Westside Meeting Set

An important meeting of the Westside Governance Phase Two Study Committee will be held on Thursday September 16 at the Comfort Inn (1655 Westgate Road) on the Westside. The meeting is at 7 pm. The purpose of the meeting is to hammer out the Phase Two Study Terms of Reference which are currently being drafted to follow up on the April recommendations of the Phase One Committee concerning Options and Boundaries for future local governance of the Westside.

The Phase One study which took place in 2003 and spring 2004 recommended that the Westside take a detailed comparative look at three future Governance Options: Incorporation of a Westside as a municipality the amalgamation of the area into the City of Kelowna by boundary extension or that it remain with the status quo governance arrangement under the Regional District of Central Okanagan and several Improvement Districts. The boundary area for the Phase Two study will follow the Regional District’s Westside South Official Community Plan borders – from the Okanagan Connector, to Crystal Mountain parking lot, to the south boundary of the Bear Creek Provincial Park to shorelines of Okanagan Lake. Lois-Leah Goodwin of the Ministry of Community Aboriginal and Women’s Services will attend the upcoming meeting to assist in the drafting of the Phase Two Terms of Reference and to outline the Study process and funding. Based on the results of the Phase Two Study, a referendum may be held on the Westside to determine which course to follow.

There are five new Westside members of the Phase Two Committee plus three City of Kelowna representatives as ex-officio members to the Committee.

The Phase Two Study Committee Membership is as follows: Elected (at the Spring 2003 Public Meeting): Jim Dixon, Doug Findlater, Rusty Ensign, Larry Mintz, Doug Kirk, and Rita Milne. Appointed by the 3 Westside Regional Directors: Al Sol, Broc Braconnier, Tom Howe, Linda Would, Jeff Harte, and one vacancy to be filled by the Regional Directors. Ex Officios: CORD: Aaron Dinwoodie, Len Novakowski, David Knowles CITY OF KELOWNA: Walter Gray, Colin Day, Robert Hobson, and Ron Born (staff): IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS: Carol Zanon (WID), John Byland (LID), and Joe Strocen (WFPD) and WFN: Larry Derrickson

The Committee will meet again if necessary on Thursday September 30 to finalize the Phase Two Study Terms of Reference. Following the approval of the Study Terms of Reference in consultation with the Ministry, the Committee will issue a Request For Proposals from specialized consultants to carry out the study in the coming months.