St. John's Deputy Mayor Ron Ellsworth to run for councillor-at-large

Ron Ellsworth won't seek re-election as the deputy mayor of St. John's this fall but he will run to be a councillor at large instead.

Ellsworth announced his candidacy Monday morning in a statement on this website, saying he's seeking a councillor seat to focus on "more specific issues facing our city."

I gotta be true to myself and where I am personally and professionally, to what time I can commit to the issues that I want to be active on.- Ron Ellsworth

The deputy mayor told CBC News he considered all his options — including not running at all — before deciding to seek a term as councillor.

"I gotta be true to myself and where I am personally and professionally, to what time I can commit to the issues that I want to be active on on council, so I need to find the best place for me to be able to serve the community," he said.

"And for me, right now, personally and professionally, where I am at, the issues are more important to me than the administration at City Hall, and I want to take my time and energy to focus on the things I've worked on in all my time on council."

Legal trouble with Exit Realty owner not a factor, says Ellsworth

Those issues include accessibility and inclusion, working with seniors, and housing, said Ellsworth. Not a factor, according to the deputy mayor: his legal dispute with Anne Squires.

Squires, the former owner of Exit Realty on the Rock, sued Ellsworth in August 2016 for more than $137,000, claiming the deputy mayor charged her a criminal rate of interest on a personal loan of $50,000, a dispute that is still unresolved.

Squires is facing a trial for theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000, breach of trust and uttering a forged document.

As the business dispute unfolds, and information provided, I think the general public will have a great understanding of the issue.- Ron Ellsworth

Her preliminary hearing is set for November, well after the municipal election. To win a spot as councillor at large, Ellsworth would only need to garner a vote total in the top four of all the candidates vying for a spot, instead of earning the most votes if he were running for ward councillor, deputy mayor or mayor. But Ellsworth said that wasn't a consideration.

"I'm quite confident on that, that once that comes through, all information comes out, that the general public will be fine," he said.

Recovering from leg injury

"The issue that's there is well-known in the public and, as I've said before, it's a situation where I can't speak to it in detail. Would love to. But as the business dispute unfolds, and information provided, I think the general public will have a great understanding of the issue."

Ellsworth is still recovering from a leg injury suffered earlier this year, one he said will prevent him from doing much campaigning for the next month.

"What I'm hoping is by the time September-time comes, late August, early September, I will be able to get out and do a fairly active door-to-door campaign."