In an early morning statement to the press, former Liberal cabinet minister and long-time Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci ended speculation on whether he would be throwing his name in the hat in the mayor's race.
After "much consideration and dialogue with family and friends," Bartolucci said he has decided not to try to unseat Mayor Brian Bigger in the October municipal election.
"I have decided not to put my name forward for the office of Mayor for the City of Greater Sudbury," Bartolucci is quoted as saying.
"I want to sincerely thank all those who asked me to consider the return to politics, but after weighing all the factors, it is clear that the time is not right for a return to politics."
After wishing all candidates good luck, Bartolucci said rather than running, he's committed to helping the next council be successful.
"If they are successful, our city will be successful," he said.
Bartolucci also predicted the the next term of council will be "a very difficult one," though he didn't elaborate on what he meant by that.
Presumably, the retired politician is referring to the ongoing tension regarding the city's so-called "big projects," the legacy initiatives city council has been working toward for much of its term, projects with a price tag in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
These include the Kingsway Entertainment District project that includes an event centre, casino and hotel complex, as well as The Junction project, which would see Sudbury Arena torn down and the space used to construct a shared space for the main branch of the Sudbury Public Library and the Art Gallery of Sudbury, and which would also include landscaped greenspace and a convention centre and performance space.
Opponents of the big projects encompass a mix of interests, from those opposed to casino gambling for economic and moral reasons, to fiscal conservatives who feel the price tag is far too high, to those opposed to moving the arena out of the downtown core of the city.
Candidates from these factions are expected to be running in the October election to support their cause.
The Kingsway Entertainment District project is also the subject of an ongoing land-use planning appeal that is expected to wrap up soon.
