New liaison positions

by · Castanet

Vernon city council approved new liaison positions for 2025 at its regular meeting on Monday.

Appointments are made each November, but this year was a little different. Council now has clear-cut, established guidelines for elected officials and community groups who are assigned a liaison.

The change up comes after confusion between O’Keefe Ranch and the expectations of its liaison highlighted a need for clearer roles. Mayor Victor Cumming will be stepping into the O’Keefe liaison position — a role previously held by Coun. Teresa Durning.

Durning said before city clarity was enacted, O'Keefe bylaws had her as the liaison being a voting member of their board, unbeknownst to her, which she felt was a conflict of interest when she found out.

The 2025 liaison positions are as follows:

  • Arts Council of North Okanagan – Durning, alternate – Coun. Brian Quiring
  • Downtown Vernon Association – Quiring, alternate – Coun. Kelly Fehr
  • Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce Advocacy Committee – Coun. Kari Gares, alternate – Coun. Akbal Mund
  • Vernon Okanagan lnspired Community Events Society (VOICE) – Durning
  • Vernon Winter Carnival – Mund
  • Vernon Seniors Action Network – Coun. Brian Guy, alternate – Fehr
  • Funtastic Sports Society – Gares
  • O'Keefe Ranch and Historical Society – Cumming, alternate – Quiring
  • Ribbons of Green Trail Society – Cumming

Also new for this year is the process by which the roles are appointed.

Instead of Cumming putting forward a list to be discussed in open council, the mayor appointed people to positions and the choices were ratified by council. Quiring did ask to switch one appointment and remain with the DVA, as well as Gares with the Chamber of Commerce due to a scheduling conflict.

Gares also raised concerns over being the Funtastic liaison as she'd just signed on as a sponsor, but it was decided not to be a conflict.

In the same meeting, council appointed its internal and external committee appointments which are as follows:

  • Advisory Planning Committee – Cumming, alternate – Mund
  • Affordable Housing Advisory Committee – Durning, Quiring, alternate – Gares
  • Biosolids Advisory Committee – Fehr, Guy, alternate – Cumming
  • Climate Action Advisory Committee – Guy, alternate – Cumming
  • Economic Development Advisory Committee – Cumming (as per terms of reference), Quiring, alternate – Mund
  • Tourism Commission – Quiring

External Committees:

  • Okanagan lndian Band and City of Vernon Working Group – Cumming, Guy
  • Municipal insurance Association of BC – Gares
  • North Okanagan Regional Advisory Committee (Okanagan College) – Fehr, alternate – Guy
  • Regional Growth Management Advisory Committee – Gares, alternate – Mund
  • Councillor Mund to the Kelowna Airport Advisory Committee for a term ending in November 2026.