[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of
Green Tree 5-3-1982 by Ord. No. 994 as Secs. 210.02 through 210.04, 210.06
and 210.99 of the 1982 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Borough Council — See Charter, Art. III.
Administration of government — See Ch. 5.
A.
Regular meetings of Council shall be held on the first Monday evening
of each calendar month at 7:30 p.m. prevailing time. Any regular meeting
falling on a legal holiday shall be held on the next following Monday
at the same hour and place. All meetings of Council shall be held
in the Borough Building, including special and adjourned meetings.
[Amended 2-2-2015 by Ord.
No. 1731]
B.
Special meetings of Council may be called as provided in Section
401 of the Borough Charter. The Secretary shall immediately notify
each Councilman of the time and purpose of such meeting by telephone.
A.
The order of business of Council will be conducted in accordance
with the resolution adopted by Council, as may be amended from time
to time.
[Amended 7-11-2022 by Ord. No. 1870]
B.
The President of Council, at the stated hour, shall call the meeting
to order. He or she shall preserve order and decorum, decide all questions
of order and conduct the proceedings of the meeting in accordance
with the parliamentary rules contained in the most recent copy of
Robert's Rules of Order, unless otherwise provided by statute or by
this chapter. Any member shall have the right of appeal from a decision
of the presiding officer. No appeal shall be debatable, and the appeal
may be sustained by a majority of the members present.
C.
If the President is absent at the designated time for any meeting,
the Vice President shall call the meeting to order and preside.
D.
Whenever the presiding officer wishes to make a motion, he or she
shall vacate the Chair and designate a Councilman to preside temporarily.
E.
The President, not later than the next meeting after his or her election,
unless Council directs otherwise, shall appoint and announce the standing
committees. The member first named in each committee shall be the
chairman thereof. The standing committees shall consist of three members
each, and the President shall be an ex officio member of each committee.
F.
All petitions, communications and other matter submitted to Council
shall be read by title and referred to the appropriate committee by
the President. The Secretary shall read and record each such reference
by title. All bills and other financial claims against the municipality
shall, upon receipt thereof, be immediately referred by the President
to the Borough Manager for report thereon at the ensuing meeting of
Council. Each committee shall, at the next regular meeting, submit
a report on all matters referred to it, unless a longer time is granted
by a vote of Council. Such report shall be entered in the proceedings.
Such report shall recommend a definite action by Council on each item.
Any committee may require a Borough officer to confer with it and
supply any information needed in connection with a matter pending
before the committee.
G.
No ordinance or resolution shall be considered by Council unless
presented by a Councilman.
H.
The deliberations of Council shall be conducted in the following
manner:
(1)
No Councilman shall address Council until he or she has been recognized
by the presiding officer. He or she shall thereupon address himself
or herself to the President and confine his or her remarks to the
question under discussion and avoid all personalities.
(2)
When two or more members simultaneously seek recognition, the presiding
officer shall name the member who is to speak first.
(3)
No person other than a member shall address Council except as provided by the resolution adopted by Council as to the conducting of business of Council per Subsection A.
[Amended 7-11-2022 by Ord. No. 1870]
(4)
No motion shall be discussed or acted upon unless it has been seconded.
No motion shall be withdrawn or amended without the consent of the
person making the same and the person seconding it.
(5)
When a question is under discussion, no action shall be in order
except to adjourn; to lay on the table; for the previous question;
to postpone to a certain day; to refer to a committee; to amend; or
to postpone indefinitely. Motions shall have precedence in the order
listed.
(6)
Any member wishing to terminate the debate may move the previous
question, in which event the President shall announce the question
as "Shall the main question now be put?" If a majority of the members
present vote in the affirmative, the main question shall be taken
without further debate, its effect being to put an end to all debate
and bring Council to a direct vote, first upon any pending amendment
and then upon the main question.
(7)
A motion to adjourn shall always be in order. A motion to adjourn
or to lay on the table, and a call for the previous question, shall
be decided without debate.
I.
It shall be in order for any member voting in the majority to move
for a reconsideration of the vote on any question at that meeting
or at the succeeding regular meeting. A motion to reconsider being
put and lost shall not be renewed. A Councilman may not change his
or her vote on any question after the result has been announced.
J.
The Secretary shall supply each Councilperson with a copy of the
minutes of the previous meeting no later than three calendar days
before the next meeting of Council. By a majority action of those
present, Council may dispense with the reading of the minutes at the
ensuing meeting.
[Amended 7-11-2022 by Ord. No. 1870]
[Added 4-2-1990 by Ord. No. 1167]
A.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
SMOKING
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have
the meanings indicated:
All meetings of the Council of the Borough of Green Tree
open to the public pursuant to the Act of July 3, 1986 (P.L. 388,
No. 84),[1] known as the "Sunshine Act."
The carrying by a person of a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe
or other lighted, smoking device.
[1]
Editor's Note: This Act was repealed 10-15-1998 by P.L. 729,
No. 93; see now 65 Pa.C.S.A. § 701 et seq. (October 15,
1998, P.L. 729, No. 93).
B.
Prohibition. No person shall smoke at any time during any public
meeting of Council.
C.
"No smoking" signs. "No smoking" signs shall be conspicuously posted
immediately prior to and during all public meetings of Council in
whatever room, office or auditorium designated by Council for the
deliberation of its public meeting.
D.
Penalty. Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section shall
be fined not more than $50, as authorized by the Act of April 27,
1927 (P.L. 465, No. 299), Section 10.1, added by section 2 of the
Act of December 21, 1988 (P.L. 1315, No. 168).
[Added 11-3-2003]
Green Tree Borough Council hereby creates the position of "Junior
Councilperson." The term of office shall be during the school year,
from September through May. Candidates for the office shall submit
a written application to Borough Council with a one-page cover letter
highlighting the applicant's interest in the position. After considering
all submissions, Borough Council shall appoint a student at a regularly
scheduled meeting. The Junior Councilperson shall be a resident of
the Borough of Green Tree and a student in his or her junior or senior
year of high school. The Junior Councilperson shall be sworn in upon
appointment and take an "oath of office." The Junior Councilperson
shall not receive compensation. The Junior Councilperson shall be
permitted to attend all meetings of Council and all committee meetings
and shall be permitted to participate fully in those proceedings,
except that he or she shall not be afforded the right to vote and
shall not be permitted to attend executive sessions.
