In this video capture, Mayor Stu Wells is shown with his car in Oliver Betz’s driveway while his wife Martha Collins removes a sign. Wells admits it was a ‘boneheaded mistake’ resulting from warped civic pride. (Photo supplied)
Town of Osoyoos Mayor Stu Wells says a warped sense of civic pride combined with a momentary lapse of reason led to him and his wife entering private property and tearing down signs erected to protest a controversial housing development last summer.
In an exclusive interview with the Osoyoos Times, Wells admitted he and his wife Dr. Martha Collins were involved in a “boneheaded mistake” to remove signs from a private property owner on Anarchist Mountain last June.
“If I could take back those seconds, I most certainly would,” said Wells, after the scandal broke last Thursday morning after Anarchist Mount property owner Oliver Betz released an email stating he had observed Wells and Collins stealing the signs from his property on video surveillance cameras.
After his interview with the Osoyoos Times, Wells said he would not be commenting further about the sign stealing controversy and that a letter of apology he issued to Betz was authentic and heartfelt.
Wells said he was attending a public open house for homes being built and put up for sale by Osoyoos Mountain Estates (OME), a local development company that was awarded several hundred acres of property by Regal Ridge Estates’ owner Adrian Erickson, after Erickson publicly declared he had run out of money to fulfill promises to provide amenities like power and phone service to people he had sold lots to.
On his way to the open house, Wells said he noticed numerous “Buyer Beware” signs had been posted along the route to the open house.
After attending the open house and discovering OME had not sold a single home over several months, Wells said he and his wife realized Betz was the man responsible for erecting the “Buyer Beware” signs.
“There were more than 15 signs posted … it was like they had been posted to interfere with the open house,” he said. “I told the management with OME they weren’t going to sell a single home with all those signs up there.”
On the way back home, Wells said he was driving his vehicle when he decided to stop and tear down numerous signs with the assistance of his wife and an OME employee, who no longer works for the company or lives in Osoyoos.
He insists they were on the property for less than two minutes.
The Regal Ridge development had helped create dozens of jobs in this community and kept several small construction companies in business for several years, said Wells.
Despite the problems faced by Erickson following the worldwide recession in 2008, he viewed Regal Ridge as one of the most beautiful and progressive housing developments ever built in this region, he said.
“I know this sounds corny, but I helped take down those signs because I felt they were interfering with the ability to move our community forward,” he said. “They hadn’t sold a single home in this new development in more than a year and when I saw those signs, I became upset.”
Betz sent an email to local media suggesting Wells’ decision to withdraw his candidacy in next month’s municipal election was “for a reason that has not been made public.”
Betz had installed video cameras after vandals had painted over a graphic Betz had written on his driveway in large block letters voicing his displeasure about broken promises made to him by Regal Ridge management.
Betz reported the incident involving the theft of the signs to the local RCMP. A police investigation was launched, but no formal charges were ever laid.
Because of Wells’ high profile, the case was turned over to officers in the Keremeos RCMP detachment.
Instead of the matter going to court, the three were given alternative measures and ordered to write an apology to Betz.
In early March, Wells wrote a letter of apology to Betz and his partner Marg Coulson relating to this incident.
The letter stated, “I wish to offer my sincere and profound apology for my actions on the evening of June 24, 2013. The removal of your protest sign from your fence post was an act of immense stupidity on my behalf.
“The physical act was obvious, but more significant, was the infringement on your rights and freedoms under Canadian accepted values.
“My actions were committed without any thought as to what you have been through in dealing with the physical deficiencies in your property purchase.
“To have purchased your dream property and not be able to build on the lot is both unfathomable by me and unconscionable by the developer.
“This was exacerbated by my callous disregard for your rights and freedoms. I understand that there has also been an element of harassment by the developers and the sales force. My actions on that evening certainly added to your stress and anguish.
“I have reviewed the whole incident and have certainly had to re-visit my attitude and inner psyche as to my core values. I am working at making sure that empathy is one of my primary emotions.
“I am very embarrassed by my out-of-character actions that took place that evening. My more usual role is one of enabling not demoralizing. I am so in tune with helping people solve problems.
I have a tremendous amount of remorse for this unacceptable and embarrassing act. I sincerely ask for your forgiveness and ask you to accept my apology.”
Betz contacted the Osoyoos Times early Thursday afternoon from overseas, where he was in between shifts on his job as a helicopter pilot.
Betz said he has never had a personal dispute with Wells in any shape or form and still can’t understand why Wells and his wife decided to enter private property and take down the signs.
“The only question I have is why did he do it,” said Betz. “Despite his letter of apology, that question hasn’t been answered yet by him or his wife.”
Betz admits he was extremely upset with Regal Ridge management, particularly Erickson, for not fulfilling promises to bring electricity to the property he purchased back in 2006.
To show his displeasure, he wrote the message in large block letters on his driveway.
Betz wrote, “Regal Ridge, 5th Year, No Phone, No Power, Why?” in large block letters.
When the lettering was painted over twice in a matter of weeks, he decided to post the “Buyer Beware” signs on his fence post, said Betz. He installed the video cameras after the second incident.
He waited six months to allow for officers to complete their investigation and remains “very frustrated” no charges will be laid.
The regional Crown attorney’s office decided instead of charges that Wells, Collins and the OME employee would enter into a “diversion program” to stay away from Betz’s property and write letters of apology.
The controversy erupted Thursday, just over one week after Wells made headlines when he dropped out of the Osoyoos mayoral race one hour before the nomination process closed.
Coun. Sue McKortoff, who had informed Wells of her desire to run for mayor this past summer, but pulled back after discussing Wells’ intentions to seek another term, then decided to seek the top job.
Wells admits the sign incident was a factor in his decision to drop out.
“There are many reasons that I didn’t run,” said Wells. “Did this incident play a part? It most certainly did, but I was having a tough time making up my mind for many weeks and this wasn’t the primary reason.”
Betz acknowledged entering private property and removing signs might not be viewed as a serious by some people, however, he disagrees considering those involved.
“When you have the local mayor and his wife, who is a well-known doctor – people you’re supposed to trust – getting involved in something like this, it sort of makes you wonder what they were thinking,” he said.
Betz is convinced Wells decided to not seek re-election in next month’s municipal election because he knew the controversy surrounding this incident was about to go public.
“I believe that the citizens of Osoyoos and the RDOS (where he is a director), are entitled to know what motivated the theft of the signs. In case Mr. Wells returns to politics, I believe citizens also have a right to know the true character and history of the individual they are voting for.”
While it was a very stupid act, Wells doesn’t believe his legacy as a community leader will be permanently damaged as a result of this incident.
“For those people who don’t like me, it will give them more ammunition to dislike me, but for those who truly know me, they will take it for what it was … a really stupid mistake.”
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
