Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien goes on trial on Monday. (CBC)

Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien was set to leave his post at midnight Friday, which has some councillors musing that council could benefit from the shakeup.

O'Brien's criminal trial begins Monday and in his absence, a number of councillors are going to be rotated through the mayoral seat.

Gord Hunter, the councillor for Knoxdale-Merivale who is low on the list for taking the reins in Ottawa, says having councillors share power will simply keep the city going during O'Brien's absence.

"I think it's business as usual … but we'll be looking forward to the mayor's return," Hunter said. "I wish him the best. I really regret that all this has happened and I'm sure he does as well."

For some time, said Rick Chiarelli, the councillor for College Ward, the mayor's charges have been like an elephant in the council chamber.

During O'Brien's leave of absence, he said, council might finally be able to get back to business.

"It's an opportunity," he said. "All we need to do is make sure that in areas where particular councillors are strong that they understand they need to take the leadership role and move individual files forward."

Ambitious agenda

Chiarelli said that's the only way councillors will be able to make it through the ambitious agenda they have planned for the next few weeks.

The city still has to negotiate the future of Lansdowne Park with the Lansdowne Live group of developers before the 60-day limit runs out, he said, and it has to secure funding for its light rail plan.

Diane Deans, the councillor for Gloucester-Southgate, said that councillors should be able to make up some of the time they need to get their work done by cutting down on their arguments.

She said bickering, the transit strike and the stadium debate have hurt council's reputation lately, and she hoped Ottawa's councillors will take the opportunity to change that reputation while they're at the helm.

"What my priority is this spring is to regain public confidence and get this city back on track," she said.

The mayor's trial stems from allegations that O'Brien tried to persuade his opponent, Terry Kilrea, to drop out of the 2006 mayoral race.

Kilrea swore in an affidavit that O'Brien offered to pay his campaign expenses and help him get a job with the federal government if Kilrea dropped out of the race.

O'Brien was charged in December 2007 with pretending to have influence over the government of Canada or a minister of the government in order to gain a benefit contrary to Sec. 121(d) of the Criminal Code.

He was also charged with soliciting recommending or negotiating an appointment in order to gain a benefit, contrary to Sec. 125 of the Criminal Code.