The new MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows failed to get support for a leave of absence from city council Tuesday, when several colleagues called on him to resign.
Doug Bing is now tasked with deciding whether to resign or carry on as a city councillor for Pitt Meadows until the new year to avoid a by-election.
“I think I’m going to have a meeting with the mayor and have a discussion about where we go from here,” said Bing, who was sworn in as MLA Friday.
It is legal for Bing to retain his council seat as well as serve as a member of the B.C. Liberal caucus.
Under the Community Charter, which sets out rules for civic government, an elected councillor can be removed from office if he is absent from council for 60 consecutive days or four consecutive regularly scheduled council meetings.
The city’s deputy chief administrative officer, Kim Grout, clarified that Bing would only have to return to the city for council duties every 59 days to retain his place as a councillor.
Bing will resign, but doesn’t know when.
“The plan was always for me to step down. It’s just a question of timing, I think,” he said Thursday, the morning after he returned from Victoria.
“I can’t say anything until I talk to the mayor and we sort out what she thinks is best for the community. We will make a decision soon, I would think though.”
Bing is no longer drawing a salary from the city, resulting in savings of $14,800.
As MLA, Bing will make a base salary of $101,859.
If he resigns before January, it will automatically trigger a by-election, which city staff estimate will cost around $15,000.
If he remains on council until January, the city can skip a by-election since civic elections are already schedule for November 2014.
Bing ended the New Democratic Party’s eight-year hold on the riding May 14 by defeating Elizabeth Rosenau by 620 votes.
At a committee meeting Tuesday, several council colleagues suggested Bing should resign.
“I think if we get the opportunity, we should fill the seat,” said Coun. Bruce Bell.
“I hope that he is able to resign and move on and do his MLA duties and then we can get on debating and deciding whether council wants to fill that position.”
Coun. Janis Elkerton worried about a conflict of interest, although the city’s lawyer has confirmed Bing can serve as both councillor and MLA.
“I think if we spent the money on a legal opinion, it should be made public and provided to council,” said Elkerton, noting a recent court ruling which found it illegal for two elected officials on Salt Spring Island to cast votes to provide money to non-profit organizations, for which they sat as directors.
“How is it that a provincial MLA on council can sit on a table and not have the same problems?”
Bing isn’t the only MLA faced with the prospect of juggling two jobs.
A total of four sitting mayors and eight municipal councillors were elected to the Liberal government, an outcome that could trigger by-elections from Dawson Creek to Surrey.
Coun. David Murray believes it would be difficult for Bing to do both jobs.
“I can’t see how it can be done. I am friends with so many provincial MLAs and they’ve told me that they just couldn’t do it,” Murray added.
Couns. Gwen O’Connell and Tracy Miyashita also voted against the motion, as did Mayor Deb Walters.
Miyashita cautioned her council colleagues while casting her vote against granting Bing a six-month unpaid leave of absence.
“I don’t think we are here to debate Coun. Bing’s capacity or ability to do both jobs,” she added.
Council will formally vote on Bing’s request for a leave of absence at its regular meeting on Tuesday.