Minutes before the nomination deadline, Mayor Stu Wells (right) withdrew his candidacy for mayor in the November municipal election. Coun. Sue McKortoff (left) has decided to seek the mayoralty instead. Wells said he discussed his decision a day earlier with McKortoff and will be supporting her candidacy. (Richard McGuire photo)
Osoyoos Mayor Stu Wells dropped a bombshell by withdrawing his mayoralty candidacy minutes before last Friday afternoon’s deadline for municipal nominations.
Coun. Sue McKortoff will now seek the mayor’s job instead of running as a councillor.
The announcement by Wells sent shock waves through Osoyoos Town Hall, stunning staff and political observers.
Wells said he waffled about whether or not to run again in the weeks leading up to the nomination deadline. He only made his final decision one day before the deadline.
“It was driving my wife Martha (Collins) crazy because it was back and forth sometimes three times a day,” Wells admits. “I’m in, then out, then in… I put her through such a harrowing period of time with my indecision.”
Last Wednesday, two days before Wells withdrew, he announced to his wife before she went to work that he had decided not to run. She came home later that afternoon to find him in the backyard with buckets of water and soap washing off his old election signs for reuse.
Only after a sleepless night of gnashing his teeth and twisting did Wells finally decide for sure not to run. Half an hour later he called McKortoff to tell her of his decision and ask her to run for mayor.
McKortoff had told Wells earlier this year that she planned to run as mayor, but in August she made the decision not to run this time because she didn’t want to run against him.
The two then agreed to work together on council with the understanding that McKortoff would wait until Wells was ready to step down before running.
When Wells told her of his decision on Thursday, she initially tried to persuade him to stay on, but agreed to run when it was clear his decision was final.
Wells said he supports McKortoff’s candidacy.
“I have full confidence in Sue McKortoff,” said Wells, adding the level of mutual respect the two enjoyed is not seen in very many communities.
The mayor insists that a petition signed by more than 1,000 local residents objecting to the town’s plan to finance a new fire hall without holding a referendum had nothing to do with his decision to step down.
“Not at all,” he said. “That’s a decision of the people. It really is.”
Instead, Wells said two factors weighed most heavily on his decision – the change to four-year terms from three as of this election would mean a longer commitment and Wells realized the job didn’t have the same “zing” for him that it once had.
“I always found being the mayor exciting,” said Wells. “I got a lot of enjoyment out of it. That seemed to be waning and I didn’t ever want to get cynical about the job.”
Wells served two terms as mayor and one as councillor. He was also a school trustee for 11 years.
“That’s 20 years of community service and I’ll be 70 soon,” he said.
Nonetheless, Wells refused to rule out a future run at elected office, saying only he needed a rest at this place and time.
“It’s pretty hard to speculate on the future,” he said.
Wells acknowledged he has supported different federal and provincial political parties at various times in the past, but never as more than a grassroots member. He has no party affiliation at present.
Asked about highlights of his time as mayor, Wells pointed to a number of recreational improvements, especially to parks, as well as amenities for tourism.
These include the new Desert Sunrise Marina, boat trailer parking, the swimming area with buoys on Osoyoos Lake, several gardens, dog parks and the restoration of Desert Park – all with minimum tax increases averaging one per cent a year.
There are three possible major economic developments now in the works, he said, adding that he isn’t free to give details at this time.
Council has worked together very well in a non-acrimonious manner and with mutual respect even though there were sometimes split decisions.
“This was a dream council,” he said.
Collins, the mayor’s wife, joined him at town hall when he withdrew. Her relief that he had reached a decision was especially sweet because the two were celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary.
The two laughed as they recalled how they were married four years ago on a special day in the calendar. That date was the 10th day of October – or 10-10-10 in Las Vegas – by a Rastafarian minister with long dreadlocks in the Tunnel of Love while an Elvis impersonator serenaded them with “Love Me Tender.” They made their departure in a 1961 pink Cadillac convertible.
McKortoff also was at town hall as nominations closed.
The one-term councillor said her experience over the last three years was so positive that she was happy to try to continue as mayor when Wells asked her.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed learning as much as I have,” she said. “I know it will carry on. Stu has been a great leader.”
Asked how her style, if elected mayor, would differ from Wells’, McKortoff pointed out that council operates as a combined effort of its members and town staff.
“We’ve worked really well together,” said McKortoff. “Stu has been very positive, he’s very upbeat and I think I am too. I think I’m a little bit more conservative in things.”
McKortoff said she was inspired by a quote from an interview she heard recently with the late Ed Koch, mayor of New York from 1978 to 1989. He was asked how he was able to do his job and he replied “compromise.”
“That stuck with me,” she said. “I said ‘absolutely.’ You cannot take a stand over here or a stand over here. You have to look at all the issues and you have to compromise and when something doesn’t work well, you have to come up with plan B, like the fire hall issue as a prime example.”
McKortoff pointed to her own experience dealing with various groups through her community involvement that includes key roles with the Osoyoos Festival Society, chair of the former hospital board, Market on Main, Soroptimists, the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce and others.
McKortoff also worked as a teacher for 34 years and has continued her school involvement since retiring with the one-to-one reading program as Osoyoos Elementary School and as an art gallery liaison for the school.
“I’m happiest when I’m busy and involved, so I hope to continue that,” said McKortoff, adding she has a lot of energy.
With the departure of councillors Michael Ryan and Mike Plante, there will be at least three new council members.
C.J. Rhodes is the only present councillor running for re-election as a councillor.
“I’m going to miss dealing with this council for sure, but if I’m the mayor, I’m certainly looking forward to working with whoever is elected,” she said. “I will be happy to make it work. I’ve got the time, the energy and some experience and I’ve lived here for a long time, so I think I’m the right person.”
Other candidates for mayor will be Ray Vandenberg and Doug Pederson.
Running as councillors will be incumbent C.J. Rhodes, former MLA John Slater, Sy Murseli, Jean Clarke, Jim King, Mike Campol and Carol Youngberg.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
A board at Osoyoos town hall tells the story of the nomination. Stu Wells withdrew as a mayoralty candidate and Sue McKortoff was added to the bottom of the list after she withdrew as a council member. Candidates names appear in the order in which they turned in their nomination papers. (Richard McGuire photo)
On the day that Stu Wells (right) withdrew his mayoralty bid, he and his wife Martha Collins were celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary. The couple was married in Las Vegas in the Tunnel of Love by a Rastafarian minister with long dreadlocks while an Elvis impersonator played Love Me Tender. They had a 1961 pink Cadillac convertible. The date 10-10-10 was a popular one for Las Vegas weddings. (Richard McGuire photo)
