Losing skillset at RDNO

Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming says he plans to step aside for some Regional District of North Okanagan special meetings to utilize another councillors' expertise.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, new appointments were made to some RDNO positions served by Vernon councillors and Coun. Brian Quiring is being removed from the board of directors.

“I'm not going to lie, I'm disappointed that I'm being taken off the RDNO,” said Quiring in the meeting.

“I think I have a very strong skill set that will not exist at that table, which I think is unfortunate, but I have been there for 10 years… I respect the mayor's decision.”

Quiring is the managing partner of MQN Architecture and has experience working with builders and developers.

Councillors Kari Gares and Teresa Durning expressed concerns over losing Quiring’s expertise at the RDNO, but also both said they respected the mayor’s decision.

Gares said her personal opinion was that Quiring's skill set “would be an absolute must to be sitting at the table and not in an alternate position.”

Cumming – who remains on both the RDNO board of directors and the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee – says he plans to step aside for some special meetings to put Quiring back at the table.

“I think what will happen when we have, like, a special meeting on the cultural centre, I will sit as the alternative, and councillor Quiring will take my seat and function as the rep, and we'll do that,” said Cumming at the meeting.

Quiring will be called in to share his knowledge for the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre which has made headlines for years over various issues, and a new filtration plan where Cumming said pricing continues to rise.

While the mayor gave no rationale in Tuesday’s meeting for removing Quiring, the touted expert himself acknowledged it’s time to “give somebody else an experience.”

On the board of directors, Quiring is the only Vernon elected official being swapped out, to be replaced by Coun. Akbal Mund, while councillors Kelly Fehr, Gares and Mayor Cumming will all remain on the board.

On GVAC, Mund is being swapped for Durning, while Cumming and Coun. Brian Guy will remain on the committee.

City spokesperson Josh Winquist said appointments are regularly discussed by mayor and council, and historically the mayor serves on both the board of directors and GVAC.

“Council considers factors like priorities, expertise and needs when deciding on appointments,” said Winquist in an email.

RDNO communications officer Stacey Raftus said the district does not have any rules on which elected officials from member municipalities sit on boards or committees.

The city appoints roles annually and is doing so before the Nov. 20 RDNO board of directors meeting where the chair and vice-chair roles will be appointed.

The board has directors from all RDNO member municipalities and GVAC has representatives from Vernon, Coldstream and Electoral Areas B and C, as well as School District 22 and an agricultural rep.