The Truth is Unpalatable to Some

How interesting that Gyula Kiss' comments about "staff directing" the Master Water Plan created a fuss.
Is the truth unpalatable?   to bureaucracy?  to some GVAC directors? 

The June 19th blog story "GVAC Fiasco..." includes an article written by Morning Star reporter Rolke to which GVAC director and Coldstream councillor Gyula Kiss has replied.

Here it is:

"It is surprising that my comments  “Who is directing it (the MWP)? It looks like staff is directing it.” created so much controversy. Does anyone disagree with that statement?

Staff was hired to direct the MWP. That's what they are getting paid for. Staff write terms of references to hire consultants, staff gather information and provide it to politicians, they are the ones who make recommendations etc. Consultants are the extension of staff and staff is responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the consultants information. Politicians have to make decisions based on the information and recommendations staff provide to them

However, since politicians have to make decisions based on that information it must be complete, accurate, factual, up to date, non-selective and unbiased. Withholding pertinent information, whether it is due to lack of knowledge or otherwise, is not tolerable. This is where we have our differences.

In the 2002 MWP Okanagan Lake was omitted as a water supply source. Inquiring minds were told that the reason for this omission was due to lack of water licenses on Okanagan Lake. This was true as far as it went. The fact that GVW had ample water licenses on tributaries to Okanagan Lake and that the Water Act had provisions that would allow transfer of Point of Diversion (POD) of existing water licenses was not provided by neither the consultants nor staff. Had this information been provided and acted upon the direction and cost of the MWP could have been a lot different.

Similarly, staff reported that there was insufficient water license capacity in Kalamalka Lake. The possible transfer of POD from Deer Creek/Coldstream Creek was again not revealed to the politicians. Knowledge of that possibility could have changed decisions.

In fact, the possibility of transferring POD from Duteau Creek to Kalamalka Lake was never mentioned. The Water act allows minor transfers (up to 10 cubic meters per second) between watersheds.

If any of those facts were considered by staff and the political reps Duteau Creek would never have needed altering. It could have been reassigned to raw agriculture water only as it used to be prior to 1970.

IHA was blamed for the huge expenditure in a very short time. IHA clarified their position (this blog's June 27th story "Interior Health Damns Duteau..." recently (the presentation was released from in-camera to general information). Their position was that GVWU develop a plan with timelines for their approval. How we do it is our choice. If they do not like it they will make suggestions. We opted for the most expensive, most complicated plan, leaving us with no room to negotiate.

There are many other examples I could list. I am not blaming the current staff for all of the problems. However, we must work together to see how we can remedy the existing situation. We are now aware of previous information deficiencies, provided in the preparation of the MWP. Excessive water rates are the issue. The politicians need to step into their primary role, which is to ensure that the tax payers are represented first and foremost, while balancing their secondary role which is to maintain a good working relationship with staff at the RDNO. Whatever plan we develop we must convince the public to approve funding for it.

Most people resent the fact that they pay huge water bills even with low usage. They also face stringent restrictions on when and how they can use their water while they watch big guns spray the same expensive water on hay fields and other agricultural crops at any time, any day  and pay pittance for it. That resentment is not going to improve with adding future expensive treatment to the mixed domestic/agriculture water. This situation would remain a constant point of discontent for the domestic customers as their rates keep climbing."



A closing comment from Mr. Kiss' blog:  

 "One has to ask why there is no political will to revisit the plan in light of the ridiculous rates we must pay to support this Duteau based plan ( before filtration costs), in comparison to our neighbours (Kelowna, Penticton). Either we are lousy managers of the utility, or we chose the wrong source (or perhaps both). I can understand the resistance on staff's part to support another look at all the options as it makes them look incompetent, but I can't understand the political resistance to trying to get me, the taxpayer, the best water at the best rates. Another committee advised by the same staff is not the way to get to the right solution" 

"Unpalatable?  I like anything that tastes good," affirms Kia.