Councillor should resign

Re. Councillor heading to trial (Castanet, Feb. 7)

As reported last week, Penticton city Coun. James Miller's court date for historic sex crimes against minors has now been set for December at the earliest.

That means he will continue to collect from the city for his role as councillor while on leave, all while (the city) is short-staffed and running a by-election in April to replace another city councillor after her decision to leave council and run (successfully) for a seat as an MLA with the B.C. Conservative party.

I would like to quote a newspaper editorial written by Miller in 2021 titled "Jake should do the right thing" where Miller suggested then-councillor Jake Kimberley should step down due to health problems that left him unable to fulfill his duties to the community. Kimberley did resign, Miller ran and won the seat on council.

Ironically, Miller is now in the same situation Kimberley was in just a few years ago, albeit for very different reasons.

Miller will have earned upwards of $40,000 from the city for the time he is off while he waits for his trial and, among other things, his eligibility to keep his position on council.

Miller should do the right thing and resign in time for the upcoming by by-election.

The decision to stay on is a slap in the face for every taxpayer in the city and an even harder blow to those who voted for him to represent their best interests in this community.

Chris Bouchard, Penticton