[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of El Paso
as Ch. 2.08 of the 1979 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Ethics — See Ch. 31.
The City Council shall consist of the Mayor and six Aldermen
who shall be elected and serve for a four-year term as is provided
by statute. The Council shall be the legislative department of the
City government, and it shall perform such duties and have such powers
as may be delegated to it by statute.
[Amended 1991 by Ord. No. 643; 2-6-2017 by Ord. No. 994]
The members of the City Council shall take the oath or affirmation
of office prescribed by statute, and they shall receive compensation
as set from time to time by ordinance.
[Amended 1978 by Ord. No. 507; 12-6-2010 by Ord. No. 909; 11-4-2019 by Ord. No.
1025]
A.
Regular meetings. The regular meetings of the City Council shall
be held at the City Hall on the first and third Mondays of each month
at 7:00 p.m., except when the first or third Monday shall be on a
public holiday. Public notice of the schedule of regular meetings
shall be given by the City Clerk in the manner required by law.
[Amended 4-5-2021 by Ord. No. 1041]
B.
Meetings defined, attendance by electronic means. The term "meeting"
as used in this Code in reference to meetings of the City Council
or any committee or subcommittee of the City Council, or any board
or commission of the City established pursuant to state law or by
action of the City Council or the Mayor (collectively and individually
"public body"), shall have the same meaning as in the Illinois Open
Meetings Act, 5 ILCS 120/1 et seq., as amended from time to time.
Members of any public body of the City may attend meetings of the
public body by electronic means in accordance with applicable state
law and rules adopted by the City Council and maintained by the Clerk.
C.
Electronic attendance at meetings rules.
(1)
Rules statement. It is the decision of the City that any member of
the City Council, or any committee, subcommittee, board or commission
created by the City Council or the Mayor (collectively and individually
"public body"), may attend any open or closed meeting of the public
body via electronic means (such as by telephone, video or Internet
connection), provided that such attendance is in compliance with these
rules and any applicable laws.
(2)
Prerequisites. A member may attend a meeting electronically if the
member meets the following conditions:
(a)
The member should notify the City Clerk at least 24 hours before
the meeting, unless impractical, so that necessary communications
equipment can be arranged. Inability to make the necessary technical
arrangements will result in denial of a request for remote attendance.
(b)
The member must assert one of the following three reasons why
he or she is unable to physically attend the meeting:
D.
Authorization to participate.
(1)
The City Clerk, after receiving the electronic attendance request,
shall inform the presiding officer of the public body of the request
for electronic attendance.
(2)
Quorum; motion.
(a)
After establishing that there is a quorum physically present
at a meeting where a member desires to attend electronically, the
presiding officer shall state that:
[1]
A notice was received from a member in accordance with these
rules; and
[2]
The member will be deemed authorized to attend the meeting electronically
unless a motion objecting to the member's electronic attendance is
made, seconded, and approved by 2/3 of the members of the public body
physically present at the meeting.
(b)
If no such motion is made and seconded or if any such motion
fails to achieve the required vote by the members of the public body
physically present at the meeting, then the request by the member
to attend the meeting electronically shall be deemed approved by the
public body, and the presiding officer shall declare the requesting
member present. After such declaration by the presiding officer, the
question of a member's electronic attendance may not be reconsidered.
E.
Adequate equipment required. The member participating electronically
and other members of the public body must be able to communicate effectively,
and members of the audience must be able to hear all communications
at the meeting site. Before allowing electronic attendance at any
meeting, the City shall provide equipment adequate to accomplish this
objective at the meeting site.
F.
Minutes. Any member attending electronically shall be considered
an off-site attendee and counted as present electronically for that
meeting if the member is allowed to attend. The meeting minutes shall
also reflect and state specifically whether each member is physically
present or present by electronic means.
G.
Rights of remote member. A member permitted to attend electronically
will be able to express his or her comments during the meeting and
participate in the same capacity as those members physically present,
subject to all general meeting guidelines and procedures previously
adopted and adhered to. The member attending electronically shall
be heard, considered, and counted as to any vote taken. Accordingly,
the name of any member attending electronically shall be called during
any vote taken, and his or her vote counted and recorded by the Clerk
and placed in the minutes for the corresponding meeting. A member
attending electronically may leave a meeting and return as in the
case of any member, provided the member attending electronically shall
announce his or her leaving and returning.
