Bylaw to consider appointing councillors to act in mayor’s place up for discussion Monday evening

A bylaw coming up for discussion at the regular meeting of council on Monday, January 16 could create some interesting debate around the council table.

The Review has learned that at the request of mayor René Berthiaume, council will be debating a proposed bylaw that seeks to give each member on council the chance to act as deputy mayor.

Clerk Christine Groulx confirmed that the proposed bylaw will be brought forward for discussion on Monday evening and noted it could require an amendment to the existing bylaw appointing a deputy mayor.

Typically, a bylaw of this nature, for which no notice of motion was given, would require the municipality to hold a public meeting. However, Groulx noted, the portion of the Municipal Act that outlined this procedure was abolished in 2006.

"Back in 2005, council decided to abolish the offices of reeve and deputy reeve," Groulx explained. "According to the Municipal Act in effect then, a notice had to be given prior and a public meeting was required. However, these requirements have been abolished by the province."

She said the existing bylaw, which came into effect in 2005, provided that "the councillor who receives the highest number of votes be appointed to act in the place of the mayor in his absence."

If council were to stick with that bylaw, councillor Johanne Portelance would continue deputy mayor because she received the highest number of votes between the six councillors elected during the 2010 municipal election.

Groulx said this proposed bylaw does not affect the town's procedural bylaw but would act "in parallel" to it.
"In our procedural by-law, it is mentioned in section 9 (2) that "when the mayor is absent or refuses to act, or the office is vacant, the acting mayor shall act in the place and stead of the mayor and, while so acting, the acting mayor has all the powers and duties of the mayor". However, it does not specify how the acting mayor is being chosen by council.  As of today, it is the 2005 bylaw that specifies that, and council could amend it if it wishes. According to the Municipal Act there are no specific requirements."

The proposed bylaw is very similar to one already in place in the City of Clarence-Rockland.

Monday's meeting gets underway at 7 p.m. in the council chamber at the town hall.