Amalgamation It's as easy as 1, 2, 3

1. First Step

In December of 2014, the City Council and the District Council must pass (4 votes) a motion to officially notify the Provincial Government they are jointly starting an amalgamation process.  "Be it resolved a joint committee be struck with the City/District to write up an Amalgamation Plan which will be reported back on in September of 2016.

2. Second Step

From December of 2014 to September of 2016, the Joint Committee would form many working groups of sub-committees to work out the many details.  They would also be empowered to commission independent studies on how to do amalgamation in the least expensive way.

As one example, there would have to be a sub-committee on the Lonsdale Energy Corporation. It  is a City initiative but the District has turned down any participation in the LEC. So this sub-committee would have to make a recommendation on whether the new united North Vancouver would own the LEC or it would be sold?  The point is that with this and as with many other issues, have to be discussed as part of the building of a detailed Amalgamation Plan, not prior to the to the motion in Step One.

3. Third Step

Once the Amalgamation Plan is delivered to the Provincial Government and they have authorized a binding referendum for October of 2017, the voters of all of North Van have a year to study the plan and then vote on it. If successful, during the regular election of 2018, there would an election for one North Van council.

A meeting with Bill Bell on the state of the world

Of course our world is North Vancouver since both of us will be running for Council.  It was a pleasure talking fine points of electoral strategy and showing some of my analysis to someone who seemed to instinctively know what I meant by looking at a spreadsheet. I'm, of course, talking about Dorothy Bell, a former school board trustee and who could be the brains of the operation.

Bill is not an supporter of Amalgamation but has typical concerns of those in the City that will not support a merger with the view it could be an annexation of the City by the District.  But he is someone that when his concerns are addressed, he could become a supporter. He is, of course, might be one of 4 Councillors who could start the legal process or not.

So in December, let's say 4 members of the new Council (Bell, Bell, Clark and myself) submits and passes a motion to start the legal process which would create a joint committee to write a detailed Amalgamation Plan which is required by the Provincial Government.  The Council members would all make it clear what they wanted to see in the Plan.

The Joint Committee would create several sub-committees to deal with several topics.  The structure of an United North Van council is primary.  Bill said that a ward system would be a precondition for him. District Mayor Walton has mused that there would 4 seats in each area and of course a Mayor elected by all North Van. That's a little too dependent on the status quo for me BUT that sub-committee would have almost two years to make a recommendation to the main committee who would make a recommendation to the two Councils. That's plenty of time to get proper public input and to explore several different options.

This is the point where Bill, Don and Rod gets their assurance. The City Council would have to pass the Plan and all its specifics. So Bill, as a Councillor, would be able to assess whatever Council structure is decided and then vote on whether the Plan goes to a referendum or not.  All of Council could assess every point and propose amendments to it. Of course both the City and District would have to pass the exact same document.

At that point, every voter in North Vancouver becomes equal to a Councillor and the referendum must pass in both the City and District to take place.  There would be a year until the election of an United North Van Council.

As in the last step of a referendum, on November 15th, every voter in North Van has a say equal to a Councillor.  By voting just for the 4 members of United North Van, clearly marked on the ballot, you guarantee that first step will be taken.  We have two years of formal, independent professional studies, town halls and public meetings to discuss and probably over-discuss every "nuts and bolts" issue of amalgamation. Then, a Council vote and a referendum.

Do you think you have the right to make a vital decision such a this or just the Council for their but probably not your interests?  There are only a few times when you have control, exercise it on November 15 by voting only for Unite North Van and reunite North Van.

A visit to District Council

Since City Council is not sitting tonight and District Council is, I will make my first visit to make a public input presentation.  On amalgamation of course.

A faction of District Council is in love with the idea of including West Van with the North Van amalgamation.  Why?  It makes no sense, as shown in a few articles in the local papers. Looking at the merger in the most pragmatic way, it is the merger of budgets.  Since West Van spends a dramatically high level of funds to have a separate independent police force and over 13 million dollars for the Blue Bus system, an amalgamation plan would have to either adopt or cancel that spending or the taxes in the City and District of North Van would have to increase to pay for items like those.

I don't see a Plan  that includes West Van being approved by the voters of the City or even the District once they are voting on specifics. This also dooms a North Van amalgamation.

