Letter: Vagramov should resign, let city call byelection

The Editor,

Is there something wrong with this picture?

As a resident of Port Moody, a single mom with two teenage children, a working professional with a large firm in Port Moody and a taxpayer who is active in community affairs, I am concerned about what is going on at our city hall.

Our mayor, Rob Vagramov, has, in light of the sexual assault charge against him, taken a leave of absence with full pay.

I would like to know who authorized such a gratuitous gift at the taxpayers' expense. I don't know of any company business that could afford such a generous offering.

The city councillors who are taking on the mayor's duties for their three-month stints must be doing three jobs: the mayor's, their councillor's job and their regular employment. I find it hard to believe that anyone can handle three jobs and perform all those duties effectively on a consistent basis.

The councillors are being paid for their work as acting mayors — and rightly so — the same salary taxpayers are giving the absentee mayor. That works out to a fair amount of money.

Mayor Vagramov should do the right and honourable thing and resign, and a byelection should be called. We need a full-time mayor to plan for future generations and further the growth and wellbeing of our citizens so we can be proud of our fair city once again.

R. Busch, Port Moody