KITCHENER -- Cambridge Mayor Kathryn McGarry announced during a city council meeting Tuesday evening that she will be taking a temporary leave.
McGarry said the leave is due to a medical procedure and that she would be away for an unknown amount of time.
During the meeting McGarry insisted that a deputy mayor was needed to cover for her while she was away, especially during the pandemic.
McGarry asked council to approve the appointment of Councillor Mike Mann as deputy mayor, but the choice was met with some pushback from council.
“What I see here is preferential treatment of Coun. Mann, which has been going on for a long time. He’s been given priority over the rest of us for council meetings and other things. We are all versed in how to run a meeting. We know how to do that. We all have the authority to sign documents as acting mayor. I just think this is totally wrong,” said Coun. Jan Liggett.
After some debate, McGarry’s motion narrowly passed in a vote officially naming Coun. Mann as deputy mayor.
Council also decided that Mann’s role would end in December, or when emergency measures are lifted, whichever comes first.