As in the example of the City of Vernon, the Province won't fund any studies or initiatives unless the whole legal process they have laid out is followed. It does not envision multiple or non-binding referenda, that's a waste of time and money.  The new four year term for Councils provide the time to do a proper amalgamation process.

A legal motion in December 2014 starting the legal process. 2 years to write an Amalgamation Plan to be first ratified by both Councils and then by a binding referendum. 

But it doesn't start without that first motion which  need 4 votes on each Council, which will only happen if you vote for the 4 Unite North Van candidates so they can start amalgamation.

Prov Govt says no to Vernon

http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/opinion/242451411.html

When will municipalities in BC learn?  You can't use the term amalgamation to cover what is really one municipality wanting to annex another one.  Until all municipalities concerned pass the exact same motion to have a joint committee write an amalgamation plan, that plan is ratified and put to binding referendum, the province will not approve of any aspect of amalgamation. 

The Province will pay for a restructuring study as part of that joint committee's work and at no other time and certainly not because a Councillor just wants media to launch his campaign to become an MP.

Heywood puts a stake in the heart of MacKay Dunn's dreams

District Councillor MacKay Dunn resurrected his concept of a North Shore amalgamation which would include West Van along with the District and City of North Van.   Here are the links to the articles on his "zombie raising" before the concept was put back in the ground, hopefully forever.

Boulevard not for development, 2 Feb (NSN Letter)

Amalgamation referendum needed, 22 Jan (NSN Letter)

The first two letters show a reaction from the community that the over-development, the rush to build everywhere and make sure it is far more dense, a "toss the incumbents" mood that is starting to develop.  The old status quo Councillors protecting their fiefdoms at the expense of us all, have to go.


District of North Van pitches amalgamation, 4 Feb (NSN)

Together again, 5 Feb (NSN editorial)

North Van District and City still divided over amalgamation, 6 Feb (Outlook)

Should the two North Vancouvers amalgamate?, 7 Feb NSN Inquiring Reporter

North Shore amalgamation is but a dream, 14 Feb (NSN column by Gary Lautens)

Three steps to amalgamation, 19 Feb (my NSN Letter)

North Shore amalgamation - be careful what you wish for, 19 Feb (NSN Letter)

The Brock Bishop letter is quite interesting as it displays a hearty and healthy distrust of government.  Of course, Brock, we already have a fourth level of Government in between the Provincial and Municipal ones, that's of Metro Vancouver or the old GVRD.  But his point does provide something else that has to be acknowledged, amalgamation provides guarenteed savings but there is nothing stopping a newy elected Council from spending or even wasting those savings. 

Let's say the total expenditures of both municipalities in budget year 2019 (unamalgamated) would be $185 million but a successful referendum $20 million in savings was identified in the Amalgamation Plan.  New mill rates could be devised to raise the taxes to support $165 million in spending passing on the savings to taxpayers.  But governments are loath to every give money back to the taxpayers, they feel they've gotten away with a level of taxation without causing much civil unrest so there is no reason why they shouldn't find other spending to replace the cancelled spending. Nothing forces or binds a Council, not the previous decisions of Council, not an Amalgamation Plan not the campaign promises made during the election of new merged Council.

At least right now we can celebrate the burying the idea of merging West and North Vancouver and please all, don't even bring up Bowen Island and Lion's Bay. Unite North Van, City and District!

Myth 1 North Van is just like Halifax, Ottawa or (gasp) Toronto

Mayor Mussatto likes to create the analogy that all municipal amalgamations are the same and we would be doomed to walk the same steps to a more expensive local government.  In his words from a North Shore News article;

"But, Mussatto cautioned, while the thought of amalgamations of like-municipalities may "feel good," they rarely, if ever, result in the cost savings the local governments were hoping to see.

The evidence is pretty clear if you do any research that if you do it for financial reasons, you're not going to save any money," he said.

Mussatto pointed to the 1996 amalgamation of Halifax, Darmouth and Bedford as an example. Post-amalgamation, the city piled on millions more in debt in the ensuing years.

The reason, he stated, is that amalgamations come with nasty growing pains, as taxpayers in neither municipality are eager to see their services go down to match their neighbours' service levels, so servicing and costs go up for both former neighbours.

Differences in delivery of services between private sector and union city staff that have evolved in two local governments are also notoriously difficult to marry together, he added, citing garbage collection for multi-family residences and business as an example."

