With a new mayor to be elected and three of four town council seats up for grabs, this promises to be one of the most interesting election races in decades here in the Town of Osoyoos.
That’s why it’s very important for residents to do their homework and find out exactly where the candidates stand on key issues.
There will be no better opportunity to get those important questions answered than next Wednesday, Oct. 29 when the Osoyoos Times and South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce co-sponsor the Osoyoos All-Candidates Debate.
It’s expected that mayoral candidates Sue McKortoff, Ray Vandenberg and Doug Pederson will all be in attendance.
McKortoff, who is completing her first term on town council, had originally planned to run for mayor, but stepped back when she talked with incumbent Stu Wells.
When Wells made a last-minute decision to retire as mayor after six years and another term as a town councillor, McKortoff filed her nomination papers to run for the top job.
Vandenberg is a former town councillor, who served one term 20 years ago, and has led the vocal opposition to the town’s plan to borrow $6 million to build a new fire hall in Osoyoos.
With McKortoff taking a run at the mayoralty and the recent announcements by incumbent councillors Mike Plante and Michael Ryan, that leaves C. J. Rhodes as the only incumbent councillor seeking re-election next month.
This means three of the six challengers – Sy Murseli, Jean Clarke, former mayor and town councillor John Slater, Carol Youngberg, Mike Campol and Jim King – will be elected to the new council following voting on November 15.
All of the candidates – with the exception of Murseli, who is in Europe visiting a sick relative – are expected to participate in the debate.
All of the candidates are sure to be drilled on such important topics such as the proposed new fire hall, job creation, economic development, affordable housing and other key issues during the debate.
After making opening speeches, the floor will be opened to questions from members of the audience through moderator Myers Bennett, the current president of the SOCC, who has volunteered to act as host for the forum.
It should prove to be a very informative, entertaining and spirited evening of political debate.
We urge anyone who has serious interest in the political process to show up and get answers to key questions and see exactly where the candidates stand on key issues.
