[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Augusta
as Ch. 2, Art. II, of the 1990 Code; amended in its entirety 7-17-1989 by Ord. No. 139(2). Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 4-7-1997 by Ord.
No. 78]
A.
Councilmembers may contact department and bureau heads for the purpose
of inspecting and obtaining information concerning departmental operations.
Department and bureau heads are expected to fully cooperate with the
Councilors in requests for information where the same is readily available.
B.
Requests for special studies, investigations or reports involving
considerable staff time for preparation should be forwarded to the
City Manager.
C.
No member of the City Council shall give orders or directives, either
directly or indirectly, to any staff member or employee of City government
or interfere in the conduct of any department or bureau of the City.
D.
No staff member or employee of the City shall be summoned for the
purpose of inquiry relating to his/her conduct or the operation of
a department or bureau except at the direction of the City Manager.
[Added 3-19-1990 by Ord.
No. 345]
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article,
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where
the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Regular scheduled meetings and special meetings of the City
Council for the purpose of establishing City policy by ordinance,
order or resolve. Meeting dates for regular scheduled meetings shall
be established by order prior to the beginning of each calendar year.
Regular scheduled meetings and special meetings of the City
Council established for the purpose of informal discussions of City
issues between the City Council, City staff and the general public.
Meeting dates for regular scheduled informational meetings shall be
established by order prior to the beginning of each calendar year.
Special meetings of the City Council for the purpose of discussion
and work on specific City issues, between the City Council and City
staff. Meeting dates for workshop meetings shall be established and
set as needed by the City Manager or the City Council.[1]
The presiding officer shall do the following:
A.
Take any question by yeas and nays.
B.
Preserve order and decorum and may speak on points of order in preference
to members on the floor.
C.
Decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal on motion of
any member regularly seconded.
D.
Address the Council, state facts, put questions and read to the Council.
E.
Propound all questions in the order in which they are moved. Amendments
must be dealt with separately; amendments to amendments are not allowed.
Additional amendments are allowed after the previous amendment has
been voted upon.
F.
Nominate all committees, unless otherwise provided for or especially
directed by Council.
G.
Declare all votes, but if a vote be doubted he may call for a revote.
H.
Call any member to the chair, who may preside for one meeting.
I.
May express his opinion on any subject under debate.
The rules and order of business set out in this article shall
be observed in all cases, unless suspended by a vote of 2/3 of the
members present. Items not on the agenda may be taken up at a Council
meeting by a two-thirds vote and identification of the subject matter.
[Amended 5-21-1990 by Ord. No. 375; 5-18-1992 by Ord. No. 465]
A.
Any matter to be taken before the Council for discussion or Council
action shall be presented to the City Manager's office prior to 12:00
noon two business days preceding the meeting. No agenda item shall
be accepted after 12:00 noon two business days preceding the meeting.
The agenda for the regular City Council meeting shall be delivered
to the Council two business days preceding the meeting. A copy of
the agenda shall be mailed to the Kennebec Journal, local radio stations
and State Cable TV (Channel 3). The City Manager shall publicize a
summary of all Council business meeting agendas which will identify
and briefly describe each order, resolve or ordinance to be addressed
by the Council at the respective Council business meeting.
B.
Councilmembers, the Mayor and the City Manager have the exclusive
authority to place matters on the Council's agenda.
C.
An agenda item may be withdrawn by the person who placed the item
on the agenda any time prior to a motion on the agenda item.
[Amended 3-19-1990 by Ord. No. 345; 11-13-1995 by Ord. No. 269]
A.
Regular meetings. The order of business for regular business meetings
shall be as follows:
(1)
Public hearings on items requiring public hearings.
(2)
Public comment on items listed on the agenda, except for items which
were taken up at a public hearing earlier in the meeting.
(3)
Consent agenda (optional).
(4)
Approval of previous minutes and warrants (may be consolidated into
the consent agenda).
(5)
Old business and tabled matters.
(6)
New business (orders and resolves).
(7)
New business (items needing two readings, such as ordinances).
(8)
Reports of committees.
(9)
Communications.
(10)
Petitions.
B.
Informational meetings. The order of business for informational meetings
shall be as follows:
[Amended 6-16-2022 by Ord. No. 22-100]
B.