[Amended 1978 by Ord. No. 507]
A.
Special meetings. The Mayor or three Aldermen may call a special
meeting by giving at least 24 hours' notice, stating the object and
purpose of the meeting to all members of the corporate authority and
providing such public and media notice as is required by law.
B.
Rescheduled regular meetings. The City Clerk shall give such additional
public and media notice as is required by law of any rescheduled regular
meeting.
C.
Reconvened meetings. Public and media notice of reconvened meetings
shall be given in the same manner as notice given for special meetings;
provided, however, no such notice need be given to meetings reconvened
within 24 hours nor to meetings where an announcement of the time
and place of the reconvened meeting was made at the original meeting
and there is no change in the agenda.
[Amended 1978 by Ord. No. 507]
The Mayor shall preside at all meetings of the City Council
and at all times when the Council meets as a committee of the whole.
In the absence of the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem and Acting Mayor, the Aldermen
present may elect an Alderman to serve as a presiding officer.
[Amended 1978 by Ord. No. 507]
A majority of the corporate authority shall constitute a quorum
to do business. Unless otherwise provided by law, any ordinance and
any resolution or motion creating a liability against the City or
making an appropriation or expenditure of its money shall require
the concurrence of a majority of all members of the corporate authority.
[Amended 1-6-2014 by Ord.
No. 955]
The order of business at meetings of the City Council shall
be as follows:
A.
Call to Order.
B.
Pledge of Allegiance.
C.
Roll Call.
D.
Approval of Agenda.
E.
Approval of Consent Agenda.
F.
Public Comments.
G.
Reports of Committees.
H.
Bills Against the City.
I.
Petitions and Communications.
J.
Unfinished Business.
K.
New Business.
L.
Mayor's Report.
M.
City Council Comments.
N.
Staff Reports.
O.
Adjournment.
[Amended 1978 by Ord. No. 507]
No vote or action of the Council shall be reconsidered after
adjournment of the meeting where rights of other persons have intervened
nor shall any such vote or action be reconsidered or rescinded at
a special meeting unless there are present at the special meeting
as many Aldermen as were present when the vote was taken.
Any resolutions submitted to the Council shall be reduced to
writing before being voted upon on request of any two members of the
Council.
[Amended 1-6-2014 by Ord.
No. 955]
No person other than the Mayor or a member of the Council shall
address that body at any regular or special meeting except upon the
consent of a majority of the members present. Upon obtaining the majority
consent of the Council, such person may address the Council, subject
to the following rules:
A.
Persons may address the Council only during the Public Comment portion
of the agenda and after being recognized by the Mayor, or at such
other time as may be permitted by the Mayor or Council members.
B.
Upon being recognized, persons addressing the Council shall identify
themselves by name and address. Comments shall be limited to five
minutes per person addressing the Council. The Mayor may lengthen
or shorten a person's opportunity to speak.
[Amended 10-15-2018 by Ord. No. 1011]
C.
All comments shall be limited to matters over which the Mayor and
Council has supervisory, appointive or legislative authority, or matters
involving redress of a citizen's grievance.
D.
Persons addressing the Council shall not expect an answer at the
conclusion of the presentation.
E.
The Mayor shall have the authority to determine procedural matters
regarding public participation not otherwise defined herein.
[Amended 1979 by Ord. No. 533]
Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the deliberation of the
Council except when in conflict with any of the other specific provisions
of this Code.
The rules of order, other than those prescribed by statute,
may be suspended at any time by the consent of a majority of the members
present at any meeting.
[Amended 1978 by Ord. No. 507; 1982 by Ord. No. 569; 6-6-2005 by Ord. No. 828; 2-6-2017 by Ord. No. 994; 3-15-2021 by Ord. No. 1040]
[Amended 1978 by Ord. No. 507]
It is unlawful for any person to knowingly do any act or engage
in any conduct which disrupts, disturbs or interferes with the orderly
presentation and transaction of business pending before the Council
or any of its committees or to continue any such act or conduct after
being declared out of order by the officer presiding at the meeting.
