The Greater
Vernon does not have a single municipal government. I believe that we should
seriously examine the possibility of having just one municipal government for
our community. So what does our area now have in terms of governance?
Greater
Vernon has 2 mayors, 12 councillors and 2 electoral area representatives. These
16 elected individuals are supported by their respective municipal and regional
district staffs. The administrative employees strive to keep things running
smoothly. The staffs are to provide recommendations to the elected officials
who then set policy and budgets. Sounds pretty good: so what is problem?
This is
frankly an expensive way to govern 50,000 people living in such close proximity.
This situation is inherently inefficient because duplication of staff and
services. Some costs like police are not being shared equitably. Businesses and
individuals trying to invest in Greater Vernon often face a labyrinth of
obstacles perpetuated by the number of local jurisdictions. The frustration can
be palpable.
However to
be fair, efforts have made to cooperate among the local jurisdictions.
Historically,
an advantage was seen in working together to provide services to residents of
the area that were shared across local political boundaries; Greater Vernon
Parks and Recreation function being the prime example of such an endeavor. The
tricky part of these agreements is the working out the details. Who owns what? Who
does what? Who pays for what? And just who is in charge? Questions all easily
answered if there was only one local government.
Recently our elected officials at GVAC have
spent the better part of a year endeavouring to address anew just such
questions. The result is the new Parks agreement that separate us more than it unites
us. It creates more players and boundaries instead of reducing them. During
their protracted negotiations they missed asking a question obvious to many. We
are one community. Shouldn’t we be governed as such? This question is the
elephant in the room for anyone that has had to deal with local our governments.
The option of one local municipal government
has been recently raised by the Greater Vernon Governance Society. The Society
has launched an online petition that has its heart the conviction that things
could be run better and more efficiently if there was one municipal government
in our area. For many honest individuals, amalgamation is an emotional issue
and elicits an emotional response. Though understandable, this response is not
desirable. A more thoughtful and detailed approach is needed so that a wise
decision can be made.
The KPMG
report to Vernon City Council pointed to efficiencies and cost savings that
could be realized by the amalgamation of the local governments into one entity.
Though the report lacked detail, KPMG recommended the option be pursued. Council
chose a quick emotional response instead of thoughtful investigation. No action
was taken. Lack of interest from the community was cited as the justification for
doing nothing.
The ongoing
interest in the GVGS online petition shows that Vernon City Council was
mistaken. Citizens from all areas of Greater Vernon have signed the petition. These
taxpayers would like to see a detailed proposal outlining both benefits and
pitfalls of amalgamation put to a referendum. The province’s policy is that such
a referendum would only come if sufficient public interest is manifest. So what
then should be done?
The answer
is clear. We are over governed here in the sunny North Okanagan. If you think as do I that the option of one
government for Greater Vernon should be honestly examined and put to a vote make
your wishes known and sign the online petition at greatervernongovernance.ca
Cheers
Shawn Lee
