[Amended 4-24-2018 by Res. No. 18-CR-02]
The Mayor and Council shall meet in some convenient place within
the City on or before the first regular meeting of the next calendar
month following the election and as often thereafter as may be necessary
in the discharge of its duties; provided, however, that it shall not
meet less than once in every month. In emergency circumstances, when
a suitable place is not available in the City, the Mayor and Council
may designate a reasonable alternative location. For purposes of this
article, "emergency" shall mean circumstances involving natural or
man-made disasters, public health catastrophes, acts of God, or declaration
of a state of emergency in the City by a government with jurisdiction.
All meetings of the Mayor and Council herein provided for shall be
open to the public in accordance with state law. The Mayor and Council
shall pass rules and regulations consistent with the provisions of
this Charter for its own government while in session. The Mayor shall
serve as a member of the legislative body, shall preside at its meetings,
and, except as otherwise provided by law, shall vote on all matters
coming before the Council in the case of a tie vote. The Mayor shall
call meetings from time to time as he/she may deem necessary.
A quorum shall be constituted of five Council members. There
shall be a presiding officer. The Mayor shall serve as the presiding
officer. If the Mayor is not present, the Mayor Pro Tem shall serve
as the presiding officer. If the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem are not present,
the Council members present shall select a presiding officer. A Council
member acting as the presiding officer in the absence of the Mayor
may also be counted as part of the Council quorum and may vote as
a Council member. The Mayor and Council shall make provision by ordinance
or rule for quorum requirements during an emergency. An affirmative
vote of five Council members shall be required to alter an assessment.
A 2/3 vote of all the individuals elected to the legislative body
(six) shall be required to spend money for a purpose different from
the purpose for which the money was appropriated, spend money not
appropriated at the time of the annual levy or transfer funds between
major budget items. A majority vote of all the individuals elected
to the legislative body (five) shall be required to adopt an amendment
to the City Charter. Unless otherwise required herein or by other
law, all other actions of the Council require a majority vote based
on the number of Council members present at the meeting. Unless otherwise
required herein or by other law, for all actions the Mayor shall vote
only in the case of a tie vote.
Nothing in this article shall prevent the Mayor and Council
from holding a closed session when one or more of the following criteria
are met, but no ordinance, resolution, rule or regulation shall be
finally adopted at such a closed session. To be held, a closed session
shall require a supermajority vote of all Councilpersons present,
defined as one more than a simple majority of Councilpersons present.
The Council may meet in closed session, or adjourn in open session
to a closed session, only to:
A.
Discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline,
demotion, compensation, removal, resignation or performance evaluation
of appointees, employees, or officials over whom it has jurisdiction;
or to consider any other personnel matter that affects one or more
specific individuals;
B.
Protect the privacy or reputation of individuals with respect to
a matter that is not related to public business;
C.
Consider the acquisition of real property for a public purpose and
matters directly related to such acquisition;
D.
Consider a matter that concerns the proposal for a business or industrial
organization to locate in Prince George's County;
E.
Consider the investment of public funds;
F.
Consider the marketing of public securities;
G.
Consult with counsel to obtain legal advice;
H.
Consult with staff, consultants, or other individuals about pending
or potential litigation;
I.
Conduct collective bargaining negotiations or consider matters that
relate to the negotiations;
K.
Prepare, administer, or grade a scholastic, licensing, or qualifying
examination;
L.
Conduct or discuss an investigative proceeding on actual or possible
criminal conduct;
M.
Comply with a specific constitutional, statutory, or judicially imposed
requirement that prevents public disclosures about a particular proceeding
or matter; or
N.
Before a contract is awarded or bids are opened, discuss a matter
directly related to a negotiating strategy or the contents of a bid
or proposal, if public discussion or disclosure would adversely impact
the ability of the Council to participate in the competitive bidding
or proposal process.
O.
Discuss cybersecurity, if it is determined that public discussion
would constitute a risk to:
[Added 2-12-2019 by Res.
No. 19-CR-01]
(1)
Security assessments or deployments relating to information resources
technology;
(2)
Network security information, including information that is:
(a)
Related to passwords, personal identification numbers, access
codes, encryption, or other components of the security system of a
governmental entity;
(b)
Collected, assembled, or maintained by or for a governmental
entity to prevent, detect, or investigate criminal activity; or
(c)
Related to an assessment, made by or for a governmental entity
or maintained by a governmental entity, of the vulnerability of a
network to criminal activity; or
(3)
Deployments or implementation of security personnel, critical infrastructure,
or security devices.
