§ 5. Emergency vacancies.

If, by reason of any catastrophe, a majority of the members elected to the City Council are killed, or are sick, or incapacitated, missing, or otherwise unavailable, so that for a temporary or indefinite period there is not a quorum of the City Council available to permit that body to function, the Mayor, if the Mayor is available, or the Governor of Maryland or the other person acting in that capacity, if the Mayor is unavailable, is authorized to appoint for a temporary or indefinite period persons to fill the vacancies thus existing. If possible, each of the appointees shall have the qualifications required of members of the City Council.

During their tenure, all such appointive members of the City Council shall possess and may exercise the powers and prerogatives of regularly elected members. Each appointee shall continue to hold office during the incapacity or unavailability of the member whose position the appointee was appointed to fill, or until the position is filled pursuant to the regular election and qualification of a successor.