By James Peters / Chad Harris

Too soon to talk interim mayors: Singh

Dec 22, 2016 | 10:21 AM

KAMLOOPS — Councillor Arjun Singh says it’s too soon to talk about whether he would be open to serving as interim mayor, in case Peter Milobar is elected to represent Kamloops-North Thompson in next spring’s provincial election.

Singh was quoted in Kamloops This Week saying he has been approached by fellow councillors to serve in the role.

Speaking to CFJC News, Singh says it’s far too soon to even have the discussion, and he wants to ensure council has a chance to sit down and talk about it.

“Very early days. I mean, the article in Kamloops This Week I think was a bit premature for sure,” said Singh, adding “we haven’t had the discussion formally as a council yet. We have had some coffee chats amongst some of us, about what might or might not happen. Look, we need to sit down as a council and discuss this thing.”

Singh adds council hasn’t even decided on whether to hold a by-election or choose an interim mayor to serve until the 2018 municipal vote.

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“A by-election is definitely an option. Interim mayor is definitely an option. My strongest desire for this is that hopefully council can come out of this with a strong position one way or the other, and we can move forward.”

“I’m asking people in the community what they think about those options potentially. Again, early days, having some conversations over the holidays and into the new year. I don’t have a preference really. I mean to me it is really a question of what council as a whole comes up with, and what the community would support. There are definitely pros and cons for both.”

Singh adds Milobar might not win in Kamloops-North Thompson, and council shouldn’t be seen as presupposing an outcome.

“We need to make sure, in my view anyways, we are non-partisan. We stay out of that world. It is tricky when we have that discussion because we have to be prepared, but we don’t want to be seen as prejudging any particular outcome.”