City of Amery, WI Mayor and Council

Legislative branch. The City Council is the legislative branch of City Government. Its primary business is the passage of laws in the form of ordinances or resolutions which shall prescribe what the law shall be, not only in relation to the particular facts existing at the time, but as to all future cases arising under it. The City Council shall establish the salaries of all officers and employees of the City, and be charged with the official management of the City's financial affairs, its budget, its revenues and the raising of funds necessary for the operation of the City.

Executive branch. The Mayor shall be the chief executive officer. The Mayor shall take care that all City ordinances and state laws are observed and enforced and that all City officers, boards, committees and commissions discharge their duties. When present, he/she shall preside at the meetings of the City Council. The Mayor shall from time to time give the Council such information and recommend such measures as he/she may deem advantageous to the City.

Administrative officer. The City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer shall be the chief administrative officer. He/she shall be responsible for directing and coordinating the administration of the City government in accordance with policies established by the City Council as set forth in this Code of Ordinances.

§ 86-2 City Council.

The Alderpersons of the City of Amery shall constitute the City Council. The City Council shall be vested with all the powers of the City not specifically given some other officer, as well as those powers set forth elsewhere throughout this Code.

§ 86-3 Alderpersons.

Number. The City shall have six Alderpersons in addition to the Mayor, who is a member of the City Council by virtue of his/her office as Mayor.

Districts. Two Alderpersons shall be elected from each Aldermanic district. Each of said Alderpersons shall be an elector of the City, and in case of such Aldermanic district offices, of the Aldermanic district, and actually residing therein. In addition to Aldermanic seats elected by district, two Alderpersons shall be elected at large. Each of such Alderpersons shall be an elector of the City and actually residing therein.

Election. The at-large Aldermanic seats shall be first filled by election at the spring election of 1988. The candidate for the position of Alderperson at-large receiving the greatest number of votes in said election shall have an initial term of four years, with such seat having subsequent terms of four years each. The candidate for the position of Alderperson at-large receiving the next greatest number of votes shall have an initial term of two years, with such seat having subsequent terms of four years each (Charter Ordinance).

Appointment as Mayor. An Alderperson shall be eligible for appointment as Mayor to fill an unexpired term.

§ 86-4 Mayor.

Election. The Mayor shall be elected in even-numbered years for a term of two years.

Duties.

The Mayor shall be the Chief Executive officer of the City. The Mayor shall take care that City ordinances and the state statutes are observed and enforced.

The Mayor shall, from time to time, provide the Council such information and recommend such measures as he/she may deem advantageous to the City. When present, he/she shall preside at the meetings of the Council.

The Mayor shall have such other duties and responsibilities as are prescribed in the Wisconsin Statutes.

Veto power. The Mayor shall have the veto power as to all acts of the Council except such as to which it is expressly or by necessary implications otherwise provided. All such acts shall be submitted to him/her by the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer and shall be enforced upon his/her approval, evidenced by his/her signature, or upon his/her failing to approve or disapprove within five days, which fact shall be certified thereon by the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer. If the Mayor disapproves, he/she shall file his/her objection with the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer, who shall present it to the Council at its next regular meeting. A 2/3 vote of all the members of the Council shall be necessary to make the act effective, notwithstanding the objection of the Mayor.

[Amended 7-10-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019]

Mayoral appointments.

Wherever in this Code of Ordinances the Mayor is required to appoint citizens to committees, commissions and/or boards, the Mayor shall give written notice naming the appointees to be nominated by executive letter to the City Council at least three days prior to the Council meeting at which such appointment shall be made. In the event the City Council rejects a Mayor's appointment, the same name may not be submitted for the same job for a period of 12 months after the refusal of such appointment.

In the event a vacancy occurs in any committee, board or commission requiring the appointment of a citizen member and the Mayor does not nominate a successor thereof for a period of 60 days after the vacancy occurs, the City Council may then nominate an appointee to such position, subject to the approval of the Mayor.

In the event the Council, by parliamentary practice, tables an appointment by the Mayor, such tabling action shall be effective for that meeting, but at the next regular meeting of the City Council, such appointment shall be on the meeting agenda for further consideration, and the particular appointment involved may not be tabled a second time.

§ 86-5 President of Council.

[Amended 7-10-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019]

The City Council, at its first meeting subsequent to the regular election and qualification of new members shall, after organization, annually choose from its members a President who, in the absence of the Mayor, shall preside at meetings of the Council and, during the absence or inability of the Mayor, shall have the powers and duties of the Mayor, except that he/she shall not have power to approve an act of the Council which the Mayor has disapproved by filing objections with the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer. He/she shall, when so officiating, be styled "Acting Mayor." The President of the Council shall be elected for a one-year term of office.

