No Balls, No Vision

Ignoring Study results.
Politicians are good at that in the North Okanagan.

They ask for input from the public, then ignore the common sense ideas.
More and more residents are aware of that, proven again in yet another Letter to the Editor by Sally Gorby of Vernon, stating "They ask people what they want; then do exactly as they please."

That's nothing new to those of us living in Coldstream. 
The new Municipal Hall comes to mind.

Politicians commission expensive studies from consultants, and then ignore crucial findings. 
Recently, the most noteworthy is KPMG's report, whose recommendations included "amalgamating Vernon, Coldstream and the electoral areas."

"The best way is likely difficult to achieve, if not impossible.  You need to restructure local government to be more efficient."

                                                                                        KPMG Senior Manager Bourne      
Seems Vernon's Mayor Sawatzky isn't keen to "open old wounds".
Open old wounds?

No balls for constructive change is more like it.
No vision beyond his term.

And, while today mute on the subject, Coldstream's Mayor Garlick is in lockstep with that position.
No Amalgamation.

Governance change--and the Amalgamation issue--sure to consistently save taxpayer money over the current model (if it can be called a model) aren't new ideas here.  Even sometime-minister Ida Chong requested a review, based on demands from officials and the public, then waffled and did nothing.

KPMG's senior manager, Brian Bourne, noted of the amalgamation recommendation, "The best way is likely difficult to achieve, if not impossible.  You need to restructure local government to be more efficient."
He probably lives here.

Even former councillors can see further into the future, evidenced by Shawn Lee's comment regarding a resident's request to be annexed into Vernon:  "Perhaps if some sort of boundary could be determined by the province that would delineate Vernon's ultimate geographic area...an area that could reduce the amount of governance of Greater Vernon."  He concludes:  "...the debate over this most recent request to join Vernon demonstrates the political unsustainability of municipal boundaries as they now stand."

Over-governance quickly enters the realm of the ridiculous.
Take Coldstream's new method for dealing with water concerns.
Calling the new plan "better service", Coldstream's chief poobah Stamhuis said people would previously be told to call the regional district office when they phoned the municipal office to complain about, say, dirty water coming out of their tap.  Just such an incident over the Christmas holidays led to a three-day delay before the Coldstream homeowner actually had someone from the Regional District attend her water event (where it was eventually determined zero residual chlorine was present in her household's waterline.)

Don't politicians see that residents can't get the hang of who is in control of what in these myriad administrations?  Little of it makes sense.
A sure sign of over-governance.

So what happened?  Coldstream has decided that a Coldstream bureaucrat will make the phone call on the homeowners' behalf to the Regional District a mile north.

Hallelujah!
Heaven forbid we mere taxpayers could also circumvent the sleeping switchboard's recorded message ourselves. 

Back to the "A" word...amalgamation.
Despite having seen Ottawa's amalgamation with 10 municipalities, our elected officials have no taste for getting down to real business and saving real taxpayer money.   Now 10 years later, people now understand its benefits.
Local government isn't above using the phrase economies of scale, but only when it suits them.
Case in point the poorly handled issue of the Okanagan Landing Firefighters, where firefighter training and call-outs are being consolidated.  Yup, for economies of scale.

Open your window.
Audible are sighs of relief from bureaucrats in Coldstream and Vernon and the Regional District that there'll be no amalgamation.

Politicians hate change.

Taxpayers have no choice whether to accept change...a mind-boggling list of new bylaws, regulations and permits abound...everything from where you can park on your property and how many vehicles can be parked there, to the "form and character" of what you want to build on your property.

So let's look at 'form and character'.
And see government disobeying their own bylaws.
Proof is the recent replacement of Vernon Secondary School, smack amid the built-up South Hill.  Numerous neighbours state "it looks like a prison, where's the form and character in that?"

"Where's the 'form and character' here?  It resembles a prison."

The old Vernon Secondary School, now being "deconstructed", chock-full of  'form and character.'

Where indeed!

Politicians say they're working hard to reduce taxes for 2013.
But that they have to focus on water, parks, fire training consolidation, and the proposed sports facility which is going to referendum in spring.  

Vernon's tax hike is currently running at 4.7 per cent.
To help fill coffers, Vernon is considering upping parking rates.  Downtown Vernon Merchants are shaking their heads in disbelief as more and more cars opt for the free parking at malls in Vernon's north end.  Vernon has plans (again) for revitalizing downtown...oh oh, say the merchants, now what are they doing to us?

Coldstream says it has "financial pressures", and taxes will increase by 4.12 per cent.
Financial pressures?  Ya think?

But Mayor Garlick still wants a Town Centre for Coldstream; we suppose he hasn't seen the For Rent, For Lease and For Sale signs for retail and commercial space from here to Enderby.  The Shops at Polson remain half empty, partially because the new connection road (that would eliminate the two uphill Mall Exits during icy winters) was never built; and partially because commercial lease rates in the Okanagan aren't justifiable for the small population it can attract.  Garlick's other wishlist at Trintec can't find an anchor tenant, again because lessees consider demographics.   The former Consumers Glass facility remains empty, chiefly because Mayor Garlick decided he didn't want to split it up into marketable units.
Ahem.
Because a film studio might one day be interested in the site...sheesh.
Guess he doesn't realize international films consider the strength of the Canadian dollar...and opt not to come here.

Coldstream Councillor Kiss' comment from a meeting last year still reverberates:  "We can be $19 million in debt."
Unless residents intercede, Coldstream will be.

"No guts, no glory," offers Kia, anticipating more of the over-governance we've come to know, but not love.