December 5, 2010

The acting mayor is ... Ken Cockayne

Until Mayor Art Ward can resume his duties, city Councilor Ken Cockayne is the city's acting mayor.
The acting mayor designation generally rotates among the council members. It just happened that this was Cockayne's turn.
I'm not quite sure when or how the reins of power are turned over temporarily -- that will probably be clear on Monday -- but it doesn't sound as if Ward can perform his duties for at least a few days and perhaps longer.
My understanding from talking to a couple of city officials recently is that Ward is in the intensive care unit in an induced coma, a normal treatment in a case like this one. Until the doctors bring him out of the coma, I'm not sure anyone knows how he really is.
I hope he'll be able to go home soon, joking about the whole thing.
In the meantime, though, keep him in your prayers.
*****
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

The acting Mayor also has all of the powers and authority of the office of the Mayor which is the normal procedure we follow under the City Charter- just as if Mayor Ward was on vacation. The difference today is we should all say a prayer for his speedy recovery

Anonymous said...

Steve look at the City Charter for the answers to your question, section 16 it is online for anyone to look at

Anonymous said...

Cockayne is the acting mayor period.

Only thing that changes that is Ward, or an election.

Anonymous said...

Time to clean house STOP THE RAISES. Fire the chief and send diane to her sand box instead of screwing the town up more then what she has.

Anonymous said...

bye bye cheif

Anonymous said...

Come on people take a break from the negative stuff. If you don't have anything positive to say then just don't say it. This is the time to put the crap aside and pray for Art to recover.

Anonymous said...

I agree with 6:15

Anonymous said...

This stuff is positive time to clean house and save BRISTOL.

Anonymous said...

THE CHIEF IS RUNNING ALL OVER LIKE A CRAZY MAN KIND OF WORRIED.

Anonymous said...

I'm beginning to think that anonymous career bloggers are a sorry, mean spirited ,"useless" group.

Anonymous said...

9:18

The Chief is more relaxed now: Cockaynes outburst made it more difficult to remove him.

Wake up Ken, learn how to get things done.

Ben said...

Ken,

Good luck, and take care.

Artie,

Get well, soon.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Cockayne shouldn't make any changes. Our mayor is still with us. For him to even consider making changes would be totally inappropriate, in my view, especially since there would be a special election were something to happen to Mayor Ward. In my view, he is only there at this moment to deal with immediate issues ... not to change policy or hire or fire anyone regardless of how he feels about what is happening in the police department. He must remember that being the acting mayor is not about getting back at people you dislike or don't feel are doing what they are supposed to be doing and that there is a process which must be followed.