Editorial on Governance – Morning Star

The “bad blood” that exists is the frustration felt by the elected representatives of the two electoral areas to have their voices heard on their own local services rather than only that of the Chair and CAO. I can not think of a “regional” project or function that bad blood or even a serious difference of opinion exists between the EA Directors and their appointed municipal counterparts on the RDCO Board.

Vernon Morning Star – Editorial

As pointed out in the Editorial the Power Pole issue clearly shows no empathy for the very people the Board and RDCO Staff & Management are there to serve. This may have been an “operational matter” at one time but as most thoughtless or incompetent actions this is now clearly political in nature and a Board responsibility as they are the “local government’ for the electoral areas, or so goes the argument.

This is a treated cedar pole below the high water mark on a public beach site in a yellow fish zone; should be a no brainer, right … wrong. The RDCO has spent at least 3x the cost of moving the pole to overturn a Trespass Notice and keep the pole when the community has repeatedly over 2.5 years asked, pleaded and begged the RDCO to move it … to no avail! No wonder the Chair & CAO don’t want the Board to hear the NWCA Delegation and their enlightening Presentation. Utility Pole Documentation

An outside independent study on Governance for the North Westside Fire Protection District should have received full and unconditional support from the RDCO Board as did the Lake Country and West Kelowna bids when significant support from those communities was brought forward. Why is North Westside different? Overwhelming support was shown to both myself, the RDCO Board and the Ministry of Community, Sport & Culture in the form of the Town Hall Meetings & Petition (almost 700 signatures from a population of 1100-1300) presented by the NWCA to all parties.