Another Delta councillor could be on the provincial election ballot next spring.
Scott Hamilton, a 10year veteran on council, appears to be the candidate of choice for the Liberals in Delta North.
Admitting the party has approached him, Hamilton told the Optimist he still has to make a decision whether to make the move, something he'll do in the next week after he returns from a brief trip.
"I really enjoy council and believe we have affected a lot of change in Delta, change for the good in both North (Delta) and South (Delta). So, to give that up, it's a tough decision," said the North Delta resident.
Hamilton said what piqued his interest is the fact fellow councillor Sylvia Bishop has been acclaimed as the NDP candidate in Delta North, where NDP MLA Guy Gentner is retiring.
Also a former Delta councillor, Gentner has held the seat since 2005.
Bishop's experience as a teacher, and more recently as an elected official in Delta, will make her an able and effective representative, said B.C. NDP Leader Adrian Dix in a press release.
However, Hamilton said Bishop was elected to council for the first time last fall, not enough elected service to springboard into provincial politics because an opportunity opened.
Should Hamilton run and win, or if Bishop wins, a council by-election would be triggered.
"I've come to the conclusion that there is going to be a by-election in this community one way or another. What I'm contemplating is whether or not I want to be a part of that," he said.
"I had no intention after Guy Gentner announced he wasn't running of leaving council and start a by-election, because to me timing is everything. But now I'm at the point of saying if there is going to be a by-election, maybe we'd better let the people decide. To me, it (by-election) has already been forced."
Hamilton said he wasn't even a member of a political party until just a few weeks ago and isn't sure when a nomination meeting will be held. He said he considers himself a "small p" politician who doesn't contact the media or try to raise his profile.
Prior to Gentner, Delta North was held by Liberal MLA Reni Masi.
In Delta South, a nomination meeting for the Liberals has been set for Jan. 22.
Tsawwassen resident Bruce Fougner has declared he's seeking the nomination, while Delta Chamber of Commerce president Kelly Guichon will decide shortly whether she still wants to seek the nod. No other candidate has stepped forward at this point.
The NDP has already acclaimed Nic Slater, while independent MLA Vicki Huntington has said she'd likely remain an independent.
