[Adopted 1-31-1966 (Ch. 210, Sec. 210.01, of the 1979 Codified Ordinances)]
The following rules of order and procedure shall govern the
deliberations of Council and the committees thereof:
A.
Rule 1. Regular meetings of Council shall be held on the first and
third Monday evenings of each calendar month at 8:00 p.m. Any regular
meeting falling upon a legal holiday shall be held on the next following
secular day, at the same hour and place. All meetings of Council shall
be held in the Borough Hall, including special and adjourned meetings.
B.
Rule 2. Special meetings may be called by the President or by 1/3
of the Councilmen, in writing, filed with the Secretary at least 24
hours prior to the time specified for such meetings. The Secretary
shall immediately notify each Councilman of the time and purpose of
such meetings by causing a written notice thereof to be delivered
to each Councilman personally if he can be found, and if he cannot
be found, then by leaving a copy of such notice at the home of each
Councilman in the presence of an adult member of the family of the
Councilman. The Secretary shall cause an affidavit to be made showing
the service of such meeting. Special meetings shall be held without
such notice when all members of Council are present in person or consent
in writing to the holding of such a meeting, such written consent
to be filed with the Secretary prior to the beginning of the meetings.
C.
Rule 3. Council may, by a majority vote of those present, adjourn
from time to time to a specific date and hour.
D.
Rule 4.
(1)
The business of Council shall be conducted in the following order:
(a)
Call to order by presiding officer.
(b)
Roll call. If a quorum is not present, the meeting shall thereupon
adjourn, which may be to a specific date pursuant to Rule 3. Five
Councilmen constitute a quorum.
(c)
Reading the minutes of the preceding meeting and approving the
same, if correct, and rectifying mistakes, if any exist. The minutes
need not be read except upon request of any member.
(d)
Communications and announcements.
(e)
Reports of committees and officials.
(f)
Unfinished business from previous meeting.
(g)
New business, including the introduction of ordinances and resolutions.
(h)
Miscellaneous business.
(2)
In the absence of the Secretary, the President shall appoint a Secretary
pro tem.
E.
Rule 5. The President, at the stated hour, shall call the meeting
to order. He shall preserve order and decorum, decide all questions
of order and conduct the proceedings of the meeting in accordance
with the parliamentary rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order,
unless otherwise provided by statute or by these rules. Any member
shall have the right of appeal from a decision of the presiding officer.
No appeal shall be debatable, and the appeal may be sustained by a
majority of the members present, exclusive of the President.
F.
Rule 6. If the President is absent at the designated time for any
meeting, the Vice President shall call the meeting to order and preside
until such time as the President may arrive. When the President of
Council is the Acting Mayor in the Mayor's absence, the President
shall also retain his duties as Council President, unless, at his
option, he appoints the Vice President to assume any or all of the
President's duties and responsibilities.
G.
Rule 7. Whenever the presiding officer desires to speak upon any
question or to make any motion, he shall vacate the Chair and designate
a Councilman to preside temporarily.
H.
Rule 8.
(1)
The following committees shall be appointed by the President at the
first regular meeting after the organizational meeting:[1]
(2)
Each committee shall consist of three members, and the President
shall be an ex officio member of all committees. The chairmen of other
committees shall be designated by the President. Each member shall
serve as appointed unless excused by a majority of the members of
Council. The Borough Manager shall attend all committee meetings.
I.
Rule 9. The President, at his discretion, may remove or replace any
chairman or committee member from any committee, subject to Council
approval by a majority vote.
J.
Rule 10. All ordinances, resolutions, communications and other matters
submitted to Council shall be read by title and author and referred
to the appropriate committee by the President. The Secretary shall
read and record each such reference by title. Any Councilman may require
the reading in full of any matter at any time it is before Council.
Any committee may require any Borough officer to confer with it and
supply information needed in connection with any matter pending before
the committee.
K.
Rule 11. An aye and nay vote shall be taken on each committee report
immediately following its submission, provided that any Councilman
may require a separate vote on any ordinance, resolution or other
matter in any report. Action upon a specific matter included in any
committee report shall be deferred until the next meeting following
the submission of the report upon the request of any two Councilmen.
L.
Rule 12. No ordinance or resolution shall be considered by Council
unless presented by a Councilman or the Borough Manager.
M.
Rule 13. The deliberations of Council shall be conducted in the following
manner:
(1)
No Councilman shall address Council until he has been recognized
by the presiding officer. He shall thereupon address himself to the
President and confine his remarks to the question under discussion
and avoid all personalities.
(2)
When two or more members simultaneously seek recognition, the President
shall name the member who is to speak first.
(3)
No person other than a Councilman shall address Council except by
a vote of a majority of the members present.
(4)
No motion shall be discussed or acted upon unless and until it has
been seconded, unless the rules permit one Councilman to initiate
action. No motion shall be withdrawn without the consent of the person
making the same and the person seconding it.
(5)
Actions while question under discussion.
(a)
When a question is under discussion, no action shall be in order,
except:
[1]
To fix the time of adjournment;
[2]
To adjourn;
[3]
To call for a recess;
[4]
To raise a question of privilege;
[5]
To call for orders of the day;
[6]
To lay on the table;
[7]
To move the previous question;
[8]
To set the limit for debate;
[9]
To postpone to a certain date;
[10]
To refer to a committee;
[11]
To amend;
[12]
To postpone indefinitely; or
[13]
To make a motion.
(b)
These actions shall have precedence in the order listed.
(6)
Any member desirous of terminating the debate may move the previous
question (if it is seconded), in which event the President shall announce
the question as "Shall the main question now be put?". If a majority
of the members present vote in the affirmative, the main question
shall then be taken without further debate, its effect being to put
an end to all debate and bring Council to a direct vote, first upon
any pending amendments and then upon the main question.
(7)
Any Councilman may demand an aye and nay vote on any matter, and
such vote shall be entered in the proceedings. Every Councilman shall
vote when a question is put, unless Council, by a majority vote of
those present, excuses him for special cause. A majority vote of the
quorum present in favor of any proposed ordinance, resolution or appointment
is necessary for passage or approval unless a larger number is required
by statute.
N.
Rule 14. All ordinances or resolutions appropriating money or creating
any charge against the Borough, other than the payment of claims for
purchases of work previously authorized by Council, shall only be
acted on by Council at the next regular meeting, provided that this
provision may be suspended by an affirmative vote of 3/4 of all members
of Council. A roll-call vote shall be taken and recorded on all appropriations.
O.
Rule 15. It shall be in order for any member voting in the majority
to move for a reconsideration of the vote on any question at the meeting
or at the next succeeding regular meeting. A motion to reconsider
being put and lost shall not be renewed. A Councilman may not change
his vote on any question after the result has been announced.
P.
Rule 16. These rules or any part thereof may be temporarily suspended
in connection with any matter under consideration by a recorded vote
of 2/3 of the members present.
Q.
Rule 17. These rules or any part thereof may be amended by 2/3 of
the members present.
