Barrie city council could soon have a new position around the table it has never had before: a deputy-mayor.
At Monday night’s general committee meeting, councillors gave initial approval to replacing the current system of an acting mayor in favour of creating a deputy-mayor’s position for the next term of council in 2018-22.
Following discussion over a variety of options council could take, councillors decided the deputy-mayor would be recommended by the mayor and voted on by council at the beginning of each term.
Final approval for creating a deputy-mayor’s position will be considered at next Monday’s council meeting.
Barrie currently operates with an acting-mayor position which rotates monthly between councillors when the mayor is unavailable for meetings, events or has to leave the chair.
“The city has grown past the acting position,” Coun. Doug Shipley said. "There's a lot more expected of that position (deputy-mayor)."
Councillors were provided with numerous options in a staff report regarding how to handle a deputy-mayor’s position, including the possibility of having two deputy-mayors.
Mayor Jeff Lehman said it’s “more than just a ceremonial position.”
"There are more duties than ribbon-cuttings and charity walks," he said, adding he also doesn’t want to see it become a situation where the deputy-mayor’s job is perceived as being the “heir apparent” to the chain of office.
Coun. Mike McCann had another take, suggesting he doesn’t necessarily want to see the deputy-mayor being complementary to the mayor. In fact, he suggested the opposite.
“Sometimes friction is good, right? As long as it’s professional,” McCann said. “It’s not like this person is going to be the anti-mayor.”
However, Lehman said he doesn’t see the role of deputy-mayor the same way and pointed out some local examples.
“I think you just need to look at what’s going on in Wasaga Beach and Collingwood to understand that friction is not positive,” Lehman said. “The damage that has occurred on those councils, with regard to the functioning of council, because the dynamic there is severe and has involved the integrity commissioner in some cases.
“I don’t think it’s a positive thing at all, Coun. McCann,” the mayor added.
There was discussion around the terms of reference for the deputy-mayor, an issue which staff will report back to council on.
Last December, council passed a motion that staff investigate options for the replacement of the current acting mayor position with an appointed deputy-mayor for the 2018-22 term.
Since Barrie’s municipal election is Oct. 22, an elected deputy-mayor is not an option for the 2018-22 term, but could be considered for the 2022-26 term.
