Navel Gazing?

Coldstream Councillor Richard Enns calls it "economic focus".
I'd refer to the idea as useless redundancy, or put simply, myopia.

The idea of Community Futures North Okanagan being able to offer Coldstream specific economic development benefits if economic development were to become part of their mandate is ludicrous.

Flat out ludicrous.

It's navel gazing...the inability to see that regional--yes, the entire area--does benefit from what currently exists.  Or not (and if that's the case, then the navel gazer needs to use a magnifying glass to see what he and his Council have implemented that keeps business away.

The City of Vernon--a five to 10 minute drive distant--has an Economic Development Officer, Kevin Poole as well as an experienced long-time bureaucrat, Craig Broderick (whose partner happens to be a realtor) working on Vernon's economic development.  Craig himself held a commercial realtor's licence.

Does anyone really believe that a business owner--looking to locate a subsidiary operation or a branch office to the Okanagan--would look only at Vernon during the search?
With Google maps--and streetview--as a resource, readily available at the business owner's fingertips, is that a likelihood?
And if the business owner visits the Okanagan, doesn't it make sense that the individual would actually drive 10 minutes east, west, north and south to see adjacent areas and what else might be available?

Does anyone really believe that giving Community Futures North Okanagan a new mandate wouldn't make Kevin Poole's job--and Craig Broderick's--redundant?  Unnecessary?

Are there so many new businesses locating in Greater Vernon that more and more people are needed in the Economic Development function?
Doubt it.

"Maybe Coun. Enns has a personal mandate to increase the bureaucratic payroll," Kia would've said.


It's Coldstream's bureaucratic payroll--in itself--the may keep a business owner from looking at Coldstream in the first place!

Focus indeed!
Considering there's probably already a Community Futures South Okanagan!