Short meeting at RDOS Board table on Thursday.

1. Board endorsed a motion to write letter to Westjet Airlines inviting them to Penticton Airport as a carrier. Chair Dan Ashton told the directors the provision of Westjet service to the South Okanagan would be a welcome addition to services provided by Air Canada. The company will be invited to appear as a delegation at an upcoming meeting.

2. Directors voted to forward a resolution to the Southern Interior Government Association (SILGA) that pushes forward an idea proposed by Director Allan Patton of Oliver on who should be a municipal director. The current BC law states that Municipal councils appoint a director for each Village, Town or City. The Patton resolution would take that control away and allow the Mayor to dictate that choice. All councils in the region will be asked for their input. Two directors expressed “no comfort” with the proposal – Mayor of Keremeos Manfred Bauer and Okanagan Falls Director Tom Siddon. The motions passed.

Recently, the Town of Princeton selected a councillor and not the Mayor to represent that Similkameen Town. Much furor followed. The Town has now reversed its decision and appointed Mayor Fred Thomas – who was elected in an upset victory over incumbent Randy McLean last fall.

3. Director Patton also proposed two resolutions that passed with regard to governance at the Oliver Parks and Recreation Society. The resolutions would allow the rural area and town to appoint more civilians ( non-elected ) persons to the Parks Board of Directors. Currently two persons from Town Council and two persons from Rural Area ‘C’ ( Director and his alternate ) represent those governments. Each funder then is allowed to appoint one civilian representative.