South Lake Tahoe City Council votes for nine-month mayor terms

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Ever since the South Lake Tahoe became an incorporated city on November 30, 1965, there have been five elected councilmembers. Annually those elected members vote for one of them to hold the position of mayor for a one-year term.

That has now changed.

On Tuesday the South Lake Tahoe City Council unanimously approved the proposal to have mayor terms of nine months "so they can all get a chance in their four-year term."

The 4-0 vote (Councilman Devin Middlebrook was absent) was part of an agenda item that approved four amendments to their normal protocols. The other three changes were approval of the 2020 regular meeting schedule, giving the public a second opportunity to speak during a new public comment period at the end of each meeting, and a new section to the appeal procedures to provide an opportunity for the applicant and public comment.

During their November 5 meeting, Councilman Cody Bass proposed the change to nine-month terms for mayor so all the councilmembers would have a shot during their four-year term. He proposed the change after the public comment period had ended so the only comment to the idea could come from the other councilmembers. "Participation awards for politics?" joked now Mayor Jason Collin about the idea at the time. Bass's proposal at that meeting passed by a 3-2 vote with Collin and Middlebrook giving their "nay." The December 3 vote was on the consent agenda.

As history has shown, not all councilmembers have been chosen as mayor, not are all qualified. There still is no guarantee with nine-month terms that each will have a shot at the ceremonial position.

Amendments to the City Council Protocols aren't unusual with the last change coming one year ago. The next City Council could also change these amendments and go back to an annual mayor.

If a City Council election occurs during the nine-month term, at their first meeting following the election, the mayor and mayor pro tempore must be reconfirmed to complete their remaining term of office.

Bass has also been a proponent of changing South Lake Tahoe from a general law city to a charter city and a strong mayor (A mayor is elected by the voters, not the council).