By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: September 23, 2008
New rules dictating how North Okanagan Regional District meetings function are drawing fire. The City of Vernon has decided to protest the new procedures bylaw which outlines how board and committee meetings unfold. Concerns will also be expressed to the Ministry of Community Services. “We need to vote against it at every step of the way,” said Coun. Pat Cochrane of the bylaw. “There are major flaws in the system and we can’t just roll over and let them continue.” Among the city’s concerns is how votes will be held, and representation at the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee. “They are sticking an agricultural representative in there, which they have no right to do,” said Coun. Barry Beardsell. Beardsell is also upset that politicians won’t receive the NORD board agenda until the Monday before the Wednesday meeting. “There is very little time to go through that material,” he said. There is also a concern that elected officials who don’t sit on a committee can’t speak during deliberations unless the committee members agree. “It’s a waste of time for anyone to go there,” said Beardsell, adding that he attempted to have the rule changed but a majority of the NORD directors disagreed. “All of the guys ganged up against Vernon and Coldstream. The electoral area directors all gang up and the smaller communities tend to jump into bed with the EA directors.”
Cochrane also questions why some functions, like bylaw enforcement and information services, are under the domain of the electoral area directors when they impact all NORD members. “It maintains the belief that the EAs are the ones managing NORD,” he said. Mayor Wayne Lippert wants the city to observe how NORD functions under the new procedures bylaw. “We do have an election coming up and maybe things will change,” he said. NORD is unwilling to get into a public debate with the city over the bylaw. “I’d like to see their concerns and be able to work with them to try and address their concerns,” said chairman Jerry Oglow.
4 comments:
I AM SO SHOCKED!!! You mean City of Vernon Councillors don't actually read Terms of Reference or Procedures for Regional Board Committees? Because if they did, they would have found out that, surprisingly, VERY LITTLE has changed, other than AUTHORITY has been REMOVED from COMMITTEES and has been RESTORED to the REGIONAL BOARD, where it belongs.
Councillor Cochrane, it is unfortunate that despite your many years of public service, you still don't even understand the basics of who votes on what:
What goes on in the Electoral Areas that is funded by the taxpayers of the Electoral Areas is the business of the Electoral Areas, just like what goes on in the City that is funded by City taxpayers is the business of the City.
Councillor Cochrane musta been asleep when they were explaining the voting rules. WAKE UP and smell the coffee, Coldstream voters.
Atleast Mr COCHANE's awake..not like Mr KISS who failed the "electorate's" test three times..But atleast Mr KISS will have Little Miss Riding Hood and Larry, Curly and Moe supporting him..If he's really lucky, he may even get the Easter Bunny to vote for him.
You're right, Coldstream voters wake up
I sure would like to see the school reports of Cochrane and Lippert!
As well as the town crier's here!
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