A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR
Editor:
Last week we witnessed a regrettable event in the life of our town.
A small group of people levelled a serious “ and untrue “ charge against me, questioning the ethics and legality of some of my actions as a member of Osoyoos Town Council over the past three years.
I am in favour of public accountability for Council members, and I welcome scrutiny of our actions.
That is fair and proper in our democratic system.
But did this small cabal with questionable motives act fairly and properly?
You be the judge.
They looked at the hundreds of votes I cast as a councillor on Town issues between December 2005 and November 2008 “ and when they imagined there was a problem with a few of them, did they do the honourable thing?
Did they come to me with their concerns and make sure they had their facts right before making a serious public charge?
No.
Instead, they skulked in the darkness and jumped to incorrect conclusions.
In their haste, they got a number of their facts wrong.
In their rush to get me with false allegations, they sent me an anonymous email, threatening that if I didn't resign they would launch legal action.
That is the furthest thing from honourable and open scrutiny of Town Council.
Then they made their false allegations at Town Hall, trying at first to keep their own names secret.
Honourable?
I don't think so.
More like sneaky and underhanded character assassination.
They got their facts very wrong.
They made false allegations about the ownership of my home.
They made false allegations about mortgage payments.
They made false allegations saying I had an interest in a development that Council voted on in 2005 and 2006 “ and I had no interest in it.
And they made the sweeping statement that Osoyoos Councillors should never vote on any issues involving any of their friends or business associates, even when the Councillor has no involvement or interest in the issue or development.
That's a ridiculous position in a town of our size, where Councillors know hundreds of people fairly well.
I had no personal financial interest in any of the matters I have voted on as a member of Council.
I take my civic responsibilities very seriously.
I have always worked hard to do positive things for our Town and for the public interest, and I will continue to do so.
Last November, a majority of Osoyoos voters showed that they want me to work as Mayor on the many issues in our great town “ and I am going to do that, in spite of the hurtful actions of a few people with an axe to grind.
Some of these untrue allegations have not only been harmful to me “ they have also caused some of our senior Town staff to spend hours of their valuable time on this bogus issue.
What a waste.
The fabricated charges may also violate libel and slander laws, which prohibit all of us from going around defaming other people's reputations with false allegations.
I am looking at whether to exercise my right to defend my reputation in the courts.
In the meantime, thank you to everyone for your great support “ I continue to feel honoured and privileged to serve as your Mayor.
Stu Wells,rnMayor of Osoyoos
OSOYOOS TIMES-March 11, 2009
ELECTED OFFICIALS NEED TO OBSERVE ETHICS LAWS
Editor:
Re: Opinion March 4, 2009
It is my view that elected officials must conduct themselves in a righteous manner and be totally upstanding in all their actions.
I believe councillors are made aware not only of their responsibilities as councillors but also what circumstances constitute conflicts of interest.
The B.C. Municipal website goes to some lengths on this.
It is a simple choice, if holding office is detrimental to the councillor's life and conducting his business, either resign or do not run for office in the first instance.
The bylaws are the laws and they are in place to protect the electorate.
We expect our elected officials to observe the laws.
If we allow compromise, where do we stop?
Just make it a free-for-all?
In studying the documents, I find your headline, Group threatens legal action against Wells over alleged conflicts of interest extremely misleading.
The letter from the Concerned Citizens of Osoyoos states it HOPES that the appropriate corrective actions will be immediately forthcoming.
Does this sound threatening?
I find the reply by our mayor to be rather flippant.
In dealing with the Development Bylaw 1085.55, not only does it deal with dock approval but forms part of the development permit application process 0518.
Is there some form of subterfuge at work here?
Trevor Caldecott,rnOsoyoos
OSOYOOS TIMES-March 11, 2009
KUDOS TO THE ROTARY CLUB
Editor:
The Osoyoos Rotary Club deserves a big Thank You and recognition from the community for purchasing and donating public skating ice time at the Sun Bowl Arena for the last two years. rn
I've been skating at the Sun Bowl since 1985, and I've never seen such well attended public skating sessions.
I've been to many of both the Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon sessions, and I estimate attendance has been about 50 to 60 skaters, mostly families with young children.
Public sessions had previously cost only about $2/skater, but apparently the free ice has encouraged families to bring their children that otherwise would not, or possibly could not, have brought them skating.
It's a wonderful thing the Osoyoos Rotary Club has done for the community and they deserve our thanks!
Michael Alvarado, Long-time Sun Bowl Skater,rnOroville
OSOYOOS TIMES-March 11, 2009
