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. (Photo supplied)
Osoyoos Mayor Stu Wells admits 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 summer.
“If I could take back that 10 seconds, I most certainly would,” said Wells, late Thursday afternoon after the scandal broke.
Wells was originally going to hold a press conference, but said he would not be commenting further about the controversy and that a letter of apology he issued about his and Collins’ involvement was authentic and heartfelt.
Wells admitted Thursday that he and his wife entered the private property of an Anarchist Mountain property owner last June and removed signs that voice displeasure with the owner of the controversial Regal Ridge subdivision.
The property owner, Oliver Betz, sent an email to local media Wednesday evening suggesting Wells’ decision to withdraw his candidacy in next month’s municipal election was “for a reason that has not been made public.”
Betz suggested Wells was “involved in a theft from my property, along with his wife Dr. Martha Collins, and a contracted employee from Osoyoos Mountain Estates (OME).
The trespassing and theft of the signs, which read “Buyer Beware”, were captured on video from a surveillance camera Betz had installed after vandals had painted over a graphic Betz had written on the highway leading to his property voicing his displeasure with what he says were broken promises made to him by Regal Ridge property management.
Betz reported the incident involving the theft of the signs to the local RCMP and, despite accepting responsibility, Wells, Collins and the OME employee, were not charged.
A police investigation was launched, but no formal charges were ever laid.
Instead of the matter going to court, the three were given alternative measures and ordered to write an apology to Betz.
Wells confirmed that he and his wife did take down the signs on the evening of June 24, 2013 and that it was he, Collins and an OME employee who were captured on the surveillance video.
“I did take down some hand painted signs that said “Buyer Beware” from his fence post,” said Wells. “That is all we did.”
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 owner Adrian Erickson, for not fulfilling promises to bring electricity to the property he purchased back in 2006.
More than 100 property owners in the Regal Ridge subdivision had filed similar complaints about the company and Erickson.
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 on the road leading to his property as a protest against Regal Ridge management, who he claims had failed to fulfill contractual obligations to provide phone and electrical service to his property.
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 said.
When he viewed the videos of people stealing the signs, he reported it to the local RCMP detachment.
He waited six months to allow for officers from the local detachment to complete their investigation and admitted he was “very frustrated” when they concluded no charges would be laid against Wells, Collins or the OME employee.
The file was handed over to the Osoyoos RCMP detachment, however, because of Wells’ high profile, the matter was investigated by officers with the Keremeos detachment.
The regional Crown attorney’s office decided criminal charges were not warranted, but Wells, Collins and the OME employee agreed to enter into a “diversion program” to stay away from Betz’s property and write him a letter of apology.
Well said while his actions that evening were “boneheaded” and misguided, he doesn’t consider them criminal.
“I didn’t even have a lawyer,” he said.
The controversy erupted Thursday, just over one week before 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 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.
In his email to the Osoyoos Times, Betz wrote, “I think the matter of why the mayor trespassed onto my property and stole legal signs (which were meant to protect his constituents) continues to be a matter of public interest.
“I believe that the citizens of Osoyoos as 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.”
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
