North Westside still awaits word on study
The Vernon Morning Star article Decision delayed on North Westside governance study Nov 29 E-edition & North Westside still awaits word on study Nov 30 paper refers to the decision by the RDCO Board to defer a decision on support for the Governance Study in the North Westside the community requested back on August 22. The deferral vote (9-3) was a result of the missing Staff Report; first requested of the CAO by the Board Chair after the August 22 NWCA Presentation and still not available for the November 28 Meeting with the Ministry Staff.
On November 28 the experts from the Structural Branch of the Ministry of Community, Sport & Culture were present to answer questions the Board had on the Governance process and did so for almost 2.5 hours.
I tried to move a motion for support and funding forward and was overridden (9-3) by the appointed Board Members and a deferral motion took precedence over my motion in a decision by the Board Chair. The deferral was conditional on an early reconsideration date with the CAO instructed to prepare the missing RDCO Staff Report and scheduled it all for the December 10 RDCO Board Meeting. At that time I will again submit a resolution for support for the Study and an application for funding to be submitted ASAP to the Minister to take advantage of the funding still remaining in the Ministries Budget for Governance Studies. It was indicated by the Minister’s Staff to the Board that the application for funding should be done sooner rather than later, while the funding remains. The Provincial Fiscal year ends March 31 2017 and the election is the end on May.
The only issue that seems outstanding is the determination of who bares the cost of the “in kind” RDCO Staff time in providing the necessary information on our services the independent consultant hired to conduct the Governance Study will need. It appears from Board Members comments that in the cases of both Lake Country (twice) & West Kelowna (possible 3 time or more) the full RDCO Board paid for the “in kind” contribution required for the Study process. The Staff Report should determine how this was handled in the past. Should this whole Board funding model be the case in the past I would expect no less treatment for the North Westside Governance Study Process.
A Letter to the Editor appeared in the Vernon Morning Star by a resident that does not seem to be a big fan of the Study initiative. To get the information that is necessary to make important decisions regarding the future of our community this Study is critical. I have repeatedly asked for financial accountability for the water systems and the costs associated with their operations and management to no avail. I am out voted at the Board by non stakeholders and refused the financial accountability that both I as the elected representative but also the users that pay for the service deserve answers.
The Study may be the only way we get that financial accountability. The complaints I receive are not on the quality or necessity of our existing services but their cost, operations, transparency and financial sustainability for the many taxpayers that or on moderate, low and fixed incomes and can’t afford unchecked rate and tax increases.
