City of Shawano, WI The Common Council

Generally.

The Mayor and Aldermen shall constitute the Council.

The Mayor shall not be counted in determining whether a quorum is present at a meeting, but may vote in case of a tie.

When the Mayor does vote in case of a tie, his or her vote shall be counted in determining whether a sufficient number of the Council has voted favorably or unfavorably on any measure.

[Amended 9-12-2018 by Ord. No. 1952]

(d)

The Council shall be the judge of the election and qualification of its members, may compel their attendance and may fine or expel for neglect of duty.

(e)

A majority of all the members shall be necessary to a confirmation. In case of a tie, the Mayor shall have a vote as in other cases.

Alderpersons. There shall be one Alderperson from each even-numbered aldermanic district elected in even-numbered years and one from each odd-numbered aldermanic district elected in odd-numbered years for a two-year term. The term of office shall commence on the third Tuesday of April in the year of election.

[Amended 9-12-2018 by Ord. No. 1952]

§ 2.02 Council meetings.

First meeting. Following a regular City election, the new Council shall first meet on the third Tuesday of April in each election year.

Regular meetings. The regular meetings of the Common Council of the City shall be held at the Council Chambers of the City Hall on the second Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m., except that, when the day for holding any regular meeting shall be a legal holiday, the regular meeting shall be held at the same time and place on the following day.

[Amended by Ord. No. 1216; 1-10-1996 by Ord. No. 1293; 5-17-2017 by Ord. No. 1919; 12-12-2018 by Ord. No. 1958]

Special meetings.

Special meetings of the Council may be called by the Mayor, or in his or her absence the President of the Council, at such time as he or she may appoint, by written notice of the purpose and time thereof to each member delivered to him or her personally or left at his or her usual place of abode, at least six hours before the meeting.

[Amended 9-13-2017 by Ord. No. 1927; 9-12-2018 by Ord. No. 1952]

Upon petition of 50% or more of the members of the Council, the Mayor, or in his or her absence the President of the Council, shall call a special meeting of the Council.

[Amended 9-12-2018 by Ord. No. 1952]

No other business shall be considered or transacted at any special meeting other than that for which the special meeting was called.

(d)

In addition to all other notice requirements, the requirement of Subsection (5) shall be complied with.

Adjournments. Any regular or special meeting may be adjourned by a majority of the members present, but no adjournment shall be made to a time later than the next regular meeting.

Open meetings. Except as provided in W.S.A. s. 19.85, all meetings of the Council or of any City board, commission, committee, department or otherwise designated formally constituted subunit of City government shall be open sessions as defined by W.S.A. s. 19.82. Pursuant to W.S.A. s. 19.84, notice of all meetings shall be given as to time, place and subject matter not less than 24 hours prior to the commencement of such meetings unless for good cause such notice is impossible or impractical, in which case shorter notice may be given, but in no event less than two hours in advance of the meeting. In addition, such notice shall be posted for a like period on the City Hall bulletin board. The subject matter of all closed sessions shall be announced so as to comply with the requirements of W.S.A. s. 19.85.

(6)

Call to order. The Mayor, or in his or her absence the President of the Council, shall promptly call each meeting of the Council to order at the hour fixed for the holding of such meeting. In case of the absence of the Mayor and President, the Clerk-Treasurer shall call the meeting to order, and the Alderpersons present shall elect one of their number President Pro Tem.

[Amended 9-12-2018 by Ord. No. 1952]

(7)

Roll call and quorum. Before proceeding to business the roll of the members of the Council shall be called alphabetically and the names of those present (in person, by telephone or electronically) and those absent shall be recorded in the proceedings of the Council. Four members or more shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business; but a lesser number can adjourn and shall have the power to compel the attendance of absent members. The Mayor shall not be counted in determining whether a quorum is present.

[Amended 9-12-2018 by Ord. No. 1952]

(8)

Attendance; leave of absence.

