[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the
Town of Irondequoit: Art. I, 1-16-1996. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 1-16-1996]
[Amended 2-15-2022 by L.L. No. 3-2022]
A.
Pursuant to § 63 of the Town Law, as amended or changed, "The supervisor, when present, shall preside at the meetings of the town board. In the absence of the supervisor, the other members shall designate one of their members to act as temporary chairman. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a lesser number may adjourn. The vote upon every question shall be taken by ayes and noes. A member may abstain from voting only on the basis that he or she has a conflict of interest as defined in § 20-4 of the Code, and only if he or she first states that the basis for abstaining is a conflict of interest. The names of the members present and their votes or abstentions shall be entered in the minutes. Every act, motion or resolution shall require for its adoption the affirmative vote of a majority of all members of the town board."
B.
The Supervisor
or temporary chairperson shall maintain decorum of meetings of the
Town Board in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, with such exceptions
as provided by applicable law or as he or she may reasonably determine
necessary for the expeditious, civil, decorous, and transparent conduct
of meetings.
C.
Members
of the Town Board will at all times endeavor to deliberate with courtesy,
respect, and civility toward each other and all other persons, and
shall endeavor to refrain from engaging in personal attacks.
No additional matters are to be considered until
each matter on the prepared agenda has been acted upon by the Town
Board.
Members of the Town Board shall vote starting
with the member furthest to the Supervisor's right and proceeding
from the Supervisor's right to the Supervisor's left, with the Supervisor
voting last.
A.
Public input shall be administered as follows:
(1)
Speakers may call the Town Clerk to schedule to speak
until 4:30 p.m. of the day of the meeting.
(2)
Speakers may sign the speaker's schedule until commencement
of the meeting.
(3)
Order of appearance is based upon the order of sign-up.
(4)
Comments on items scheduled for public hearings will
not be permitted during public input.
(5)
Speakers will be limited to three minutes and may
speak only once on each topic.
(6)
Speakers will address comments to the Town Board,
staff or department heads and not to other members of the audience
in the form of an attack or a debate.
(7)
Personal attacks will not be tolerated.
(8)
Public input will be scheduled for one-half (1/2)
hour at the beginning of each Town Board meeting (7:00 p.m. to 7:30
p.m.).
(9)
If all scheduled speakers have not been heard, public
input will be continued at the conclusion of the regular meeting for
anyone else desiring to speak.
(10)
No public hearing will be scheduled prior to 7:35
p.m.
B.
No member of the public shall engage in any demonstration,
booing, handclapping or otherwise disrupt the formality of the Town
Board meeting.
C.
No member of the public shall be permitted to address
the Town Board unless recognized by the Supervisor. In no event may
any such person speak on one occasion for more than three minutes.
D.
Any person recognized by the Supervisor shall give
his or her name and address and the nature of his or her business
briefly.
E.
No such person has the right to demand an answer to
a specific question(s) from a member of the Board. All such questions
shall be directed to the Supervisor, who may either answer them or
refer the question to the attorneys for the town, if present, or to
a Town Board member or to a department head.
F.
No person recognized by the Supervisor shall engage
in any personal attacks against any Town Board member, department
head, any town official or employee or any other person in the audience
or any person having any matter before the Board; any such person
shall conduct themselves at all times in a civil manner.
G.
No person desiring to speak during the public input
period may speak a second time until everyone who wants to speak has
spoken.
Whenever the Supervisor asks the Town Clerk
to read the next agenda item, the Town Clerk shall provide proof of
posting and publication to the Supervisor.
[Added 2-15-2022 by L.L. No. 3-2022]
A.
Individuals newly elected or appointed to the Town Board of the Town
of Irondequoit shall, at the Town's cost and expense, participate
in at least six hours of training regarding their legal, fiduciary,
financial and ethical responsibilities as Town Board members within
one year of election or appointment to the Town Board. Thereafter,
Town Board members shall, at the Town's cost and expense, participate
in at least three hours of continuing training, on an annual basis,
to remain informed of best practices relating to the effective oversight
of the governance, management, and financial activities of the Town
and to adhere to the highest standards of responsible governance.
By December 31 of each year, the Supervisor, in consultation with
the Attorney for the Town, will establish a schedule of trainings
for the upcoming year to satisfy these requirements. Such trainings
may be conducted and attended in person, via video conference, or
via the internet. Moreover, the Supervisor may schedule such trainings
through the New York State Department of State; the Office of the
New York State Comptroller; or such other provider selected in accordance
with applicable law.
B.
There shall be established in the Town Hall of the Town of Irondequoit
a Town Board member resource library, in any suitable location, consisting
of such books, materials, treatises, documents, records, videos, or
any other such information as may be helpful to the members of the
Town Board in the performance of their duties. The Town Board may
appropriate such funds as necessary to establish and continue the
resource library pursuant to provisions of the Town Law, General Municipal
Law, or other law as may apply.
