Councillor Mike Bhangu's (bottom left) resignation, which he announced Dec. 13, 2021, comes less than a month before the cut off requiring the city to go through a byelection.

Image Credit: City of Merritt

Merritt city councillor Mike Bhangu cited a lack of confidence in the mayor when he resigned from council yesterday, but Mayor Linda Brown is left unsure of what he is referring to.

"I really have no idea about his reasoning. He's had a lot of accusations over the years, and they're all broad. You can never pinpoint what the issue is," Brown said.

Brown said that while she and Bhangu have disagreed over the years, she did not believe they were enough for him to resignation.

She said the city is going to ask the Ministry of Municipal Affairs to waive the byelection requirement, since Bhangu's resignation comes just before the cut-off date.

READ MORE: 'No confidence' in mayor leads Merritt city councillor to resign

"We are hoping to avoid two elections amid the worst catastrophe the city has ever seen," she said, adding the city and its residents continue the process of rebuilding after the devastating November floods.

According to the provincial Local Government Act, a byelection is required if a council seat goes vacant before Jan. 1 of an election year.

Brown said a byelection would likely cost around $50,000 and requires roughly the same staffing as a general election. If Municipal Affairs Minister Josie Osbourne does not waive the election requirement for the City of Merritt, the minister can set an election day and appoint a chief election officer for the city.

Bhangu announced his resignation on social media, where he wrote that he "(does) not have confidence in Mayor Linda Brown's ability to lead, or represent each council member fairly."

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Bhangu was not immediately available for an interview but did say in a written response he's had feedback from Merritt residents following his resignation.

"I didn't realize how many people rely on me representing them. I'm saddened that I disappointed them," he wrote.

Bhangu is also facing criminal charges for uttering threats, but Brown said she doesn't see how that could influence his decision to resign because it is not related to the local government.

READ MORE: 'We knew this would happen': Merritt resident raised alarm on Coldwater dikes

"I think the young fellow has some anger issues, and he has to learn to deal with it," Brown said.

Brown also asserted that Bhangu's GoFundMe campaign was not affiliated with the city in any way. He started the campaign on his own in an effort to forward money to evacuees that were waiting on backlogged emergency support services.

"I stated at one of our meetings this had nothing to do with city hall. It is entirely him doing this," Brown said. "It's concerning for me not as a politician but as an accountant."

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