over governance issues. Three members of council will meet with Blair Lekstrom Sept. 16 in Kelowna to discuss the North Okanagan Regional District’s repealing of governance authority for the Greater Vernon Services Committee. However, only half-an-hour has been allotted for the session. “I find it hard to believe that this minister thinks half-an-hour of his time will solve the problem,” said Coun. Barry Beardsell. In early August, all 13 members of the NORD board voted on repealing GVSC’s governance authority. Vernon’s three representatives and Coldstream’s director were opposed. The city, though, insists that it should have only been a stakeholders’ vote among Vernon, Coldstream and Areas B and C. It claims that with two-thirds of the partners opposed, any move to scrap GVSC should have been defeated. But NORD officials have stated that repealing a bylaw is a corporate vote (all directors).The regional district had also separately approached the jurisdictions of Vernon, Coldstream, Area B and Area C, and only the city wouldn’t support the GVSC repeal bylaw moving ahead.
Beardsell believes much of the time with Lekstrom could be taken up with detailed information from chief administrative officer Leon Gous and the city’s lawyer. “This meeting is to get the views of council and the chief administrative officer to the minister so he understands the position of the city,” he said. While there will be limited time with Lekstrom, city staff has been pursuing the matter with his ministry. “I’ve been following up with senior staff in Victoria and will continue to do so,” said Gous. Attending the meeting with Lekstrom will be Mayor Wayne Lippert and Councillors Jack Gilroy and Patrick Nicol. NORD has now changed the name of the GVSC to the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee.
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