(Posted
3 p.m., Aug. 31)
Feltmate
withdraws from Orléans Ward race
By Fred Sherwin
OrleansOnline.ca
When
businessman and restauranteur Doug Feltmate entered the
municipal election in the race to represent Orléans Ward,
on Ottawa city council he was immediately considered as
one of the favourites.
With
a lengthy record of community involvement, his extensive
work in the area of economic development with Team Ottawa-Orléans,
the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce and the Heart of Orléans
BIA, Feltmate not only had the ability to raise the type
of money needed to run a competitive campaign, he had
a long list of contacts that he could call upon for advice.
Among
his many endorsers were former Ottawa-Orléans MPP Phil
McNeely; Walter Robinson, chief of staff to former Ottawa
mayor Larry O'Brien; former Orléans Chamber of Commerce
director Gerry Dust; and Graham Bird.
In
an exclusive interview with the Orléans Star, Feltmate
cited his growing frustration with the campaign for reason
for withdrawing from the race.
"I
just got lost in the soup,� said Feltmate. "There's so
many candidates and so much noise that it makes it impossible
to get your message out.�
Feltmate's
growing frustration with the process has had a negative
effect on his motivation. "To tell you the truth my heart
just wasn't in it anymore.�
Although
he has withdrawn from the race, Feltmate's name will remain
on the ballot along with that of Louise Soyez who withdrew
from the race last month.
Feltmate
says he will refocus his attention on helping with the
Heart of Orléans BIA's future expansion plans.
(This story
was made possible thanks to the generous support of our
local business partners.)
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