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Osoyoos farmers market manager resigns after election sign controversy

Marcel St. Louis is accused of stealing several election signs of mayoral candidate Dustin Sikora
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Osoyoos mayoral candidate Dustin Sikora put up cameras and caught footage of a man stealing his election signs. The man was later identified by several people, including Sikora to be that of Marcel St. Louis, husband to financial agent for incumbent mayor Sue McKortoff. (Screen grab Facebook)

The Osoyoos Farmers Market Society is looking for a new market manager for the 2023 season after the current manager resigned.

Marcel St. Louis, who has managed the Osoyoos Market on Main for five years, resigned in the wake of activity during the recent municipal election campaign that “he determined would discredit the society,” the society said in a press release.

The society’s volunteer board accepted the resignation at a meeting held on Oct. 20.

St. Louis was caught on camera multiple times stealing election signs of then-mayoral hopeful Dustin Sikora. An Osoyoos man was arrested, RCMP confirmed on Oct. 13.

Osoyoos First, a slate that ran in the town’s Oct. 15 election, shared a pair of videos via Facebook that showed a man taking the signs and putting them in his vehicle.

Several residents, including Sikora, recognized St. Louis in the footage. He is the husband of Janis St. Louis, the financial agent for incumbent mayor Sue McKortoff. She also is the farmer’s market president.

READ MORE: Osoyoos man arrested after stealing election signs

Marcel St. Louis was the society’s lone employee.

The board declined to accept Janis St. Louis’ resignation. The board determined it would be inappropriate to act based solely on guilt by association, said the press release.

The Osoyoos Farmers Market Society is administered by volunteers and provides a venue for vendors who market grown-local fruits and vegetables, baked goods, wine, cider, beer, and spirits and made-local artisan crafts.

The market runs from May through to October each year at Town Hall Square in downtown Osoyoos.

The society does not receive any funding or other assistance from the Town of Osoyoos.

The Osoyoos Farmers’ Market is a member of the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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