Vernon Mayoral Forum Oct, 08
10-08 Vernon Mayoral Candidates
General Topics - Infrastructure, Downtown Safety, Housing, and Water Capacity
Date Time: 2026-10-08 18:00:00
Location: Vernon District Performing Arts Centre
Candidates: Mr. Cumming, Ms. Garis, Mr. Lippert
The three mayoral candidates—Mr. Cumming, Ms. Garis, and Mr. Lippert —debated
their distinct visions for Vernon, focusing on infrastructure, downtown safety,
housing, and water capacity. Mr. Cumming emphasized long-term asset
management, continuing current progress, and strategic planning. Ms. Garis
focused on actionable leadership, data-driven safety measures, municipal
modernization, and holding the provincial government accountable. Mr. Lippert
advocated for restoring past successful policies (such as police foot patrols),
prioritizing fiscal responsibility, expanding water/flood infrastructure, and
improving communication with taxpayers.
Introduction
1. Mr. Cumming: The current mayor of Vernon and a former regional economist.
He highlighted the city’s ongoing progress, focusing on long-term asset
management and bold projects like the Active Liv
ing Center and Greater
Vernon Culture Center. His core message is that the city is on the right track,
fostering confidence that has spurred private investment. He advocates for
data-driven infrastructure planning, continuing the momentum, and pushing
the province for resources like a complex care facility and upgraded shelters to
address social issues.
2. Ms. Garis: A proactive candidate emphasizing the need for active, accountable
leadership that goes beyond the status quo. Her core message is that the
council must act decisively on key issues like downtown safety, business
support, and affordable housing. She calls for modernizing city operations
(such as property data access), protecting core services, finding internal budget
efficiencies, and implementing a public safety dashboard. She strongly believes
in pushing the provincial government for judicial reform and mental health
resources.
3. Mr. Lippert: A former mayor of Vernon (2005-2011) running on a platform of
fiscal responsibility, respecting the taxpayer, and bringing common-sense
decision-making back to City Hall. He prioritizes maintaining existing
infrastructure over new “wants.” He advocates for re-implementing past
strategies he believes were effective, such as police foot patrols and “red
zones,” to handle downtown safety. He also stresses the importance of
agricultural water capacity, flood storage, and better communication and
responsiveness from city officials.
Key Points
1. Downtown Safety & Homelessness: This is a primary concern for all
candidates, but approaches differ. Solutions range from reinstating past
policing strategies and “red zones” (Lippert), demanding provincial judicial
reform and consolidating public safety data (Garis), to pushing for complex care
facilities and compassionate, staged shelter upgrades (Cumming).
2. Infrastructure & Modernization: The panel agrees on the necessity of
addressing the historical infrastructure deficit and modernizing city operations.
This includes improving technology for property data access, finding
departmental budget efficiencies, and optimizing infrastructure project
coordination to minimize business disruption.
3. Water Security & Climate Resilience: Addressing water capacity and climate
risks requires a multi-faceted approach. Priorities include expanding the
reclaimed water system, upgrading agricultural irrigation, replacing aging
bridges, and collaborating on regional wildfire rapid-attack coordination.
4. Housing & Economic Growth: There is tension between provincial mandates
for more housing and local resource constraints, particularly water. Growth
strategies vary from focusing on infill development (Cumming) to streamlining
business processes and public safety (Garis), or pushing back against provincial
mandates if resources are lacking (Lindbergh).
5. Transportation & Downtown Parking: Access and parking management are
significant challenges. Proposed solutions include extending parkade hours,
implementing alleyway passes, improving transportation corridors, and
encouraging a shift to different transportation modes.
6. Heritage & Community Spaces: The financial sustainability of heritage assets
like the O’Keefe Ranch is heavily debated, with options ranging from letting
leases expire due to insurmountable debt to restructuring with a businesscentered board. Candidates universally support creating inclusive municipal
spaces and restoring public beach access.
Insights
1. Mr. Cumming
The city has successfully created a confident environment for public and
private investment, evidenced by new cultural and recreational facilities
and a 5-year capital plan that secures better contractor pricing.
Long-term asset management of the city’s $1.6 billion in infrastructure is
the most critical part of budgeting.
Housing policy should prioritize infill development in the core and existing
satellite communities to manage long-term infrastructure costs.
Recommends compassion and provincial partnership for homelessness,
emphasizing the need for BC Housing to provide safe first-step
accommodations and complex care.
Defends the decision to end the O’Keefe Ranch operating relationship due
to decades of unsustainable costs and growing debt.
2. Ms. Garis
Effective leadership requires action, especially when businesses and
families are struggling. She demands departments find savings within
existing budgets before requesting more funds.
A small number of individuals are responsible for a large portion of
downtown crime, necessitating provincial judicial reform and a publicfacing safety dashboard to track initiative success.
Supportive housing is failing when individuals in sobriety are placed next to
active users; the province must fund better wraparound, detox, and
transitional services.
Advocates for modernizing access to property information using systems
like LandCor to improve efficiency and reduce wait times.
Emphasizes truth and reconciliation through strong council-to-council
relations with the Okanagan Indian Band and co-creating heritage policies
with local experts.
3. Mr. Lippert
Past solutions that worked, like police foot patrols, coordinated “cool
teams,” and “red zones,” should be revisited to improve downtown safety
and reduce homeless camps.