§ 86-6 Standing committees; action on committee reports.

Committees.

[Amended 2-3-2021 by Ord. No. 01-2021; 2-24-2021 by Ord. No. 03-2021]

Committee of the Whole. The entire Common Council shall constitute the Committee of the Whole. The Committee of the Whole shall meet monthly to discuss all matters which are to come before the Common Council and to make recommendations to the Common Council.

Special committees. The Mayor may, from time to time, appoint such special committees as he/she may deem advisable or as the object thereof to perform such duties as may be assigned to them.

Rules of the Committee of the Whole.

(a)

Previous notice of each Committee of the Whole meeting shall be filed with the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer by the Chairperson, and each meeting shall be noticed to the three designated locations in the City as well as the City website at least 24 hours prior to the meeting, and each meeting shall be open to the public in accordance with the Open Meeting Law.[1]

Editor's Note: See § 19.81 et seq., Wis. Stats.

(b)

In addition to the right of the Chairperson of a committee to call a meeting, a majority of the committee may call a meeting by giving notice to the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer.

(c)

The Committee of the Whole may require any City official to confer with it and supply information needed in connection with any matter pending before the committee.

(d)

An aye and nay vote shall be taken on each Committee of the Whole report immediately following its submission, provided that any Alderperson may require a separate vote on any ordinance, resolution or other matter in any report. Action upon a specific matter included in any committee report shall be deferred until the next regular meeting following the submission of the report upon the request of any two Alderpersons.

Committee appointments.

Committee appointments shall be made pursuant to § 86-4D. The chairperson of each committee shall be designated by the Mayor. Each member shall serve as appointed unless excused by a majority of the members of the Council. All Alderpersons shall serve on at least one standing committee. The Mayor shall be an ex officio member of each standing committee.

The Mayor may declare the entire Council a committee of the whole for informal discussion at any meeting or for any other purpose, and shall ex officio be Chairperson of the same.

The Mayor may, from time to time, appoint such special committee or committees as may deem advisable or as provided for by motion or resolution stating the number of members and object thereof to perform such duties as may be assigned to them.

Reference and reports.

The Mayor shall refer new business coming before the City Council to the appropriate committee, unless otherwise referred or disposed of by motion of the Council.

The committee to which any matter is referred shall report its recommendation thereon, at the first regular meeting after such reference, unless there is no objection by the Council to further time being taken. Action on the report of a committee shall be deferred until the next regular meeting by the request of three Alderpersons present. Members dissenting from a report of a committee shall be so reported when they request it.

The chairperson of the committee shall report verbally to the Council at the meeting at which the report of the committee is to be made. Adoption of the committee report shall comprise final Council action on any ordinance, resolution or other matter recommended for adoption by the committee report.

(4)

Formal committee recommendations will be placed on the agenda for Council action only if they are submitted to the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer in written form by noon of the Thursday prior to the meeting at which action is requested.

[Amended 7-10-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]

Cooperation of City officers. All City officers shall, upon request of the Chairperson of the committee, confer with the committee and supply to it such information as may be requested in connection with any matter pending before the committee.

§ 86-7 General powers of City Council.

General. The City Council shall be vested with all the powers of the City not specifically given some other officer. Except as otherwise provided by law, the City Council shall have the management and control of the City property, finances, highways, streets, navigable waters and the public service, and shall have the power to act for the government and good order of the City, for its commercial benefit and for the health, safety, welfare and convenience of the public, and may carry its powers into effect by license, regulation, suppression, borrowing, taxation, special assessment, appropriation, fine, imprisonment and other necessary or convenient means. The powers hereby conferred shall be in addition to all other grants and shall be limited only by express language.

Acquisition and disposal of property. The City Council may acquire property, real or personal, within or without the City, for parks, libraries, historic places, recreation, beautification, streets, waterworks, sewage or waste disposal, harbors, improvement of watercourses, public grounds, vehicle parking areas and for any other public purpose; may acquire real property within or contiguous to the City, by means other than condemnation, for industrial sites; may improve and beautify the same; may construct, own, lease and maintain buildings on such property for instruction, recreation, amusement and other public purposes; and may sell and convey such City-owned property, except dedicated, platted parks.

