The mayor’s executive committee has written a letter outlining their concerns after court documents revealed Rob Ford frequently met with an accused drug dealer and the police confirmed the existence of a video showing Ford in an unfavourable situation.

The letter, which has not been made public, was handed to Toronto’s deputy mayor Norm Kelly who told reporters he will meet with the mayor in a private location on Saturday to discuss those concerns.  

Neither Kelly nor the members of the executive who spoke to the media would be specific about what those concerns are.

“(We) don’t feel it’s appropriate to list those concerns in public,” Coun. Denzil Minnan Wong said.

“I think you guys already know the concerns,” said Kelly.

Kelly, who has historically shared many political views with the embattled mayor said he hopes Ford will use the opportunity to reflect.

“I hope the mayor will look at these concerns through the eyes of the people of Toronto, his colleagues on council and…his family,” he said.

Meanwhile, the mayor spent Friday out of city hall where dozens of media waited him. However, he couldn’t escape journalists as they were there when he left his home in the morning for what appeared to be a family meeting at his mother’s house and then on a tour of a building in Etobicoke and then to the site of his family’s business.  He returned home shortly before 5 p.m. without addressing any questions from the media.

Board of Trade asks mayor to take a leave

Dismay from his colleagues continued to dog the mayor outside of the office.

Toronto’s Board of Trade released a statement just before 5 p.m. asking Ford to take a leave from office.

“Toronto Region Board of Trade believes that under current circumstances it is in the best interests of the city of Toronto for Mayor Ford to take a leave of absence until the situation is resolved,” the letter begins. “The Mayor of the city must put Toronto first.”

The letter continues to say what priorities the mayor must have for the city, including transportation, investments and the upcoming deliberations on the $11-billion annual budget.

“We believe the current situation must be a distraction for the Mayor and therefore it is not possible to put Toronto first,” the letter says.  “It is our view that Mayor Ford cannot effectively fulfill these duties and others while this cloud hangs over him and the city.

“We understand this matter must be very troubling to the Mayor and urge him to resolve it as quickly as possible.”

Ford is expected to return to his weekly radio show The City on Sunday at 1 p.m. that he cohosts with his brother, Coun. Doug Ford on CFRB 1010.

Bellmedia is the parent company of both CFRB 1010 and CP24.