"Cooperation" versus "Agreement"

A difference exists between the two definitions.
Splitting hairs, it could be said, but with consequences. 

Today's Morning Star story "Co-operation key for RDNO" in which Chair Rick Fairbairn is quoted as saying "...shows a spirit of cooperation among the partners" puts yet another layer over the veil of transparency in this area's governance.

It also masks with misinformation (to residents) the Board's plans following the November 2014 failure of the $70 million borrowing referendum for the Master Water Plan.

First, the definitions:

cooperation:  "assistance, especially by ready compliance with requests".

agreement:  "the absence of incompatibility between two things; consistency".

Three significant events have occurred since the referendum failure:

• local election candidates' waffling on referendum support:  (first in support, then not--as the election loomed--then following the election--back toeing the line).  Seems almost to a person, candidates waffled more on whom to serve--the public, or their peers--rather than holding an educated and intelligent opinion on a topic. 
• outspoken Master Water Plan critic Gyula Kiss was--for years--an island at GVAC.  His divergent opinions were barely tolerated by peers.  That "island" position equated to Kiss never having a seconder for motions he submitted.  Until Vernon councillor Bob Spiers--decidedly a free-thinker--saw the merits of Kiss' analytical and intelligent motions--and seconded them.  They were each serving their constituents first and foremost.  There were now two islands, with seconded motions now legitimized and recorded in minutes, despite a lack of additional support.   The situation now was obviously intolerable to the pack around the table.  In short order Coldstream Mayor Garlick tossed Gyula Kiss from GVAC, replacing him with Doug Dirk as director (all under the  pretense/guise of a voting terms of reference that excluded an "alternate" committee member).  The consequence?  GVAC is once again back to "the absence of incompatibility".  Meaning: agreement.  And partly--ready compliance with requests--to agree.  Thinking people will equate the mayor's action to one of betraying his constituents and his councillor.
• Citizens for Changes to the Master Water Plan, a grassroots group promoting change to water rates via consideration of an alternative water source in the North Okanagan, formed and quickly received ~1,000 signatures on their petition.  This led to GVAC denying CCMWP's request for an independent professional review of the MWP--however a volunteer Stakeholders' Advisory Committee of area water users was decided on by GVAC, with monthly meetings that began in October of 2015.  Meetings were conducted by GVW bureaucrats, with Jim Garlick and Juliette Cunningham heading the discussion table as volunteers listened to MWP consultants summarizing the ~1,000 pages of technical memoranda.  This was called a peer review -- an "evaluation of scientific, academic, or professional work by others working in the same field."  (Ahem!)  The group, the Morning Star story said, "will also continue to meet in 2016 to discuss the future of Greater Vernon's water utility..."

To discuss the future of Greater Vernon's water utility?

"Cool," says Kia, "the utility's future is thrown into the mix."

 
Mayor Garlick, the cooperator...the person that agrees, the betrayer.