Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District area “D” governance study underway

PENTICTON – The Regional District of Okanagan Similkmaeen’s Area “D” governance study has begun as consultants and committee members begin tours of the electoral area.

Leftside Partners, the consultant hired by the regional district, paired up with committee members to speak with residents of Upper Carmi, Heritage Hills/Lakeshore Highlands, Skaha Estates, Okanagan Falls, Kaleden, Vaseux Lake, Twin Lakes/St. Andrews and Apex Mountain, according to a regional district media release.

The governance study will review and consider other methods of local governance for Electoral Area “D”, which is a widely diverse rural area that has the highest population in the district.

Both the committee members and the consultants will be engaging citizens throughout the coming months. The regional district is currently creating a fact sheet which will detail each service provided by the regional district, which will be distributed throughout the area, the release says.

Governance forums are planned for several areas and surveys provided in central locations, as well as on the regional district webpage. Information and updates with respect to the study will be posted to neighbourhood bulletin boards.

The governance committee emphasizes to residents that all committee meetings are open to the public. As citizen input is critical to the process, residents are urged to come out to the forums and meetings scheduled, write or email in the coming weeks to have their say.

More information and meeting details can be found at the regional district's website or by calling legislative services manager Christy Malden at 250-492-0237.

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.