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)
Many people in Osoyoos were stunned to learn on Friday that two-term mayor Stu Wells was withdrawing his candidacy for a third term at the town’s helm.
Wells is popular, although like any politician, he has his detractors. Everyone expected him to run again as he said he planned to back in May. He had filed his papers.
It wasn’t until the day before nominations closed that Wells decided for certain he would withdraw. And it wasn’t until Friday afternoon, just before the close of nominations, that he made this decision public.
Wells was candid in describing the weeks of being able to make up his mind about whether or not to run again. His back and forth waffling, he admits, was driving his wife Martha Collins crazy.
Ultimately he decided to bow out for two reasons.
First, the decision by the provincial government to increase the municipal term to four years instead of three would have demanded a longer commitment. No doubt many municipal politicians across the province are making the same calculation.
Second, he realized recently that although he enjoyed the job, it didn’t have the “zing” for him it once had. He decided he should get out before he became cynical about the job.
We at the Osoyoos Times are sorry to see him go. Stu — he is better known by his first name than his last — has been a reporter’s dream. He always returns phone calls and he almost always has something to say. While this Osoyoos town administration is not the most open, as spokesperson for the town, Mayor Wells has made up for that with a candour and transparency that is refreshing.
But Wells has also worked incredibly hard for the Osoyoos community, whether you agree with him or not.
Here in Osoyoos, he makes a point of getting out to every event possible.
Few residents probably know the work he has done for Osoyoos outside the community with organizations such as the Okanagan Basin Water Board, the Union of B.C. Municipalities, the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust and others.
The mayor is just one vote on council like other members, but as chair, the mayor sets the tone for his colleagues. As Coun. Sue McKortoff acknowledges, Wells has shown positive leadership on council.
Wells refers to the outgoing council as a “dream council.” Certainly the chemistry between its members was good and council accomplished a lot, but all members had the courage to take dissenting views and to treat each other with respect.
This council has done much to improve recreation and tourism and to help make this community well known for its excellent lifestyle.
Wells assures us too that a few major economic developments are currently in the works.
With councillors Michael Ryan and Mike Plante not running again, and with McKortoff now running for mayor, it will be a council of rookies or at least people who have been away from council for many years. C.J. Rhodes is the only incumbent seeking another term as councillor.
Wells’ knowledge and experience will be much missed. He deserves a break, but he still has much to offer the community and we’ve probably not seen the last of him.
When McKortoff talked about her own bid for the mayoralty, she paid tribute to Wells.
“He knows so much about this town and he has so many people that he’s known since he was a boy and they’re all terribly supportive of him,” she said. “You know I’m hoping if I happen to become the mayor to keep him on a retainer.”
She was joking, of course, but given Wells’ knowledge and love for Osoyoos, it would not be a bad idea.
