There will be no stopping the alternative approval process underway for the new Vernon library. The Okanagan Regional Library plans to borrow 11 million dollars for a new downtown building through NORD in order to get a better interest rate through the Municipal Financing Authority. Spallumcheen resident Michael Fairbrass had written the regional board asking them to rethink that, and to instead call a referendum, suggesting that would be the legal way. NORD chair Herman Halvorson says that argument was rejected. "Under the local government act, we're doing everything according to the letter of the law. That's something that's been in the process for quite some time so there's really nothing we can do with that." Halvorson says it's too late to stop the legal process already underway. He adds it is a cheaper way to get the result. The balloting ends July 5, with the forms available through the regional district.It requires ten percent of the 63,552 voters in the region to say no, to derail the process.
Vernon mayor Wayne Lippert and Library board chair Ted Bacigalupo look over design of new library (file photo P. McIntyre)
2 comments:
May be doing everything under the letter of the law,but totally ignoring the basic rights of the taxpayer to say yes or no-especially in these tough economic times.Every local politician is guilty including Mr Spiers for not objecting to the process on an ongoing basis
Spiers pleads guilty to voting in favour of giving the land for a nominal price to the Library so as to keep the Library Downtown. ( I requested a full reverter clause but was only able to get a 20 year reverter clause on the land.)
In retrospect I would have liked the entire NORD area to put in their proportionate share of the land value but I overlooked that argument and in view of the unanimous vote I don't feel that it would have been approved anyway.
As to the Library borrowing the money through NORD using the alternate-approval process rather than a referendum is anther matter.
If you had this overturned either through the 10% alternate approval needed or actually went to a referendum and it was turned down it would accomplish little.
All that would happen is the library would go out and borrow the money from a private lender and would have to pay a higher rate (and therefore a higher cost to taxpayer).
The Library does NOT have to get approval from the taxpayers to borrow money and they can simply go to the bank and borrow funds .
The decision to put a library in Vernon was made by the Library Board.
http://vernonblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/new-library-costs-data-what-would.html
Above link shows the Vernon taxpayers share of this $11 million financing.
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