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After amalgamation, the position rotated, with most councillors serving in the job for a specific period of time.

But when Watson was elected in 2010, he formalized it by hand-picking two deputies for the entire four-year term. The move was intended to provide some consistency with the same two people representing the mayor at public events, chairing council meetings and signing legal documents.

Former councillor Steve Desroches was a deputy mayor from 2010 to 2014. He had the words “deputy mayor” etched into a plaque at a new park in his Gloucester-South Nepean ward when he was deputy mayor last term. The other deputy at the time, Coun. Eli El-Chantiry, played down the role.

This term, Taylor appears to relish the title, changing the outgoing message on his office phone to identify him as “deputy mayor” and getting his office staff refer to him as such in emails and press releases, even when they have nothing to do with the role of deputy. Monette uses the title, too, though his staff answer the phone the way they always have.

“There’s more to it than just the ceremonial role,” Taylor said Tuesday in an interview.

He says he’s taken on certain responsibilities over and above ribbon cuttings, including a “policy sponsor role” on several files, such as homelessness and housing and the city’s older adult plan. He sat on the working group that hammered out an agreement with the National Capital Commission over an LRT route along the Ottawa River.