Hart Buckendahl points to experience, water costs and business support in bid for Osoyoos mayor

Mayoral candidate Hart Buckendahl says his previous experience in municipal government, including his years as mayor of Oliver, would allow him to step into the job with an understanding of how councils operate and how municipalities work with senior governments.

Buckendahl is one of six candidates seeking the mayor’s chair in the 2026 Osoyoos municipal election. The Town of Oliver’s historical records show he served as mayor there from 1987 to 1993.

In a response provided to Osoyoos News, Buckendahl said his earlier years in municipal government remain some of the most rewarding of his life.

He describes his previous experience as roughly 10 years of service on council and as mayor, saying the opportunity to help residents and businesses was a large part of what made the work worthwhile.

“I was in a position to help people personally and in business, which gives great satisfaction,” Buckendahl said.

He said that time also gave him experience dealing with provincial and federal governments, particularly when it came to grants, regulations and understanding how municipalities need to approach funding applications.

“I learned the proper way of doing it and having success,” he said.

Buckendahl said he would also like to use that experience to help newer councillors understand municipal government and prepare future leaders.

His goal, he said, would be to make as much progress as possible during one four-year term.

“My plan is to fix Osoyoos and do it in four years or faster,” Buckendahl said.

Water costs and looking at alternatives

Water is one of the issues Buckendahl believes the next council will need to deal with immediately.

He questioned the roughly $80-million figure that has been discussed in relation to addressing Osoyoos water treatment needs and said council should not accept a single option without looking for alternatives.

“My thoughts are that the $80-million quote for water is a whole lot too high,” he said.

Buckendahl said he would encourage council to seek additional estimates and ideas, even if doing so adds some time to the process.

“If we are going for grants, which we will be doing, we will need to prove to the grantors that we have done due diligence and come up with the best and cheapest fix that is possible,” he said. “This is totally necessary.”

His position is that obtaining other proposals would give council a better understanding of the available options before committing the community to a major project.

Staff and working with the community

Buckendahl said one of his first priorities would be building a productive relationship between council, Town staff and the wider community.

“My priorities are having a happy staff and working together with the community in making Osoyoos better,” he said.

He believes local businesses should have a significant role in those discussions.

That relationship between municipal government and the business community, he said, was something he came to appreciate during his previous time as mayor.

Walk-in clinic and health services

Buckendahl also wants the Town to pursue additional health-care services for Osoyoos.

He said the community should investigate establishing a walk-in clinic and approach the provincial government about support for using the existing health centre building.

“We need to look into getting a walk-in clinic and ask the government to give us the support to get the health clinic building to do this,” he said.

Buckendahl suggested the building could potentially accommodate specialty physicians as well, reducing the need for some residents to travel outside Osoyoos for appointments.

Evening council meetings

Making council meetings more accessible to working residents is another change Buckendahl would like to see.

He suggested moving council meetings to 7 p.m., arguing that daytime meetings can prevent people from attending without taking time away from work.

Buckendahl said evening meetings would “allow the general public to come to meetings and not miss work and pay.”

For him, the change would provide more residents with an opportunity to see municipal decisions being made and take part in the process.

Encouraging improvements to local businesses

Buckendahl said Town Hall should also look for practical ways to make it easier for businesses to invest in their properties.

If a merchant wants to improve the appearance or street appeal of a building, Buckendahl said the Town could consider forgiving some permit fees while continuing to require inspections for safety.

“We need to involve as many businesses as possible to help improve Osoyoos and spruce it up a bit,” he said.

He described local businesses as “the backbone to our town” and said many are facing difficult economic conditions.

“Times are tough and we can help.”

Decades in construction

Buckendahl also points to his construction career as another part of the experience he would bring to the mayor’s office.

Over approximately 45 years, he said he has been involved in the construction of well over 1,000 homes, with his total approaching 2,000, including individual homes and larger subdivisions.

That work, he said, has kept him closely connected to customers, tradespeople and businesses throughout Osoyoos.

“Most of my business in building and other works is done through Osoyoos trades and stores,” Buckendahl said.

His construction work has also taken him well outside the community.

Buckendahl said he has worked throughout an area stretching from Princeton to Christina Lake and from Osoyoos to Vernon, as well as on larger contracts in Fort St. John and Prince George.

Working in different communities gave him the opportunity to see how other municipalities approach development and their relationships with businesses, he said.

“There was a lot of education gained.”

Buckendahl said he continues to be involved in business and currently has a development in Osoyoos with a partner. His son and grandson are also working in the industry and, he said, will likely eventually take over much of that work.

Looking back at his experience in both municipal government and construction, Buckendahl said he believes those years have given him a broad understanding of local government, business and development.

“I have gained a life worth of experiences working in my trade and being a mayor for so many years,” he said.

Buckendahl thanked Osoyoos News for giving him the opportunity to present his views to residents.

The Town of Osoyoos has six candidates listed in the 2026 mayoral race. General voting day is Saturday, October 17, with advance voting scheduled for October 7 and October 10.