First-time councillors Helena Konanz and Wesley Hopkins say they will not be running in the expected mayoral byelection to replace former Mayor Dan Ashton.
(SHANNON QUESNEL / iNFOnews.ca)
June 14, 2013 - 4:02 PM
PENTICTON - Two more councillors and a 2011 election candidate say they will not be running for the mayor's job.
First time councillors Wesley Hopkin and Helena Konanz said they will not be putting on their election shoes and running in the mayor's race. Konanz said she was encouraged by friends and supporters but she decided to stick with being a councillor. Hopkin said he has no plans to run for mayor.
Julius Bloomfield ran against former mayor Dan Ashton in the 2011 election but will not do so this time around. He wants to focus on his new businesses and other ventures.
Jukka Laurio was another mayoral contender in 2011 and has not yet decided if he will run for the mayor's chair or for a seat on council.
Acting mayor Garry Litke and Lynn Kelsey have said publicly they will run in the upcoming byelection. Litke has said for months he wants a shot at being the mayor. This will mean an empty seat on council and it's that chair Kelsey wants to sit in. She ran for a council seat in the 2011 election and will do so again this year.
The byelection is a result of MLA Dan Ashton resigning as mayor. He also resigned as chair of the Regional District Okanagan Similar board. He took a leave of absence from both positions to run in the provincial general election. A byelection could not be considered until he resigned.
A discussion on the byelection is expected for the next regular city council meeting on Monday.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Quesnel at squesnel@infotelnews.ca, call 250-488-3065 or tweet @shannonquesnel1
News from © iNFOnews, 2013