GVAC Lives On

Written by Peter McIntyre Thursday, 05 November 2009 10:26107.5 KISSFM

Greater Vernon Advisory Committee meetings will continue for the foreseeable future. Despite a call from the city of Vernon to have the advisory panel disbanded, NORD directors just received the city's motion for information at Wednesday's meeting. Despite that outcome, Mayor Wayne Lippert --who is also the chair of GVAC-- expects future debates about the need for the advisory panel dealing with Greater Vernon water, and parks and recreation issues. Lippert tells KISS FM, "I don't think it matters if you're the chairperson of a committee or not. It comes down to whether the committee is effective and whether it's doing proper business and getting on with business. We've had this discussion at the regional board before, and at GVAC meetings and I think it's something the board needs to deal with, and I'm sure they will." Lippert feels the GVAC duties could be handled by the regular NORD board at its twice monthly meetings. He says NORD staff have been asked to look at possible restructuring for the committee but he admits not all members are in favour of that idea.

While city politicians feel the committee is redundant, electoral area directors, Mike Macnabb and Mike Gavinchuk, say it helps the politicians make more informed decisions, and takes work load off the regional board. GVAC meetings are held once a month at the NORD office.