Here is a roundup of some of the latest international local government stories of interest.
In New York City, city council leaders are considering a proposal from Mayor Eric Adams that would make a Medicare plan the only cost-free insurance option for retired municipal workers.
Mayor Adams has been seeking cooperation from council leaders for some months for a change to the administrative code, which currently requires the city to provide premium-free healthcare for life to municipal retirees.
A council in Lewiston, Maine, is seeking to prohibit its mayor from engaging in debate, unless they relinquish their role as presiding officer at council meetings.
The proposal has been brought forward by councillors who claim the current mayor, Carl Sheline, has made improper and belittling comments after council votes.
A discussion has been set at which it is hoped an agreement can be reached without the need to change the current rules.
More here from Lewiston’s Sun Journal.
Liverpool City Council (in the UK) has appointed a new deputy mayor, but the previous deputy mayor will retain the title.
Cr Frazer Lake has been appointed to the position, and will be the council’s lead for Contracts and Commissioning.
Cr Jane Corbett retains the title but without statutory responsibilities. Read the Council statement here.
A UK council cancelled its New Year’s Eve fireworks at the last moment out of concern for the welfare of a walrus.
The Arctic walrus, nicknamed Thor, turned up in Scarborough and drew huge crowds of onlookers before heading back out into the North Sea later.
Council leader Steve Siddons told the BBC it was disappointed to call off the celebratory event, but that the welfare of the walrus took precedence.
Officials in South Orange, New Jersey, have decided not to install facial recognition software as part of a street security cameras upgrade, due to concerns about the reliability of the technology and the propensity to misidentify people of colour.
The village president told NJ.com that resident concerns were foremost in the decision not to proceed with the technology. More on that story at governing.com