Acquisition of easements and property rights. Confirming all powers granted to the City Council and in furtherance thereof, the Council is expressly authorized to acquire by gift, purchase or condemnation under Ch. 32, Wis. Stats., any and all property rights in lands or waters, including rights of access and use, negative or positive easements, restrictive covenants, covenants running with land, scenic easements and any rights for use of property of any nature whatsoever, however denominated, which may be lawfully acquired for the benefit of the public or for any public purpose, including the exercise of powers granted under § 62.23, Wis. Stats.; and may sell and convey such easements or property rights when no longer needed for public use or protection.

City finances. The City Council may levy and provide for the collection of taxes and special assessments; may refund any tax or special assessment paid, or any part thereof, when satisfied that the same was unjust or illegal; and generally may manage the City finances.

Construction of powers. Consistent with the purpose of giving to cities the largest measure of self-government in accordance with the spirit of the home rule amendment to the Constitution, the grants of power to the City Council in this section and throughout this Code of Ordinances shall be liberally construed in favor of the rights, powers and privileges of cities to promote the general welfare, peace, good order and prosperity of the City and its inhabitants.

Vacancies. Pursuant to § 62.09(5), Wis. Stats., if any officer be incapacitated or absent for any cause, the City Council may appoint some person to discharge his/her duties until he/she returns or such disability has ended.

§ 86-8 Cooperation with other municipalities.

The City Council, on behalf of the City, may join with other villages, towns, or cities or other governmental entities in a cooperative arrangement for executing any power or duty in order to attain greater economy or efficiency, including joint employment of appointive officers and employees and joint purchasing programs.

§ 86-9 Internal powers of Council.

The City Council has the power to preserve order at its meetings, compel attendance of Alderpersons and punish nonattendance. The City Council shall be judge of the election and qualification of its members.

§ 86-10 Salaries.

Salary determination. The Mayor and Alderpersons who make up the City Council, whether operating under general or special law, may, by majority vote of all the members of the City Council, determine that an annual salary or per diem compensation be paid the Mayor and Alderpersons. Salaries heretofore established shall so remain until changed by ordinance and shall not be increased or diminished during their terms of office.[1]

Editor's Note: Original Sec. 2-2-9(b) of the 2004 Code of Ordinances, Establishment of salaries for elected officials, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

§ 86-11 Meetings of City Council.

Annual organization meeting. Following a regular City election, the City Council shall meet on the third Tuesday of April or at the next Council meeting after that date for the purpose of organization.

Regular meetings. Regular meetings of the City Council shall be held on the first Wednesday of each calendar month, at the hour of 5:00 p.m. Any regular meetings falling upon a legal holiday shall be held on the next following secular day, at the same hour and place, or as otherwise designated by majority vote of the City Council. All meetings of the Council shall be held in the City Hall, including special and adjourned meetings, unless another location is designated by the City Council at a previous meeting.

§ 86-12 Special meetings.

The Mayor may call a special meeting by notifying members in a manner likely to give each member notice of the meeting and providing the notice at least six hours before the meeting. The City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer shall cause an affidavit of service of such notice to be filed in his/her office prior to the time fixed for such special meetings. Special meetings shall comply with the notice provisions of the Wisconsin Open Meetings Law.[1] In addition, a special meeting may be called by a written request signed by two Alderpersons, which written notice for said special meeting shall be delivered to every member of the Council and the Mayor personally or left at or mailed to their abode at least 24 hours before said meeting being called. If written consent is obtained, it shall be filed with the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer prior to the beginning of the meeting.

[Amended 7-10-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]

Editor's Note: See §§ 19.81 to 19.98, Wis. Stats.

Nongovernmental parties requesting a special meeting of the Council or committees thereof shall pay a fee equivalent to the Council's actual expenses for such meeting.

§ 86-13 Open meetings.

Except as provided in § 19.85, Wis. Stats., all meetings of the City Council, committees thereof, and City boards, committees and commissions shall be open to the public.

§ 86-14 Quorum.

A majority of the members-elect of the City Council shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may adjourn if a majority is not present or compel the attendance of absent members. The Mayor shall not be counted in computing a quorum. No action shall be taken unless a quorum is present.

The Council may, by a majority vote of those present, adjourn from time to time to a specific date and hour.

§ 86-15 Presiding officers.

Presiding officer. The Mayor shall preside over all meetings of the City Council. In the absence of the Mayor, the President of the Council shall preside.

Presiding officer; duties. The Mayor, President of the Council, or the presiding officer, shall:

Open the session at the time fixed for the meeting, or at the time to which adjournment may be had, by taking the chair and calling the members to order.

Announce, at the conclusion of the roll call, the fact of the presence of a quorum, or not, as the case may be.

Announce the business before the Council in the order in which it is to be acted upon.

(4)

Receive and submit, in proper manner, all motions and propositions presented by members.

