District defends case over dispatch

Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: August 12, 2010 6:00 PM

The North Okanagan Regional District is defending its actions over fire dispatch. NORD is disputing claims that it ended a contract with the City of Vernon to provide fire dispatch when it agreed to a request from the city not to participate in the function anymore. “We have an agreement for provision of the service. It’s separate from the service establishment bylaw,” said chairman Herman Halvorson. “The contract is the contract and that goes until the end of the year.” A request for proposals for the service was issued earlier this year after Vernon announced it was leaving the regional function so it could focus on infrastructure enhancements it requires. Vernon did not submit a formal proposal, but it stated it would provide the service as it currently does under contract for the regional function. NORD, instead, has decided to enter into negotiations with the Fraser Valley Regional District to provide fire dispatch.

Halvorson expects that Vernon will continue to provide dispatch until NORD has reached a deal with Fraser Valley, even if it’s on a month-to-month basis after Dec. 31. Halvorson also points out that Vernon can’t simply abandon the regional district over dispatch. “They’re using our equipment and they’ve been paying for it as a member of the service,” he said. Vernon has questioned if it will be reimbursed funding it has paid towards regional dispatch now that it’s been removed from the function. Halvorson says that Vernon’s departure may be moved to Dec. 31 to coincide with tax requisition schedules. Mayor Wayne Lippert continues to insist NORD’s decision to immediately remove Vernon from the function brought the service contract to a halt. “As soon as you take someone out of the service, that changes the service,” he said. He also says the city is willing to provide the contract until NORD makes new arrangements with Fraser Valley. “They need to tell us how they want us to handle things. Now that we’re out of the service, do they want us to charge rent for the equipment?” he said. “I wish directors would work towards solutions instead of putting up walls.”