OSOYOOS TIMES-May 12, 2010

In the interest of fairness, we at the Osoyoos Times feel it is necessary to present comments given by Mayor Stu Wells at the May 3 Osoyoos town council meeting regarding an opinion piece that appeared in the April 21 issue of this newspaper.
The piece, written by Times reporter Laurena Weninger, commented on subjects including the length of council meetings, how council interacts with the television camera present in council chambers and the content of councillor reports presented at each meeting.
Some of the statements Weninger made in her opinion piece included:
“These meetings have been stretching on longer and longer, and the content is coming across like food that has already been chewed.”
“At Osoyoos’s council meetings, the town councillors don’t address each other; they address the audience and the Channel 18 TV camera.”
“There’s often no debate, no in-depth discussion of the pros and cons of an issue. They appear to have rehearsed their opinions and pre-assigned their ‘lines.’”
And, in relation to councillor reports: “If you have no council-related business to report, just say so and let the show move along.”
Because the piece was critical of council in these areas, Wells used the most recent council meeting to address Weninger’s opinions.
We had our say, so it’s only right that the mayor has his.
“This is an informed and educated council and I am offended by the editorial,” Wells said. “When we get here to make decisions, we are informed. We work hard to be informed before we get here. That allows us to make sound and educated decisions.”
Wells also said he is “really, really happy” with how council conducts its business and meetings don’t have to be “cantankerous.”
In response to advice that council should just report meetings during councillor reports rather than speaking about special interests, Wells said members of council should stay the course and ignore Weninger’s comments.
“By all means, keep doing it. This is our meeting. This is my meeting.”
Now, Wells had every right to respond to criticism in the Times and this newspaper is happy he did so.
Encouraging debate and discussion is something the staff of the Times strives for and it would have been easy to drop this matter after publishing Wells’ response.
Except for that last sentence.
“This is my meeting.”
Is it?
One might argue that Wells was simply reinforcing that council was indeed holding a meeting and not just putting on a show for the camera.
But the context in which the statement was said suggests otherwise.
Council meetings to do not belong to individual council members or the mayor.
They belong to the community and are meant for conducting the community’s business.
The roughly 5,000 residents of Osoyoos are the bosses of council and mayor alike and they are the ones responsible for giving the current council the opportunity to meet every second Monday and work towards the good of the town.
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On a lighter note, the Osoyoos Times is inviting the community to keep its eyes and ears open in the coming weeks as the stars begin to descend on our community with production beginning on the Hollywood feature The Big Year and the annual Celebrity Wine Festival.
If you happen to see any celebrities around town, feel free to let us know, either through a phone call, an email or in person at our Main Street office.
Anyone with a camera who is in the right place at the right time who snaps a shot of any celebrities in Osoyoos is also welcome to submit them to the Times.
So keep your eyes peeled!