Local Leaders Slam Amalgamation Plan

Written by Peter McIntyre 107/.5 KISSFM Friday, 08 November 2013 15:00
A petition calling for a streamlined local government system is not getting much support from local politicians. The Greater Vernon Governance Society says it had more than 3,000 residents support its petition to take a closer look at amalgamation. The society's Bruce Shepherd says they exceeded 20 percent of the voter turnout from the 2011 civic elections in each of Vernon, Coldstream, and Areas B and C. Coldstream Mayor Jim Garlick says he's never heard any talk of pursuing amalgamation on his council, and says his district has more important priorities. "Democracies take time and they take resources, and what I hear from this group is not the support of democracy. I hear them looking at what we want as a dictator benevolent to their directions," Garlick told Kiss FM. Garlick says they get requests from the public all the time, which they have to weigh with other priorities. "How pressing is this issue, or is it not?" he asked. Garlick maintains costs for roads and firefighting would go up under a unified government. "Go educate yourself on how much it costs. Right now, paid fire halls across the province are all upset that they're all based on city of Vancouver (pay) rates. All we all going to throw ourselves in that same problem as a community" BX-Silver Star director Mike Macnabb also doesn't think it should be pursued. "If you were to unify as one group, it's not going to make the problems go away. In fact , it could exacerbate them. Now you'll have less representatives over a much larger area," Macnabb states to Kiss FM. Macnabb says he has not heard from any of his residents they they want to look at amalgamation. "From the electoral area point of view, (the current system) is probably one of the most efficient forms of government. Our taxes tend to be 20, 30, 40 percent less than Vernon." Vernon Mayor Rob Sawatzky is not taking a stance on the issue, and is not sure what his council will do if the governance society asks them to back a study on the issue.