[Adopted as Sec. 2.07 of the former Municipal Codebook; amended in its entirety 10-23-2017 by Ord. No. 1851-17]
Following a regular City election, the new Council shall meet on the third Tuesday of April. A President of the Council shall be chosen at this time from among the Alderpersons by majority vote.
[Amended 2-10-2020 by Ord. No. 1900-20; 4-24-2023 by Ord. No. 1954-23]
The regular meetings of the Common Council shall be held at the Council Chambers at a time designated by the Common Council on the second and fourth Mondays of each month except when such day is a legal holiday or when a lack of agenda items makes holding a meeting impractical, as determined by the Mayor, in which case a notice of canceled meeting will be published. The Council shall meet a minimum of once per month regardless.
A. 
Special meetings shall be held at such times as the Mayor or a majority of the Council direct.
B. 
Notice of a special meeting may be given by any of the following methods at least 24 hours before the meeting.
(1) 
By written notice delivered personally to a Council member.
(2) 
By a telephone call to a Council member. If the member has a telephone answering device, a message may be left with a request that the member confirm receipt of the notice. Notice will be completed when the member confirms receipt.
(3) 
By facsimile transmission to a Council member. The facsimile transmission shall contain a request that the member confirm receipt of the notice. Notice will be completed when the member confirms receipt.
(4) 
By electronic transmission, commonly known as "e-mail," to a Council member. The e-mail message shall include a request that the member confirm receipt of the notice. Notice will be completed when the member confirms receipt.
C. 
The notice given, whatever the form, shall state the matters to be considered at the special meeting, and a copy of the meeting agenda shall be posted at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.
D. 
The persons who give notice of a special meeting as set forth above shall provide a sworn affidavit stating the form of the notice, the time of delivery and the time of confirmation, if any, which notice shall be retained by the City for at least two years.
E. 
The City of Reedsburg hereby elects not to be governed by the meetings provisions of § 62.11(2), Wis. Stats.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
The Mayor or, in his absence, the President of the Council shall take the chair at the hour appointed, call the members of the Council to order, and may, at the instance of any two members, order the attendance of absentees. In the absence of the Mayor and President of the Council, any member may call the Council to order, and thereupon the Council shall appoint a Chairman to preside at such meeting.
Two-thirds of the membership of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, although a lesser number may adjourn. The Mayor shall not be counted in determining a quorum.
At all regular meetings the order of business shall be determined by the Mayor.
Meetings of the Council and committees shall be open to the public except as provided in § 19.85, Wis. Stats. No member shall leave a meeting of the Council or a committee without leave of absence under penalty of $5 for each offense. The Council may punish by fine members or other persons for disorderly behavior.
A. 
The presiding officer shall decide all questions of order, subject to appeal to the Council.
B. 
The presiding officer shall preserve order. If any member violates any of these rules, the presiding officer shall, or any member may, call him to order, in which case he will immediately sit down and be silent unless permitted to explain. A member called to order may appeal to the Council.
C. 
Except for informational presentations to the Council by scheduled speakers, the presiding officer shall limit persons to three minutes for addresses/comments unless the Council consents, by a 2/3 vote of the members present, to extend the time.
[Added 6-13-2022 by Ord. No. 1941-22]
An agenda shall be prepared for all meetings of the Common Council by the City Administrator. The City Administrator shall advise the Mayor of the items included on the agenda. An item may be placed on the agenda by the City Administrator, Mayor, or any other Council member. An item recommended for placement on an agenda may be removed from the agenda by the Mayor. If the Mayor removes an item from the agenda, the item shall be restored to the agenda upon the request of two or more Council members.
A. 
To be reduced to writing. Every motion or proposition except privileged motions shall be reduced to writing by the Clerk.
B. 
When before Council. When a motion is made and seconded, it shall be before the Council and shall be stated by the presiding officer or, if in writing, shall be delivered to the Clerk and read by him previous to debate.
C. 
When a question is before Council. When a question is before the Council, no motion shall be received except to adjourn, to lay on the table the previous question, to refer to committee, or to amend or to withdraw, which motions shall have precedence in the order in which made.
A. 
Form of. All questions shall be put in this form: "As many as are of the opinion (as the case may be) say aye; contrary, no."
B. 
Speaking on. When a member is about to speak to a question or make a motion, the member will respectfully address the presiding officer and Council, as entitled to the floor, and the member shall confine remarks to the question under consideration.
C. 
Limitation on speaking. No member shall speak more than twice on any question, no more than 10 minutes at any one time without leave of a majority of the members present, expressed by a rising vote, and the same rule shall be observed in committee of the whole.
D. 
Putting previous question. When previous question shall be put in these words: "Shall the main question be now put?" it shall be admitted on demand of two members and, until decided, shall preclude all further amendment or debate of the main question, but shall not preclude pending amendments from being put before the main question.
E. 
Division of question. The presiding officer may direct or any member may call for a division of the question when the same will admit thereof, and such division shall be made by the presiding officer and a separate vote shall be taken on each division.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
A. 
By Mayor. The Mayor shall not be counted in determining whether a majority or other proportion of the Council has voted for a proposition, and he shall not vote except in the case of a tie.
B. 
Confirmation of appointments. A majority of all the members shall be necessary for confirmation. In case of a tie, the Mayor shall have a casting vote as in other cases.
C. 
A vote by ayes and nos shall be required on any measure assessing or levying taxes, appropriating or disbursing money or creating any liability against the City or any fund thereof. In addition, any member may require a vote by the ayes and nos. All such votes shall be recorded. Unless a roll call vote is requested by a member, a voice vote shall be taken and recorded thereof. In addition, any member may require a vote by the ayes and nos. All such votes shall be recorded in the journal.
D. 
Members required to vote. Every member present when a question is put shall vote unless the Council shall excuse him.
E. 
Reconsideration. Any member who voted in the majority may have reconsideration of the vote at the same or the next succeeding regular meeting of the Council. A motion to reconsider having been put and lost shall not again be in order.
F. 
Explanation of vote. No member may explain his vote during the calling of ayes and nos. However, he may explain the reason for his dissent from the vote of the majority and have such reasons entered on the journal.
A. 
Upon introduction of an ordinance, a public hearing shall be held at a time and date to be set by the Council. If no date is set, and after publication, the hearing shall be held at the first available Council meeting after the meeting in which the ordinance is introduced. A notice of public hearing shall be published as a Class 1 notice under Ch. 985, Wis. Stats., unless another class of notice is required by ordinance or state statute. At such time as it is adopted, it shall be published pursuant to state statute.
B. 
Any ordinance, upon introduction, may be referred to committee by the presiding officer or upon motion of the Council.
All petitions, memorials, resolutions, and other communications shall be in writing, with a brief statement of their contents endorsed upon them together with the name of the member presenting the same. All petitions shall be presented by the presiding officer and the contents briefly explained. Petitions shall thereupon be referred to a committee.
No claims shall be allowed unless itemized. Claims shall be examined and certified to be correct by a committee of the Council and reported to and audited by the Council.
Any rule hereunder may be suspended by a 2/3 vote of the members present.
Any of the rules hereunder may be altered or amended by a 2/3 vote of all the members of the Council.
When not otherwise covered by these rules of procedure, Robert's Rules of Order Revised shall govern.