No more deputy: Plympton-Wyoming cuts position in 2014

Current Deputy Mayor Don Nelson was one of the majority of council to vote to get rid of the deputy mayor position in the 2014 election.

The job of deputy mayor is being eliminated in Plympton-Wyoming.

The deputy mayor is elected by all taxpayers and is paid slightly more than councilors – about $1,400 more per year in salary and $20 more per meeting than other councilors.

Councilor Netty McEwen says many people believe the deputy mayor should automatically take over the top job if something unexpected happens to the mayor and that’s simply not true.

While council eliminated the position of deputy mayor, there will still be the same number of decision-makers. Another councilor will be added to Plympton-Wyoming council during the 2014 election so council will consist of a mayor and six councilors.

Mayor Lonny Napper, one of two people who voted against the bylaw, says council could have done more. “Council should go one step further and gone down to four councilors,” says Napper. “That would be plenty of guys around the table.”

When the bylaw takes effect after the municipal election, each councilor will be called on to chair meetings when the mayor is not available.