Vernon’s mayor is being accused of fuelling disputes with neighbouring jurisdictions. Jim Garlick, Coldstream mayor, says he is increasingly frustrated with Wayne Lippert over the future of water and parks and recreation. “The main instigator of virtually every service review or the instigator of disruption (at meetings) is Wayne Lippert,” Garlick told The Morning Star. “I don’t believe anyone can get along with Wayne Lippert. We’ve seen that with fire dispatch at the regional district.” Garlick is particularly upset with comments Lippert made about Coldstream not supporting Vernon withdrawing from water distribution. “It just shows they can’t hold to an agreement, so if you can’t hold to an agreement with someone, what kind of partnership can you expect to have?” Lippert told Kiss FM. Garlick says his municipality has been consistent about keeping the water utility intact and has been part of the negotiation process. “Wayne Lippert has a way of turning everything into a fight,” he said. Garlick claims the ongoing disputes may be Lippert’s way of encouraging amalgamation of Greater Vernon’s jurisdictions. “That’s his main goal. I don’t think it’s the City of Vernon, it’s Wayne Lippert. He wants to bring the Ontario amalgamation model here,” said Garlick.
Lippert denies he is forcing amalgamation. “Amalgamation will happen eventually if it’s something citizens want,” he said. Lippert also challenges Garlick’s comments that he is difficult to deal with at meetings. “I’m there to look for benefits for everyone and to find solutions. I’m in politics but I hate politics,” he said. Lippert stands by his concerns about Coldstream’s handling of the water utility. “We all agreed to sit down with the province to work out an agreement and look at the best models. Coldstream agreed to that but never signed the agreement. They stalled it,” he said. Garlick opposes amalgamation and says the current governance structure allows his council to address the specific interests of Coldstream and to be financially accountable. “In the case of amalgamation, service in the area would go to the service levels and costs of the city. This would include garbage pick-up, transit and other departments that would have little if any benefits to the outside areas. There will be the need to take on the costs of roads in the electoral areas from the province with increased expectations of service by the residents for those roads,” he said. However, Lippert says residents in all jurisdictions are considering amalgamation because of the disputes over water and parks. “People are talking to me about it,” he said. “Areas B and C should be amalgamated with Vernon or Coldstream or incorporated as a municipality on their own. In the long run, (amalgamation for) the whole North Okanagan should be looked at.”
5 comments:
Thank you Mayor Garlick!
I'd like to add that Vernon's positions on the parks issue, and the water issue, are totally and completely contradictory:
Parks - keep it together (status quo).
Water - rip it apart (devolution).
So Vernon, which is it? Amalgamate or Separate?
As an Electoral Area resident himself, Mayor Lippert may well have a personal interest in the City absorbing Electoral Areas B&C so that he may receive city services at his rural property, at city prices.
However, a survey of rural residents from 2008 clearly showed that 75% were not interested in changing the way they were governed.
And nevermind the tax implications for the average Vernon taxpayer (who the Mayor actually represents!), who would pay higher taxes in an expanded city.
As for Vernon accusing Coldstream of not holding to an agreement...
Vernon holding a gun to the heads of its partners by demanding that all agree to "devolution" (ripping it apart) as the best course of action for our Greater Vernon Water Utility does not serve the public's best interests.
If amalgamation were truly to be considered as a "better" governance option, we should be looking holistically at the entire Greater Vernon area, not cherrypicking bits and pieces of the electoral areas (e.g Swan Lake commercial strip) to add to the city's "ultimate" boundary.
An inclusive planning process, along with an extensive public information and consultation process, similar to what took place in West Kelowna prior to incorporation, would be appropriate.
I won't hold my breath.
One thing we know from reading this article is that Garlick suspects that the Mayor wants amalgamation and the Mayor confirms it. It seems that he is so bent on this path that he is willing to scuttle all efforts to form partnerships and make the current governance structure work.
So what's next? For one thing there needs to be more public debate about the costs for amalgamation. This needs to be firmly established to weigh its merits. In both the short and long terms.
Then in November there will be an election and the taxpayers can then decide which path to go down.
Nobody would want amalgamation with thre being any chance that Lippert,Garlick or McNabb might be on the new council. Furthermore,most would notwant amalgamation if most of Coldstream council,or Vernon council were to be on the new council.If Kwong would have the guts to impose a formula,it could be done in the election this year. Come on Foster,earn your money and do something useful.
In reference to the last comment......I can then assume that this individual, who obviously knows better than all of the present elected officials, is going to run in the next election....or perhaps continue to safely snipe from the sidelines?
There are hundreds of sensible people in Vernon and area that know alot more than the majority of the presently elected officials.Unfortunately so many of them are to busy trying to earn a lnotiving or find a job that they can not run.Some of us have done our civic duty-have you?
Post a Comment