Skip to content

Votes are in – District of Wells elects new mayor

Jay Vermette won by just less than 50 per cent of the vote
12260802_web1_180613-QCO-wells-new-mayor1_1
Jay Vermette was elected mayor of Wells June 9. Jay for Mayor of Wells/Facebook photo

The District of Wells elected a new mayor Saturday (June 9).

John (Jay) Vermette won the seat with the majority of votes in the advance and general voting in the district’s by-election.

He beat Jillian Merrick and Richard Wright in the polls, coming in with just shy of 50 per cent of the vote.

Vermette is a former District of Wells mayor, having served two consecutive terms, from 2005 to 2008 and 2008 to 2011. He worked for the Quesnel school district for a number of years, and is now retired.

On his campaign Facebook page, Vermette outlined some short-term goals while in office, including emergency preparedness, council meeting etiquette, UBCM presentations, bylaw enforcement, and grant projects, among others. He will take office until late October, when the B.C. general municipal elections are held.

“I’ve watched council over the last few years and there seems to be a small divide in the community, and that shows up at council meetings,” he says.

“The community is wanting answers from council and it was too confrontational. That’s one of the biggest things [to work on], to get the council back to being a place to discuss things, but not in a confrontational manner. I want to work towards that, and then day-to-day issues that come up.”

Vermette says he also hopes to address the issue of lack of housing in the district.

“Wells is facing growing pains, with the mines and the housing problems. We are hoping to look at a way to do something with that by working with Barkerville and trying to get some crown lots released, which is a long, arduous process. I want to make the community whole again, because Wells is a place that has always worked together.”

Vermette says he won’t run again in October 2018, as he now only lives in Wells April to October, leaving for the Okanagan in the winter months.

The June 9 by-election also saw a new city councillor voted in, with Dianne Andreesen winning with 60 per cent of votes.

Andreesen will join the three sitting councillors Coun. Mandy Kilsby, Coun. Birch Kuch and Coun. Lindsay Kay. She beat other candidates Mark Dawson and Glenda (Buffy) Rummel. A fourth candidate, Kathy Landry, dropped out of the race for city councillor prior to the election.

The District of Wells has been without a mayor since mid-February this year, when former mayor Robin Sharpe and Coun. Lorraine Kozar both resigned.

Sharpe’s last day as mayor was Feb. 16. Coun. Kilsby and Coun. Kuch both took turns as acting mayor between February and June.

“I no longer wish to be a part of such a negative situation,” wrote Sharpe in a resignation letter printed in the March edition of the WellSpring.

“For 19 years, the District has functioned and made significant progress and worked well. However, over the past year, the negative attitude of a certain portion of the community has poisoned the workings of council.

“I am proud of what has been accomplished under my direction but no longer feel compelled to work for the community. Unfortunately, now I actually feel ill every time I return to town and sick to my stomach to attend council meetings; I am not able to sleep at night due to worrying because of the divisiveness.”

In her resignation letter, printed in the same edition of the WellSpring, Kozar wrote: “Due to personal reasons, I feel I can no longer represent the community.”

READ MORE: Three people vying for mayor in Wells by-election