Neis stepping down as mayor

by Wayne Moore CASTANET:
Rosalind Neis will not seek a second term as mayor of Westside. The rookie politician, who took a year off from her job as an operating room nurse, at Kelowna General Hospital, says she is stepping away to spend more time with her family. "In the course of making this decision, I thought long and hard about what I brought(and what I did not bring) to the Mayor's office. I took into consideration my family, the many people that have supported me, those that have encouraged me and those that asked me to continue to represent the citizens of this community," Neis says in a prepared statement. "As I consider the positives regarding a second term as mayor, I find 28,000 reasons to continue. That being said, when I consider my family, I find many reasons to return to nursing." Neis says she loves nursing. She says it provides her with stability from both a financial and family point of view. While she won't seek a second term as mayor, Neis says she hopes to stay on as a councillor. "Given that the position of councillor would allow me to continue to represent people on the Westside, apply the knowledge that I have gained over the past year, and at the same time, allow me to return to a part-time position at KGH, I feel that this would be the best way to balance the needs of my family and those of the 28,000 people on the Westside."