COVINGTON, Ga — At the first Covington City Council meeting of the new year on Monday, Jan. 5, the council unanimously appointed a 2026 mayor pro tem and a mayor pro tem-elect.

Council Member Jared Rutberg will serve as mayor pro tem for 2026, with Council Member Charika Davis as mayor pro tem-elect. Both council members indicated their willingness to accept the roles, and the appointments passed unanimously.

The mayor pro tem appointments alternate between East Ward and West Ward council members. In 2025, West Ward Council Member Kim Johnson served as mayor pro tem. Rutberg, being of the East Ward, took on the mantle this year.

In the event of the mayor’s absence, the mayor pro tem leads city council meetings, serving as acting mayor. The pro tem also assumes the duties of the mayor if the mayor undergoes significant physical or mental disability or is suspended during their tenure, per the city charter.

Despite being the acting mayor, the mayor pro tem does not gain the mayoral veto powers; rather, their vote remains that of a council member.