Vernon residents will not get a say on whether amalgamation should proceed with the neighbours. On Monday, a majority of council rescinded a January motion in principle to ask Vernon voters if the city should pursue the creation of a committee to study the implications of restructuring Greater Vernon governance. “We’d be asking our citizens to fund a study of a marriage where only person is approaching the alter,” said Mayor Rob Sawatzky of the opposition from Coldstream and Areas B and C to a study. Sawatzky also suggested that a city referendum in November could disrupt the positive relationship with the other jurisdictions and the provincial government won’t fund a study if only one participant is involved. “They are clearly not willing so it doesn’t make sense to move forward.” Councillors Bob Spiers and Mary-Jo O’Keefe pushed for the question to be put before Vernon voters. “I’d like to get a sense of what citizens think,” said O’Keefe, adding that the efforts of the the Greater Vernon Governance Society should be acknowledged. The society collected 3,160 names on a petition calling for a governance study. Spiers insists that seeking the views of residents in November would provide direction to the next city council on amalgamation. “I’m not saying amalgamation is the way to go, let’s just do a study,” he said. However, Coun. Juliette Cunningham believes putting the issue before city residents this fall would create false expectations that amalgamation will occur. “If council in the future gets a dancing partner (another jurisdiction), they can pursue it then,” she said.
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Vernon Drops Amalgamation Question
Written by Peter McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM Monday, 22 September 2014 18:43
The issue of Greater Vernon amalgamation officially appears to be dead -- at least for Vernon council. The elected reps voted 4-2 Monday not to include an opinion question for a governance restructure committee in this fall's election, even though they approved the question back in January. Councillor Bob Spiers still feels the result could have been worthwhile. "Just to get a sense of what the people think and whether that should be pursued in the future. That's why I say leave it on the ballot," says Spiers. Councillor Mary Jo O'Keefe also wanted it put to the people, to show respect to the efforts of the citizens group that looked into the governance issue. However Mayor Rob Sawatzky says it makes no sense to move forward, given that Coldstream, and RDNO Electoral Areas B and C have no interest in amalgamation, and the question could just serve to irritate their partners. "Basically we would be proposing a marriage where only one person was approaching the alter," said Sawatzky. Councillor Juliette Cunningham says their decision doesn't close the door on future political action on governance. "If future councils want to pursue this, they can," she says. The original idea was for the province to fund a Greater Vernon governance study, but MLA Eric Foster has said there's no interest in that if only one jurisdiction wants the study.
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Also see: http://infotel.ca/newsitem/governance-question-snipped-from-fall-election-ballot/it13178
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107.5 KISSFM Poll Results FINAL
 Do you agree with Vernon council not pursuing an amalgamation related question on this fall's ballot? | ||
|---|---|---|
| yes | ||
| 30- | 60% | |
| no | ||
| 20- | 40% | |
| Number of Voters | : 50 |
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