WATCH: Shepherd wants to be Kelowna mayor again

KELOWNA — Sharon Shepherd has put an end to the rumours — she wants to be mayor of Kelowna — again.

She made the announcement at Kelowna’s City Park – a place she promises to revamp if she’s elected as mayor.

“This is probably the best kept secret in the last 18 hours,” she (sarcastically??) told a crowd of about 60 onlookers.

It was three years ago when Shepherd lost to Walter Gray — giving her plenty of time to spend with her family and to think about getting back into politics.

“I went through the pros and cons on whether I should do this or not and one day I said: Okay, the deadline date is closing, there are things to do, if I’m going to go, I have to go. So, that’s when I decided.”

Shepherd says she has some unfinished business to take care off including a review of the HOV lanes on Highway 97, reducing red tape at city hall and paying close attention to the official community plan.

Shepherd has been criticized by her opponents, accused of governing by committee.

“I have no intention of bringing back committees,” she says.

She was also labeled by her political opponents as being unfriendly to business.

She says that under the current council, she’s hearing that big business is being treated with favoritism.

“I’ve already heard from some. It’s interesting because some of the feedback is when the big players come to town, they seem to get special concessions.”

Councillor Colin Basran sits on that current council.

He entered the mayor’s race months ago, and says a vote for Shepherd is a vote to roll back the clock.

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Shepherd says she can’t really comment on Basran’s politics, but does offer this advice.

“All I can say is from my perspective when I decided to run for mayor, I had been on council for three terms and I found it to be quite a shock to get into the position of mayor.”

Shepherd’s announcement means there are now five candidates running for mayor. The others include:  Kelly Rowe, Sam Condy and Chuck Hardy.