Section 31. Members; president; organization of council

The aldermen of the
  city  shall  constitute  the  common council thereof. The members of the
  common council shall meet in the room provided for the  purpose  on  the
  second  day  of January after their election, or if that be Sunday, then
  on the next day, and organize.   The  president  shall  preside  at  all
  meetings  and discharge such other duties as may be defined by ordinance
  of the common council and otherwise by law. The common  council  may  at
  any  regular  meeting, elect one of its members president pro tempore to
  act during the temporary absence or disability of the president and  who
  shall  be  the  president  of  the common council in case of a permanent
  vacancy in that office.  Until such permanent vacancy shall  be  filled,
  the  mayor  shall preside over the meetings of the common council. Until
  such a vacancy is filled the common council shall transact  no  business
  except  to  adjourn from time to time. The president may vote like other
  members of the  common  council  upon  all  resolutions  and  ordinances
  submitted  to  the body for its action in case of a tie vote, and when a
  member of the common council is elected president, he shall be  entitled
  to  vote  as a member of the common council. The president of the common
  council shall have the power of commissioner of deeds.