Of course, it was the resulting Council that voted to spend more money and the realities of the specific union contracts in their area that increased spending, Councils unfriendly to the Liberal Government implemented the amalgamation in such a way so there would be no savings. The Liberal Government campaigned against a merger to defeat the PC Government but once elected forced an amalgamation process. (Gasp - shades of the HST).

The mergers or rather annexations had been going on in Halifax and Dartmouth for over a decade as they swallowed most of their suburbs.

A report done by the former PC Government predicted that the amalgamation would save over $20 million a year in a resulting Halifax that merged core urban rather depressed areas, suburban areas and large rural areas. In effect they took a BC style regional area (our fourth level of government) and made it the only local government of 350,000.

What situation caused this amalgamation to provide savings and are effected by the same challenges in North Van? The employees in smaller areas demanded that they receive the same (higher) pay as the urban counterparts.  In fact as one muncipality was formed they also formed one bargaining unit and a single contract would have to neogiated with their unions.

The North Van situation is entirely different.  CUPE 389 represents both the City and the District. Each has a contract that expired on 31 Dec 2011 and we have a wait for an update. 

The city contract is here www.metrovancouver.org/services/labour/Agreements/North_Vancouver_City_Inside-Ourside-CUPE_389-2007-11.pdf and article 10.2 refers to amalgamation directly. 
"10.2 Amalgamation 

 In the event of a vote in favour of amalgamation in both the City and District of North 
Vancouver there will be established, within thirty (30) days of the execution of the City 
and District uniting agreement, a joint committee of Management and labour consisting 
of one (1) to be appointed by each of the two Councils and two (2) to be appointed by 
the Union to consider and make recommendations with respect to matters dealing with 
the integration of employees whose positions are affected by the amalgamation. "

The District contract is here www.metrovancouver.org/services/labour/Agreements/NVD_CUPE_389_2007-11.pdf and Article 9.2 refers to amalgamation directly.
"9.2 In Event of City and District Amalgamation 

 In the event of a vote in favour of amalgamation in both the City and District of North 
Vancouver, there will be established, within thirty (30) days of the execution of the City 
and District uniting agreement, a joint committee of Management and Labour 
consisting of one to be appointed by each of the two Councils and two to be appointed 
by the Union to consider and make recommendations with respect to matters dealing 
with the integration of employees whose positions are affected by the amalgamation"

Of it is exactly the same as is most of the contract as is most 50 job categories and pay.  Of course the city does not have a golf course attendant category but the differences are easily merged together.  Despite the expiry of the contracts almost two years ago, new contracts have not been signed.

Mayor Mussatto claims that "taxpayers in neither municipality are eager to see their services go down to match their neighbours' service levels". It is not taxpayers that increase taxes but Councillors. I'd like to see North Van examples of specific services thta would cost us more or that a new Council would be forced by rampaging mobs to boost up, let's say, recycling as an example, oh bad example since both municipalities in fact are part of a North Shore wide recycling program.

Mayor Mussatto also cites the example of garbage collection and privatized services. In the City now, we have different standards of collection and recycling.  If you are renter in an apartment building or an owner in a strata condo, close to half of the City residents, a private company under contract with building or strata council does the collection.  In you are in a private residence, they City does your collection.  The District has the same situation but the ratio is vastly different. 

If the nuts and bolts become overwhelmly to you, think it a certain way.  The core of the task is a merger of the two budgets. There's an old saying "How do you eat an elephant?" The answer of course is "One bite at a time". Each bite is a cost center to be addressed to figure out how we will save taxpayer money.  Over the next month or so, I shall publish several separate articles that each looks at one spending area as this is already very long.

Board members needed in both City and District orgs

Now that we have launched our new political party, it's time to recruit members and Board Members.  The Party will have three components, a Society Board and two Electoral Organization as they are called by the Local Government Act. It is these two Boards where the work needs to be done to build both arms of the political party.

The City Board, chaired by George Pringle and the District Board chaired by Bruce Gilmour both need a Vice-Chair, a Secretary-Treasurer, a Membership Chair, a Fundraising Chair and up to 4 Directors at Large.  Each position is a task that needs to be done. Gathering memberships and donations are paramount.

Our website is unitenorthvan.ca and the City Board can be contacted at unite.northvan@gmail.com and the District Board can be contacted at nsalmagamation@gmail.com if you wish to be a member or more active as a Board member.