[Amended 3-7-2007 by Ord. No. 1680]

No member of the Council, the Clerk-Treasurer, the Chief of Police or police officer who may be required to attend shall absent himself/herself from the meetings of the Council unless for illness or other good cause without first having obtained leave of absence from the presiding officer. No member present at a meeting shall leave the Council chamber without permission from the chair.

A Common Council member shall be allowed to attend a Council meeting via a speaker phone or other electronic means subject to the following limitations:

[Amended 9-12-2018 by Ord. No. 1952]

No more than one person on the Council shall be allowed to appear by telephone or other electronic means for the same meeting.

A telephone or other electronic means appearance will be allowed only if the person attends the entire meeting via speaker phone or other electronic means.

A Council member who wishes to attend the meeting via speaker phone or other electronic means shall give notice to the Mayor, at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting.

Participation via telephonic or electronic means are not allowed in a closed session.

During any meeting, cell phones and other electronic devices other than those used for the meeting shall be turned off and put away during the duration of the meeting.

(9)

Disturbance; how suppressed.

Whenever any disturbance of disorderly conduct shall occur in the Council chambers or rooms or halls adjacent thereto, the Mayor or other presiding officer of the Council shall have power and authority, by and with the aid of the Chief of Police or other police officer in attendance, to cause the same to be cleared of all persons causing a disturbance.

The Council may punish, by fine, members or other persons present for disorderly behavior.

(10)

Closed session meetings.

[Added 2-8-2017 by Ord. No. 1910]

The State of Wisconsin has expressed its policy requiring open meetings of governmental bodies. The law with regard to open meetings is embodied in Subchapter V of Ch. 19, Wis. Stats. The declaration of policy is set forth in § 19.81, Wis. Stats. That declaration of policy is: In recognition of the fact that a representative government of the American type is dependent upon an informed electorate, it is declared to be the policy of the state that the public is entitled to the fullest and most complete information regarding the affairs of government as is compatible with the conduct of governmental business. To implement and ensure the public policy above expressed, all meetings of all state and local governmental bodies shall be publicly held in places reasonably accessible to members of the public and shall be open to all citizens at all times unless otherwise expressly provided by law.

Any governmental body may convene in closed session under certain exemptions which are set forth in § 19.85, Wis. Stats. The exemptions offer the governmental body the opportunity to consider matters in closed session when the public welfare requires secrecy. The exemptions set forth in § 19.85, Wis. Stats., allow the governmental body and the members thereof to avoid discussing such matters in open session when the public welfare requires secrecy and an exemption applies.

To benefit from the right bestowed upon the members of the governmental body by § 19.85, Wis. Stats., to convene in closed session, that benefit should not be made valueless by members of the governmental body or City officials prematurely disseminating closed session information to members of the public prior to the reason for the closed session having been extinguished. It is the responsibility of each Common Council member and City official to uphold the right so given and to not publish or disseminate the same until the purpose of the closed session has been extinguished.

(d)

All Common Council members and City officials have a duty to refrain from disseminating information circulated or discussed during a closed session convened under one or more of the exemptions provided in § 19.35, Wis. Stats., and properly noticed. This duty is a continuing duty until the reason for the closed session has been extinguished. A violation of this duty is considered neglect of duty, which can be regulated pursuant to the provisions of § 62.11(5), Wis. Stats.

§ 2.03 Order of business.

[Amended 10-10-2001 by Ord. No. 1501; 4-30-2002 by Ord. No. 1519; 7-10-2002 by Ord. No. 1527; 5-8-2019 by Ord. No. 1970; 6-9-2021 by Ord. No. 1992]

Call to Order.

A moment of silent prayer.

Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll call of members.

Report of Clerk on open meeting law compliance.

Approval of agenda.

Business forum.

Citizen recognition.

Staff reports.

Sound off — public input.

(11)

Correspondence.

(12)

Reports of committees, commissions, boards and officials.

(13)

Consent agenda.

(14)

Action on proposed resolutions and ordinances.

(15)

Committee member comments or new business to be considered at a future meeting.

(16)

Adjournment.

