A group of local individuals is making a petition available for anyone who would like to sign in support of holding a city election for a new mayor.

Mayor Tom Ross resigned on Tuesday, and Mark Jantzer, as council president, is filling the position until it is determined whether residents want a special election. Voters have 15 days from last Tuesday to submit a petition with signatures of at least 5% of the number of voters in the last city election.

A petition will be available to sign at The Spot from 4-7 p.m. today and at Broadway Bean & Bagel on Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

The group initiating the effort has stated it is doing so to give residents a choice but also stresses a special election would come at a cost of more than $20,000 to elect a mayor who would serve less than a year before the term ends. Residents already are incurring costs for a special election related to a park board sales tax on June 3. Adding a mayoral ballot to the existing special election isn’t possible due to the 65-day requirement before an election can be held if citizens successfully petition.

The group providing the petition also notes that if no election is held, the council will fill the mayor’s position by appointing from its members, who already have been voted on and chosen by residents to represent them.