Peter McIntyre Thursday, 12 August 2010 14:50107.5 KISSFM
Greater Vernon communities hope that talks -- not court action -- will lead to a breakthrough in the long running water devolution issue. Vernon mayor Wayne Lippert says the partners will put a legal review on hold until the end of the year. "There's no sense spending a whole bunch more money on court cases if the province goes in the direction we think they will. We want to find solutions." 
Coldstream mayor Jim Garlick (pictured) says the district---with encouragement from Victoria--- put forward the idea to discuss devolution to try and end the stalemate. "You get tired of beating your head against the wall, so you think, what's the second option to making things move ahead. The city keeps saying, 'we want devolution', and the province asked us if we could look at a way to make it work, so we're being agreeable." Garlick says the District wants a timeline on separating the domestic and agricultural systems, and a way to connect the water sources, before agreeing to changing the distribution system. It could lead to each jurisdiction being responsible for their own water distribution which is what Vernon has been seeking.
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