Resident joins councillor in core review call

Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: July 01, 2010 6:00 PM

Jim Bodkin thinks the current lineup of Vernon council is the best that’s been elected in the eight years he’s lived in Vernon. Even told them that to their collective faces. Bodkin, the first to speak at a 30-minute public hearing on the City of Vernon’s 2009 annual report, which includes remuneration paid to council and staff, stated that would be the end of his nice remarks. “It’s nothing personal, I don’t have any problems with the compensation that the mayor and councillors receive,” said Bodkin. “I’m sure you don’t do it for the money.”

The report states that $18.8 million was paid out in earnings, expenses and allowances in 2009, and 63 city employees made more than $75,000. What “rots my socks,” said Bodkin, who spoke for 25 of the 30 minutes allotted for the public hearing, is the fact that some councillors collected extra money for attending meetings. “I commend those who didn’t claim the meeting money, and for those who did, I think you should donate the money to the Vernon charity of your choice,” he said. “It’s a matter of basic principle.” Bodkin also agreed with Coun. Bob Spiers’ request for a core review of city services.

The city’s report also showed a significant increase in the number of employees. In 2009, the gross number of employees was 299, compared to 267 in 2008 and 241 in 2007. Those numbers bothered resident Nathaniel Royko. “How can you justify such an increase at the time when the province is near the recession, most people lost a big portion of their savings, employees are earning less and less and home values are going down weekly?” said Royko. “The city is not growing near those numbers, and, perhaps most importantly, nothing really big or important initiated by the city is happening in Vernon. “It shows a complete disrespect for the taxpayer, and an unbound growth of the city bureaucracy.”

Downtown Vernon Association Ruth Hoyte was the last to speak. She encouraged council to look at communities such as Burnaby and Coquitlam who have put a cap on business and residential tax ratios.