On Monday, November 16th at the next Town Council meeting, the five council members are required to pick a Mayor for the next year. They could decide to keep Ray Murphy as the Mayor or decide to make a change. The Mayor is not elected on Fort Myers Beach. the Mayor is chosen by the five council members in a vote every year.
According to the town’s charter, “At the first meeting after the second Tuesday in November, the council, by majority vote, shall elect from its membership a mayor. The mayor shall serve as chairperson during meetings of the council and shall serve as the head of municipal government for the purpose of execution of legal documents as required by ordinance. The mayor shall also serve as the ceremonial head of the town.”
The vote for a new Mayor was moved from March to November at the same time town residents voted to mover all elections to November, in line with state and national elections. You also voted to increase terms of council members from 3 to 4 years. Recently elected council members Dan Allers, Bill Veech and Jim Atterholt start their 4-year terms this month.
Current Mayor Ray Murphy has an excused absence from the November 16th meeting which would make voting for a new Mayor an unusual move. In all likelihood the vote will be tabled to the first meeting in December.
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