The Westfield City Council has created a new mayoral administration position, one that can temporarily assume the duties of mayor should the need arise.
In January, city councilmembers approved an ordinance creating the position of deputy mayor.
Under the ordinance, if the mayor is absent, he can choose to designate his duties to the deputy mayor or to a member of the council.
The designation is limited to 15 days within a 60-day period.
If a mayoral vacancy were to occur, a replacement would be decided through caucus, and in the interim the deputy mayor would assume the duties of the mayor. If there is no deputy mayor, the role would fall to the president of the council.
“Deputy mayors are very common throughout the entire state of Indiana for an unfortunate situation, which we don’t plan for at all,” District 4 Councilmember Patrick Tamm said.
Per the ordinance, the deputy mayor shall be the mayor’s deputy, and shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the mayor.
The deputy mayor may exercise all powers granted to the deputy mayor by Indiana law and may exercise all powers granted to the mayor by Indiana law when the mayor is unavailable or not able to exercise his or her duties.
The position of deputy mayor may be held by a current city employee. The deputy mayor must be a resident of Westfield Washington Township.
Mayor Scott Willis has not yet appointed anyone to the position of deputy mayor.
