Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: September 04, 2010 12:00 PM
Vernon will not be returning to the regional fire dispatch service — even for just a few months. North Okanagan Regional District staff had recommended Wednesday that an Aug. 4 decision removing the city from the function be rescinded and that the city be part of the service until Dec. 31. However, the board decided to retain the status quo. “Instead of making it look like we’re bouncing back and forth, it’s done and let’s leave it done,” said Wayne Lippert, Vernon director. “A decision has been made. What will the perception be in the public (over rescinding the decision) and what will this do for budgets because there was a month where we technically weren’t there?”
Opposition to not rescinding the motion came from directors Mike Macnabb, Mike Gavinchuk and Rick Fairbairn. “The whole procedure was requested by the City of Vernon,” said Fairbairn, rural Lumby director, of possibly keeping the city in the service until Dec. 31 instead of Aug. 4. “Regional district staff got together with city staff and put together arrangements but when it comes to the board, it’s blindsided by the city directors. There’s a lack of communications by city representatives and their staff.” NORD issued a request for proposals for providing fire dispatch earlier this year after Vernon stated it was leaving the regional function so it could focus on infrastructure enhancements it requires. Lippert claims NORD’s decision to immediately remove Vernon from the function ended the contract that sees the city provide the dispatch service. NORD has decided to enter into negotiations with the Fraser Valley Regional District to provide fire dispatch, but that process may not be completed by Dec. 31.
As part of discussions Wednesday, the city will continue to provide the function to other North Okanagan communities until Dec. 31 and, if necessary, on a month-to-month basis after that. The current dispatch equipment is owned by the regional district. Patrick Nicol, a Vernon director, supported not rescinding the Aug. 4 decision, saying that fire dispatch has become too divisive and it’s time to move on. “No one has the appetite to continue this so let it go,” he said.
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Morning Star Editorial Dispatch fight just politics
North Okanagan Regional District directors have decided to stay the course and not change the date for Vernon withdrawing from the fire dispatch service. That all came after a plea from city director Wayne Lippert. “Instead of making it look like we’re bouncing back and forth, it’s done and let’s leave it done,” he said to his colleagues. “What will the perception be in the public (over rescinding the original date)?” And while there is logic to that argument, there is also evidence that regional district staff recommended changing the withdrawal date after consultation with city staff. The comments made by Lippert apparently go against his own administration, and if that is the case, a breakdown in communications has been exposed. And the situation doesn’t put the city in a good light if there was an apparent agreement between the city and NORD, and then the politicians reversed it at the last minute.
Of course the regional district isn’t squeaky clean in all of this. Why was there such a rush to grant the city’s request to leave fire dispatch in August, when year-end is customary for such action, and it would have provided a clean break for everyone? Did it happen in August to prevent city directors from voting on a new service provider for areas outside of Vernon (Vernon didn’t bid on the contract but wanted to be handed the job)? In the end, though, all of this bickering over withdrawal dates just highlights political games and really means nothing. North Okanagan residents will continue to have firefighters dispatched to emergencies, whether it is by the current provider until Dec. 31 or someone else in the future.
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