A decision on how to fill an empty seat at the Timmins council table is expected later this month.
At tonight's meeting, council declared Noella Rinaldo's Ward 5 seat as vacant.
City clerk Steph Palmateer said council can decide how to fill the vacancy at the Sept. 22 meeting.
In August, Rinaldo announced she was stepping down after accepting a job with the Timmins Economic Development Corporation. The resignation was effective Sept. 5.
The Municipal Act outlines how to move forward.
After declaring the vacancy at its first meeting after the resignation, it then has 60 days to either appoint a new member or call a by-election.
Palmateer's report recommends appointing someone.
"This would be the most cost effective and timely method to fill the vacancy," it reads.
As for how to do that, he notes council could advertise for people to apply and choose from that list, or appoint one of the unsuccessful candidates who ran in the ward in the last municipal election.
There are four councillors that represent Ward 5.
The others are Kristin Murray, Michelle Boileau and Andrew Marks.
Marks won the seat by two votes over Cory Robin in the 2018 election. Because the results were so close, the City of Timmins held an official recount for the fourth Ward 5 seat.
