[Adopted by Ord. No. 11-19-79D]
2.3.1.
The powers, composition, terms of office, eligibility for office,
filling of vacancies in office, oath of office and salary, with respect
to Council, shall be provided in the Charter.
2.4.1.
The Council shall organize at the first meeting in January of each
even-numbered year.
2.4.2.
The first meeting shall include, as the first order of business,
the election of a President and Vice-President of the Council and
other officers as may be required by the Council or the Charter. The
President and Vice-President shall serve at pleasure of the Council.
Until the election is accomplished, the Mayor shall preside.
2.5.1.
Provisions governing public meetings shall be as provided by law.
2.5.2.
The Council shall meet in regular session at least monthly at such
time and place as shall be fixed by the Council for the following
year at the regular meeting in December.
2.5.3.
Special meetings shall be held as provided in the Charter.
2.5.4.
Emergency meetings shall be held as provided in the Charter.
2.5.5.
Quorum and official action shall be as provided in the Charter.
2.5.6.
Council members or its committees may conduct other meetings, as
deemed necessary, to gather data and information to conduct the affairs
of the Municipality.
2.6.1.
The President and, during his absence or incapacity, the Vice President
shall preside over the meetings of the Council. In the event that
neither officer is present, a Chairman of the standing committees
shall serve as President Pro Tem to preside over the meeting. The
order of selection for the President Pro Tem presiding over the meeting
is as follows:
[Amended 11-9-2009 by Ord. No. 11-9-09C]
2.6.2.
If, upon the call of the roll, a quorum is not present, the President
shall order a recess for a period of 15 minutes, and if a quorum has
not developed by that time, the President shall declare the meeting
adjourned.
2.6.3.
The order of business for each regular meeting shall be established
by resolution approved by the majority of Council.
[Amended by Ord. No. 11-13-95A]
2.7.1.
The presiding officer shall be responsible for the orderly conduct
of business at each Council meeting and shall preserve order and decorum
at such meetings.
2.7.2.
Every member of the Council and the public desiring to speak shall
address the chair and, upon recognition by the presiding officer,
shall confine remarks to the question under debate, avoiding all indecorous
language or reference to personalities. A member of the Council, once
recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless it is for
the purpose of calling such a person to order. If a member of the
Council, while speaking, is called to order, that person shall cease
speaking until the question of order is determined. When two or more
members request the floor at the same time, the presiding officer
shall name the one entitled to the floor.
2.7.3.
The roll of members for any vote shall be called alphabetically,
with each successive roll call beginning with the member whose name
immediately follows that of the member who was called first on the
preceding roll call. A Council person who is present at the meeting
shall not abstain from voting unless he has disqualified himself from
voting, in accordance with Section 1404 of the Charter.
2.8.1.
A citizen desiring to address the Council prior to action on agenda
items shall sign the roster provided listing the agenda items they
wish to discuss prior to the announced starting time for the meeting.
Discussion shall be limited to three minutes and shall be confined
to items on the agenda for the regular meeting, unless permission
to continue shall be granted by the majority vote of the Council members
present.
2.8.2.
When a group of persons wishes to address the Council on the same
subject matter, it shall be proper for the presiding officer to request
that a spokesperson be chosen by the group to address the Council
and to limit the number of persons addressing the Council on the same
matter so as to avoid unnecessary repetition.
2.8.3.
Any person making offensive, insulting, threatening, insolent, slanderous
or obscene remarks or who becomes boisterous or who makes threats
against any person or against public order and security, while in
the Council Chambers, shall forthwith be barred by the presiding officer
from further audience at the meeting, unless permission to continue
is granted by the majority vote of the Council members present.
2.9.1.
The Council shall, at its organizational meeting, appoint standing
committees to assist with the carrying out of its function. The standing
committees may consist of, but are not limited to the following:
2.9.2.
The Council may appoint ad hoc committees to assist the Council in
gathering data and information to conduct the affairs of the Municipality.
2.9.3.
The Chairman of the committee shall be appointed by the President
of the Council.
2.9.4.
The Chairman of the committee shall be responsible for the orderly
conduct of business at each committee meeting and shall preserve order
and decorum at such meetings.
2.9.5.
If the Chairman of the committee is not present, then the President
of Council shall preside. If the President of Council is not present,
then the members present, by a majority vote, shall appoint a Chairman
pro tem to conduct the affairs of the committee.
2.10.1.
Reimbursement shall be as provided in the Charter.
[Added by Ord. No. 3-11-85A]
2.11.1.
In the event that the Council at its sole discretion determines to
hold a special meeting or special public hearing at the request of
a private party, such private party as a condition precedent to such
special meeting or special public hearing shall pay the costs associated
with such special meeting or special hearing, including without limitation,
the cost of advertising the same, the cost of recording or transcribing
the same, the administration preparing the same, and any other costs
directly associated with such meeting or hearing.
2.11.2.
The Municipal Manager shall prepare a list of fees to be charged
for such special meeting or special public hearing based upon actual
costs to the Municipality. This schedule of fees shall be effective
upon adoption of a resolution by Council and may be changed, from
time to time, upon subsequent resolution of Council.
2.11.3.
The Municipal Manager is authorized and directed to establish reasonable
rules, regulations and forms to be used by private parties in requesting
a special meeting or special public hearing and said rules and regulations
shall include, without limitation, procedures for the assessment and
collection in advance of advertising said meeting or hearing of the
fees therefor, provided, however, that where costs may be dependent
upon the length or conduct of the meeting, such rules, regulations
and procedures may provide for the collection of additional fees upon
the determination of the actual cost thereof. No refund of fees shall
be considered once expense is incurred in association with such request
for a special meeting or hearing.
2.11.4.
Nothing in this section is intended to affect the process or procedure
used to collect fees pursuant to any other ordinance of the Municipality
or pursuant to any Commonwealth stature applicable to the Municipality.
If the provisions of this section conflict with any other ordinance
or stature in regard to the collection of fees, the provisions of
this section shall not apply.
