Former Vernon Councillor Speaks Out

...Yet another compelling Letter to the Editor of the Morning Star, published June 30, 2013:

"CORE REVIEW:

When any large organization is examined by a qualified third party there is always the risk of hearing things that may not be comfortable.

"Vernon city council has missed an opportunity... It declined to even study the possibilities."

Shawn Lee

Such has been, I fear, the experience of our city council.  I am referring to the KPMG recommendation that the City of Vernon pursue the amalgamation of the members of the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee into a single municipality.  This recommendation came as a result of examining the various agreements and financial commitments that Vernon has with its immediate neighbours.

Vernon city council has missed an opportunity to look at this perennial issue of one municipal government for Greater Vernon.  It declined to even study the possibilities.

Why decline the opportunity to know and understand?

To this observer, council preferred to respond in the negative by relying on preconceived notions and emotion rather than clearly presented facts.  This to me is a most regrettable decision.

Council took so many good actions with regard to the core services review and yet stepped away from gaining a fuller understanding of the regional governance issue that has been the elephant in the room for so many years.

Alas, we will continue to observe the complicated dance at GVAC, remembering that these various performances are what may have moved KPMG to recommend a single municipality for Greater Vernon in the first place.

I don't believe that amalgamation should be pursued without a clear understanding of the benefits or pitfalls that would accrue to the effected taxpayers.

Without a very clear and honest case for one municipal government, it would require too great a leap of faith on the part of the voters to support such an initiative.  This would be too much to ask.

But I also believe that it is not too much to expect our elected officials to honestly examine the possibility of a single municipal government."

                                            Shawn Lee

"As a former councillor," offers Kia, "he'd know all about the 'dance'."