Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: June 19, 2010 12:00 PM
Attempts to apply pressure in Greater Vernon’s water dispute may have backfired. Coldstream and the BX directors recently recommended the water service review be postponed pending a judicial review or Vernon abandoning the legal process. However, that recommendation died in a 3-3 tie vote when it went before members of the North Okanagan Regional District board Wednesday. “It opens the door for the (service review) process to continue,” said Greg Betts, chief administrative officer. It will be up to the participating jurisdictions to determine if mediation resumes.
The prospect of a judicial review began in March when the city appealed an arbitrator’s decision that stated Vernon couldn’t just withdraw from the distribution component of the water utility. A parallel process of mediation, also known as a service review, was also launched to try and find common ground. However, officials from Coldstream and the BX decided in early June that meditation could not continue if arbitration may still occur. “We want to bargain in good faith. There’s no point in holding a gun to our head,” said Mike Macnabb, BX-Silver Star director. The three Vernon representatives voted against accepting the recommendation, forcing the deadlock. “There’s an obligation to all of the taxpayers to work it out,” said director Patrick Nicol, adding that the judicial review is not a stumbling block. “It’s only a barrier if you want to make it one.” Director Mary-Jo O’Keefe doesn’t see a link between mediation and the judicial review. “I understood them as two different processes. I thought they could continue at the same time,” she said.
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Coldstreamer's Point of view can be seen at http://coldstreamernews.blogspot.com/2010/06/tie-vote-could-force-resumption-of.html
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