Regional District of Central Okanagan
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CITY OF VERNON B.C.
CIVIC COMPLEX PROPOSAL (failed)
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Last updated February 13, 2010
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Association protests lack of city debate By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star - April 25, 2008 The City of Vernon is being accused of not acknowledging expenses related to the failed civic complex process. The Vernon Taxpayers Association questions why council has not publicly discussed the $373,538 that was spent on last summer’s counter-petition and January’s referendum. “It’s very disrespectful of the citizens,” said Tony Stamboulieh, association spokesman. The group claims transparency and accountability has been lacking. “On the civic complex costs there has been silence: no discussion, no debate, no accountability to taxpayers, financial report buried on page 285 of the agenda package, and the grant status report slipped under the wire, unnoticed,” states a press release. “Why did the mayor treat the financial costs for the civic complex so flippantly as ‘the cost of doing business?’” Mayor Wayne Lippert says there was no reason to discuss the expense report when it was presented to council April 14. “Council was aware of the approximate costs and they (final expenditures) were in line with what we expected. Why keep flogging a dead horse?” he said. Lippert suggests that Stamboulieh is being selective when it comes to financial matters. “If he’s so interested in the taxpayers’ finances, why didn’t he show up for the budget input meeting and why isn’t he concerned about the regional district budget and transparency there?” said Lippert. The association is also questioning city suggestions that it didn’t know in mid-December that two government grants for the civic complex had been denied. City staff have stated they didn’t become aware of the status of the applications until early April. “If the applications were turned down, they (government) wouldn’t wait until April to advise them of that. That’s hard to believe,” said Stamboulieh. Lippert stands behind staff and denies anyone knew about the failed applications Dec. 18. “We have no reason to hide anything,” he said, adding that those grants turned down were for 2007, not 2008. “The process is the process and we apply for grants every year.” |
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Association claims shot down by city By Tyler Olsen - Vernon Morning Star - April 20, 2008 Vernon city hall is refuting claims that residents were misled during the civic complex referendum. The Vernon Taxpayers Association has alleged that the city knew that it would not get three major grants for the civic complex but continued to lead residents to believe that alternate funding was being pursued in January. “It’s not true at all. They don’t understand the process,” said Mayor Wayne Lippert. In a release, the association states that the city had applied for $2.8 million in grants and that one Spirit of B.C. grant had been cancelled while two $1 million grants were denied Dec. 18 — weeks before the Jan. 26 referendum on borrowing up to $30 million for the complex. “Were the taxpayers misled? Did the proposal to use millions of dollars of taxpayer funds adhere to the requirement of integrity, prudence and probity in the use of public funds?” states the release. “With this being an election year, these questions must be addressed.” Tony Stamboulieh, association spokesman, stands behind the group’s concerns about the city. “They knew the grants had been declined. What kind of government is that?” he said. But Lippert says that even if the grants were denied, they were for 2007, and any referendum advertising referring to the search for funds would have been for 2008. “We are always looking for grants. It’s an annual thing,” he said. A majority of voters opposed the borrowing of money during the referendum and the city has made no decisions on the future of civic facilities. Kevin Bertles, finance manager, says the city only became aware of the applications being denied when staff phoned the government agencies this month. “Most granting organizations have policies not to inform applicants that they aren’t providing grants,” he said, adding that the city still doesn’t have formal confirmation. Lippert isn’t surprised that the two grants, worth $1 million each, were refused. “The grants were turned down because of the successful grant for Duteau Creek (water upgrades). There is only money in grants available and the government looks to see what each area gets,” he said. |
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