by Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star posted Jan 15, 2014 at 1:00 AM
It’s easy to be cynical about politicians, particularly given what has gone on in Ottawa over the past year. So when Coldstream council votes unanimously to not endorse a study into amalgamating Greater Vernon, some will insist the 816 Coldstream residents who signed the petition are being ignored and this move is nothing but crass politics. And certainly that case can be made as self-preservation is a trait not uncommon to elected officials, especially when elections are just 10 months away. However, perhaps there is another motivation at work. Consider that while 816 people signed the petition demanding a study into governance, there are a total of 7,424 eligible voters in Coldstream. It’s hard to know where the silent majority stands — either opposed, indifferent or they couldn’t be bothered to pick up a pen — but there have been some signs of where residents stand. About 40 people recently attended a Coldstream Ratepayers Association session to raise concerns about the topic (small attendance but not everyone has time to go to a meeting or they didn’t know about the event). There have also been phone calls to council members and letters to the editor. And at Monday’s council meeting, the gallery was full, largely with opponents to amalgamation, while several letters were also received (disclosure: I live in Coldstream). There was a common theme. “I don’t want any of my money going to a study on amalgamation,” said resident Flo Ryan. Now, if a study were to proceed, it would be the provincial government providing the funds, but there is only one taxpayer so that money would still come out of our pockets. Retired accountant Bob Weatherill spoke for many residents when he said, “I do not want to lose Coldstream. It’s a special community and I want it to stay that way.” Keep in mind too that while we live in a democracy, signing a petition doesn’t mean elected officials will provide the response you want. In 2012, 1,670 names on a petition demanded reinstatement of the Okanagan Landing firefighters but Vernon council blocked a formal presentation, while a 3,191-name petition pushing for expanded transit was shelved by city hall. A number of factors come into play when considering requests, including whether it’s financially reasonable or reflective of the community’s broad interests. Making decisions isn’t always about being popular. What also didn’t help proponents of the governance study is apparent confusion about their goal. Their petition question asked, “Do you support a review by local and provincial authorities to develop a plan to combine our regional governments into a single entity for the purpose of more efficient use of our local tax dollars?” But on Monday, they were stating they aren’t necessarily in favour of amalgamation, but want to review options. Which one is it? Also, what would a study prove? Much of the information comparing how the jurisdictions operate already exists if you are willing to sit down and look at it. Amalgamations across the country have also been explored to death. In the end, Coldstream council and the directors for Areas B and C have shot down a governance study, and while history or this fall’s election may prove them wrong, it appears they got this one right. It isn’t clear that the vast majority of citizens in those jurisdictions, or even Vernon for that matter, are beating down the door and demanding change. It’s time to move on to other more pressing issues.
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