Picture of ORL board from meeting this week. 21 member governance board based in Kelowna.

When the new Library Director Stephanie Hall spoke to RDOS directors in Penticton yesterday – she got a bit of warning from South Okanagan directors – keep the budget increases to Zero.

Director Allan Patton told Hall that size-able increases in the last few years have been constant while the economy is in the tank and other government bodies are holding the line.

Patton says the cost of running the Oliver Library is about $250 thousand and Osoyoos about $300 thousand – and he says that is too much.

Is there an alternative? Yes, but it would be gut wrenching and difficult. Is a governance model based in Kelowna, controlled by Vernon and Kelowna without Penticton in the mixed controllable?

Penticton Library is independent and its costs per capita is well below the ORL and the provincial average.