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RDNO Board Maintains Rubber Stamp

Dec 18, 2017 | 8:51 AM

The North Okanagan Regional District Board rejected a proposal to allow certain committees to make final decisions on some issues without having having to take them back to the full board to be rubber-stamped.

Those would be mainly non-monetary issues or subjects that don`t require bylaw changes that involve public hearings.

Board Chair Bob Fleming says in a lot of cases the same people vote on them.

But the directors felt while not all are affected by a certain matter, they`re still interested.

“And at least it provides the opportunity to see what`s happening in these other areas whether it`s the electoral areas of the greater Vernon area
because some of the things that happen in those areas obviously affect people in other jurisdictions.“

Fleming says it was felt that that continuing with the status quo allows for other ideas to come forward.

“Sometimes there`s ideas that somebody might bring forward that might be useful or also seeing in a broader picture how things that are done in more localized area might be affecting others within the region.“

He says there are examples of what might be going on that may need comment from someone representing another area.

“Things like special  events, big events, whether it was you know World Cup skiing or special Olympics or something happening t`hat`s really just restricted to the greater Vernon area but it does have impacts and potentials for participation from other communities.“

The move would have affected some of the main committees of the board such as GVAC and the Electoral Advisory Committee.

It allows the full board to remain a sort chamber of sober second thought.