Richard Rolke sees an improvement in Communications at the City

Attending the open house on the new ice sheet alternatives last night I had a chance to speak with Mr Rolke about among other things the new Strategic Communications Plan at COV. Richard told me that during the last six months since the hiring of the new communications person he has seen a great improvement in the timing and the quality of the information going to the media from City Hall. Mr Rolke's opinion carries a lot of weight with this blogger  because he has been covering city politics for a long time. He is correct that was a great need for improvement.
 In another life when I received the assignment to represent the then Mayor Lippert at the official opening of the redesigned intersections at Polson Park and Highway 97; a very formal and important occasion. All the appropriate officials were present but no reporter from the Morning Star. Someone driving by noticed the TV van and told Richard something of import was going on. This type of thing should not have happened. I can still recall how hot Richard was when he arrived late. This was a breakdown in communications  not be soon to be repeated if Mr Rolke's more recent experiences with the flow of information from City Hall prove consistent over time.
Nevertheless I still believe that we will  need to exercise caution with the adjectives.(for there lies the spin) We need to remember that this present council has recently reduced the potential for feedback and input by greatly reducing the number of committees made up of informed volunteers from the community that it will support. Communication is a two way process and in Vernon we risk seeing it become increasingly one sided.
Cheers Shawn Lee a Vernon Taxpayer

"The Devil is in the Adjectives"-City of Vernon Strategic Communication Plan

Whenever I read about an “effective communication” plan I believe that I will soon be recipient of a lot of material designed to bring me around to the” correct” interpretation of events or issues.  To be honest I am no stranger to this kind of communication after all I author a blog.

I agree that City Hall, Mayor and Council need to improve communications both internally and with the public. So on the surface the recent adoption of the Strategic Communications Plan by Vernon City Council should be applauded. I agree with the idea of some consistency in what we receive from City hall and Council but in this case “the Devil is in the adjectives”.

Very early in the report we find a list of key messages to be included in all communications. Here are some the adjectives pulled from that list: balanced, attractive, safe, vibrant, bold, progressive, rare, sound, sustainable, wise, long range, balanced, sustainable. (sustainable is used twice)These are warm fuzzy words from which we are meant to take comfort, particularly when we receive them from our Governments. Could someone tell me how this is not spin? Both Councillors Lord and Spiers thought so and voted to reject it. I believe that the problem with the document lies with its self-laudatory use of adjectives which places its stated purpose in doubt. After all it is an election year.

I believe that what city staff, City Council and the public really need to communicate are “Just the facts Ma’am.”  The public will decide if some proposed action is wise, bold, sound, balanced, progressive etc. Cheers! Shawn Lee a Vernon Taxpayer

http://www.vernon.ca/images/uploads/council/agendas/packages/140526_vrsn_2.pdf

A wish list for the municipal election.

A recent letter to the editor by Paula Andersen was billed as a wish for the fall Municipal elections. It was quite a list. I would like to add a few items my own to her list.

I would hope for a city council composed of individuals possessing a wide experience both in life and in our community. I hope for a council with the appropriate amount of time to devote to public office.  I hope for a Council that is committed to being thoroughly prepared for each and every meeting. I hope for a Council that would always be prepared to ask meaningful questions of staff and the public who appear before them. I would hope for a Council who is able to completely focus on the matter at hand no matter a routine it may seem. I hope for a Council that is comfortable with lively debate and is at the same time comfortable with the rules that must govern that debate.

I would hope for a Council that will recognize with enthusiasm opportunities that may come to enhance the experience of living and working and playing in our wonderful city. Yet with that enthusiasm I hope for a Council with the wisdom to exercise restraint realizing that caution in committing tax funds is always appropriate. This same wisdom would be useful at budget time

I would hope for a Council that would be comfortable with the tensions that will exist between itself and the staff who actually run the city. Such a Council will realize that individuals of good will no matter on which side of the desks they are sitting are seeking what they feel is best for the City.

I would hope for a City Council who will deal fairly with our regional partners and expect the same fair treatment in return. I would hope for a Council when at RDNO would not forget they represent the interests of those who elected them.

I would hope for a Council that would not hesitate to delay a decision while seeking to fully understand the issue. I hope for a Council that realizes that public is often right when it comes to a controversial matter.  I would hope for Council with the courage admit to mistakes. I hope for a Council composed of men and women of good will who are prepared to share generously of their time and abilities to serve the community in which they live.

