[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of
Collegeville as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
[Adopted 8-7-1985 by Ord.
No. 332 as Part 2, Ch. 1, Art. B, of the 1985 Code
of Ordinances]
A.
The regular meetings of Council shall be held on the first Wednesday
of each month at 8:00 p.m. in the Collegeville Fire House. Whenever
the first Wednesday of any month is a legal holiday, the regular meeting
for that month shall be held on the first Tuesday.
B.
Special meetings of Council may be called and held as provided by
the Borough Code and any other law governing the subject.
C.
Election and terms of officers; vacancy procedure.
(1)
At its biennial organization meeting, as provided in the Borough
Code, Council shall elect one of its members as President and one
as Vice President. The election of these officers shall proceed as
follows: The Mayor will call the meeting to order and ask for nominations
for President. After the nominations are closed, unless only one candidate
is nominated, a roll call vote shall be made. The person receiving
the majority of votes of the members present shall be named President.
He/she shall then assume office and continue with the same procedure
to elect a Vice President.
(2)
The President and the Vice President shall each serve an indefinite
term, at the pleasure of Council, and at any regular meeting of Council,
or at any special meeting called for that purpose, Council may, on
motion, declare a vacancy in either or both offices.
D.
The President of Council, in addition to exercising his authority
to preside over the meetings of Council, and to perform the other
specific powers and duties vested in him/her by law or ordinance,
shall be required to authenticate, with his signature, all actions
taken by Council.
E.
Committee appointments and membership.
(1)
At the organization meeting of Council, or within 10 days afterward,
the President of Council shall appoint the members of all the standing
committees of Council. Each standing committee shall be composed of
two or three members of Council, and the individual first named to
a committee by the President shall be the Chairman of that committee.
Standing committees shall serve at the pleasure of the President of
Council.
(2)
The President of Council, ex officio, shall be a member of each standing
committee, and the Borough Treasurer, ex officio, shall be a member
of the committee dealing generally with matters of finance. Ex officio
members shall be entitled to participate in all discussions at the
meetings of the committees of which they are members, but they shall
not vote as committee members.
F.
Council adopts as its parliamentary authority the volume entitled
"Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised," 1970 Edition, which
shall govern all matters within the purview of that volume, except
that conflicting provisions in the Borough Code[1] or other applicable statutes of Pennsylvania, or in these
bylaws or in the rules of order of Council shall supersede the provisions
of the parliamentary authority on the same subject matter.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq.
G.
These bylaws, wholly or in part, may be amended or repealed by an
affirmative vote of two-thirds of all the members of Council, following
advance notice to each member at least 28 days before the meeting
at which action on amendment or repeal is to be taken. The notice
shall state the extent and precise nature of the repeal or amendment
that is proposed. If notice is given at a regular, special or adjourned
meeting of Council, held at least 28 days before the meeting at which
action in repeal or amendment is to be taken, special or individual
notice shall be required to be given only to those members not in
attendance at the earlier meeting and present at the time notice was
given.
A.
Rule 1. The parliamentary authority for Council, as adopted by the
bylaws of Council, being Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised,
shall govern procedure in the meetings of Council, except where otherwise
provided in the law, in the bylaws of Council, and in these rules.
B.
Rule 2. The order of business at regular meetings of Council shall
be as follows:
(1)
Call to order.
(2)
Roll call.
(3)
Reading and approval of minutes.
(4)
Meeting open for public discussion.
(5)
Meeting closed for public discussion.
(7)
Police report.
(8)
Building/Plumbing Inspector's report.
(9)
Zoning Officer report.
(10)
Reports of special committees.
(11)
Letters, petitions, and general correspondence.
(12)
Resolutions to be considered.
(13)
Unfinished business.
(14)
Ordinances for first reading-second reading-third reading.
(15)
New business.
(16)
Mayor's report.
(17)
Comments for good of Council.
(18)
Adjournment.
C.
Rule 3. The order of business at special or adjourned meetings shall
follow that for regular meetings, but omitting all items of business
not pertinent to the special or adjourned meeting.
D.
Rule 4. The President of Council shall have complete charge over
all meetings of Council, and his rulings, in all matters of parliamentary
procedure, shall be binding upon all members of Council, unless overruled
on appeal.
E.
Rule 5. In the absence of the President of Council, the Vice President
of Council shall conduct the meeting, and in the absence of both the
President and the Vice President, the members in attendance at the
meeting shall choose a President Pro Tempore to preside.
F.
Rule 6. The President shall call the meeting to order at the time
fixed for the meeting, but if no quorum is present, he/she shall delay
the call to order until a quorum is present. But if the absence of
a quorum shall continue until 30 minutes after the time fixed for
the meeting, the President shall declare the meeting adjourned for
lack of a quorum.
G.
Rule 7.
(1)
When a question is put to the members for vote, each member shall
be required to vote, except when he/she shall be required to abstain
because of a special, personal or financial interest in the matter
before Council. When a member shall abstain for cause, he/she shall
state the reason for his abstention. An abstention is a neutral vote;
it counts neither for nor against the motion.
(2)
The President of Council shall be required to vote on every question put to the members of Council, and may abstain only as provided in Subsection G(1) of this section. In a roll call vote, the name of the President shall be called in normal alphabetical order.
(3)
When a member's interest in a matter before Council shall be
an interest common to other Council members, he/she shall not be deemed
to have a special interest such as would preclude or prohibit him/her
from voting. In such matters, he/she shall vote, and if he/she is
a candidate for an office in Council, he/she shall have the right
to vote for himself or for another person, as he/she chooses.
H.
Rule 8. Elected and appointed Borough officials, required to be present
at Council meetings to give reports, and not being members of Council,
shall be permitted to leave the meeting at the conclusion of the respective
reports, unless Council specifically requests that they remain for
a longer time.
I.
Rule 9. Any of these rules may be suspended or waived at any specific
meeting of Council, except where that suspension or waiver would be
contrary to the law or to the bylaws of Council. Suspension or waiver
shall not be permitted except upon an affirmative vote of two-thirds
of the members of Council.
J.
Rule 10. These rules, wholly or in part, may be amended or repealed
by majority vote in any meeting of Council, provided that each member
of Council shall be given advance notice of the intent to amend or
repeal, at least 28 days before the meeting at which action on amendment
or repeal is to be taken. The notice shall state the extent and precise
nature of the repeal or amendment that is proposed. If notice is given
at a regular, special or adjourned meeting of Council, held at least
28 days before the meeting at which action on repeal or amendment
is to be taken, special or individual notice shall be required to
be given only to those members not in attendance at the earlier meeting
and present at the time notice was given.
