The following rules of order and procedure shall govern the
deliberations and meetings of the City Council.
At the hour appointed for the meeting, the Mayor shall call
order, have the Pledge of Allegiance recited, and the City Clerk shall
proceed to call the roll of members. When a quorum is present the
Council shall proceed to the business before it, which shall be conducted
in the following order:
(A)
The reading of the minutes of the proceedings of the last preceding
meeting or meetings and correction and approval of the same, unless
dispensed with by the Council, and correction of the journal of the
proceedings of previous meetings.
(B)
Reports and communications to and from the Mayor.
(C)
Reports of other City officers.
(D)
Reports of standing committees.
(E)
Reports of special committees.
(F)
Presentation of petitions, communications, resolutions, orders and
ordinances by Aldermen.
(G)
Unfinished business.
(H)
New business.
(I)
Citizens' hearing.
(J)
Adjournment.
(A)
Every member, previous to his speaking, shall address himself to
the Mayor and say "Mr. Mayor," but shall not proceed with his remarks
until recognized by the Chair. When two or more members address him
at once, the Mayor shall name the member who is first to speak.
(B)
When a member wishes to present a communication, petition, order,
resolution, or other original matter, he shall, after being recognized
by the Mayor, briefly state its nature before presenting the same.
(C)
No member shall speak more than twice upon the same subject without
leave of the City Council, nor more than once, in any case, until
every member choosing to speak shall have spoken.
(D)
A member called to order by the Chair shall immediately be silent,
unless permitted to explain; if there is no appeal, the decision of
the Chair shall be final; but if the member appeals from the decision
of the Chair, the City Council shall decide on the case without debate.
(E)
Every member who shall be present when a question is stated from
the Chair shall vote thereon, unless excused by the City Council or
unless he is directly interested in the question, in which case he
shall not vote. Otherwise, a '"pass" vote or failure to vote for any
reason shall be counted with the majority vote of Aldermen.
(A)
No motion or resolution shall be put or debated unless it is seconded;
when a motion is seconded, it shall be stated by the Mayor before
debate, and every such motion shall be reduced to writing, if required
by a member. No movant shall vote against his own motion.
(B)
The passage of all ordinances for whatever purpose, and of any resolution
or motion (1) to create any liability against the City or (2) for
the expenditure or appropriation of its money, shall require the concurrence
of a majority of all members elected to the City Council, and the
yeas and nays shall be recorded.
(C)
When a question is under debate, the only motion in order shall be:
(1)
To adjourn (no debate).
(2)
The previous question (no debate).
(3)
To lay on the table (no debate).
(4)
To close debate.
(5)
To postpone indefinitely.
(6)
To adjourn to a day certain.
(7)
To refer.
(8)
To amend.
(9)
To substitute.
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and such motions shall have precedence in the order herein arranged,
the first three to be decided without debate.
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(D)
No vote of the City Council shall 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. A motion
to reconsider may be made at any time but must be made and seconded
by members who voted in the majority.
(E)
No person not a member of the City Council shall address the City
Council without the unanimous consent of the members present.
All committees shall be appointed by the Mayor, unless otherwise
specifically directed by the City Council, in which case they shall
be appointed by ballot. The following committees shall be appointed
annually, and the first person named on the committee shall be Chairman
thereof:
The City Clerk shall prepare an agenda of the meeting, listing
in order the topics for discussion at the meeting.
All committee meetings shall be open to the public, except those
meetings permitted by law to be closed. At such open meetings, and
prior to adjournment, a portion of said meeting shall be allocated
for public participation. The Chair may, unless otherwise modified
by the majority of committee members present, limit the time of such
participation and participants' discussion, or right to discussion.
