[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village
of Manorhaven 9-26-2013. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
The Board of Trustees shall hold regular meetings on the fourth Thursday
of the month, or at such other dates as may be determined by the Board
of Trustees. Such regular meetings shall commence at 7:30 p.m. and
shall be conducted in the Village Hall, or such other location as
may be determined by the Board of Trustees.
B.
The Board of Trustees may hold regular work sessions on the Thursday
immediately preceding the regular Board meeting, unless otherwise
determined by the Board of Trustees. Such briefing sessions shall
commence at 7:00 p.m. and shall be conducted in the Village Hall,
unless otherwise determined by the Board of Trustees.
Special meetings of the Board of Trustees are those Board meetings
other than regular meetings. The Mayor may, and at the request of
any two Trustees shall, call a special meeting, with notice to the
entire Board. Notice of meetings shall be given by telephone, in person,
or in writing, including by fax, e-mail or other electronic means.
A quorum shall be required to conduct business. Three members
of the Board attending in person shall constitute a quorum. In the
absence of a quorum, a lesser number may adjourn and compel the attendance
of absent members.
Executive sessions shall be held in accordance with the New
York State Public Offices Law § 105. All executive sessions
shall be commenced in a public meeting.
A.
The agenda shall be prepared by the Village Administrator/Clerk at
the direction of the Mayor. The Mayor or any Trustee may have an item
placed on the agenda. When possible, items for the agenda shall be
given to the Village Administrator/Clerk at least four days before
the meeting; however, items may be placed on the agenda at any time,
including during the meeting.
B.
The agenda shall be prepared no later than noon on the day of the
meeting, and shall be posted on the Village website. If necessary,
a supplemental agenda shall be distributed at the beginning of the
meeting.
A.
Pursuant to New York State Village Law, each member of the Board
shall have one vote. A majority of the totally authorized voting power
is necessary to pass a matter unless otherwise specified by state
law.
B.
For the purposes of calculating the vote necessary to adopt a resolution
or approve a matter, an abstention, silence or absence shall be considered
a negative vote.
C.
A vote upon each question shall be taken by ayes and noes, and the
names of the members present and their votes shall be entered in the
minutes.
A.
Minutes shall be taken by the Village Administrator/Clerk. Minutes
shall consist of a record or summary of all motions, proposals, resolutions
and other matters formally voted upon and the vote thereon. Minutes
of an executive session shall include any action taken by formal vote,
and in such case shall consist of a record of summary of the final
determination of such action, and the date and vote thereon; provided,
however, that such summary need not include any matter not required
to be made public by the New York State Freedom of information Law.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See Public Officers Law, Art. 6, § 84
et seq.
B.
Minutes shall also include the following:
(1)
Name of the Board;
(2)
Date, place and time of meeting;
(3)
Notation of presence or absence of Board members, and time of arrival
and departure of any member not present for the entire meeting;
(4)
Name and title of other Village officials and employees present,
and an approximation of the number of other attendees;
(5)
Verbatim record of resolutions and local laws, and other matters
voted; on by the Board; record of communications presented to the
Board;
(6)
Record of reports made by Board or other Village personnel; time
of adjournment; signature of Village Administrator/Clerk;
(7)
Minutes shall be prepared and marked "Draft," subject to approval
at a subsequent Board meeting. Upon approval by majority vote of the
Board, the minutes shall be filed as "Final."
A.
The order of business shall be:
(1)
Pledge of Allegiance.
(2)
Moment of silence (when appropriate).
(3)
Awards/bestowals/ceremonies.
(4)
Report of officers and committees (list).
(5)
Special public comment period (limited to total of 30 minutes).
(6)
Public hearings (if any), including Architectural Review.
(7)
Board action items.
(8)
Old business.
(9)
New business.
(10)
Approvals of minutes of previous meetings.
(11)
Fire Department membership changes.
(12)
Trustee's remarks.
(13)
Mayor's remarks.
(14)
Privilege of the floor.
(15)
Adjournment.
B.
Where the Mayor determines that it is appropriate to do so, the foregoing
order may be varied.
A.
The Mayor, or in the absence of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor, shall
preside at the meetings. The presiding officer may debate, move and
take any other action that may be taken by any other member of the
Board.
B.
Board members are not required to rise, but must be recognized by
the presiding officer before making motions or speaking. Motions require
a second before being subject to discussion and/or vote. A Board member,
once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking except to
call the member to order. If a member, while speaking, can be called
to order, the member shall cease speaking until the question of order
can be determined, and, if in order, the member shall be permitted
to proceed.
C.
There is no limit to the number of times a Board member may speak
on a question.
D.
Motions to close or limit debate shall require a two-thirds vote
for approval.
A.
The public shall be allowed to speak only during the public comment
or privilege of the floor portions of the meeting, and during any
public hearing, or at such other time as a majority of the Board shall
allow.
B.
Speakers must step to the front of the room.
C.
Speakers must give their name, address and identify any relevant
organization on behalf of which they speak.
D.
Speakers must be recognized by the presiding officer before speaking.
E.
Speakers may speak more than once on an issue during a meeting but
will not be recognized to speak more than once on an issue until after
all others have been given an opportunity to speak once on that issue.
F.
With the permission of the Mayor, Board members may interrupt a speaker
during the speaker's remarks, but only for the purpose of clarification
or information.
G.
All remarks shall be addressed to the Board as a body, and not to
any member thereof or to any member of the public.
H.
Speakers shall observe commonly accepted rules of courtesy, decorum,
dignity and good taste.
I.
Interested parties or their representatives may address the Board
by written communications. Such communications shall be delivered
to the Village Administrator/Clerk or a designee of the Village Administrator/Clerk.
Speakers may not read written communications verbatim but should summarize
their comments.
All members of the public and all public officials may photograph,
tape or video record public meeting, but not any executive session.
The photography or recording should be done in a manner, which does
not interfere with the meeting. The Mayor may determine that photography
or recording is being done in an intrusive manner, taking into consideration,
but not limited to, brightness of lights, distance from the deliberations
of the Village Board, size of the equipment and the ability of the
public to participate in the meeting. If the Mayor determines that
photography or recording is intrusive and is interfering with the
meeting, the Mayor may request an accommodation to avoid the interference,
and if such accommodation is not forthcoming may direct the person
performing such photography or recording to cease and desist doing
so or leave the room.
The Rules of Procedure may be amended from time to time by majority
vote of the Board.
