10 years enough for mayor of Westside
Doug Findlater says he won’t seek re-election in fall
After a decade as mayor of the fledgling City of West Kelowna, Doug Findlater is bowing out.
Findlater announced in an eight-page letter Friday that he will not seek reelection this fall.
Gord Milsom, a retired financial planner who sat on West Kelowna city council from 2007, when the municipality was incorporated, to 2014, is ready to replace Findlater. Milsom announced his intention to run for mayor in the Oct. 20 municipal election back in January.
Milsom may have had an indication Findlater wouldn’t run for a fourth term and Friday received the confirmation.
The first page of Findlater’s letter contained his basic pronouncement to finish up as mayor and why.
“I came into this position as the second mayor in West Kelowna and after a turbulent first year for the city, where I realized we needed a steady hand and stability at the helm,” he said.
“I leave the legacy of being the longest-serving mayor in West Kelowna and a solid establishment of West Kelowna as a full-service functioning city.”
On the second page, Findlater, 67, outlined his strengths as a community and regional leader: good governance, ethics and integrity, strong organizational leadership and overcoming West Kelowna’s infrastructure deficit.
He thanked his wife, Willie, and all those in the community who helped him build the city he loves.
He also thanked all the West Kelowna city councillors he’s worked with, current and past municipal administrators Jim Zaffino and Jason Johnson, and the city staff.
“Finally, I want to say thank you to the residents of West Kelowna who have supported Willie, my family and myself over the last 16 years,” he said.
“We have been blessed to be given this opportunity. I love what we have accomplished in my time as mayor and believe our city is a great and better place to live.”
While he won’t seek re-election, Findlater isn’t going away.
He stressed he will stay involved and be supportive as West Kelowna grows and improves.
The final six pages of Findlater’s letter chronicled his involvement with local politics and listed the infrastructure projects, growth, economic development, services, safety, partnership and initiatives he’s been involved with as mayor.
Findlater moved to Westbank in 1975 to work with Heritage Canada to organize cultural events like Aboriginal celebrations, and Canada Day, Olympic and multicultural parties.
“I’ve seen the Westside grow and become more cosmopolitan,” he said when The Daily Courier profiled him as a Top Forty Over 40 honouree last year.
“My wife had a longtime career as a teacher in Glenrosa and Peachland, and we’re lucky that our two sons and four grandchildren live close by in Glenrosa and Grand Forks.”
After retirement, Findlater became even more involved in local politics.
He was involved with the Westbank incorporation study committee and Westside governance restructure committee prior to the referendum that finally gave the goahead for a municipality.
He was a councillor on the oneterm, interim council of the new West Kelowna in 2007-08, when nurse Rosalind Neis was mayor.
He was elected mayor in the regular municipal election in late 2008.
While mayor, he also served as Central Okanagan regional district vice-chairman, chairman of the Okanagan Basin Water Board and director with the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust and UBC Okanagan external advisory committee.
Findlater was honoured with the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal in 2002 and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal in 2012.