[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Galloway
as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 9-24-2002 by Ord.
No. 1518]
Members of the Township Council shall observe order and decorum during
Township Council meetings. A member of the Township Council shall neither,
by conversation or otherwise, delay or interrupt the proceedings of the Council
nor disturb any member while speaking nor refuse to obey the orders of the
Mayor. Township Council members shall inform the Mayor before leaving their
seats during a Council meeting.
Members of the Township staff shall observe the same rules of order and decorum applicable to the Township Council in § 63-1 above.
Any person(s) making personal, defamatory or profane remarks or who
willfully utters loud, threatening or abusive language or engages in any disorderly
behavior which disturbs or disrupts the orderly conduct of any meeting shall
be called to order by the Mayor. If such conduct continues, the Mayor of the
Township Council, at his discretion, may order such person removed from that
meeting by the Sergeant at Arms.
Persons addressing the Township Council shall be allowed a maximum of
five minutes for their presentations, unless afforded a longer period by the
Mayor.
No person in the audience shall engage in disorderly conduct such as
stamping of feet, whistling, using profane language, shouting or other similar
demonstrations which may disturb the peace and order of the Township Council
meeting.
All persons shall, at the request of the Mayor, be silent. If, after
receiving a warning from the Mayor, a person persists in disrupting the meeting,
the Mayor may order that person to leave the meeting. If he or she does not
remove himself or herself, the Mayor may order the Sergeant at Arms to remove
him or her.
The Chief of Police, or such member of the Department of Police as the
Mayor may designate, shall be Sergeant at Arms at the Township Council meetings.
The Sergeant at Arms shall carry out all orders given by the Mayor for the
purpose of maintaining order and decorum at the Township Council meeting.
On instruction of the Mayor, the Sergeant at Arms shall remove from the meeting
any person who disturbs the proceedings of the Council.
Any person who resists removal by the Sergeant at Arms shall be charged
with violating N.J.S.A. 2C:33-8, Disrupting meetings and processions.
All cellular communication phones or paging devices shall either be
turned off or set to silent mode during the conducting of Council meetings.
Anyone wishing to accept a call must leave Council chambers. Police, fire
and other emergency personnel shall be permitted to utilize such devices if
necessary to protect public safety.
Township Council meetings shall be conducted in such a manner as to
permit the orderly discussion of agenda items and to allow every Council member
fair opportunity to comment and participate. Township Council meetings shall
be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order as modified to be
consistent with New Jersey laws. Robert's Rules of Order shall be utilized
and interpreted to maintain an orderly discussion and not to unfairly limit
debate.
