By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: November 18, 2008
Vernon’s new council is ready to get down to business. On Dec. 1, Mayor Wayne Lippert will be sworn in for a second term, as will incumbent councillors Patrick Nicol, Buffy Baumbrough and Jack Gilroy, and newcomers Mary-Jo O’Keefe, Bob Spiers and Shawn Lee. “I’m looking forward to working with this council. It looks like a good council,” said Lippert of Saturday’s election results. For Lippert, a priority over the next three years is launching the new economic development/tourism function. “It’s important for the region so we can keep the businesses we have and attract business,” he said. O’Keefe, who owns a tourism marketing business, also wants to focus on the economy. “I’m excited about what I can contribute to that conversation,” she said, adding that she is pleased with the city starting a two per cent hotel room tax for marketing. O’Keefe also wants to focus on accessing senior government grants for local projects.
For Nicol, his agenda includes co-operation with regional partners and the draft fire service review, which could lead to changes at the Okanagan Landing’s volunteer fire hall. “I hope to get a sense from Okanagan Landing residents on the matter. There should be public input sessions where Landing residents can have a say,” he said.
Baumbrough wants to implement the new official community plan, especially based on comments she heard during the campaign. “There will be a need to set priorities. The OCP is very comprehensive and it speaks to many issues,” she said.
Land use issues are also key for Lee as he moves into a councillor’s chair.“We really need to make decisions based on our OCP. It can’t just sit on a shelf. We really need to do something with it,” he said. “I want to work in harmony with the rest of council.”
With a 2009 budget soon needed, Spiers wants to take a look at the financial situation. “The budget is number one. We have to attack it and make sure there are no tax increases unnecessarily,” he said. Spiers doesn’t expect a difficult learning curve for the new budget. “The budget is yet to be presented by administration to council so the process really hasn’t started yet,” he said.
Gilroy wants to address concerns about the odour at the biosolids facility in the Commonage and he wants to see improvements in Polson Park. “It’s been way too long since the (grandstand arson) fire and we need to do something there. We need a plan,” he said.
One of the results from Saturday’s election has been revised.Due to a reporting error, Patrick Nicol was thought to only have 357 votes at the Ellison Elementary poll when it was actually 1,357. In the end, he received a total of 5,286 votes at all of the polls in Vernon.
