3 council seats to be open

Photo: Colin Dacre

Coun. Judy Sentes will be seeking a fourth term next month.

The City of Penticton is guaranteed to have at least three new faces around the council table after next month's municipal elections.

Coun. Max Picton said Friday he plans on running for re-election.

“I’m passionate about Penticton and I think we’ve done a lot of good work over the past four years and I’d like to keep that momentum going,” he said, adding public safety and downtown vagrancy has become the city’s single biggest issue.

Picton was the last sitting councillor to declare his intention to run or not.

Judy Sentes filed her paperwork earlier this week in pursuit of a fourth term. Campbell Watt has said he’s also running again.

Meanwhile, Tarik Sayeed, Andre Martin and Helena Konanz will be stepping aside — Konanz will be running as the local Conservative candidate in next year’s federal election.

Newcomers to the council race that have either publicly declared their intention to run or have filed their paperwork include Frank Regehr, Karen Louise Brownlee, Isaac Joseph Gilbert, Lynn Kelsey, John Archer, Marie Prior and Daryl Clarke.

There are three in the mayor’s race so far, incumbent Andrew Jakubeit, entrepreneur Jason Cox and former councillor John Vassilaki.

The nomination period closes Sept. 14, with voting day Oct. 20.