What does a City Council president do anyway? Monday night the 20-member budget and legislative body will select a president and it appears barring some dramatic development, Tom McCarthy will win another term as leader. Excerpts from the City Charter:
In the event that the mayor is temporarily absent or temporarily disabled and is, because of such absence or disability, unable to perform the duties of his office, the president of the city council shall possess all of the powers and perform all of the duties of the mayor until the mayor is able to act.
(b)
In the event that a vacancy occurs, for any reason, in the office of mayor, the president of the city council shall act as mayor, until the office of mayor is filled as provided in subSection (c) of this section.
(c)
Whenever a vacancy occurs in the office of mayor, other than during the final year of such mayor’s term of office, the city council shall cause a special election for the office of mayor to be held not less than 120 nor more than 150 days from the date that such vacancy occurs. The person elected mayor at such special election shall take office on the 7th calendar day following his/her election and shall serve the unexpired portion of the term vacated. In the event the vacancy occurs during the final year of the mayor’s term, the president of the city council shall become mayor and serve for the unexpired portion of the term vacated …
At the beginning of each term of office the city council shall elect from among its members one council member to be president of the city council who shall serve for a term until November 30 of the next odd-numbered year or until the president of the council’s successor has been elected. The president of the city council shall preside in the absence of the mayor, and when so presiding shall have a casting vote in case of a tie in addition to his/her vote as council member. In the absence of the mayor and the president of the city council at any meeting, the city council may choose one of its members to act as president for the occasion who, when so presiding, shall have a casting vote in case of a tie in addition to his/her vote as council member. In the event of the death, resignation or inability to act of the president of the city council, the council shall elect another president in his place.
(b)
The city clerk and assistant city clerk shall be clerk of the city council and of all committees appointed by the city council.
City Charter section on City Council here.
I think I’m going to PUKE!
Shame on you, Joe. MARIO, MARIO, MARIO. When Tiago receives the Deputy Director position in Public Facilities I’LL puke some more. What a joke. I have to go lay down, feeling sick!
*** Council president is and can be an important position, which allows the council to be separate in its decision making from the sitting admin. In other words not become rubber-stampers of admin needs and wants and really work to represent their district citizens! Such was not the case during the Finch admin. for it was one rubber stamp after another most of the time, no? ***
Not bad. If McCarthy played by DTC rules, it only cost a measly $280 to win.