CitySSM  City staff is not offering any recommendation in terms of whether city council should go ahead with a by-election or simply appoint someone to fill Terry Sheehan’s Ward 2 city council seat.  Sheehan is our new MP.  Council will be asked at Monday’s meeting to approve a motion declaring the seat vacant which is the first step in moving forward.  If council decides to simply appoint, the Municipal Act requires them to appoint someone within 60 days of declaring the seat vacant.  If council decides to go with a by-election,  the nomination deadline can be no longer than 60-days after passage of a by-law authorizing a by-election.  A by-law authorizing a by-election has also been prepared for Monday’s meeting to expedite the process.  The estimated cost of holding a by-election is 48-thousand dollars while there would be little financial impact of appointing a new councillor.  Meantime, the city has received a letter from David Poluck expressing his interest in filling the vacancy.