(5)

Put to vote the questions which are regularly moved or which necessarily arise in the course of the proceedings, and announce the result.

(6)

Restrain the members while engaged in debate within the rules of order.

(7)

Enforce on all occasions the observance of order and decorum among the members.

(8)

Inform the Council when necessary, or when referred to for that purpose, on any point of order or practice.

(9)

Authenticate, by his/her signature, when necessary, all ordinances, resolutions, orders and proceedings of the meetings of the Council over which he/she presides.

(10)

Preserve order and decorum; speak to points of order in preference to others, rising from his/her seat for that purpose; and decide questions of order, subject to an appeal by any member.

(11)

Call a member to the chair, but such substitution shall not extend beyond an adjournment.

Temporary absence of presiding officer. In the absence of the Mayor and President of the Council, one of its members shall be elected to preside temporarily until the return of the Mayor or President.

§ 86-16 Order of business.

Order of business. At all regular meetings the order of business shall be according to the tentative agenda prepared by the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer. All matters to be considered at a regular or special Council meeting shall be submitted to the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer at least by noon of the Thursday prior to the meeting. All copies of the agenda shall be forwarded by the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer to the representatives of the media who have requested meeting agendas under the Open Meetings Law[1] as part of his/her notice of such public meeting, and to members of the Council.

[Amended 7-10-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019]

Editor's Note: See §§ 19.81 to 19.98, Wis. Stats.

Order to be followed. No business shall be taken up out of order unless by unanimous consent of all Alderpersons and in the absence of any debate whatsoever.

Citizen comments. The Mayor or presiding officer shall determine at what point in a meeting citizens will be called upon to speak and may impose a limit on the length of time a citizen may address the Council. A written form may be provided by the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer on which citizens may register to speak at a Council meeting. The subject to be addressed and/or agenda item shall be indicated.

[Amended 7-10-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019]

§ 86-17 Introduction of ordinances.

Ordinances to be in writing. All ordinances submitted to the Council shall be in writing and titled. Upon passage by the Council, the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer shall superintend the publication of the same. Any written material introduced may be referred to the appropriate committee pursuant to § 86-6. Any member of the Council may require the reading in full of any ordinance or resolution at any time it is before the Council.

[Amended 7-10-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019]

Subject and numbering of ordinances. Each ordinance shall be related to no more than one subject. Amendment or repeal of ordinances shall only be accomplished if the amending or repealing ordinance contains the number and title of the ordinance to be amended or repealed, and title of amending and repealing ordinances shall reflect their purpose to amend or repeal.

Notice.

The City Council may take action on an ordinance only if it appears on the written agenda for the meeting at which action is requested.

Ordinances will be placed on the agenda for Council action only if they are submitted to the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer in written form not later than noon of the Thursday prior to the regular or special Council meeting at which action is requested.

[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]

§ 86-18 Publication and effect of ordinances.

All general ordinances of the City and all regulations imposing any penalty shall be published either in their entirety or as a notice as provided in§ 62.11(4), Wis. Stats., in the official paper of the City once within 15 days of passage and shall be immediately recorded with the affidavit of publication by the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer in a book kept for that purpose. A printed copy of such ordinance or regulation in any book, pamphlet or newspaper and published or purporting to be published therein by direction of the City Council shall be prima facie proof of due passage, publication and recording thereof.

[Amended 7-10-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]

All ordinances shall take effect and be in force from and after passage and publication, unless otherwise provided, and published copies thereof shall have appended the date of first publication.

The City Code of Ordinances shall be kept currently to date, and upon passage of any ordinance, the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer shall provide for incorporation of the same into the ordinance code.

[Amended 7-10-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019]

§ 86-19 Conduct of deliberations.

Roll call. When the presiding officer shall have called the members to order, the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer shall proceed to call the roll in rotating order, noting who are presen, and who are absent. If, after having gone through the call, it shall appear that a quorum is not present, the fact shall be entered into the minutes, and the members present may adjourn to a later date in the month. If they do not, the Council shall stand adjourned to the time appointed for the next regular meeting unless a special meeting is called sooner as provided by the Wisconsin Statutes or §§ 86-12 and 86-13.

[Amended 7-10-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019]

Meeting attendance. All members of the City Council shall attend all Council meetings, meetings of committees to which members have been appointed, and special or adjourned meetings when duly notified thereof. A member who does not appear in answer to his/her name when the roll is called at any regular meeting or any special or adjourned meeting when notified thereof shall be marked absent. Any member seeking to be excused from attending any regular or special meeting must notify the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer in advance of such meeting, explaining the reason for his/her absence and, upon complying with this requirement, such members shall be duly excused from attending said meeting. An Alderperson shall be physically present at the meeting in order to vote at such meeting.

