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To deputize or not to deputize? The question will have to wait

Does Sault Ste. Marie need a Deputy Mayor? City Council chose, in a recorded vote of 9-4 Tuesday night, to defer discussion of that question to March 25th.
Darren Taylor
Darren Taylor

Does Sault Ste. Marie need a Deputy Mayor?

City Council chose, in a recorded vote of 9-4 Tuesday night, to defer discussion of that question to March 25th.
 
An item on Tuesday night’s agenda was a recommendation to write a by-law, to be brought to Council for discussion at a future date, which would formally create a position of Deputy Mayor.
 
However, Councillor Susan Myers urged writing of any proposed by-law be put off, stating there needs to be more discussion among Council members and public consultation.
 
She said a report from the City Clerk’s office regarding the matter was too brief, and did not mention items such as remuneration for a Deputy Mayor.
 
“The more I looked into it, the more questions I had,” Myers told Council, adding the City has looked at the Deputy Mayor issue at least twice in the past.      
 
A report from the City Clerk’s office suggests a Deputy Mayor would be appointed by council upon the recommendation of the Mayor.
 
Council currently operates with a system in which each Councillor takes a turn as Acting Mayor for one month of the year, if needed.
 
The report from the City Clerk’s office states some Councillors do not feel comfortable serving in that role, and that it is sometimes difficult to bring a rotating Acting Mayor fully up to date on key issues if the Mayor is absent.
 
It was recommended by the Clerk’s office and CAO’s office that a Deputy Mayor would serve in that capacity for two years, following the usual board and committee appointment process.
 
The City noted that many other Ontario communities have a Deputy Mayor or Acting Mayor, appointed through various ways.
 
Sudbury has two Deputy Mayors appointed by Council for two-year terms, one of them French-speaking.  North Bay also has a Deputy Mayor, while Timmins and Thunder Bay have Acting Mayors on a rotating basis. 
 
Burlington, Hamilton, Kingston, Ottawa, Peterborough and St. Catharines each have Deputy Mayors (in some cases more than one), appointed by Council for one-month, two-month, or annual terms, depending on the community. 

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Darren Taylor

About the Author: Darren Taylor

Darren Taylor is a news reporter and photographer in Sault Ste Marie. He regularly covers community events, political announcements and numerous board meetings. With a background in broadcast journalism, Darren has worked in the media since 1996.
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