RDOS board scuttles economic development bylaw

PENTICTON – Plans for a regional economic development fund came to a sudden end at last week’s regional district board meeting.

Directors at the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen voted to rescind and abandon a new economic development bylaw at last Thursday’s regular board meeting.

West Bench Director Michael Brydon spearheaded the effort to create a new fund last February, citing the need for the board to be more transparent when dealing with annual funding requests for grants such as those made by the Okanagan Film Commission.

The board’s present grants-in-aid policy favours one-time grants, but the board has perennially funded a grant request to the Okanagan Film Commission, which Brydon said was, in reality, economic development funding. He felt the board needed to be more open about the grant, calling it an item 'hidden away in a 526-page budget,' at a board meeting earlier in the year.

Regional District Chief Administrative Officer Bill Newell says the economic development service bylaw failed to receive the majority support required to proceed with the bylaw.

“Rather than leave the bylaw dormant at second reading, it’s cleaner to rescind,” he says.

Newell says without the economic development fund bylaw, there is nothing to stop any group from approaching member municipalities of the regional district individually, or have existing sub-regional economic development services participating as well. Newell says future requests for multi-year funding will likely be asked to apply for a grant through the individual municipalities, electoral areas and sub-regional programs within the makeup of the regional district.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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