Retired business owner Jim King, who moved to Osoyoos to retire six years ago, has announced his intentions to seek a seat on Town of Osoyoos council in the upcoming November 15 municipal election. King, who is an active community volunteer, came up just short in trying to win a council seat three years ago. King is a member of the Osoyoos Rotary Club and board member with the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce. He was also on the organizing committee for the inaugural Desert Live Music Festival, held last summer in Osoyoos. (Richard McGuire photo)
Because he came painfully close to capturing a seat on Town of Osoyoos council three years ago, Jim King knew he would try again.
King, who has become heavily involved in community volunteer work since moving to Osoyoos six years ago, has announced his intentions to seek a seat on town council in the upcoming November 15 municipal election.
“I ran in 2011 and lost by only 59 votes and got more votes than two of the incumbents, so I knew that I had some support and would be running again,” said King. “I’m looking forward to hopefully having a better result this time around and earning a spot on council.”
King spent most of his life in Vancouver and Surrey, where he owned his own business for 25 years before becoming the executive director of a non-profit community organization for 12 years.
He and his wife Cheryle moved to Osoyoos six years ago for the same reasons many people do.
“We had been here many times on vacation,” said King. “We had driven all over the province looking for a place to retire and we knew when we drove through Osoyoos this one final time six years ago that this was where we wanted to be.
“Like most other people, we love the great weather and the lake and everything the Okanagan has to offer.”
King, as mentioned, has become actively involved in volunteer community work since arriving in Osoyoos.
He’s a member of the South Okanagan Chamber of Commerce and has served as treasurer of that organization for some time. He’s also a director with the board of directors with Community Futures and is a veteran member of the Osoyoos Rotary Club.
He joined the organizing committee for last year’s inaugural Desert Live Music Festival, has helped organize the Cactus Jalopies car show for many years, is a member of the Desert Park Exhibition Society and is a board member with the Desert Valley Hospice Society.
His long history of community work earned him the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal 10 years ago and he was selected the City of Surrey’s Volunteer of the Year in 2005.
King said his commitment to improving his community, work ethic and ability to listen to others are the strongest assets he would bring to the council table.
“I’m a good listener and I believe I can make a difference in making our community a better place to live,” he said.
With incumbent councillor Michael Ryan announcing his decision to not seek re-election and Mike Plante expected to announce his intentions about the municipal election next week, King said there’s an opportunity to for new blood on town council and he’s confident for a better result this time around.
“There is going to be at least one new councillor and maybe two and I would like to think I have a good chance after coming so close during the last election,” he said. “I believe the current council has done a decent job, but there are things we can improve on.”
Two of his highest priorities, if elected, would be to attract new businesses to town and put increased effort into revitalizing the downtown core, said King.
Once all of the candidates for town council are announced, King said he plans on visiting as many homes and talking to as many people as he possibly can during the campaign heading into the election.
“I believe knocking on as many doors as you possibly can and talking to as many people as you can is the best way of getting elected,” he said. “I’m excited and can’t wait to get started.”
Even though he will remain busy with community work no matter what happens on November 15, King says he would dedicate himself to being an effective and accessible member of town council.
Incumbent councillors Sue McKortoff and C. J. Rhodes have announced their intentions to seek re-election next month as has Mayor Stu Wells.
Self-proclaimed “council watchdog” Sy Murseli has announced he will be seeking a seat on council once again. Murseli has been unsuccessful in capturing a council seat in Osoyoos on six previous occasions.
Former town councillor Ray Vandenberg announced recently he would be running against Wells for the mayor’s chair, while his life partner Jean Clarke, who has no previous political experience, has announced her intentions to run for a seat on town council.
Former MLA, mayor and town councillor John Slater announced several weeks ago he would be seeking to return to municipal politics. He hasn’t made a final decision yet on whether he will run for mayor or a seat on council, however, he did hint he’s in the process of trying to sell his greenhouse business and likely wouldn’t have time to run for mayor.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
