The vacancy left by Fort City Councillor Ed van Delden’s recent departure will not be filled until next October.

Council agreed Tuesday not to hold a byelection.

“Other than the individuals who really want to seek these positions, I have heard no one express an interest in a byelection,” Mayor Gale Katchur said at Tuesday’s meeting.

Other members of Council were unanimous in their agreement. “I have actually seen really no interest from the people of Fort Saskatchewan in a byelection,” said Councillor Frank Garritsen.

Stuart McGowan, who ran but failed to get a seat in the 2010 municipal election, used the public comment portion of Tuesday’s meeting to encourage Council to hold the byelection, saying it would enhance the public perception of our community.

Another unsuccessful 2012 candidate, Reece Sellin, posted several Twitter comments this week also supporting a byelection.

The Alberta Municipal Government Act does not require a byelection to fill a single seat with less than 18 months to go before the next regular election.

A byelection would have had to be held within 90 days of van Delden’s resignation on Sept. 11. Nomination day would therefore have been on Nov. 5, with the byelection itself costing $32,000.

Councillor Don Westman made the motion not to hold the byelection, noting that as well as the financial cost, the byelection would have required 12 days of staff time.

“I wonder how the City of Fort Saskatchewan would be perceived if we were to spend $32,000 to put one person at this table,” added Councillor John Mather.