[Amended 4-25-1986 by Ord. No. O-33-86]
The Town Council shall hold regular meetings at least once each
month at 8:00 p.m. at the Town Hall. Prior to January 1 of each year,
the Town Council shall pass an appropriate resolution determining
a uniform date upon which the regular monthly meeting shall be held
during that year.
Special meetings shall be called by the Town Clerk upon the
request of the Mayor or a majority of the members of the Council.
Whenever a special meeting is called, a summons or notice in writing,
signed by the Mayor or Town Clerk, shall be served upon each member
of the Council, either in person or by notice left at his place of
residence, stating the date and hour of the meeting and the purpose
for which such meeting is called. Such notice shall also be posted
in the Town Hall and at the Town post office at least three days prior
to such meetings.
The Mayor shall serve as President of the Council. The President
of the Council shall be the Presiding Officer. The Presiding Officer
shall preserve strict order and decorum at all regular and special
meetings of the Council. He shall state every question coming before
the Council, announce the decision of the Council on all subjects
and decide all questions of order. The Mayor may take part in all
discussions and shall have a vote only in case of a tie. He shall
sign all ordinances and resolutions adopted by the Council.
A majority of all the members elected to the Council shall constitute
a quorum at any regular or special meeting of the Council.
All meetings of the Council shall be open to the public. Promptly
at the hour set on the day of each regular meeting, the members of
the Council, the Town Clerk, the Town Attorney, if required by the
Mayor, and the Mayor shall take their regular stations in the Town
Hall and the business of the Council shall be taken up for consideration
and disposition in the following order:
At each meeting of the Town Council, the Town Clerk will read
the minutes of the last Council meeting. A Treasurer's report
shall be read at the last meeting of each quarter of the fiscal year.
A.
Presiding
Officer. The Mayor, or such other member of the Council as may be
presiding, may move, second and debate from the chair, subject only
to such limitations of debate as are by these rules imposed on all
members, and shall not be deprived of any of the rights and privileges
of a Council member by reason of his action as Presiding Officer.
B.
Getting
the floor; improper references to be avoided. Every member desiring
to speak shall address the Chair and, upon recognition by the Presiding
Officer, shall confine himself to the question under debate, avoiding
all personalities and indecorous language.
C.
Interruptions.
A member, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking
unless it be to call him to order, or as herein otherwise provided.
If a member, while speaking, be called to order, he shall cease speaking
until the question of order be determined, and if in order, he shall
be permitted to proceed.
D.
Privilege
of closing debate. The Council member moving the adoption of an ordinance
or resolution shall have the privilege of closing the debate.
E.
Remarks
of Council member; when entered in minutes. A Council member may request,
through the Presiding Officer, the privilege of having an abstract
of his statement on any subject under consideration by the Council
entered in the minutes.
Any person desiring to address the Council shall first secure
the permission of the Presiding Officer to do so.
A.
Written
communications. Interested parties or their authorized representatives
may address the Council by written communications in regard to matters
then under discussion.
B.
Oral
communications. Taxpayers or residents of the Town, or their authorized
legal representatives, may address the Council by oral communications
on any matter concerning the Town business, or any matter over which
the Council has control; provided, however, that preference shall
be given to those persons who may have notified the Town Clerk in
advance of their desire to speak in order that the same may appear
on the agenda of the Council.
C.
Addressing
the Council after motion made. After a motion is made by the Council,
no person shall address the Council without first securing the permission
of the Presiding Officer to do so.
D.
Manner
of addressing Council; time limit. Each person addressing the Council
shall step up to the Council table, shall give his name and address
in an audible tone of voice for the records, and, unless further time
is granted by the Council, shall limit his address to five minutes.
All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a body and not to
any member thereof. No person, other than the Council and the person
having the floor, shall be permitted to enter into any discussion,
either directly or through a member of the Council, without the permission
of the Presiding Officer. No question shall be asked a Council member
except through the Presiding Officer. The foregoing shall not apply
to members of the Council or the Mayor.
A.
By
Council members. While the Council is in session, the members must
preserve order and decorum, and a member shall neither, by conversation
or otherwise, delay nor interrupt the proceedings or the peace of
the Council nor disturb any member while speaking or refuse to obey
the orders of the Council or its Presiding Officer.
B.
By
persons. Any person making personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks
or who shall become boisterous while addressing the Council shall
be forthwith, by the Presiding Officer, barred from further audience
before the Council and, if deemed necessary by the President of the
Council, may be removed from the area by police action.
A.
All special committees shall be appointed by the Mayor. He shall
annually appoint the following committees and designate the Chairmen
and members thereof:
|
Committee on Finance
| |
|
Committee on Licenses and Permits
| |
|
Committee on Recreation
| |
|
Committee on Public Safety and Sanitation
| |
|
Committee on Utilities
| |
|
Commissioner of Public Works
|
B.
The Mayor shall fill all vacancies occurring in any of said committees
and he may from time to time change the personnel of said committees.
Each of said committees shall consist of at least one member of the
Board of Commissioners and other members of the general public as
needed, and shall perform such duties as may be assigned to it by
the Mayor.
Any Council member shall have the right to have the reasons
for his agreement or dissent from, or protest against, any action
of the Council entered in the minutes.
All reports, ordinances, and resolutions shall be filed with
the Town Clerk and entered in the minutes and shall be kept available
for public inspection.
A motion to adjourn shall always be in order and decided without
debate.
