October 01, 2003
Lesley Bovie, Staff Writer
PICKERING -- The City has put its contingency plan in place should Wayne Arthurs be elected MPP Thursday night.
Ward 1 Regional Councillor Maurice Brenner was given unanimous approval at a special council meeting Monday afternoon to act as interim mayor.
His office would only take effect if Mayor Arthurs wins the Ajax-Pickering-Uxbridge seat Oct. 2 and last until a new council is sworn in after the Nov. 10 municipal election.
"It's in case of an emergency," explained Coun. Brenner afterwards. "If the mayor has to vacate his seat, there has to be a mechanism if there is an emergency. And we've had one emergency after another lately."
Asked about compensation, the councillor said he won't receive a pay raise if he has to act as interim mayor.
Under Section 242 of the Municipal Act, a municipality may appoint a member of council to act in the place of the head of council when that person is "absent, refuses to act, or the office is vacant".
"And while so acting such member has all the powers and duties of the head of council," the Act reads.
Pickering has always had a rotating acting mayor but it's a position that is mainly ceremonial, representing the head of council at community events and functions in his or her absence, said Coun. Brenner.
"It's usually a lame duck council after nomination day," he added. "It's not so much what council is doing as much, as if there were an emergency."
At the meeting, Ward 1 City Councillor Dave Ryan nominated Coun. Brenner for the appointment. But the only one to speak to it was Mayor Arthurs.
He called the situation "an unusual circumstance", adding the interim post would last little more than two months.
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