Baumbrough contests mayor’s appointments

Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: November 24, 2009 7:00 PM

A Vernon politician isn’t hiding her displeasure about her duties for the coming year. Coun. Buffy Baumbrough has voted against the 2010 committee appointments because Mayor Wayne Lippert didn’t name her to the North Okanagan Regional District board, although that’s where she wanted to be. “There weren’t changes made to appointments based on that discussion so I won’t be supporting the motion,” she said. Baumbrough will continue to serve as an alternate to NORD, but she says promotion to full director would have made sense because of her involvement with the regional growth strategy, meat processing, air quality, Okanagan Basin Water Board and the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee. “I have a real interest in being part of the regional district,” she said. Baumbrough believes she would be an asset at the board table because it makes the final decision on any issues brought forward by GVAC. “It would be great to speak to the issues at NORD,” she said, adding that would provide clarity on recommendations.

Lippert defends his appointment process. “I interviewed all councillors and asked what their preferences would be. She indicated she’d like to be at the full NORD board,” he said. However, he opted to stay with himself and Councillors Patrick Nicol and Jack Gilroy as representatives to maintain some consistency. “Things have been working well there. The city has a good relationship with the board,” he said, adding that Baumbrough is a valuable part of the team and fills in when one of the main directors is absent. “Alternate directors can always report to the board.” In making appointments, Lippert says he was also attempting to reduce workload for some councillors, including Baumbrough. “Some councillors are on more committees than others so I’m trying to balance workload and involve people,” he said. For 2010, Baumbrough has been appointed to GVAC and the Okanagan Basin Water Board, and is an alternate to the regional growth management committee.

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Morning Star Editorial: Protest vote doesn’t help

Coun. Buffy Baumbrough has a point. She would be a good city of Vernon representative on the North Okanagan Regional District board. And it does match up nicely with her other responsibilities with the regional growth strategy, meat processing, air quality, Okanagan Water Basin Board and the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee. She even makes a strong case that her presence on the board would add clarity and ease of communication between the various boards and committees that she is already involved with. So it’s understandable that Baumbrough lobbied Mayor Wayne Lippert for a spot on the NORD board, only to be disappointed that he went against her wishes. The mayor, as is his right, decided to keep the status quo at NORD – Coun. Patrick Nicol, Coun. Jack Gilroy and himself. His reasoning is that the trio is functioning well and “has a good relationship with the board.” He also pointed out that Baumbrough is an alternate director to NORD and can contribute to the team in that manner. Lippert was also attempting to address workload, an issue Baumbrough herself brought up when it came to compensating councillors for meetings recently, so it’s difficult not to argue that the mayor was at least attempting to do the right thing for all concerned. Baumbrough, of course, has the right to disagree. She can even publicly vote against the 2010 committee appointments, which she did. However, it comes across as more like personal sour grapes than anything constructive for the future direction of council as a whole.