But whenever an ounce of government (the "system") is involved, the result is often unpalatable.
In this case the ounce of government is Victoria.
Victoria, those lard-laden halls, where everybody's an Executive-somebody, a Deputy-something, an Acting Manager-whatchamacallit, a General Manager-who'zit, with burgeoning committee and staff lists that'd make an old Rolodex crumble. And expense accounts, lots of expense accounts with little or no accountability in their contents.
How can anyone expect unionized senior civil servants in Victoria to be objective (at all--or alternately--enough) and cut out the trans fats of three local North Okanagan bureaucracies?
The patient is dying from the sticky substance called bureaucracy that clogs his arteries.
A radical change of diet is called for.
Because the same ole' can of Spam isn't going to cut it anymore.
Even in (perhaps--especially in) Victoria since the 1990's, the growth of the bureaucracy occurred virtually unchecked.
Victoria has their own Spam.
Hell, Ottawa has Spam.
Senator Spammers...
Back to Victoria.
These are the people--the only people--the "system" allows to study amalgamation in any areas of British Columbia. "We have a whole department within government for that," it's been said.
Oh goody.
So...lemme get this straight.
The Society has gone to all this petition work re amalgamating Coldstream, Vernon and Areas "B" and "C", following KPMG's Core Services Review, knowing full well that the ONLY people who are permitted--by the system--to do a study on the pros and cons of amalgamation are the people the NDP trained in the 1990's, who still sit at their desks today, left-leaners sufficiently indoctrinated long ago...staunch government employee union workers for whom the word solidarity has a special connotation.
...and THEY are going to accede to Society and taxpayer wishes by eliminating the over-governance and abject waste of money in this area by slashing the duties and jobs of their brothers and sisters?
Comrades-in-arms, minus the armbands.
"You, and you, and you...and you, we don't need you anymore."
"You and you and you...off you go to new office in a lateral move to a job that may be temporary.
And that's IF--and only IF--Vernon Mayor Sawatzky isn't the only one agreeing to do a study, pointing out "...(the process needs) at least one other willing partner."
Really?
Do you really think so?
Let's try the recipe:
Take 58,000 people, all with their own family desires and wishes and limited wallet capacity.
Throw in politicians' wish-lists: big-city-wannabe ideas like bike paths, libraries, pedestrian corridors, government-mandated "culture".
Quietly blend in $110 million Interior Health filtration.
Fold in $80 million infrastructure and "asset" replacement 'cos it was depreciated.
Increase water eight-fold, sewer by two.
With a wooden spoon, add fluffy newspaper stories.
Dangle a pound of unfunded Defined Benefit Pension plans, and Sick Days, and Six Weeks Vacation.
Beat the populace continually with increasing mil rates on property taxes.
Saute Coldstream taxpayers with RU10/RU30, ostensibly an acceptable "preservative".
Whisk until mixture froths.
Allow the mixture to rest.
Contents are beginning to stink.
Continue.
Add the zest of a Core Services Review.
The stink is reduced, albeit only temporarily.
Then rely on bureaucrats in Victoria to make this dark soup digestible.
"You forgot one tablespoon of Faith," offers Kia.
Good luck with that.
Time for a road diet.
