With just one councillor seat available for Monday's by-election it's going to be a tight race in Black Diamond.

Brian Marconi and David Geske will square off looking to take over from the resigning Michael Jackson.

Marconi says he hopes to bring in new business to town and make Black Diamond a viable option to set-up shop.

"In order to get some growth into Black Diamond naturally you got to have lower taxes to attract people and businesses," he says. "But the one thing people are expecting when they come to a small town is broadband fibre optic networks and that's something we don't have right now."

Marconi says Black Diamond should take the approach to growth like one done in the Town of Nobleford.

"They have 25 new businesses, these aren't businesses replacing ones that are there already but brand new, and they've build 250 new homes in a five year period. One of the reasons is just not the lower taxes but they've got the amenities."

The hottest topic coming into the by-election is amalgamation talks with Turner Valley and Black Diamond and Marconi says it needs to be viable for everyone involved not just Town Councils.

"It's got to make economic sense for both towns to be a part of it and that means big tax savings for both towns not just one town or another town is subsisizing the other. The town tax payers have to vote on the plebisite, there has to be one."

Polls open at 10 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m. Monday.

There's only one polling station and it's at the Town Office.

For the article on candidate David Geske click here.