Silly games continue
Hodgepodge by Charlie Hodge
Poked my head into the burning barrel last week and man was it cooking. I forgot how much fun it was on the outside watching things happen on the inside, like politics.
I thought we would be bored but I was wrong!
Tez (Teresa) and I took in two of the political events last week – and intend to observe as many more informational gatherings was we can between now and the end of local municipal elections Oct. 17.
All my life I’ve occasionally watched elections, either as a ho-hum member of the public, a few times as the son of a municipal politician, and/or several times as an assigned (and feeling picked on) reporter on a monthlong beat. However, for the better part of the past 18 years I have watched politics from the inside as an insider either elected or running for re-election.
Its nerve wracking.
This year is bizarrely different as I am no longer playing the game at all.
I am retired from the game.
Emphysema and Osteomyelitis have won the rage war on my body and the sad reality (for me) is I can not commit four years to the kind of work an elected official needs to give their constituent.
This year a total of 46 people have put their name forth to run. I have tremendous respect however for their effort in taking part.
Below, once again, I have listed the Kelowna candidates. There are three people running for mayor, 37 seeking a councillor’s chair and six running for the Central Okanagan school board.
There is only one mayor’s job. Candidates for Mayor include incumbent Tom Dyas, current councillor Ron Cannan, and the new face to this race Andrew Uitvlugt.
Two other veteran councillors have stepped aside. Wise and respected Luke Stack is retiring while popular Loyal Wooldridge is running in the Provincial game for B.C. NDP boss in Kelowna Central.
With Woodridge’s removal as potential councillor in Kelowna that leaves three council seats open.
Hoping to fill those the eight councillor seats are Susan Ames, Les Bellamy, Chris Bocskei,Doris Bregolisse, Nikki Csek, Greg Dahms, Todd Daniels, Maxine DeHart, Indy Dhial, Crystal Dougan, Tim Down, Julia Fraser, Daniel Fritter, Bal Grewal, King James, Hamid Khajavi, Kevin Kraft, Davis Kyle, Gord Lovegrove, Teresa May, Trevor McAleese, Randy Millis, H. Morales, Brian Pinter, JC Rathwell, Brady Rogers, Brian Rogers, Mike Rose, Todd Sanderson, Corey Severin, Mohini Singh, Glendon Smedley, Silverado Socrates, Laura Thurnheer, Lee-Ann Tiede, Rick Webber, Rob Wilkinson.
Candidates for School District No. 23 Board of Education School Trustee include Joyce Brinkerhoff, Deb Dickerson-Pogue, Richard Gauthier, Val Johnson, Jim Strachan, and Ashok Kumar Verma.
I found the meet and greet at the Revelry of great benefit and the debate held at Willow Park very informative.
I am not going to anoint or not anoint any candidate, especially since we have not seen all of them. However, I will make the observation saying the veterans have proven their salt and a number of new candidates have certainly done their homework.
I was fortunate enough to chat with Lloyal after Council Monday and chatted about his recently announced provincial desires.
“We came so close the last time,” Wooldridge said. “For eight years I have learned what concerns Kelowna such as crime, safety, a resilient economy etcetera. I want to use that knowledge at a provincial level.
I keenly await the mayor’s debate when the rubber truly meets the road. I hope that debate remembers that three candidates are taking part
If you care Kelowna – show up. Otherwise shut up.
