Well, that did not take very long. And here I thought that common sense had finally prevailed in city hall?
I thought that with a new mayor and several new councillors being elected to city council, democratic values of transparency, representation, pluralism and accountability would at long last prevail.
What is transparency?
As a principle, public officials, civil servants, managers and directors of companies and organizations and board trustees have a duty to act visibly, predictably and understandably to promote participation and accountability.
But I guess I was wrong.
So the City of Vernon won’t budge from its supposed annexation policy, even for a fire hall. The fire hall wants to build on to its present building to allow it to grow.
City officials say the only way they will extend sewer services to the BX-Swan Lake fire hall is if the property is brought into Vernon boundaries.
Coun. Catherine Lord said, “We have set the policy (annexation for sewer) in our official community plan and at this point, we don’t want to revisit it.”
And Mayor Akbal Mund is also concerned about the precedent as other BX residents want city sewer.
Fundamentally, it is so very wrong that a fire hall is being denied a sewer connection.
The fire hall is a public entity. An entity is that which is perceived or known or inferred to have its own distinct existence (living or non-living).
The fire hall provides a public service, which is performed for the benefit and safety of the community and public, especially by a non-profit organization.
The official community plan is supposed to provide the longer-term vision for the community.
This official community plan is flawed. There is a lack of transparency and accountability.
It is a plan full of unsustainable and cosmetic pet projects like road diets and bike lane projects.
In the advent of annexation, is the official community plan going to recognize the status quo, a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regards to social or political issues?
Are there going to be policies that will recognize the status quo and protect the status quo?
I ask, are there any policies written respecting the maintenance and enhancement of farming on land in a farming area or in an area designated for agricultural use in the community plan?
I ask, are there any policies written relating to the preservation, protection, restoration and enhancement of the natural environment, its ecosystems and biological diversity?
As for annexation, you just have to look around the country and here at home with Okanagan Landing to see the problems with annexation.
Annexation is by no means a cheap, easy process.
Any annexation of Areas B and C would probably in all likelihood fail, leaving huge debts and unhappy people.
I feel the real reason for the City of Vernon taking the position of, “You want sewer, so we want you to be annexed into the city boundaries,” is because the city wants absolute control of another fire hall
And a way to force annexation.
George Serhan
Vernon
