In our town there is one Council meeting every two years opened by the City Manager. This is the first meeting following the expiration of the Mayor’s term when the City Councilors choose one of their colleagues to be the boss of the dais for the next two years and another of their colleagues to be the underboss.
Now, our City is a bit of a machine politics town, all the Councilors are Democrats. They do argue amongst themselves, have healthy debates, intrigues, kerfluffles. They get things done, spend money.
Still, I like the pretense that a vote will be taken, it just feels more democratic.
So, do they do this every time? Telegraph the result of the vote before the vote? That is Mr. Jones, our excellent City Manager, sitting on the mayoral throne, gaveling open the meeting. And the sign in front says Huja.
Huja is the mayor who was elected several minutes later.
