[R.O. 2003 §110.010; Ord. No. 572 §1, 5-7-1998; Ord. No. 781 §2, 9-6-2007; Ord. No. 1036, 1-2-2020; Ord. No. 1039, 3-19-2020]
The Board of Aldermen of this City shall normally meet in regular session in the Council Chambers at City Hall at the hour of 6:00 P.M. on the first Thursday of each month or at such other date, place and time as provided by notice and shall meet at least one (1) time in a regular session at least one (1) time per calendar month. Further, the Board of Aldermen shall normally meet in a study session in the Council Chambers at City Hall at the hour of 6:00 P.M. on the third Thursday of each month or at such other date, place and time as is provided by notice. Each study session of the Board of Aldermen shall not be considered as a meeting of the Board of Aldermen for the purpose of compensating the Mayor and Aldermen as set forth in Sections 115.460 and 115.470. In the event of an emergency which jeopardizes the safety of meeting participants or the general public, and/or ability to conduct the meetings as previously set forth, alternative arrangements may be made. To do so, the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and City Administrator must all agree as to a date, time and procedure to conduct the meeting.
[R.O. 2003 §110.020; C.C. 1979 §24.020]
A. 
Special meetings may be called by the Mayor or by any two (2) members of the Board by written request filed with the City Clerk, who shall thereupon prepare a notice of such special meeting, stating time, place and object thereof, which notice shall be served personally upon each member of the Board or left at his usual place of residence at least twelve (12) hours before the time of the meeting. It shall also be the duty of the City Administrator and City Clerk, immediately upon receipt of the request for the meeting, to make diligent effort to notify each member of the Board in person, either by telephone or otherwise, of such special session.
1. 
The City Clerk shall make a diligent effort to notify those members of the mass media who customarily attend meetings of the Board of Aldermen of the special session, in the same manner as described above.
2. 
Failure to comply with the requirements of this Section shall not invalidate any action taken at a special meeting of the Board of Aldermen.
[R.O. 2003 §110.030; C.C. 1979 §24.030]
A quorum of the Board of Aldermen shall consist of a majority of the full membership.
[R.O. 2003 §110.040; C.C. 1979 §24.040]
In case that a lesser number than a quorum shall convene at a regular or special meeting of the Board of Aldermen, the majority of the members present are authorized to direct the Chief of Police or other City officer to send for and compel the attendance of any or all absent members upon such terms and conditions and at such time as such majority of the members present shall agree.
[R.O. 2003 §110.050; C.C. 1979 §24.050]
A. 
At the hour designated for Board meetings, the Mayor shall call the Board of Aldermen to order, and he shall act as President of the Board.
B. 
The Mayor shall appoint all committees, subject to the concurrence of the Board of Aldermen, the appointment or election of which is not otherwise provided for by this Code or other ordinance.
[R.O. 2003 §110.080; C.C. 1979 §24.065]
Except as otherwise provided by law or ordinance, the proceedings of the Board of Aldermen shall be controlled by Robert's Rules of Order, as revised.
[R.O. 2003 §110.090; C.C. 1979 §24.070]
The Presiding Officer of the Board of Aldermen shall preserve decorum and shall decide all questions of order subject to appeal to the Board of Aldermen. Any member may appeal to the Board from a ruling of the Presiding Officer upon a question of order. If the motion for an appeal is seconded, the member making the appeal may briefly state his reason for the same and the Presiding Officer may briefly express his ruling, but there shall be no debate on the appeal and no other member shall participate in the discussion. The Presiding Officer shall then put the question to vote as to whether the decision of the chair shall be sustained. If a majority of the members present vote "aye," the ruling of the chair is sustained; otherwise, it is overruled.
[R.O. 2003 §110.100; C.C. 1979 §24.075]
Every member of the Board shall vote upon every question, and when requested by any member, the vote upon any question shall be taken by "ayes" and "nays" and be recorded, except that no member may vote upon any question in which he has an interest which might create a conflict of interest.
[R.O. 2003 §110.120; C.C. 1979 §24.100]
Any member of the Board of Aldermen shall have the right to express dissent from or protest against any ordinance or resolution of the Board and to have the reason therefor entered upon the journal. Such dissent or protest shall be filed in writing and presented to the Board of Aldermen not later than the next regular meeting following the date of the passage of the ordinance or resolution to which objection is taken.
[R.O. 2003 §110.130; C.C. 1979 §24.110]
All meetings of the Board shall be open to the public, except when permitted by law, the Board may hold a closed meeting.
[R.O. 2003 §110.160; C.C. 1979 §24.160]
All Special Committees shall be appointed by the Mayor of the City unless otherwise ordered by a majority of the Board. By consent of a majority of the Board, a Special Committee may be appointed at any time to hold public hearings for the Board upon any matter pending before it. A Special Committee is a committee composed of members of the Board of Aldermen; the concurrence of the Board shall not be required as to the membership of the Special Committee, unless the Board shall order otherwise.
[R.O. 2003 §110.180; C.C. 1979 §24.180]
The Board of Aldermen may by resolution prescribe and enforce such rules as it may find necessary for the expeditious transaction of its business, but such rules shall not contravene the requirements of this Code or other ordinance.
[R.O. 2003 §110.200; C.C. 1979 §24.200; Ord. No. 690 §1, 1-2-2003; Ord. No. 1045, 9-17-2020]
Any rule of the Board may be repealed, altered or amended by majority consent of the members. Every amendment offered shall lie on the table until the next meeting of the Board before being voted upon except by the majority consent of all elected members of the Board of Aldermen (including the Mayor). Any rule may be suspended by majority consent of the members of the Board, or quorum being present by majority consent.
[R.O. 2003 §110.210; C.C. 1979 §24.210]
The Mayor or any member of the Board of Aldermen who is absent from a regular or special meeting of the Board shall not receive compensation as set out in Sections 115.460 and 115.470 herein. The Mayor or any member of the Board of Aldermen who is late to a regular or special meeting of the Board of Aldermen for one (1) hour or more is considered absent for the purpose of compensation.