Dana Mills expresses his frustration in a Letter to the Editor which will hopefully be published by the Morning Star.
(See this blog's previous entry entitled "Cooking the Water Books").
His letter succinctly explains the Enderby resident's challenges -- in this case simply to receive a reply, let alone a logical answer to a thoughtful question -- when dealing with the uncommunicative chasm called the Regional District of North Okanagan and its area director(s).
"To The Editor, The Morning Star: 2017
February 10
When we
relocated just outside of Enderby a few years ago we knew our residence was
serviced by Enderby water and this influenced our decision. We knew that the
RDNO billed us for this water and we also had to service a debt they incurred
on our behalf. Our RDNO Area "F" Director at the time was Jackie
Pearase. She made some public comments indicating our water bills would soar
far beyond what other Enderby subscribers would pay, which prompted me to
contact her. She responded and set up a meeting for me with her and some senior
RDNO managers.
"...the user rate
was going up because
"we hadn't had an
increase
for quite some time".
An Engineering
manager said our increase was due to maintenance of a pump station owned and
operated by Enderby. She was very dismissive when I questioned this. She
finally said that the user rate was going up because "we hadn't had an
increase for quite some time". Ms. Pearase failed to prevent it then, but
we kept in touch and she did move to prevent a planned increase for the
subsequent year.
I stayed
interested and began a slow learning process. I discovered multiple water
subscribers within Area "F" who were serviced and billed directly by
the City of Enderby, and that our Water Local Service Area was quite unique and
not very efficient. Extensive lobbying, including a rather naive presentation
to the RDNO Board of Directors, finally resulted in us being billed directly by
the City of Enderby as well. However the RDNO still collects an annual user fee
and a debt service tax.
This was a
huge relief. It's been one full year now and we saw our total water bill lowered
by a few hundred dollars. Kudos to Enderby staff and Council for trying hard to
keep their water rates affordable for most of their users. They charge us an
out-of-town Parcel Tax too and use these funds to maintain our services. RDNO now has very little direct involvement
with our water and this is how it should be.
"...recorded the
Chief
Financial Officer (at the time)
stating that they do not leave financial
decisions
in the hands of politicians."
I attended a
second meeting with RDNO senior staff during this process and realized meetings
with them were largely an exercise in futility. Learning from the past, I audio
recorded it and later noted many contradictions. I also recorded the Chief
Financial Officer (at the time) stating that they do not leave financial
decisions in the hands of politicians. What?
"...he has never responded
or
acknowledged
any correspondence."
"I'm
often the only layperson
at these meetings.
Get involved, people, or you will
lose the right!"
Now our area
representative is Herman Halvorson. We didn't question water rates last year
during transition, assuming they would be fine tuned later. I have initiated
contact with him numerous times on other matters but he has never responded or
acknowledged any correspondence. The only times I have ever been able to
communicate directly with him is just before Board or Committee meetings.
Note - I'm
often the only layperson at these meetings. Get involved, people, or you will
lose the right! Please check their website and direct your feedback to RDNO
Board members.
"...As per normal, I got no
response from anyone."
This brings us
to the 2017 preliminary budget. The Small Utilities Rates Imposition Bylaw 2735
plans to increase our RDNO Infrastructure Base Fee by 14.3% over three years. I
attended the Electoral Area Advisory Committee meeting December 15, 2016 where
the budget was initially presented and sent an email to Director Halvorson the
next day expressing concerns and raising questions. As per normal, I got no
response from anyone. The next meeting was January 4 where they were to discuss
the Bylaw but I couldn't get in because of public outrage over the gymnastics
club fiasco. (I witnessed Ms. Martens' presentation in December and saw the
disgusting reactions of RDNO politicians and staff) Later I found out the Bylaw
was sent back to staff for revision and thought maybe they were considering the
very valid points we raised in our letter.
No such luck.
"...gave Mr. Halvorson copies before the meeting.
He
refused to accept what he called "last minute items"."
The next EAAC
meeting discussing our rate increase was February 9, 2017 so we refined our
position and, as per normal, gave Mr. Halvorson copies before the meeting. He
refused to accept what he called "last minute items". The Agenda was
published only three days before the meeting, which is when we discovered
nothing had changed with the proposed rate increase. Isn't that last minute
too? I pointed out he has been aware of our concerns for a long time and that
he didn't respond. He said that since I had cc'd the RDNO Small Utilities
Manager, he didn't have to respond because staff would. Staff didn't, and their
position is they only reply when a letter is actually addressed to them; not a
copy. I asked him to make a motion to keep our fee at 2016 rates and he
refused.
"...to advocate on our behalf.
Isn't that his actual job?"
Now I have to
request to appear as a delegation at the Board of Directors meeting where they
adopt the Bylaw, whenever that may be. We have very strong arguments that a
rate imposition increase is not warranted this year but we cannot count on Director
Halvorson to advocate on our behalf. Isn't that his actual job? Perhaps a four year term is too long without
recourse.
Director Fleming
is concerned that the RDNO does not communicate very well. He was there when
staff and Chair Halvorson tried to sanction me for using a recording device.
I've got news for him - Board members don't communicate amongst themselves or
with RDNO staff very well either. So
sad."
Dana Mills,
Enderby, B.C.
"Area F might be a metaphor for how Dana's been treated," Kia would've said.
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