§ 2.031 Rules of public comment.

[Added 11-8-2018 by Ord. No. 1956]

Speakers must be City of Shawano residents or City of Shawano taxpayers. Speakers should be prepared to show proof of eligibility to speak if requested.

Speakers will be limited to no more than three minutes.

There will be no discussion by or with the alderpersons during public comment.

The public comment period during a Council meeting shall be limited to no more than 30 minutes.

In order to be recognized, those wishing to speak may be asked to fill out a public comment form at least five minutes before the start of the Council meeting.

(6)

Public comments are to be addressed to the Mayor/Chair and relate only to City business.

(7)

The following are considered inappropriate and are out of order: profanity, obscenity, shouting, demonstrating support or opposition to comments through clapping, shouting, booing or any other form of distraction and disrespect. Violators shall be removed from the meeting. Signs are not allowed in the Council Chambers.

(8)

All participants shall be treated with respect and given a fair and equal opportunity to the process.

§ 2.04 Standing committees.

The Council shall have the following standing committees:

[Amended 4-28-1998 by Ord. No. 1357; 4-30-2002 by Ord. No. 1516]

Finance Committee shall consist of three Alderpersons.

Public Works Field Committee shall consist of two Alderpersons and three citizen members.

[Amended 7-9-2008 by Ord. No. 1712; 4-11-2012 by Ord. No. 1806]

Personnel Committee shall consist of three Alderpersons.

Committee appointments.

The President of the Council, subject to the approval of a two-thirds majority of Council members present, shall make all aldermanic appointments to committees prior to the regular Council meeting following the first meeting of the newly elected Council and shall designate the chairman thereof. The Mayor shall serve as an ex officio member of all Council committees. All aldermanic appointments to Commissions, whether required by statute or ordinance, shall also be made by the President of the Council, subject to the approval of a two-thirds majority of Council members present.

The citizen members shall be appointed for staggered terms of two years, with the exception of the initial term for which the appointment shall be that one member shall serve two years and one member shall serve one year.

[Added 7-9-2008 by Ord. No. 1712]

Powers and duties of committees.

[Amended 4-30-2002 by Ord. No. 1517]

Public Works Field Committee. The Public Works Field Committee shall, as directed by the Council, superintend all public works, and keep the City streets, alleys, storm sewers and public works places and buildings in repair. The Committee shall, upon the advice of the Public Works Director, be responsible for the buying of equipment, letting of contracts and budgeting for the Department of Public Works.

[Amended 7-23-2008 by Ord. No. 1713]

Finance Committee. The Finance Committee shall review all proposed resolutions and ordinances pertaining to financing, and all paid, unapproved and contested claims, and make a recommendation regarding the same to the Council. The Committee shall also annually examine department estimates and prepare the proposed budget as provided in §§ 3.09 and 3.10 of this Code. In addition, the Committee shall review all license applications and make recommendation to the Council.

Personnel Committee. The Personnel Committee shall be responsible for all City bargaining and personnel matters.

Committee meetings. The Finance Committee and the Public Works Field Committee shall meet at the call of the respective Chairman.

Committee reports. Each committee shall at the next regular meeting submit a written report on all matters referred to it. Such report shall recommend a definite action on each item. Any committee may require any City officer to confer with it and supply information in connection with any matter pending before it.

§ 2.05 Council appointments.

Aldermanic appointments; terms. All aldermanic appointments to Council committees and commissions or boards, whether required by statute or ordinance, shall be for a term of one year.

President of Council; election and term. The Council at its first meeting subsequent to the regular election, as defined in § 2.02(1) of this Code, shall, after organization, choose from its members a President who, in the absence of the Mayor, shall preside at meetings of the Council and, during the absence or inability of the Mayor, shall have the power and duties of the Mayor, except that he or she shall not have power to approve an act of the Council which the Mayor has disapproved by filing objections with the Clerk-Treasurer. He or she shall, when so acting, be styled "Acting Mayor." The President of the Council is to serve such position for a term of one year.