The Fairbanks City Council adopted an ordinance Monday that designates the city chief of staff as the immediate short-term successor to the mayor.

Should the mayor’s seat become vacant during an emergency, death, resignation, removal from office or otherwise be vacated, the chief of staff would assume the role as mayor pro tem temporarily.

“If the mayor gets abducted by aliens, then the chief of staff will step in until the council has time to appoint somebody as the mayor,” Chief of Staff Michael Sanders said Monday.

In the past, the city code shifted mayoral responsibility to the most senior city councilmember.

“It was discussed that this would put a councilmember in line without an election, and you don’t want to do that,” said Mayor David Pruhs.

He noted the council has discussed

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