The elected officials and administrative staff in charge of Greater Vernon Water appear to have forgot that their mandate is to serve the interests of all citizens supplied by Greater Vernon's water utility.
In the fall of 2014, voters in all jurisdictions served by GVW overwhelmingly defeated a referendum to borrow tens of millions of dollars to implement the master water plan (MWP).
By the spring of 2015, the politicians' response to the referendum defeat was to form a stakeholder advisory committee to review the MWP, with the SAC membership to be comprised of people from various categories of water users.
The Greater Vernon Advisory Committee and GWV administration screened the applicants for the SAC and established the terms of reference for the SAC deliberations. The committee meetings were chaired and managed by a GVAC member.
The SAC was subjected to lengthy reports of the development of the currently MWP and the GVAC system. The SAC meetings focused on non-cost aspects of the water utility. There were no in-depth reviews of system operations, budgets or customer willingness and ability to pay.
In the course of more than 10 meetings over the past year, each lasting several hours, SAC members had little opportunity for input or open discussion. It appears the SAC was formed and manipulated to product the desired stay the course result. GVAC's recent announcement of "no charge required to the MWP" is not surprising.
But what happens now? Where will GVW get the funding required to implement the MWP which includes, among other capital items, upgrades to the Duteau reservoirs and treatment systems?
How long can GVW continue to justify the high costs to treat Duteau Creek water to potable quality and then apply that water to agricultural crops? Will Duteau Creek even be a reliable water source if there is sustained severe drought?
During a drought who has priority access to the limited water supply — agricultural or residential customers? Any day now, GVW will demand cutbacks in water use in anticipation of a drought and will follow that by announcing increases in water rates or base rates so they can meet their budget. The only plan appears to be GVW's intent to continue the Duteau folly and pay for it with ridiculously high water rates.
Unfortunately, when the customer balks and revenue no longer covers expenditures, our elected officials will have no choice but to make up with the shortfall through tax levies since the public has already said a resounding no to borrowing. We have to pay, no matter what.
GVW customers are the majority of voters in Vernon, Coldstream and the portions of Areas B and C. How GVW implements the master water plan, how our water needs are met and what are changed for our water service will be closely watched.
Elected officials, as they should be, eventually will answer for the narrow-sighted actions of GVW. Time will tell if the core of democracy, the will of the people, still prevails.
D. Windsor
Vernon