A. Absence and/or Incapacity. When the Mayor is incapacitated and unable to perform his or her duties as Mayor, the President of Council shall act as Mayor, and while so acting shall have and exercise all the powers of Mayor, but shall not thereby cease to be the President of Council. The President of Council shall continue to perform the duties and assume the responsibilities of Mayor until the Mayor’s incapacity and inability has ceased and the Mayor is able to resume the duties and responsibilities of his or her office.
In an emergency, if the Mayor cannot be immediately contacted, the President of Council shall assume the duties and responsibilities of Mayor and shall continue to exercise the full authority of the Mayor’s office until the Mayor is contacted and resumes the duties and responsibilities of his or her office.
When, or if, the President of Council is unwilling or unable to assume the duties and responsibilities of Mayor, the Vice President of Council shall assume the duties and responsibilities of Mayor and exercise the full authority of the Mayor’s office until the Mayor resumes the duties and responsibilities of his or her office. While the Vice President of Council is acting as Mayor he or she shall not thereby cease to be Vice President of Council.
(Amended 11-7-00.)
B. Vacancy. In the event of the death, resignation, recall, or removal of the Mayor, Council shall elect one of its members to fill the vacancy in the office of Mayor, until such time as a successor is elected and qualified to complete the unexpired term or to commence a new term of office. The member of Council elected to fill such vacancy shall not thereby forfeit his Council office, but Council shall appoint an Acting Councilman, who shall possess the qualifications provided herein for members of Council, to assume the member’s councilmanic duties and privileges while the member is serving in the office of Mayor. If the next regular Municipal election will occur more than one (1) year from the date on which the vacancy in the office of Mayor commences, Council shall fix a date not more than six (6) months from the date of such vacancy for a special election to fill such vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term, and the member of Council elected to fill the vacancy, who may be a candidate in such election, shall serve in the office of Mayor until the person elected to such office at the special election qualifies for the office, which shall be within ten (10) days after the results of the election have been certified by the election authorities.