Mayor David Bowers said this afternoon he has no confidence in Roanoke City Manager Darlene Burcham’s handling of the City Market building renovation proposal.

Bowers called either for a council-appointed market “czar” or to delay further action on planned renovations until after Burcham retires in the spring.

Bowers held a news conference at his office following an e-mail that he sent to city staff and council members. In the e-mail, he said he’d read a story in today’s Roanoke Times about Tanglewood Mall officials working to lure Roanoke City Market building vendors and farmers’ market tenants to the Roanoke County mall.

Bowers said the story was the “last straw” for him.

“What an embarrassment for the City,” Bowers wrote. “We can’t lose these folks to the suburbs.”

Bowers said he’d bring his requests up for action at the council’s 2 p.m. meeting on Monday.