By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: December 11, 2008
The North Okanagan Regional District’s new chairman isn’t satisfied with the status quo. Eric Foster, Lumby mayor, was acclaimed as board chairman by NORD’s 13 directors Wednesday. “There are a lot of new faces at the table and they’re looking at moving in a different direction. They’d like to see some changes,” he said. When pressed for details, Foster says there is a need for some operational amendments. “I’d like to see us go back to committee where there is regional transit and solid waste. There are lots of issues that are very specific,” he said. Presently, matters like solid waste and transit are lumped together within one large committee structure. Foster is the second chairman in a row to come from one of NORD’s small municipal jurisdictions. And he believes that may benefit the regional district because they can provide balance between the five electoral areas and the large urban member, the City of Vernon. “We share the concerns of municipalities but we’re in the country. We’re a bit of a go-between. We don’t have an axe to grind,” he said. Former chairman Jerry Oglow was mayor of Armstrong, but he did not seek re-election in November.
On Thursday, Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert was elected as chairman of the Greater Vernon Services Committee. “I’m looking forward to it but there will be some challenging times,” he said. Economic development and tourism have shifted over to the City of Vernon while the city wants to leave GVAC’s water distribution function. There is also a possibility that parks and recreation will also be conducted differently. “I want to make sure we guide this process through so there is a benefit for all citizens of Greater Vernon,” said Lippert.
