[Ord. No. 153 §§1.01,
1.02, 9-23-1991]
The Board of Aldermen of the City of Foristell, Missouri, shall
meet in regular session in the Board Chamber in the City Hall at 7:00
P.M. on the first (1st) and third (3rd) Mondays of each month. When
a holiday occurs on any such Monday, the regular meeting shall be
held on Tuesday at the same hour unless otherwise provided for by
motion.
[Ord. No. 153 §1.03, 9-23-1991]
All meetings of the Board of Aldermen, Planning and Zoning Commission,
Board of Zoning Adjustment, and all other boards, commissions, committees
and agencies of the City of Foristell, and any committee or subcommittee
thereof, shall be deemed to be public meetings, open to the public,
except as otherwise provided by law.
[Ord. No. 153 §1.04, 9-23-1991]
Special meetings may be called by the Mayor or by any three (3) or more members of the Board by written request filed with the City Clerk, who shall thereupon prepare a notice of such special meeting in conformance with Chapter
120 of this Code.
[Ord. No. 153 §1.06, 9-23-1991]
At the hour appointed, the Mayor, or in his/her absence the
Acting President of the Board of Aldermen, shall call the Board to
order, the Clerk shall call the roll of members and announce whether
or not a quorum is present. Three (3) of the Aldermen shall constitute
a quorum to do business, but no action thereof shall be valid unless
at least three (3) (a majority of those elected to the Board) shall
vote in favor of such action. If a quorum not be present, a smaller
number may lawfully adjourn the meeting from day to day until a quorum
is present.
[Ord. No. 153 §2, 9-23-1991; Ord. No. 593 §1, 4-19-2004; Ord. No. 722 §1, 1-22-2008]
A. Seating. Members shall occupy their respective seats in
the Board Chamber assigned to them by the Mayor.
B. Right Of Floor. When recognized by the Chair, a member shall
confine himself/herself to the question under debate, avoid personalities
and refrain from impugning the motives of any other member's argument
and vote. No member shall address the Chair or demand the floor while
any vote is being taken.
C. Personal Interest. No member stopped from voting by personal
interest shall remain in the Board Chamber during the debate and vote
on any such matter.
D. Right Of Appeal. Any member may appeal to the Board from
a ruling of the Presiding Officer. If the appeal is seconded, the
member making the appeal may briefly state his/her reason for the
same, and the Presiding Officer may briefly explain his/her 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, "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?" If a
majority of the members present vote "aye", the ruling of the Chair
is sustained; otherwise, it is overruled. For purposes of this Section,
the Chair may not vote on the question. A tie vote sustains the Chair.
E. Voting. When a question is put every member present shall
vote either "aye" or "nay", unless the Board shall, for special reason,
excuse him/her from voting. Application to be excused from voting
must be made before the votes are called for. The member having briefly
stated the reason for his/her request, the decision thereon shall
be made without debate.
F. Roll Call. Upon every vote the "ayes" and "nays" shall be
called and recorded and every motion, resolution and ordinance shall
be reduced to writing before the vote is taken thereon.
G. Dissents And Protests. Any member shall have the right to
express dissent from or protest against any ordinance or resolution
of the Board and have the reason therefore entered upon the minutes.
Such dissent or protest must be filed in writing, couched in respectful
language, and presented to the Board not later than the next regular
meeting following the date of passage of the ordinance or resolution
objected to.
H. Regular
attendance at scheduled Board meetings is a principal duty of the
elected official. Any member of the Board of Aldermen shall forfeit
the office if they fail to attend three (3) consecutive regular scheduled
Board meetings without a medical excuse or being excused by a majority
of the entire Board of Aldermen. Notice of absence will be directed
to the Mayor or City Administrator prior to the scheduled meeting.
If circumstances do not allow advance notice, then notification will
be made no later than the Thursday, if possible, before the next scheduled
meeting. The Board of Aldermen will address the absence under the
Board comments section of the agenda. Whether a vacancy or forfeiture
of the office exists shall be determined by a majority vote of the
entire Board. If an Alderman is aware that he or she will not be able
to attend a future Board meeting, that Alderman should make that announcement
under the Board comments segment of the meeting.
[Ord. No. 153 §4.01, 9-23-1991; Ord. No. 462 §1, 11-5-2001; Ord. No. 498 §1, 9-3-2002]
A. The
business of all regular meetings of the Board of Aldermen shall be
transacted in accordance with an agenda prepared by the City Clerk
in accordance with the State of Missouri Open Meetings Act, as amended.
B. The
City Clerk shall have the authority to prepare the agenda in such
a manner as to best serve the Board and to promote the proper and
orderly conduct of business to come before the Board of Aldermen.
The Board of Aldermen may from time to time change the order of business
as they determine appropriate. In general, the agenda for regular
meetings of the Board of Aldermen shall contain the following:
3. Approval of minutes of previous meeting(s).
4. Public comment period: (three (3) minute time limit per person).
6. City Administrator's report.
10. Mayor and Board member comments.
11. Executive session (if needed).
[Ord. No. 153 §4.02, 9-23-1991]
A. When
a question is before the Board, no motion shall be entertained except:
2. To fix hour of adjournment.
5. To postpone to a certain day.
8. To postpone indefinitely.
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These motions shall have precedence in the order indicated.
Any such motion, except a motion to amend, shall be put to a vote
without debate.
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[Ord. No. 153 §4.03, 9-23-1991]
When a motion is made and seconded, it shall be stated by the
Chair before debate. Any member may demand that it be put in writing.
A motion may not be withdrawn by the mover without the consent of
the member seconding it and the approval of the Board.
[Ord. No. 153 §4.04, 9-23-1991]
The Presiding Officer may at any time, by a majority vote of
the Board, permit a member to introduce an ordinance, resolution or
motion out of the regular order.
[Ord. No. 153 §4.05, 9-23-1991]
A. A motion
to adjourn shall be in order at any time, except as follows:
1. When repeated without intervening business or discussion;
2. When made as an interruption of a member while speaking;
3. When the previous question has been ordered; and
4. While a vote is being taken.
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A motion to adjourn is debatable only as to the time to which
the meeting is adjourned.
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[Ord. No. 153 §4.13, 9-23-1991]
After the decision on any question, any member who voted with
the majority may move a reconsideration of any action at the same
or the next succeeding meeting, provided however, that a resolution
authorizing or relating to any contract may be reconsidered at any
time before final execution thereof. A motion to reconsider requires
a simple majority for passage. After a motion for reconsideration
has once been acted on, no other motion for a reconsideration thereof
shall be made without unanimous consent.
[Ord. No. 153 §4.14, 9-23-1991]
In the absence of a rule to govern a point of procedure, Robert's
Rules of Order shall apply.