Meeting Set To Discuss Homeless Issues

By Kate Bouey

Jan 9, 2019 | 2:15 PM

A planned meeting between downtown Vernon businesses and the Social Planning Council is turning into a much bigger affair.

The Centreville Neighbourhood Council meeting on February 6th will involve facilitated mediation while the two sides try to resolve ongoing issues centering on the homeless issue.

Vernon city council has approved $2,500 in funding for the meeting and expects to receive a report from the facilitator involved in the talks.

City councillor Scott Anderson says businesses want an equal presence on the neighbourhood council where they are “simply outvoted.”

Following the recommendations in last year’s Activate Safety Report, Anderson said businesses feel they are “right back to square one” and that attendance at the neighbourhood council meetings had dwindled.