Coldstream backs Sunday library

by Jennifer Smith - Vernon Morning Star posted Feb 15, 2015 at 1:00 AM
Coldstream is adding to the cause to keep the Vernon library open Sundays. The district will contribute $3,780 towards the City of Vernon’s effort to keep the local Okanagan Regional Library branch open Sunday – four hours per day between October 2014 and April 2016. Coun. Peter McClean would have liked to have seen more consideration go into the subject, in both regions. “Is there another time when the library is not well utilized that would offset that increase?” McClean questions, as he felt the approach was inappropriate. “It was a snap decision and it wasn’t really given any consideration, even at the City of Vernon.”

Water woes
Dissatisfaction continues to flow from Coldstream over the region’s water plan, or lack thereof. “This is not going in the right direction,” said Coun. Gyula Kiss of the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee’s recommended two per cent rate hike, the majority of which will go into reserves. “Always the current taxpayers are paying for stuff for the future. “We are trying to go around the back way to finance it some other way.” Meanwhile there is frustration among others over a lack of information, which is becoming a tradition at budget time. “Hasn’t there been a request for several years to have information available before the process?” asked Coun. Pat Cochrane, pointing out that municipalities are busy discussing budgets in December and have all the necessary staff reports and information to them. “I don’t understand why they seem to operate on a different timeline than the rest of us.” Coun. Doug Dirk, a GVAC director, says there is reasoning for the delay. “The process is more complex because they have to wait for Vernon, but that’s not a defence.” Coldstream Mayor Jim Garlick says GVAC is looking at a more transparent plan, “so we can see where it is going.”