Whenever, by reason of sickness, absence from the Town or other
cause, the Mayor shall be unable to perform the duties of the office
for a period of more than 10 successive working days, the President
of the Town Council shall be the Acting Mayor. In the event of the
absence or disability of the President of the Town Council, the Vice
President of the Town Council shall serve as Acting Mayor. The Mayor
shall, by a letter filed with the Town Council and a copy filed with
the Town Clerk, designate a qualified Town officer of Town employee
to serve as Acting Mayor during the temporary absence of the Mayor
for periods of the 10 days or less and to serve only when the needs
of the Town require and only to the extent necessary under the then
circumstances.
The Acting Mayor shall have only those powers of the Mayor that
are essential to the conduct of the business of the Town in an orderly
and efficient manner and on which action may not be delayed. The Acting
Mayor shall have no authority to make any permanent appointment or
removal from Town service unless the disability of the Mayor shall
extend beyond 60 days nor shall an Acting Mayor approve or disapprove
of any measure adopted by the Town Council unless the time within
which the Mayor must act would expire before the return of the Mayor.
During any period in which any member of the Town Council is serving
as Acting Mayor, such Councilor shall not vote as a member of the
Town Council.