The Invercargill City Council put out a statement today, saying Mr Clark would undergo quadruple bypass surgery next Wednesday.
Deputy mayor Tom Campbell said Mr Clark was admitted to Southland Hospital on Wednesday afternoon and stayed overnight before being transferred by ambulance to Dunedin Hospital, where he will remain until his surgery.
"I have spoken to Nobby today and he remains positive and is really chomping at the bit to get it over with and back on the road to recovery."
His recovery was likely to take a couple of months, and Cr Campbell would take the reins at council until Mr Clark was ready to return.
"As we move into the new year, I look forward to making sure there is no loss of momentum on the projects Nobby has been driving."
Mr Campbell said Mr Clark had been feeling generally unwell before his admission.
"He went to A&E and they did a battery of tests on him and told him he’d probably had a mild heart attack."
Mr Campbell earlier said he would do his best to keep people informed of Mr Clark’s health status as it had always been the mayor’s ethos to maintain transparency with the city’s residents.
"He much prefers things to be in the open rather than people hearing things through the rumour-mill ..."
Mr Campbell yesterday said taking the temporary helm of the council was not interrupting any holiday plans.
"I wasn’t going anywhere so I’ll be around.
"So I will hold the reins, but I don’t think the horses are going anywhere at the moment.
"With council closed at this time of year, it’s not like there’s a whole lot of things to do."
— Toni McDonald/ODT Online
