Council agrees with city officials who say deputy, acting mayor schedule good for rotating chair role

By Medicine Hat News on April 10, 2024.

@MedicineHatNews

City council has endorsed a suggestion from administrators that a system is already in place to determine a chairperson for council meetings while Mayor Linnsie Clark is sanctioned from leading them.

At the same meeting where council voted to limit Clark from chairing council, seven councillors asked that a schedule be drawn up for a rotation of other members to handle chair responsibilities.

On Monday, staffers said the acting and deputy mayor system is in place to provide an alternate when the mayor is “unable” to chair a meeting.

Clark noted an objection to the term “unable,” and city clerk Larry Randle stated an alternate but similar term might be substituted in the minutes.

The item was received by an 8-0 vote.

The schedule for acting and deputy mayor assignments was determined at council’s organizational meeting on Nov. 1 2021. Deputy mayors take the chair at council meetings if the mayor is unavailable, and the acting mayor takes the chair if both are unable.

They are, with dates representing the beginning of 45-day terms:

March 6, 2024: Deputy mayor Allison Knodel, acting mayor Andy McGrogan;

April 20: Deputy McGrogan, acting Romana Robins;

June 4: Deputy Robins, acting Shila Sharps;

July 19: Deputy Sharps acting Alison Van Dyke;

Sept. 2: Deputy Van Dyke, acting Robert Dumanowski;

October 17: Deputy Dumanowski, acting Cassi Hider;

Dec. 1: Deputy Hider, acting Darren Hirsch;

Jan. 15, 2025: Deputy Hirsch, acting Knodel;

March 1, 2025: Deputy Knodel, acting McGrogan

April 15, 2025: Deputy McGrogan, acting Robins;

May 30, 2025: Deputy Robins, acting Sharps;

July 14, 2025: Deputy Sharps, acting Van Dyke;

Aug. 28, 2025: Deputy Van Dyke; acting Dumanowski;

Oct. 12, 2025: Deputy Dumanowski, acting Hider

Nov. 4, 2025: New council term begins.

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