The race to fill a city council seat vacated by Al Greir was only hours old when there was talk of at least one person interested in running.
That person wants to remain anonymous for now, but it’s clear there will be interest from candidates to fill the council seat for the remaining two-plus years of this term.
The city must hold a byelection to fill the vacant seat. The options to go without a seventh member of council (six councillors plus the mayor) are not available to the city, according to stipulations in the Local Government Act.
According to the Act, the city must appoint a chief election officer “as soon as practical.” The city then has 80 days to hold an election after that officer is appointed and the election must be on a Saturday.
If the city was to appoint a chief election officer at its next regular meeting on Monday night, the latest possible election day would be Saturday, Oct. 1.
Meanwhile, more reaction was coming in this week to the news of Greir’s resignation.
“Sad to hear this,” former mayor Chris Burger wrote in the comment section of The NEWS’ website coverage of the story. “I very much enjoyed serving with Al. He is a great guy all around and a long-standing community leader/volunteer.”
— ALSO SEE EDITORIAL in the Opinion section of this website or on page A10 of the Thursday, July 14 edition of The NEWS
