[Adopted as Art. 6 of the 1990 Bylaws; amended 5-9-2000 by Bill No. 2000-080]
This article may be referred to as the "Rule
of Unquestioned Recommendations."
The report of the Finance Committee or successor
entity relative to adoption of the annual budget for the next fiscal
year shall consist of two or more parts. Part one shall contain a
list of recommendations as to what sum or sums of money the City shall
raise and appropriate to defray the expenses of the City for the ensuing
year. Each recommendation in part one shall bear an organization/object
code or order number for purposes of reference. Part two of the report
shall contain a list of recommendations, by organization/object code
or order number, as to what action or actions, if any, the City shall
take with respect to each of the sections of the proposed budget.
A copy of the report of the Finance Committee or successor entity
shall be provided to each member of the Municipal Council and the
Mayor and shall be posted in the City Clerk's office and the public
library for inspection by the public not later than seven days prior
to the public hearing on the proposed budget.
The order of business at the public hearing
on the proposed budget shall be as follows:
A.
First, to hear the reports of the committees other
than the Finance Committee or successor entity and to take action
on the same.
B.
Second, unless it is voted to dispense with the reading
of it, to hear the report of the Finance Committee or successor entity.
C.
Third, to allow the questioning of the recommendations of the Finance Committee or successor entity as described in § 20-14 of this article.
D.
Fourth, to take up in the usual manner, at the time
and in the order called for by arrangement in the proposed budget
to which they apply, those recommendations of the Finance Committee
or successor entity which have been brought into question.
During the period allowed for the questioning
of the recommendations of the Finance Committee or successor entity,
there shall be neither debate nor discussion. The procedure during
this period shall be as follows:
A.
First, if any member of the Municipal Council is of
the opinion that a given recommendation of the Finance Committee or
successor entity ought not to pass or that a recommendation ought
not to pass without discussion, he shall address the presiding officer
and state the organization/object code or order number of the recommendation
which he questions if it is under part one of the report of the Finance
Committee or successor entity or the organization/object code or order
number to which the recommendation applies if it is under part two
of the report.
B.
Second, at the conclusion of the question period,
the presiding officer shall read, or have read, the identifying numbers
or letters of the recommendations of the Finance Committee or successor
entity which have not been questioned.
C.
Third, if there is no further questioning, the presiding
officer shall then entertain a blanket motion that all the unquestioned
recommendations of the Finance Committee or successor entity be each
and severally adopted; that any and all unquestioned actions which
it has recommended to be taken be each and severally taken; and that
any and all unquestioned sums which it has recommended be raised and
appropriated. A blanket motion shall not, however, contain any question
which requires a recorded vote, and all such questions shall be voted
on separately in their proper order.
Any item passed under a blanket motion may be
subsequently reconsidered independently of the other items covered
by said blanket motion, provided that the motion to reconsider is
carried by a two-thirds vote.
