Port Moody council prepares to vote on mayor's big promises — and will consider asking him to leave

It's not normal for a city council meeting to involve international celebrities and motions for the mayor to take a leave of absence, but very little is normal in Port Moody politics these days. 

"Everybody is trying to do their best and everybody in the community is wrestling with the issues," said Coun. Amy Lubik, assessing the heated tensions in the Metro Vancouver municipality ahead of Tuesday night's council meeting.

"There's a lot of passion ... and we don't have all the answers." 

Tuesday council meeting comes a month after Mayor Rob Vagramov returned from his self-imposed leave of absence to contest sexual assault charges. 

He's put forward several motions around issues hotly debated in the community for over a year, while another councillor has a motion asking for Vagramov to return to a leave of absence so long as his sexual assault charge is unresolved. 

"I sure hope so," said Lubik, when asked if council would be able to consider its entire agenda on Tuesday.

"We've never had a meeting when we ... didn't get to everything."

Bert Flinn & Moody Centre

One of Vagramov's motions asks for Port Moody to rescind a long-standing commitment to eventually build a road through Bert Flinn Park in order to reduce traffic on Ioco Road, along with restricting density in the Ioco development lands to single-family homes.

It was endorsed by B.C.-born actress Pamela Anderson, in a letter issued by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, on Monday. 

Another motion requests council not support draft plans by developers and current landowners for the area around the Moody Centre SkyTrain station, with a letter being sent asking any future plan have a maximum of 13 towers, none higher than 26 storeys. 

Both align with policies Vagramov campaigned on last year in becoming mayor, and both were effectively deadlocked with a split council while he was away from office. 

"The sort of deadlock on a three-three council vote does not provide sufficient closure or a solid decision for the community," he said.  

"I'm not really one for sending messages, I'm more of a doer. And so in this case it's a matter of getting it done."

Sexual assault charge

But for some, the debate over policy in Port Moody has become intertwined with whether Vagramov should continue to serve as mayor without his sexual assault charge resolved. 

Coun. Diana Dilworth, who has opposed many of Vagramov's policy stances over the past year, has put forward a motion for the meeting asking him to return to his leave of absence, and that council request his resignation if he is not "totally exonerated." 

"I think that councillor Dilworth is entitled to make her motion," said Vagramov, whose next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 13. 

"I personally ... have respect for folks who have given their opinions, and I respect their perspectives even if they differ from mine. It's a little bit different when it comes down to the council table, because I think that councillor Dilworth has shown to be, in my opinion, politicizing this issue."

It remains unclear how any of the divisive votes on Tuesday will go — but under B.C. law, elected local politicians cannot be recalled or forced to take a leave of absence.

For her part, Lubik said she supported getting rid of the Bert Flinn road right-of-way, and wanted to ensure any new developments surrounding Moody Centre would have affordable housing. 

But she also supported Vagramov going on leave once again. 

"I think it would give us peace of mind," she said.

"It's a really difficult situation and it's unfortunate that we don't have any guidance from the province ... we're kind of flailing in the dark on the right way to handle this."