Water fight breaks out over plan

by Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star posted Oct 9, 2015 at 1:00 AM
Frustration levels over the future of water is boiling over among politicians. Director Jim Garlick criticized some of his colleagues during back and forth on the master water plan at Thursday’s Greater Vernon Advisory Committee meeting. “Everyone has to act like adults and not be silly — all of us,” he said. That comment garnered support from chairperson Juliette Cunningham. “I couldn’t have said it better,” she said. Director Gyula Kiss, who has been critical of the master water plan, was not impressed with Garlick. “He’s a teacher and I guess he think he’s talking to kids,” said Kiss after the meeting. “I’m bringing up issues as a person who reads the master water plan and wants to bring forward reasonable options. When I make comments, I see the sneers.” Garlick’s comments were made just after director Bob Spiers had proposed a motion to budget funds for an independent review of the MWP. “If he was suggesting I was being silly, I will take it with a grain of salt. I have no idea of what he was talking about,” said Spiers. The Citizens for Changes to the Master Water Plan asked for an independent engineering consultant to be hired but GVAC voted Thursday to defer a decision until the MWP has been reviewed by the stakeholder advisory committee. When asked to clarify his statement, Garlick says there is a need for everyone at the table to look at how to handle the review process. “If you have concerns, bring them forward. Don’t just keep dragging them out,” he said. “If we operate that way, we will keep spinning our wheels. I don’t like to see the bickering back and forth.” Recognizing Kiss’ concerns about the MWP, Garlick urged him to bring questions forward but to let the process proceed. “What we need to do is get information and not have debates on this plan and that plan,” said Garlick.
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Director Advises Colleagues To 'Act Like Adults'
Posted on 10/9/2015 by Pete McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM
A local politician is concerned too much debate will bog down the master water plan review. Jim Garlick, who is Coldstream mayor, and vice chair of the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee (GVAC) told his fellow directors Thursday, they have "to start acting like adults, and not be silly" when it comes to the review. "If we have concerns, bring those forward, deal with them at the committee and board levels, but don't keep dragging it out. Bring the concerns forward, and then we will deal with them," says Garlick. Garlick was concerned with a motion from director Bob Spiers to budget up to $80,000 for the possibility of hiring an independent consultant for the review. "I don't want to have this as a debate about one plan or another. Let's go forward and start building a plan and not bring bickering into it, because I don't see that as helpful," Garlick adds. Spiers didn't think the remark was directed at him. "If it was, I don't consider anything that I have done silly or childish. Therefore I will continue to act as I have always done, if I see something that has to be addressed," Spiers said after the meeting. Spiers later withdrew the motion, but will bring it up again at a special budget meeting Oct. 29th.