At least two Kelowna City Councillors are unhappy about not being appointed to the Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) Board.
The issue was raised at council’s May 26 meeting, which also addressed concerns about appointments to several committees.
After asking Mayor Tom Dyas if he planned to make any other appointments before next year’s municipal elections, Councillor Gord Lovegrove questioned the mayor about his criteria for making the RDCO appointments.
“I know I’ve made my expectations clear about wanting to be back on the board,” Lovegrove added. “I know you said when we had a private conversation that it’s just fair to rotate, which I agree with.”
The mayor replied that any councillor could do an excellent job in any of the particular roles.
“My job is to make sure that the appointments are as fair as possible to everyone across the board,” Dyas noted. “We’re trying basically to put the best foot forward.”
Under the Local Government Act, council appoints directors and, if needed, alternate directors to the RDCO Board by resolution. Kelowna has six directors on the board.
“I make a suggestion,” Dyas pointed out. “They’re a selection of council.”
Coun. Mohini Singh was also not appointed to the board.
“I respect your position of fairness and equity for all,” she said. “There are four years in our term—so that would be that every councillor would get the opportunity to serve two years.”
Singh noted that she and Lovegrove would only serve one-and-a-half years.
“You use the term fairness, I’m telling you I don’t think it’s fair, that’s all.”
Singh also argued that she was the go-to person for many Indo-Canadian individuals regarding agriculture when she was on the RDCO board previously.
Dyas reiterated that, with regard to committee appointments, he strives to rotate councillors through the various positions.
“With regards to this (RDCO Board), it’s a suggestion and it’s chosen by council,” he said. “That’s just basically the rules. I know everyone wants to be there—there’s nine of us, and there’s only six on there.”
This is not the first time RDCO appointments have caused tension among council.
In May 2024, Lovegrove, Singh, and Ron Cannan were replaced on the RDCO Board by Luke Stack, Maxine DeHart, and Rick Webber.
The appointed RDCO Board members, effective Sept. 5, are Mayor Dyas and Councillors Ron Cannan, Maxine DeHart, Luke Stack, Rick Webber, and Loyal Wooldridge (chairperson). Councillors Lovegrove, Singh, and Charlie Hodge have been designated as alternates.
Serving as a director on the RDCO Board provides approximately $17,000 in additional annual income for a council member, while alternates earn $90 for each meeting they attend.
