Council table to stay at 5

Photo: osoyoos.ca

No changes will be made to the size of Mayor and Council in the Town of Osoyoos, after the idea to expand from five councillors to seven was floated last month.

In a report to council, the town's director of corporate services Janette Van Vianen said the proposed change would allow "more diverse representation on council and more representation during councillor absences," costing between $42,000 and $50,000 to add the two new positions.

Council members voted to instead keep the size of table the same. Only Coun. Mike Campol was opposed, who deeply criticized the decision during the meeting.

"All it takes is one vacation or an illness to have representation of three people. For significant changes of bylaws and significant spending decisions, that concerns me," he said.

As for the additional taxpayer dollars of up to $50,000 for two councillors, Campol said "I don’t see it as an extraordinary amount of money, for more representation and diversity on a council."

The idea to add two councillors was offered because decisions were made last year with the legal quorum of three out of five members at times, Mayor Sue McKortoff said in December.

She added the most notable absence was of one member, Coun. Carol Youngberg, who was away more than any other council member to help her sister deal with medical issues. 

On Monday, McKortoff said "I think we are extremely well represented by the five people that we do have on council right now... I think in this town ($50,000) could be spent probably in a better way."

Following the decision, council members voted unanimously to also have town staff look into the cost of potentially moving council meetings to the evening — a motion that was put forward by Campol.