Yahoo Finance Saint John council selects John MacKenzie as deputy mayor
Saint John council has voted for Coun. John MacKenzie to become deputy mayor.
The job comes with a pay raise and the responsibility to step in if Mayor Donna Reardon leaves the position or is absent from council meetings.
Last March, the former council voted to change the process used to select the deputy mayor. Previously, the councillor-at-large who has received the most votes in the election would be automatically selected for the position.
This time around, councillors were able to put their names forward to be selected for the role. Three councillors expressed interest in the position: David Hickey, John MacKenzie and Greg Norton.
On Monday, councillors had a secret ballot behind closed doors, and announced the leading vote-getter in a four-minute meeting.
"Congratulations Councillor MacKenzie," said Reardon.
MacKenzie represents Ward 2 in the city's north end.
The change in the process to select a deputy-mayor didn't have the support of all councillors, and the amendment passed by just one vote.
In an interview, Mackenzie said he was initially against the new process too, but changed his mind after learning more about it.
"[The process] wasn't adjusted when we went from all of the councillors ... running at large to the ward system. So it really only allowed two individuals the opportunity to become deputy mayor," he said.
"And, you know, nobody was necessarily voting for a deputy mayor when they voted for the councillor at large. It was the person that they thought would do the best job. So it was kind of a tradition that council decided now needed to be updated."
A $10K raise
MacKenzie has been on council for nine years. He's been a member of a district education council and had union leadership roles. He's a retired Canada Post employee and said being retired allows him to dedicate more time to council. He said he's thankful for the opportunity, and hopes this experience will serve him.
The mayor of Saint John is paid $88,000 annually. The deputy mayor's salary is $42,600 and each councillor gets paid $32,600, according to a municipal salary amendment from 2018.
