At the first meeting of the Council in the year 1968 and at the first meeting of Council in each even-numbered year thereafter, the Council shall elect from its own membership a Vice Mayor, who shall serve until a successor is elected from the Council as provided hereinabove. The Vice Mayor shall act as the Presiding Officer of the Council in the absence or disability of the Mayor and shall exercise all the powers and duties granted the Mayor by this Charter during the absence or disability of the Mayor. While presiding over special or regular meetings of the Council the Vice Mayor may vote upon all matters coming before the Council, but in no event shall the Vice Mayor, in his or her dual capacity as Council member and Presiding Officer of Council, cast more than one vote on any action. In the event that the office of Mayor shall become vacant the Vice Mayor shall become Mayor for the unexpired term, and the Council shall elect a successor from among the membership of the Council to the office of Vice Mayor for that unexpired term. Should the Vice Mayor become the Mayor for the unexpired term, he or she shall not forfeit his or her seat as a Member of Council, thereby not creating a vacancy in Council as set forth in Section 3.12.
(Amended Nov. 4, 2003)