Careful what you wish for Kelowna

Dear Editor: Some bad news never goes away. I read this week that Tom Dyas has now decided to save Kelowna from itself by running for mayor (Courier/Herald, Sept. 13).

He claims Kelowna lacks leadership and “we” (meaning “he”) can do better.

Penticton council engaged Dyas and his partners (Trio) in a poorly thought-out contract to build a waterslide; take over and remake the marina and make extensive inroads into their beloved Skaha Lake Park.

That contract was developed behind closed doors over a period of two years with little news to forewarn Penticton taxpayers of what was coming. When the contract details were finally released it caused uproar in Penticton.

More than 900 people vigorously protesting outside City Hall did not give the mayor pause as he signed the contract tying Penticton’s fate to this fatal contract.

The signing of this contract resulted in the signing of thousands of petitioners and a recall-of-council petition being circulated over that summer.

Taxpayers of Penticton were subjected to unrest; upset; angst and uproar over the next two years as they protested in fury against the Trio contract.

Too many of the elements of the contract were secret. Trio had inserted a non-disclosure into the contract.

The stupidity of Penticton’s council combined with the business smarts of Dyas and the Trio lawyers placed the taxpayers of Penticton in an unsupportable position.

They were fighting to get rid of a contract, but they were not allowed to know the rules governing the fight.

During all the uproar and upset taxpayers in Penticton, Trio held fast. Dyas and his partners had their contract and obviously didn’t care about the rubes in Penticton.

Eventually Penticton council came to realize that they actually do work for the people of Penticton and they cancelled the contract. The cost to payout Dyas so he would go away like a bad dream was $200,000.

Penticton is a small city. In tax dollars: $250,000 is one percent of the property taxes.

Unfortunately, this only cancelled part of the contract; Trio still retained the contract to run the marina. This expires at the end of December when Pentictonites will give a huge sigh of relief that this agent of despair is finally out of their hair.

Consider carefully Kelowna. The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. Elvena Slump Penticton