Duane Ophus - Council Candidate

[Jo]

A thread for Duane Ophus, councill candidate.

[brightstar]

Mr. Ophus,

Please answer the following questions:

1) Did you support Incorporation or Amalgamation?
2) Which name do you support for our new municipality?
3) Are you prepared to stand up for what YOU believe in, or will you just go along with what Mr. Findlater wants?

[GlenCanyon]

At last nigt's debate there is no doubt that you are the "pick of the litter". You certainly have my vote and I trust you will be re-elected.

I embrace your vision of revitalizing downtown Westbank and the wisdom behind the placement of our new city hall. It was nice to hear clear explanations to large issues such as budgets and policing. It felt safe to know someone with a steady hand was helping stear our ship.

Your many years of hard and successful work to our community over many years has been our gain. You certainly have my vote.

[inquisitive]

Perhaps Glencanyon will have second thoughts about casting a vote for this candidate after reading Heather Yates' letter to the editor in today's Westside Weekly?
Let us hope that this candidate will respond to it, either here, or in Westside weekly?

[occasional thoughts]

Duane is tied with Rosalind as my top pick for council. However, and I've expressed this to him, I'm somewhat disappointed that he's kow-towing to the invisible power element in our community over the naming ballot and supporting the exclusion of ALR land for the so-called hospital, when there are any number of alternatives that IHA, Mr. Thorpe and therefore council refuse to look at. He's the one pushing for the OCP review, which is urgent and overdue.

[hereiamagain]

Heather Yates wrote a scathing letter to the editor about Duane Ophus's hypocritical stance on Heather Pilling's resignation. It is on page 5 of the Westside Weekly. She signed it as Ex-director Gellatly Nut Farm Westside.

I will type it out as I believe the WW is not on the web - is it okay for me to post here? Absolutely rings to the character and methods of a man who is in council currently...

edited to add.... thank you, I will type it in.

[hereiamagain]

Westside Letters, page 5 of Westside Weekly Sunday November 2 2008:

Ophus hypocritical on Pilling resignation
To the editor:
In relation ot the resignation of Coun. Heather Pilling, I read a sanctimonious comment from Coun. Duane Ophus on the importance of 'process.'
Ophus obviously has a very short memory.
Following due process has not always been his strong suit.
During his tenure as president of the Gellatly Nut Farm Society, Ophus single handedly caused the resignation of six board members and one member of staff - including the originator of the society - Jack Gellatly's niece.
Ophus appointed one of the vice-presidents of the board to the position of part-time, paid, acting general manager of the nut farm.
A ratified hiring process existed and Ophus disregarded this process and the wishes of half the board of directors.
Ophus insisted that minutes of an executive meeting be altered.
He had received the minutes from the secretary and informed her that they did not reflect what had transpired. Despite the secretary's objections, he insisted that the secretary include a fictitious section and he dictated the alteration he wished inserted. I have a copy of the original minutes.
Some extracts from letters of resignation:
"Decisions have been made without due process and the approval of the elected board".
"I can not compromise my ethical standards and duties as a director".
"Irreconcilable differences".
"I no longer needed to take the way I was being treated".
"I have decided to move on - as was suggested".
I really do not have confidence in Coun. Ophus and certainly would not vote for the re-election of anyone who can comment unfavourably on another person's action, knowing full well that their own ethical history is so blemished.

Heather Yeats
Ex-director
Gellatly Nut Farm
Westside

[inquisitive]

Being circumspect about this, but isn't there a close relationship between the above-mentioned nut farm manager and another public figure?
Regardless of this, the way in which the appointment was reportedly made ( by one who should know) is unconscionable.
What goes around, comes around ( to haunt).

[brightstar]

Thank you for posting this letter! This is exactly the reason that Duane Ophus will NOT be getting my vote. He abused his power during the Nut Farm fiasco...those poor volunteers! I'm so pleased that Heather Yates had the courage to speak out and let everyone know the truth about Mr. Ophus. So, add this to the Naming Committee fiasco and his record sure stinks!

[hereiamagain]

inquisitive, who are you talking about - the other public figure.

I hardly think that H.Yeats would go out on such a limb in these things were not true. Maybe finally, seeing all the crapola that the current council has done, she has had enough too.

The sun will always burn off the fog.

[inquisitive]

I am a firm believer in the integrity of Heather Yates, too.

[GlenCanyon]

There are those in life who do: This is Mr. Duane Ophus.
There are those that can't do so they teach: Those are our teachers.
There are those that can not do and can not teach they become critics: Madame Yeats is this you?

Madame Yeats I saw you at last nights all candidates meeting. You were sitting in the very front row with your shawl, kerchief, grey hair and your knitting directly in front of Counsellor Ophus. Why did you not ask Duane face to face with us others as the judge, about the events you print here and in our local newspaper? If you are correct I would certainly want to know. In one way I felt sorry for your lack of courage. It must be difficult to only feel safe to say bad things from a safe place or from behind others. But Madame Yeats this is the exact reason our system is set up for us to be able to face our accuser. When you did not face Mr. Ophus I was left with no other conclusion then your words were lies or at least not even close to being correct. I supported Mr. Ophus before the meeting and as I watched him standing directly in front you (all the time you were knitting) he answered all questions that came his way and he gain my respect for his experience, wisdom and courage. Mr. Ophus is a reasonable man who is one of those in life that get the job done.

Madame Yeats now I would like to introduce you to another famous knitter who rudely liked to knitted at public meetings and events.

Madame Therese Defarge

Madame Therese Defarge is one of the most famous knitters in literature. This tricoteuse bent on revenge appears in the 1859 novel by Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities, Madame Defarge is the wife of a wine shop keeper who's always knitting "with the steadfastness of fate..." She would cheer every time a man, woman or child was beheaded without missing a stitch. But it's not just to pass the time while watching aristocratic heads roll: "...In her own stitches and her own symbols" she's keeping a record of those who, she believes, must meet their end in the guillotine. What a novel use for Xs and Os!

[brightstar]

Sorry, Mr. Ophus, but your letter to the editor attempting to "set the record straight" did NOT convince me. I have heard from far too many credible people about your unacceptable actions and behaviour while involved with the Nut Farm.

[inquisitive]

A second read and analysis of Mr. Orphus' rebuttal to Mrs. Yeats letter to the editor indicates to me that only 11 lines could be classified as rebuttal - the rest (+/- 58 lines) has really nothing to do with the subject matter of Mrs. Yeats' letter.
Perhaps it would be of assistance in evaluating more the, "She said" - "He said", situation developing, if contrary to Mr. Ophus' desire, we can induce those who have moved on with their lives and draw them into a re-hash of any of this so that we have the benefit of their recollection of the incidents that brought about this now public affair?
To me that seems fair to both parties.

[trailmix]

I read the letter from Duane Ophus in the Westside Weekly on Wednesday. It was very interesting to read the other side of the story. I think Ms Yeats views the world through her own personal looking glass.....and comes up with her own version of the "truth". I do not understand why she is trying to discredit Mr. Ophus, as this appears to be her second attempt to do so.