Mealy-Mouthed Reporting

Yup...especially when an attendee at the Schubert Centre public information session "Greater Vernon Water Rates--The Real Story" compares what he/she saw and heard with what the Morning Star reported on it.

Not unexpectedly--and judging from past stories, intentionally--the Morning Star only featured the comments of current and past elected officials and current GVAC advisory officials!

Sure seems to play into RDNO bureaucrats' game plan, as though the challenge from Citizens for Changes to the Master Water Plan is a spurious attempt by former elected officials to get even with RDNO people who may have made their lives difficult while in office!

Not a word about what members of the audience said at the open mic.

That's OK, because those ~100 residents that attended, some of whom spoke to the meeting and signed petitions on leaving, will "talk it up" with their friends and neighbours.

After all, they were outraged that GVW customers pay three times what Kelowna residents pay for water.

That's outrage that won't dissipate any time soon.

There are a couple of quotations from GVAC officials that--if you read between the lines, as the saying goes--will hint at exactly what occurs at GVAC.

Vernon councillor Catherine Lord:  "We are undergoing a review and we are taking everything they said seriously."

Vernon councillor and GVAC chair Juliette Cunningham, insisting "all aspects of the water system are being reviewed", adding "There will be an opportunity for public input as we decide what to do with our master water plan."

All aspects. 
We decide...
Our master water plan.

All aspects?  Seems the chairperson of GVAC doesn't have a clue that RDNO boss Sewell has stated publicly that "water source(s) are not for review".

We?  GVAC hasn't decided anything...they simply mull over for a time--and then accede--to what RDNO's water engineers want them to sign.

With very few exceptions, current GVAC directors simply aren't intelligent enough to go up against the brainpower of RDNO's water engineers.

Plain and simple.

And the Morning Star's editorial proves the same thing:  "However, the challenge for GVAC is who to listen to.  Yes, the Citizens for Changes to the Master Water Plan has been formed and is taking an active role in the issue, which is welcome in a democracy.  However, it's unclear how many people the group actually represents and whether its views reflect the interests of the broader community."

Huh? 
Oh, for heaven's sake, what an abjectly stupid sentence that is!
As though there are residents that actually AGREE TO and LIKE paying three times the rate that Kelowna residents pay for water?

The smart thing--entirely lost on the Morning Star--and GVAC officials--would have been to state:

"All this ... could have been entirely avoided IF the question on the November borrowing referendum

for $70 million had been phrased as follows:

"Do you agree with borrowing $70 million for the continuation

of upgrades--as planned in the amended master water plan--to Vernon area's two water sources:

Duteau Creek and Kalamalka Lake."

Instead, GVAC chair Juliette Cunningham and GVAC directors acceded (approved) the carefully-crafted question written by RDNO water engineers:
 

"Are you in favour of borrowing up to $70 million

to complete master water plan Priority (Phase 1) Projects?"

"It's actually sad, " says Kia, "that GVAC directors believe they're in charge of RDNO's master water plan."

 

The efficacy of the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee?

Including RDNO head Sewell, because of his stated unwillingness to review water sources.
Remind him who he works for, folks.

Firing them is obviously NOT the Fresh Start that the Citizens for Changes to the Master Water Plan are requesting.
It does, however, reflect what people are saying.