Municipal legislation shall be by ordinance. Each ordinance shall be identified by a number and a short title. The enacting clause of each ordinance shall be "The Town of Derry Ordains," and the effective date of each ordinance shall be specified in it. All ordinances shall be recorded at length uniformly and permanently by the Clerk of the Town Council, and each ordinance so recorded shall be authenticated by the signature of the Chairman of the Town Council and the Clerk of the Town Council.
(A) 
An ordinance may be introduced by any Councilor at any regular or special meeting of the Town Council. Upon introduction of any ordinance, the Clerk of the Town Council shall distribute a copy to each Councilor and to the Town Administrator, shall file a reasonable number of copies in the office of the Town Clerk and shall post a copy in such other public places as the Council may designate. The full text of the proposed measure or ordinance need not be included in the notice if an adequate statement is included describing the proposal and designating the place where the proposal is on file for public inspection.
(B) 
Every proposed ordinance shall be introduced in writing in the form required for final adoption. Any ordinance which repeals or amends an existing ordinance shall set out in full the ordinance, sections or subsections to be repealed or amended and shall indicate matter to be omitted by enclosing it in brackets or by strikeout type and shall indicate new matter by underscoring or by italics.
(C) 
After the ordinance’s first reading, it shall be published on the Town website and a notice placed in a newspaper of general circulation in the Town at least once, publicizing the time and place when and where it will be given a public hearing and be considered for final passage. The newspaper notice shall also contain a statement describing the proposal, and designating the place where the proposal is on file for public inspection.
[Amended 9-11-2012]
(D) 
No ordinance shall be passed finally on the date on which it is introduced, except in cases of emergency involving the health or safety of the people or their property. Every adopted ordinance, except as otherwise provided by this Charter, shall become effective at the expiration of 30 days after adoption or at any later date specified therein. No ordinance shall be amended or repealed except by another ordinance adopted in accordance with this Charter, or as provided in the initiative and referendum procedures of this Charter.
An emergency ordinance shall be introduced in the form and manner prescribed for ordinances generally, except that it shall contain statements after the enacting clause declaring that an emergency exists and describing the scope and nature of the emergency in clear and specific terms. A preamble which declares and defines the emergency shall be separately voted on and shall require the affirmative vote of 2/3 of all the members of Town Council. Action on an emergency ordinance shall be taken without amendment at the meeting at which the ordinance is introduced. No ordinance making a grant, renewal or extension, whatever its kind or nature, of any franchise or special privilege shall be passed as an emergency ordinance, and except as provided by law relating to utility lines, no such grant, renewal or extension shall be made otherwise than by the regular procedure established for ordinances. After its adoption, an emergency ordinance shall be published as prescribed for other adopted ordinances. It shall become effective upon adoption or at such time as it may specify.
Not later than 18 months after taking office under this Charter and at least every fifth year thereafter, the Town Council shall have prepared a revision or codification of the ordinances of the Town which are appropriate for continuation as local laws of the Town.
All bylaws, ordinances, rules, restrictions and regulations of the Town of Derry which are in effect as of the effective date of this Charter, and are not inconsistent with this Charter, shall remain in effect after the adoption of this Charter until they expire by their terms or are repealed, modified or amended by the Council.
[Amended 9-11-2012]
On the first occasion that the question on adoption of a measure is put to the Town Council, if two Councilors object to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the Town Council whether regular or special. The Councilors who raise the objection shall state the basis for the objection and cite the Charter provision or other applicable law being relied upon in making the objection. This procedure shall not be used more than once for any agenda item. Any item once postponed shall not be further postponed under this section. The Charter objection privilege is not available with respect to an emergency ordinance.