GOVERNANCE – North Westside study gets Board blessing – Vernon Morning Star

North Westside study gets board blessing was the headline in the Dec 13 Edition of the Vernon Morning Star.

Castanet did an article Governance Study Support that pretty much puts the issue in a nutshell. Nice to see some Kelowna Media taking an interest in the North Westside community.

Another media source providing good information for the North Westside Community is 107.5 KISS FM in Vernon. They have an excellent article posted on December 14 headlined as North Westside Area Governance Study Okayed. Check out this and the other media links in this story and elsewhere in this Blog.

Regional Board Decision on Governance Study

North Westside Review Study Supported (p. 133-141) is the link to the full Monday December 12 2016 RDCO Meeting with the Staff Report, Minister’s Letters and the NWCA Presentation. Bruce Smith RDCO PR director  released the Highlights of the Regional Board Meeting – December 12, 2016 that contain the wording of the resolution:

The Regional Board supports a governance study for the North Westside Fire Protection Service Area with a focus on a hybrid approach blending a diagnostic service analysis and a community issues assessment.  In addition, the resolution directs staff to prepare an application to the Province for funding the study that will be brought before the Board for approval.

This motion received a 9-2 vote of support of the Board with Directors Basran and Grey opposed.

In a subsequent motion the following resolution was put forward as a result of the CAO’s Staff Report:

All RDCO staff time, unforeseen consulting fees and associated costs of the study will be tracked and allocated to Central Okanagan West Electoral Area Administration or if possible to the specific study area.  The Regional Board will also be asked to approve a study scope, objectives and Terms of Reference.  In a previous letter from Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Peter Fassbender and confirmed during a November 28th presentation to the Board from a Ministry representative, the Ministry is prepared to consider funding a study of issues within the existing Regional District Electoral Area structure and framework.

Due to the financial impacts to the rest of Central Okanagan West I with Director Bartyik and Fortin opposed these motions and were defeated 8-3 in the vote. The question was asked at the November 28 Meeting to the CAO about historical funding of the in kind aspect of previous studies done within RDCO. This question was not answered in the CAO Staff Report the in kind costs were just dumped onto Central Okanagan West as a whole … ask me again why we want the study?

This Staff Report did not address the question of the 2 studies in Lake Country and the 3 in West Kelowna. When staff was questioned apparently there seems to be no records of these expenditures, I find that lack of documentation disturbing for the obvious reasons. I will be checking with other Regional Districts and communities that have done or are currently in the process of doing similar studies and see how these costs are handled in their regional districts.

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