Coldstream Corner: The Macnabb Water Authority

Thursday, March 5, 2015

The Macnabb Water Authority

Never mind that he’s only one director at Greater Vernon Water.

The North Okanagan world revolves around the Macnabb Principle!

At least that's the way it seems...like a one-man show.

Of course, regional district bureaucrats are thrilled that Macnabb—the director they appointed to head their own water committee—conveyed their thoughts verbatim.

“We have a water utility to operate; we have a Master Water Plan” he stated petulantly during today’s Greater Vernon Advisory Committee meeting at North Okanagan Regional District.

Barely containing his irritation that there had been a Motion and Second (Spiers and Kiss) for a moratorium on the six projects contained in the Master Water plan—until further discussion could evaluate perhaps more prudent options—he stated that the $70 million referendum was only to borrow the money…nothing else (referring to the craftily-worded referendum question).

One reason for the motion was because one of the plan’s projects—Raising Aberdeen Dam $6.4 million—was scheduled for 2022 during the Master Water Plan's "communication" with the public scarcely four months ago. Yet plans are apparently underway to move that project to this—or next—year.

The consensus of the grassroots Citizens for Change to the Master Water Plan is that the public denied the referendum because the public denies the water utility the six projects of the Master Water Plan – indeed the plan itself.

Will the public raise a hue and cry when they learn of Macnabb's refusal to consider other directors' points of view?

Macnabb's water authority still isn't happy with only a 2 per cent increase in rates this year. He had wanted a minimum of 4 per cent, but would have loved 10 per cent. This despite there being $15 million dollars in "reserves".