If Stu Wells could turn back time, there’s not much doubt he would like to take back the few minutes he spent tearing down signs from the private property of Anarchist Mount homeowner Oliver Betz 15 months ago.
With the much talked about “Signgate” scandal still very much on the minds of Osoyoos and area residents – and a lot of other people across our beautiful province – it’s still hard to believe Wells, his wife Dr. Martha Collins and a former Osoyoos Mountain Estates employee waltzed on to Betz’s property to take down numerous signs that read “Buyer Beware.”
Betz was still livid former Regal Ridge developer Adrian Erickson had failed to live up to promises to provide electrical power and phone service to the lot he purchased several years prior, so he posted the signs warning other potential buyers about his problems.
When Wells and his wife attended an open house promoting a new development being held by Osoyoos Mountain Estates – which was awarded several hundred acres of property formerly owned by Regal Ridge – and they found out no new homes were being sold, the mayor and his wife decided to take action.
And what a dumb, thoughtless and stupid decision it was. Wells admitted to entering private property, removing the signs and driving away. Unfortunately, he was caught on video surveillance cameras.
After an extensive police investigation, no charges were laid against Wells or Collins.
They were instead placed into a “diversion program” and ordered to stay away from Betz and write him a sincere letter of apology.
Wells’ letter of apology is contrite and expresses deep remorse for his actions, acknowledging he acted inappropriately and showed a complete absence of proper judgment.
Wells insists this incident was not the primary reason he decided at the last moment to drop out of the race and not seek re-election in the upcoming municipal election.
Many skeptics would disagree.
The bottom line is Wells and Collins both made terrible decisions the night in question and embarrassed themselves immensely in the process.
One wonders if a regular citizen had stepped on to private property and admitted to theft, if he or she would have been given what amounts to a slap on the wrist.
That being said, we accept that Wells was acting out of some sort of warped civic pride by improperly reacting to signs he viewed as hindering this town’s economic development.
When you consider the entire Rob Ford saga in Toronto and his endless months of scandal, lies, alcohol and drug abuse, Wells’ action don’t even rate a mention on the controversy scale. But it is justifiably big news whenever public figures like the mayor of a small town and his well-known wife get caught putting their hands in the proverbial cookie jar.
Only history will dictate the impact on Wells’ legacy as a result of this incident. We believe he deserves the benefit of the doubt because Wells, whether you like him or not, cares passionately and has worked endless hours for minimal pay as mayor, councillor and cheerleader for Osoyoos for more than 50 years.
