As described in By-law 10-07, the Policies and Procedures By-law of the Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley, the Mayor is required to carry out the following duties when chairing a Council Meeting:
Except as otherwise provided for herein, the Mayor shall be the Presiding Officer at all meetings of Council
The Presiding Officer shall:
- Open all Council meetings by taking the Chair and calling the Members to order;
- Make such remarks as is fitting for the information or assistance of Council;
- Receive and submit in the proper manner, all motions presented by Members of Council;
- Put to vote all questions which are regularly moved and seconded or necessarily arise in the course of the proceedings and announce the result;
- Decline to put to vote motions which infringe upon the Rules of Procedure;
- Enforce on all occasions the observance of order and decorum among the members;
- To call by name any Member persisting in breach of the Rules of Procedure and order him/her to vacate the Chamber;
- To inform Council, when necessary or when referred to for the purpose, in a point of order;
- Authenticate by his/her signature, when necessary, all by-laws, resolutions and minutes of Council;
- Represent and support Council; declaring its will and implicitly obeying its decisions in all things;
- Ensure that the decisions of Council conform to the laws and by-laws governing the activities of Council;
- Adjourn the meeting without question in the case of a grave disorder arising in the Council chamber.
The Presiding Officer may state relevant facts and his/her position on any matter before Council without leaving the chair, but the Presiding Officer must first leave the chair to move a motion.
If the Presiding Officer desires to leave the chair to move a motion, pursuant to subsection 3 c) above or otherwise, the Presiding Officer shall call upon the Acting Mayor as set out in the Acting Mayor By-law, passed by Council from time to time, who is in attendance to preside until the issue is resolved.
In the event that the Acting Mayor is not in attendance, the next member of Council listed in the Acting Mayor By-law shall assume the duties of the Acting Mayor.