[Amended 7-10-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019]

Recognition for debate.

When a member is to speak in debate, or deliver any matter to the Council, he/she shall respectfully address himself/herself to the presiding officer, and confine his/her remarks to the question under debate, and avoid personalities.

When two or more members address the presiding officer at the same time, the presiding officer shall name the member who is to speak first.

Roll call vote procedure.

The ayes and nays shall be ordered upon any question at the request of any member of the Council, or the Mayor, and the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer shall call the roll starting with the Alderperson according to seating order on the next call of the roll; at the same or any subsequent meeting, the City Administrator/Clerk-Treasurer shall start with the Alderperson whose name appears next on said seating order, and each subsequent call of roll shall begin with the name of the Alderperson next in seating order.

[Amended 7-10-2019 by Ord. No. 10-2019]

The Mayor shall not vote except in the case of a tie. When the Mayor does vote in case of tie, his/her vote shall be counted in determining whether a sufficient number of the Council has voted favorably or unfavorably on any measure. A majority vote of all members of the Council in favor of any proposed ordinance, resolution or appointment shall be necessary for passage or approval, unless a larger number is required by state statute. Except as otherwise provided, a majority vote of those present shall prevail in other cases.

Reconsideration. When a motion has been decided, it shall be in order for any member who voted in the majority to move a reconsideration thereof at the same or next succeeding meeting and the Mayor shall call for a roll call of the Alderpersons. If a majority of the members present shall be in favor of a reconsideration, the subject shall be before the Council for further action.

Motions with preference. During any meeting of the City Council certain motions will have preference. In order of precedence, they are:

Motion to adjourn. This motion can be made at any time and has first precedence. This is a nondebatable motion.

Motion to lay on the table. This motion may be made when the subject matter appropriate for tabling is to be debated or discussed. This motion is a nondebatable motion.

Motion to call previous question. This motion may be made at any time after the debate or discussion commences related to an action item, business item, motion or question that is properly before the City Council. This motion is a nondebatable motion. This motion, if adopted, ends the debate and discussion at the meeting on the action item, business item, motion or question. The motion, if adopted, brings the City Council to a direct vote with the first vote on any amendments, if any, and then to the main action item, business item, motion or question.

(4)

Motion to postpone to a date certain. This motion may be made at any time after the debate and discussion commences on an action item, business item, motion or question that is properly before the City Council. This motion is debatable. This motion, if adopted, ends the debate and discussion at the meeting on the action item, business item, motion or question. This motion must establish a date and time certain when the debate and discussion before the City Council will continue. The date and time established must be on a date and time for a regularly scheduled or special meeting of the City Council.

(5)

Motion to a committee. This motion may be made at any time after the debate and discussion commences on an action item, business item, motion or question that is properly before the City Council. The motion is debatable. This motion, if adopted, ends the debate and discussion at the meeting on the action item, business item, motion or question. This motion, if adopted, forwards the action item, business item, motion or question to a committee for further review and discussion. The committee must be a committee of the City Council.

(6)

Motion to amend or divide the question. This motion may be made at any time after debate and discussion commences on the action item, business item, motion or question properly before the City Council. The motion is debatable. This motion, if adopted, divides the main action item, main business item, main motion or main question pursuant to the method described and adopted in the motion to divide.

(7)

Motion to postpone indefinitely. This motion may be made at any time after debate and discussion commences on the action item, business item, motion or question properly before the City Council. This motion is debatable. This motion, if adopted, ends the debate and discussion at the meeting on the action item, business item, motion or question.

(8)

Motion to introduce a matter related to the action item, business item, motion or question. This motion may be made at any time after the debate and discussion commences on the action item, business item, motion or question properly before the City Council. This motion is debatable. This motion, if adopted, expands or adds to the debate and discussion new items related to the main action item, main business item, main motion or main question pursuant to the method described and approved in the motion to introduce a matter related.

Public directory votes. No member of the City Council shall request, at a meeting of the City Council, a vote from the general public unless the proposed vote of the general public is so noted by the presiding officer of the meeting as strictly an advisory vote to the Council. Any vote taken by the general public at a meeting of the City Council shall be considered by the Council only as an advisory vote and shall not be considered as a directory vote.

Rules of parliamentary procedure. The rules of parliamentary practice in Robert's Rules of Order, (Tenth Addition), which is hereby incorporated by reference, shall govern the proceedings of the Council in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these rules or with the laws of the State of Wisconsin.[1]