The motions enumerated in this section shall have precedence in the
order in which they are arranged. The first five motions shall not
be debatable and the motion for the previous question shall require
a two-thirds vote of the Councilmembers present and voting. The Council
may conduct any, all or any part of its business by a consent agenda.
Every motion shall be reduced to writing, if the presiding officer
or any member demands it.
After a motion is stated or read by the Chair, it shall be deemed
to be in the possession of the Council and shall be disposed of by
vote; but the mover may withdraw it at any time before a division
or amendment with the consent of the seconder.
When a motion has once been made and carried in the affirmative
or negative, any member voting with the majority may move a reconsideration
thereof at the same meeting. If seconded, it shall be open to debate
and disposed of by the Council. If the motion is made at such meeting,
a majority of the members present may pass a vote of reconsideration;
but only one motion for the reconsideration of any vote shall be permitted.
A.
When any member is about to speak in debate, or present any matter
to the Council, the member shall respectfully address the Chair, confining
himself to the subject under debate and avoiding personalities.
B.
No member shall speak more than once until the other members who
have not spoken shall speak, if they desire it.
C.
No member shall call another member by a disrespectful designation
or name.
D.
The presiding officer shall give the Council priority prior to the
public being recognized.
[Amended 12-18-1989 by Ord. No. 268; 3-19-1990 by Ord. No. 345]
A.
Any person wishing to address the Council on business meeting agenda items shall do so during the time set forth for public comment as indicated in § 23-6.
B.
Each person addressing the Council on any business meeting agenda
item shall give his/her name and address in an audible tone of voice
for the record and shall limit his/her statement to five minutes per
agenda item, unless extended by the presiding officer. All remarks
shall be addressed to the Council as a body, and not to any member
thereof. No person, other than members of the Council and the person
having the floor, shall be permitted to enter into any discussion
either directly or through members of the Council. No questions shall
be asked of Councilmembers, except through the presiding officer.
C.
Any person wishing to address the Council on any topic of his/her choice may do so at an informational meeting as set forth in § 23-6. Persons wishing to be listed on an informational meeting agenda must register with the City Manager's office before 12:00 noon two business days immediately preceding the next informational meeting. The notice shall include the subject matter which the person wishes to discuss. This information shall be placed on the agenda by the City Manager's office and, at an appropriate time, the person shall be recognized by the presiding officer for the purpose indicated on the agenda.
D.
Each person addressing the Council during an informational meeting
shall give his/her name and address in an audible tone of voice for
the record and shall limit his/her statement tor five minutes, unless
extended by the presiding officer. At the commencement of any informational
meeting, the presiding officer may reduce the time limit provided
herein to ensure that all persons wishing to address the Council are
reasonably able to do so. All remarks shall be addressed to the Council
as a body, and not to any members thereof. No person, other than members
of the Council and the person having the floor, shall be permitted
to enter into any discussion, either directly or through the members
of the Council. No questions shall be asked of Councilmembers except
through the presiding officer.
[Amended 6-16-2022 by Ord. No. 22-100]
E.
Any person making personal, impertinent or slanderous remarks, or
who shall become boisterous while addressing the Council, may be requested
to leave the meeting and may be forthwith barred by the presiding
officer from further audience before the Council at that meeting.
No member speaking shall be interrupted by another, but by a
call to order or to correct a mistake. If any member in speaking,
or otherwise, transgresses the rules of the Council, the presiding
officer shall, or any member may, call him to order; in which case
the member so called to order shall explain, if permitted to do so;
and the Council, if appealed to, shall decide on the case without
debate. If the decision is in favor of the member so called to order,
the member shall be at liberty to proceed; if otherwise, the member
shall not proceed without leave of the Council.
No motion or proposition on a subject different from that under
consideration shall be admitted under color of an amendment.
Every member who shall be present when a question is put shall
give his vote, unless the Council for special reasons shall excuse
him. Application for such excuse must be made before the Council is
divided, or before the calling of the yeas and nays, and such application
shall be decided without debate. A Councilmember may abstain by leaving
the Council chambers.
Upon being introduced at first reading, each proposed ordinance
shall be read by title only, unless any member of the Council requests
a full reading of the ordinance, and no vote shall be required.
