(a) The Mayor shall preside at all meetings of the Council. He or she shall preserve order and decorum among the Council Members and is responsible for conduct of all meetings in compliance with these rules. He or she may, at any time, take such reasonable action as he or she deems proper to preserve order among the spectators in the Council Chamber during sessions of the Council. He or she may speak to points of order in preference to other members, and shall decide all points of order, subject to appeal to the Council by motion duly seconded as herein provided. He or she may participate in the debate on any matter. He or she may, at any time, call any member to the Chair during any meeting, such substitution to discontinue when he or she elects to resume the Chair, and in no event beyond adjournment of the meeting at which such substitution is made.

(b) In the temporary absence or disability of the Mayor and Vice Mayor, any member of the City Council may call the Council to order at any regular or duly called special meeting to elect a president pro tempore from among its numbers; and the president pro tempore shall exercise all powers of Chair during temporary absence or disability of the Mayor and Vice Mayor, and may vote on questions before the Council.