Port Moody Mayor Joe Trasolini told fellow TransLink board members this morning he won't be participating in future decisions or discussions involving the Evergreen Line. Speaking with Public Eye, Mr. Trasolini - who owns a $2.5 million commercial property along that line, said "This is what I told the board, 'Is there a potential conflict of interest? Well, anybody who has any property anywhere in the Lower Mainland has a potential. That's not the issue.' I told them I have never in the past been in a situation where I find myself in conflict. If I had, I would have walked out. However, we have something like two or three meetings left on this board. And the Evergreen Line is very, very important. If there's any perception whatsoever that I might hurt any decisions of the board, I will not participate. But the likelihood of there being an item on the Evergreen Line - which has been postponed till 2010 - is unlikely. But if there was, I would walk out on that one item."

TransLink chair Malcolm Brodie later echoed Mr. Trasolini's comments, saying "He's agreed voluntarily that he won't participate in any board or committee discussions or decision on the line...That is what he has voluntarily agreed to do. And I think it's the right thing."