The Mayor shall be elected at the regular Municipal election in the year 1999, and every fourth year thereafter, for a term of four (4) years. The newly elected Mayor shall take the oath of office and assume the duties of said office on December 10th, or within five (5) days after the Board of Elections has certified his election, whichever comes later. Beginning with the term of office commencing as a result of the regular municipal election in 1995, the term of office of Mayor shall consist of not more than eight (8) consecutive years in the same office or position, said limitation to function retroactively as to include all consecutive time currently being served by elected officials. Any person appointed or having been appointed to an office to fill a vacancy that may occur or has occurred in the past, upon completion of that term, will be considered as having served the entire term in order to compute consecutive years. (Amended 11-3-98)