Mayor not able to attend a regular meeting

[Guest Deputy Clerk]

The Mayor just told me he will be on vacation the day of the December regular board meeting. What do we do?  Can someone take over in his place or can the meeting be moved to another date?

[Richard Brown]

In all probability, your city charter or council rules dictate who presides in the absence of the mayor.  It also might be covered by state law.  But, if state law and your city charter and your council rules are all silent,  then, per RONR, the secretary (in this case, probably the clerk) or someone calls the meeting to order and the body then immediately elects a chairman pro tem to preside at that meeting.

If RONR is the controlling authority (and it might not be), any or all of the agenda items could probably be postponed to the next meeting or to a special meeting.... unless some provision of law prohibits it.

Since this is a public body, I urge you to check state law, your city charter and your own council rules (and council precedent) regarding the correct procedure.

Oops, wait:  I just re-read your post.  Your mention the absence of the  MAYOR but are referring to a BOARD meeting.  Is this a meeting of your city council or of some board whose meetings the mayor normally attends?

I think we need more information in order to answer your question.  Even then, the answer might depend on law rather than RONR.  Your city attorney can probably be of more help than we can if this is a meeting of the city council or a public body.

As far as moving the meeting to another date, you probably have to have a meeting in order to change the date of a meeting.  However, the meeting can probably be called to order and then adjourned to a new date by use of the motion to "Fix the time to which to adjourn".  It sets up an "adjourned meeting", which is a continuation of the current session to occur at a later time or date.

[Guest Deputy clerk]

This is the monthly regular city council meeting where the mayor calls the meeting to order. 

[Guest Who's Coming to Dinner]

Surely your city attorney will know who is to preside in the absence of the mayor.