I hope for a Council that will not be overwhelmed at their first five hundred page agenda package. Cheers Shawn Lee a Vernon Taxpayer

Survey says something more.

 I have noted some criticism of my recent letter to the Editor in the Morning Star. Debate is a good thing. So are facts. My effort was not toward accomplishing some dark purpose but rather to indicate that in spite of a questionably designed survey there was, a least back then some interest among the respondents from areas B and C in joining an existing municipality.  I invite the reader to examine the report itself to be found in my older posts section of my Blog. Please judge for yourself. Cheers Shawn Lee a Vernon Taxpayer

Tourism Centre hits a roadblock.

Apparently the Vernon City Council was in such a hurry to get going on the much opposed new tourist information booth that it decided to proceed while waiting for the zoning changes to be approved by the Province. Such approval is required because of the facility’s proximity to BC 97. We now face the possibility of seeing the approval request being denied or delayed as the Province does its due diligence on the possible disruption to traffic flow on an already congested Highway. Any changes in how traffic is managed always have ripple effects. So the Province’s caution is understandable. Rubber stamp approval should not have been anticipated by our city staff or Council.

The degree of opposition that Council received regarding the closing of the two existing centers should at least inspired a prudent second look at the plan. In fact it seemed to hurry them along. There is often a complaint that the wheels of government move slowly. But if the reason Governments are deliberate is to get all their ducks in a row if then slow action is commendable. In this case they seemed to be in a rush to spend the money.

A question that needs to be answered is this; what would you have to say if your contractor spent $300,000 on a project for you without making sure that the appropriate zoning was is place? That is what City council has done. No matter the final outcome it was not good governance. 

Cheers Shawn Lee a Vernon Taxpayer

RDNO Still Looking for New CAO

The search for a new CAO at the North Okanagan Regional District does have some urgency to it. Even though the wheels of government move slowly you do need someone in the driver’s seat who knows what’s what. Believe it or not the budget process at the RDNO for next year is just over the horizon and ideally the new CAO would need a few months to get the lay of the land before the new crop of directors take their seats at the table. The irony of the timing of these changes could mean that the new CAO could have to deal with a wholly different Board than from who hired him or her. This could be a good or a bad thing. We will see. Such are the vagaries of our democratic system. Cheers, Shawn Lee a Vernon Taxpayer

Fire and Water

As reported in the Vernon Morning Star willing bystanders responded to request for assistance with a hose by a member of the Vernon career Fire fighters. This was during a short time when other the full time firefighters were gassing up a truck. We can certainly be grateful to these good citizens for their willingness to help. It certainly reminds us of the volunteer roots of fire suppression in North America and that many communities continue to rely on paid on call firefighters including Vernon and our surrounding communities. Vernon does have a cadre of full time career fighters that form the core of the Fire and Rescue Services. Perhaps not unexpectedly we heard some criticism from the full time people regarding this request for help for bystanders. As far as I can tell the “dispute” appears to revolve around shift strength and public safety. The union feels that present policy is inadequate but does not blame the chief but rather City Council for not providing sufficient resources to increase the numbers on any particular shift. This could easily become prohibitively expensive.

I am comfortable with this ongoing tension between the management of risk and cost. It seems to produce a service that is both viable and affordable. What is more, the affordability questions are in the hands of the elected officials. Ultimately City Council has the burden of deciding what services are “adequate” and what we will pay but I am sure that candidates in the fall elections will be quizzed as to their feelings about Vernon Fire and Rescue.

There is another source tension for our elected officials in this election year. It revolves around the provision of a safe and reliable water supply. A costly endeavor to say the least but made more expensive by the incidence of IHA of the inclusion of filtration in the RDNO master water plan. Again it is a problem of management risk (very small) and cost (very large) for vanishingly small improvements. It appears the final decision of the level of service and how much we will pay is out of the hands of the elected officials. I am not comfortable with the apparent scare tactics employed by the IHA in stating the water systems in the Okanagan are not adequate. The issue of water clarity should be decided locally as long safety concerns are met.

Fire and water always a source of tension.

Shawn Lee a Vernon Taxpayer

City Boundary Questions in Fort St John

Apparently this northern BC city has been considering boundary extensions. I assume that is the motivation behind  publishing the answers to frequently asked questions on the topic of annexation. I believe that it is a good read.
https://www.placespeak.com/uploads/assets/Boundary_Extension_Guiding_Principles_and_FAQ_4.pdf