Politicians Represent Whom?

It's a conflict of interest that regional director Mike Macnabb heads the bureaucrats' water committee.
Plain and simple.

His job is to represent the people who voted for him.
Not the bureaucrats whose flawed Master Water Plan needed a promoter.

The same can be said for the other elected officials on GVAC who approved the flawed Master Water Plan.  Think about it.

And the agricultural representative, Ted Osborn, as much as he is loved and respected for his dedication to agriculture in this community...does anybody ever check whether he is actually allowed to vote on a Motion at GVAC?
He is an unelected member...isn't it only elected officials who may vote on Motions?


Kathleen Cameron wrote a compelling letter to the editor, printed in the Morning Star today:

"Water Woes:

I am writing as a citizen very concerned about the very high rates we are paying for water here in the Greater Vernon area.

As residents of this community we are struggling to pay the highest rates in the Okanagan.  Why is this occurring?  The administrative staff at Greater Vernon Water will tell you the costs are aused by the stringent new guidelines set by Interior Health.  If this is so, then why are Kelowna and Penticton's rates not on a par with ours?

"Represent us, as you promised

during your campaign..."  K.Cameron

They are subject to the same IHA guidelines as we are, and yet Kelowna pays one third of what we pay, and Penticton approximately half.  The high water rates are the result of the budget process as presented by the administrative staff at the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO).  The budget for the Master Water Plan is presented by the staff from RDNO through the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee (GVAC) to the board at the RDNO.  Both of these bodies consist of our elected representatives.

The budget can only be approved if passed by those individuals.  We expect our Councillors, Mayors and Reginal Directors to be the "watchdogs" for our tax dollars.

It seems some of these elected officials are more supportive of RDNO staff than they are of the local taxpayers.  I thought the resounding defeat of last year's referendum should have sent a clear message, but instead, due to some tricky wording, they are moving ahead, and have already improved(sic...approved) another increase for this year.

This is a reminder to all elected municipal and regional representatives.  You must represent the taxpayers first and foremost.  Your electorate is being burdened with water rates that are excessive and unnecessary, and we ask you to listen to us.  Represent us, as you promised during your campaign five months ago and take a stand.  Please ask for a review of the water budget and the Master Water Plan.

And people of Greater Vernon, please make your feelings known to our elected officials."

Kathleen Cameron

"You'd think bureaucrats had more than one vote each during the election," offers Kia.

Good point, Kathleen.

And Kia.