Committee divided as Lippert re-elected GVAC chair

Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Published: January 06, 2011 6:00 PM
 The chairperson of the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee does not have full support of his colleagues.  Wayne Lippert, Vernon director, was re-elected as chairperson Thursday, but BX-Silver Star director Mike Macnabb was also nominated for the job.  “It’s just the nature of politics in the North Okanagan,” said Lippert.  “It’s always good to have competition.”  Macnabb was nominated by Gyula Kiss, a Coldstream director.  “I thought I had enough votes together but someone betrayed me,” said Kiss.  There are seven committee members, but the election for chairperson was done by secret ballot and the actual vote count is not known.  Kiss insists he had specific reasons as to why he didn’t want Lippert as chairperson again.  “If someone wants to get rid of GVAC, why would he want the position? He voted once to get rid of it and his council also voted for getting rid of it.”  Divisions have been evident at GVAC for a number of months, particularly over the future of water distribution — which Vernon wants to leave — and parks and recreation — which some participants want to restructure. Pointing to Lippert’s attempts to get Kiss to wrap up a presentation on water rates Thursday, Kiss also claims Lippert tries to restrict discussion.  “I spent a lot of time working on that presentation,” said Kiss.  Macnabb, who was acclaimed as vice-chairperson, was reluctant to say if there are concerns about Lippert’s leadership.  “It’s a style, a manner. The current chair has said GVAC should be disbanded so I’m not sure why he would want to be chair,” said Macnabb.  Lippert denies suggestions that he isn’t interested in Greater Vernon issues.  “I find that interesting because at a recent joint meeting, Coldstream council said it would withdraw from the parks function and director Macnabb wants to wind down the service,” said Lippert.  “I would question what their commitment is.” As for Kiss’ assertions that he tried to stifle discussion Thursday, Lippert says, “We had time constraints because two directors had another meeting to go to.”  Despite some conflict, Lippert says the public’s interests are being addressed.  “It would be nice to find some resolution to these challenges,” he said. “We need to get everyone to think with their regional hat and not just their jurisdiction.”  Lippert is defended by Jack Gilroy, a Vernon director.  “He’s committed to Greater Vernon and wants to keep parks and recreation together. I think he does a great job,” said Gilroy.
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Published: January 06, 2011 6:00 PM Morning Star Editorial GVAC directors playing games

The ongoing antics are starting to make a kindergarten class look more mature than the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee.  On top of the back and forth haggling over the operation of parks and recreation, there was an attempt to keep Vernon Mayor Wayne Lippert out of the chairperson’s role for another term Thursday. There’s obviously nothing wrong with new blood and new perspective, but the reasons some directors gave for wanting to toss Lippert were hollow.  “The current chair has said GVAC should be disbanded so I’m not sure why he would want to be chair,” said director Mike Macnabb.  And it may be fair to ask Lippert why Vernon council did ask the regional district to scrap GVAC. But it should be pointed out that Macnabb recently presented a motion calling for the parks and recreation service to be wound down, and now because that motion failed, he is considering withdrawing from the service. One should question his commitment to Greater Vernon as much as he challenges Lippert’s.  Coldstream director Gyula Kiss has also taken aim at Lippert, but Kiss’ council has threatened to withdraw from parks and recreation if it doesn’t get its way over restructuring the service.  It’s hard to know what the next step is, or if the clash of personalities can even be resolved. But it’s completely obvious that the public interest is not being served by these political games.  Perhaps the only solution is to load all of the Greater Vernon politicians on to a bus and send them back to elementary school for a lesson on civics and how to get along.