Morgan proposes dividing London’s deputy mayor role, nominates new budget chair, in council re-organization

London Mayor Josh Morgan (left) stands with his nominees for senior council positions: budget chair nominee Coun. Steve Lehman (second from left), deputy mayor nominee Coun. Corrine Rahman and deputy mayor nominee Coun. Shawn Lewis. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)

Mayor Josh Morgan will ask the newly elected city council to endorse his re-organization of senior council positions at the start of the new term.

Morgan is nominating two councillors to become his deputy mayors, Coun. Shawn Lewis and Coun. Corrine Rahman, and Coun. Steve Lehman to be his new Budget Chair.

“It’s time to set up a structure that allows a leadership team to execute really well on the direction that came out of the election,” Morgan told CTV News.

Lewis served as the city’s sole deputy mayor throughout the four-year term.

“Having a second deputy mayor position is going to allow us to spread the work across multiple individuals,” Morgan explained. “At a very high level, one of the deputy mayors would be helping with a lot of advocacy and organization of external groups.”

Morgan said the second deputy mayor position will have a greater focus on council decision-making, “Making sure our meetings are efficient, that we’re getting the things done that people want us to work on. This is an opportunity for leadership in a way to help reinforce that, and to be very streamlined and focused on those things.”

The mayor’s decision to add a second deputy mayor position, and his nominations for the three roles, will all require endorsement from city council.

Lewis says he’s honoured to be nominated for a second consecutive four-year term.

However, his role would evolve, “I’ll be doing a little bit more outside the walls of City Hall. That will include some engagement with AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) and provincial leadership. It will also include some advocacy and some work with leadership within our community.”

Some of his previous role, including chairing the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee (SPPC) would become the responsibility of the other deputy mayor he added, “One of the things I’ve talked to the mayor about already is setting up a process improvement table with the construction trades and our (city) staff to start to sort out these traffic issues so that we can move London around better.”

Rahman echoed that she is deeply honoured and deeply humbled to be nominated as a deputy mayor, “I heard very clearly from people at the door that they want to see a council that collaborates, and this role is an opportunity to work with the team to collaborate better. And I know that’s a real priority for the mayor.”

She emphasized that improving the efficiency of committee meetings will be high on her priority list.

Asked about being London’s first female deputy mayor in about a decade she replies, “I’m a visible minority woman. So, that’s not something that we have experienced in the city in a deputy mayor role. So, it will be different from that perspective, but we bring our identities to the table with us and that’s something that I bring.”

Lehman says he’s excited about being nominated to be budget chair, but recognizes there are expectations from the public to achieve the mayor’s tax pledge that would keep increases in the three per cent range.

“It’s going to be a challenge. There’s no question,” Lehman acknowledged. “We’re going to get out of the gate right now with the final year of our four year budget, and then we get into the really heavy lifting for crafting the next four year budget.”

He added, “I think affordability was top of priority list, not just for the mayor, but for myself. I think people that have been elected. But also I looked at the campaign platforms of those running across the city, and it was there as well.

Coun. Elizabeth Peloza was the previous budget chair from 2020 until 2026.

Regarding his decision to change his budget chair Morgan said, “I think [councillor] Peloza served the city very well in the budget chair position. She’s got a constituency that’s got a lot of work to do. She’s got BRT [bus rapid transit] coming to fruition, she’s got a lot of development in her ward. She’s a great leader on council and I think she’ll continue to lead in many different ways.”

In a statement to CTV News, Peloza expressed gratitude for serving in the role, and that it has been a privilege to play a part in upholding London’s AAA credit rating that keeps borrowing costs low.

Peloza offered Lehman her congratulations and best wishes.

She added, “My commitment to London and its residents remains unwavering. Public service has never been about a title or a position, it is about the responsibility we have to our community and the difference we can make.”

Each of the three roles would pay $101,759 per year, an eight per cent top-up above the new $94,222 base pay of a city councillor.

Since the elimination of London’s Board of Control, mayors have structured senior council leadership positions differently each term.

From 2010 to 2014, the city had no deputy mayor and instead used a rotating acting mayor system. From 2014 to 2018, there were two deputy mayors. Between 2018 and 2022, council had one deputy mayor and one budget chair serving two-year terms, while the 2022-26 term featured one deputy mayor and one budget chair serving four-year terms.