(a)
(1) The board shall also elect from its membership an assistant mayor who shall serve in such capacity for two (2) years or until his or her tenure of office as a director expires, whichever period may be shorter. Provided, however, that the board may prescribe at its option a method to rotate the assistant mayor among all or part of its membership for a term of not less than six (6) consecutive months.
(2) The assistant mayor shall not be prohibited from serving in such a capacity for more than one (1) term.
(b)
(1) The assistant mayor shall act as mayor during the absence or disability of the mayor.
(2)
(A) If a vacancy in the office of mayor occurs, the assistant mayor shall perform the duties of mayor until a successor mayor is elected.
(B)
(i) If the mayor shall be continuously absent or disabled for more than six (6) months, his or her office will automatically become vacant and a successor mayor shall be elected.
(ii)
(a) A certificate of the city clerk or recorder, recorded in the record of the proceedings of the board, as to the absence or disability of the mayor or as to any vacancy in the office of mayor may be relied upon by all persons dealing with the municipality as conclusive evidence of the assistant mayor's authority to assume the powers of the mayor.
(b)
(1) Where any such certificate is so recorded, upon the termination of the absence or disability of the mayor and the resumption by him or her of his or her official duties as such, the city clerk or recorder shall record in the records of the board a separate certificate attesting this fact.
(2) This separate certificate shall show the date of the termination of absence or disability and resumption of duties.
(c) [Repealed.]