Prioritizes maintaining existing city assets (streets, cemeteries, parks) over
new developments and suggests finding efficiencies by sharing services
with regional partners.
Believes the city must improve communication, re-establish clear timelines
for replying to public inquiries, and offer businesses choices during
disruptive construction.
The city should be prepared to push back against provincial housing
mandates if local water supplies cannot support the growth; advocates
raising dams/dikes to licensed capacities to buffer floods and droughts.
Argues that heritage sites like O’Keefe Ranch can become self-sustaining
with a restructured, business-focused board and solid business plans.
Debate Q&A
1. Downtown Safety & Crime: When asked about reducing crime and disorder, Mr.
Lippert advocated for reinstating foot patrols to build relationships and using
“red zones” to separate criminals. Ms. Garis stated the core issue lies with
repeat offenders and requires provincial judicial reform and a public safety
dashboard to measure success. Mr. Cumming noted crime levels have been flat
since 2018 and emphasized the ongoing push for a provincially funded complex
care facility and a better-designed shelter system.
2. Homelessness & The Drug Crisis: Regarding Vernon’s role with the province,
Ms. Garis criticized the mixing of sober residents with active users in supportive
housing and demanded provincial funding for detox and transitional housing.
Mr. Lippert highlighted the past success of a police crime analyst and
coordinated teams to separate criminals from those needing help. Mr.
Cumming highlighted the severity of the modern toxic drug crisis and stressed
the importance of securing provincial funding for local service providers facing
capacity issues.
3. Property Data Modernization & Housing Policy: On modernizing data, Ms.
Garis proposed using LandCor for instant title access to clear application
backlogs. Mr. Cumming explained a modernized system is already being
implemented. Mr. Lippert emphasized that the core problem is slow city
response times. On housing, Mr. Cumming favored core infill development to
prevent expensive suburban sprawl; Mr. Lippert warned of pushing back
against provincial housing mandates due to water constraints.
4. Budgeting & Infrastructure Priorities: Mr. Lippert prioritized maintaining
existing streets and parks, warning against paying twice for new centers
(borrowing plus replacement reserves). Ms. Garis argued for protecting core
services while forcing departments to find internal inefficiencies. Mr. Cumming
focused on managing the $1.6 billion in long-term assets and using a
transparent 5-year capital plan to secure better pricing.
5. Business Growth & Construction Disruptions: To support businesses, Mr.
Cumming highlighted strategic capacity building, such as the high-strength
waste treatment addition that allowed local breweries to expand. Mr. Lippert
stressed listening to businesses and offering choices during roadwork (e.g.,
short full shutdowns vs. long intermittent work). Ms. Garis focused on
streamlining processes to make them predictable and ensuring early
communication during infrastructure projects.
6. Downtown Access & Parking: Mr. Lippert called for reviewing transportation
plans and better utilizing existing lots in collaboration with businesses. Ms.
Garis suggested quick fixes like extending parkade hours past 5 p.m. and
issuing alleyway parking passes for staff. Mr. Cumming pointed to the 2025
Transportation Plan, advocating for a long-term shift in transportation modes
to reduce second-vehicle reliance in the core.
7. Water Capacity, Wildfire, & Climate Risks: Ms. Garis prioritized expanding the
reclaimed water system and FireSmart public education. Mr. Cumming noted
successes in securing provincial funds for watershed wildfire mitigation,
advancing Okanagan Lake intakes, and updating flood bylaws. Mr. Lippert
advocated for upgrading dam and dike storage to licensed capacities to
manage historic flood/drought cycles and improving agricultural
communication.
8. Regional & Indigenous Partnerships: Mr. Cumming championed a communitydevelopment decision-making style to tackle joint issues like the Aberdeen
Plateau fire risk. Mr. Lippert referenced past successful mutual aid and service
reviews. Ms. Garis highlighted strong council-to-council relations with the
Okanagan Indian Band, embedding truth and reconciliation into civic
amenities.
9. Leadership Accountability & Reporting: Mr. Lippert proposed quarterly
newsletters and prioritizing citizen access to City Hall. Ms. Garis suggested a
monthly mayor’s report with measurable results, published development
standards, and transparent delay reporting. Mr. Cumming stated he would rely
on the strategic plan, providing 6- and 12-month progress updates and
evaluating success through milestones like the Active Living Center.
10. Heritage Sites & O’Keefe Ranch: Addressing the O’Keefe Ranch lease, Mr.
Cumming explained the council’s unanimous decision to terminate the
relationship due to unsustainable costs ($350k/year in maintenance) and
mounting debt. Ms. Garis agreed the current model is financially unsustainable
and noted previous revenue ideas failed. Mr. Lippert saw the lease expiry as an
opportunity to restructure the governance with a business-centered board to
achieve self-sustainability.
11. Mental Health & LGBTQ+ Inclusion: Regarding municipal support for mental
health and the queer/trans community, Mr. Cumming noted health is a
provincial jurisdiction but highlighted the city’s role in building inclusive spaces
(like the Active Living Center) to create a “community for everyone.” Ms. Garis
asserted the municipal responsibility to ensure safe spaces, citing flagpole
support for Pride Week and allyship. Mr. Lippert emphasized mutual respect
and support for all residents regardless of background.
For information on my run for Vernon Council see votewaynecarson.ca. Be sure to get out and vote Oct, 14 and Oct, 17. Vote Wayne Carson your FireSmart Candidate.
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