[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of
the City of Hudson by Ord. No. 1-81 as Ch. 2 of the 1981 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended by Ord. No. 8-93; 9-20-2021 by Ord. No. 18-21]
Following a regular City election for the purpose
of organization, the Common Council shall meet on the third Tuesday
of April. Regular meetings of the Common Council shall be held on
the first and third Monday evening of each calendar month at a time
to be set by resolution. Any regular meeting falling upon the legal
holidays of New Year's Day, Independence Day and Labor Day or said
legal holiday observed by the City on said regular meeting date shall
be held on the next following secular day, at the same hour and place.
[Amended 5-1-2000 by Ord. No. 9-00; 1-4-2022 by Ord. No. 2-22]
Special meetings may be called by the Mayor
upon written notice of the time and purpose thereof delivered to each
member of the Council. The notice may be delivered personally, by
U.S. Mail if sufficient time allows, or electronically. Public notice
of every meeting of a governmental body shall be given at least 24
hours prior to the commencement of such meeting unless for good cause
such notice is impossible or impractical, in which case shorter notice
may be given, but in no case may the notice be provided less than six
hours in advance of the meeting. The Clerk shall cause an affidavit
of service of such notice to be filed in the Clerk's office prior
to the time fixed for such special meeting. A special meeting may
be held without such notice when all members of the Common Council
are present in person or consent, in writing, to the holding of such
a meeting. If written consent is obtained, it shall be filed with
the Clerk prior to the beginning of the meeting. Attendance by any
Council member shall be deemed a waiver on his part of any defect
of notice. Any special meeting attended by all Alderpersons shall
be a regular meeting for the transaction of any business that may
come before such a meeting, subject to an affirmative vote by the
complete Council.
Two-thirds of the Alderpersons of the Council
shall constitute a quorum. No action shall be taken unless a quorum
is present. A lesser number may compel the attendance of absent members
or may adjourn. The Mayor shall not be counted in determining whether
a quorum is present at a meeting.
The Council may, by a majority vote of those
present, but not fewer than three affirmative votes, adjourn from
time to time to a specific date and hour.
[Amended by Ord. No. 23-86; Ord. No. 22-96; 5-1-2000 by Ord. No. 9-00; 9-3-2002 by Ord. No.
13-02; 1-21-2019 by Ord. No. 4-19]
The business of the Council to be conducted
at Common Council meetings shall be conducted in the following order,
except that the presiding officer may change the order of business
as he or she deems necessary:
A.
Call to order by presiding officer.
B.
Roll call. (If a quorum is not present, the meeting shall thereupon adjourn, which may be to a specific date pursuant to § 23-4 above.)
C.
Presentations.
D.
Public hearings and any actions pertaining to the
public hearings.
E.
Comments and suggestions from citizens present.
F.
Consent agenda. Items determined to be routine by
the Mayor and City Clerk shall be voted upon by motion of the Council
and roll call vote. If the Mayor, a Council member or any citizen
specifically requests that an item on the consent agenda be removed
therefrom, the Council shall take action on such item separately.
G.
Unfinished business from previous meetings.
H.
New business, including the introduction of ordinances
and resolutions.
I.
Communications and recommendations of the Mayor.
K.
Closed sessions as necessary.
L.
Adjournment.
A.
The Mayor, at the stated hour, shall call the meeting
to order. He shall preserve order and decorum, decide all questions
of order and conduct the proceedings of the meeting in accordance
with the parliamentary rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order
Revised, unless otherwise provided by statute or by these rules. Any
member shall have the right of appeal from a decision of the presiding
officer. The appeal may be sustained by a majority of the members
present, exclusive of the presiding officer.
B.
If the Mayor is absent at the designated time of the
meeting, the President of the Council shall preside and, during the
absence or inability of the Mayor, shall have the powers and duties
of the Mayor, except that the President shall not have the power to
approve an act of the Council which the Mayor has disapproved by filing
an objection with the Clerk. The President shall, when so officiating,
be styled "Acting Mayor." The President shall be selected by a majority
vote of all members of the Council at the annual meeting on the third
Tuesday of April. In the absence of both the Mayor and the President
of the Council, the Clerk shall call the meeting to order and preside
until the Council shall, by motion, select an Acting Mayor for that
meeting.
[Amended by Ord. No. 5-98]
C.
The presiding officer may speak upon a question or
issue under discussion without vacating the chair.
[Amended 12-2-2002 by Ord. No. 22-02]
[Amended by Ord. No. 2-86]
A.
The following committees shall be appointed by the
Mayor at the first regular meeting of the newly elected Council:
(1)
Finance Committee. The Finance Committee shall be
responsible for the following matters: the budget, taxes, claims,
property, insurance, licenses, the Library Board, personnel and the
hiring and discharge of all City employees, except as otherwise regulated
by the Wisconsin statutes or the Wisconsin Administrative Code.
(2)
Public Works Committee. The Public Works Committee
shall be responsible for streets, sewers, lighting, refuse collection,
reforestation and liaison with the Public Water Utility Commission.
(3)
Public Safety Committee. The Public Safety Committee
shall be responsible for police, fire, parking utility, civil defense,
ambulance, nuisance and animal control matters.
[Amended by Ord. No. 9-90]
B.
Each committee shall consist of at least three members,
and the Mayor shall be ex officio Chair of the Finance Committee,
unless otherwise ordered by suspension of rules. The chair of the
other committees shall be designated by the Mayor. Each member shall
serve as appointed unless excused by a majority of all members of
the Council. All Alderpersons shall serve on at lease one standing
committee.
[Amended by Ord. No. 9-90]
C.
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 be ex officio Chair of the same, provided that there
is no objection by any one of the Alderpersons present at the meeting.
D.
The Mayor may, from time to time, appoint such special
committee or committees as he 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.
E.
The chair of each committee shall be responsible to the entire Council for an explanation of all actions relative to his committee. Each department head shall be responsible for providing his committee chair with a written report of the activities of his department as necessary to comply with the time schedule set forth under § 23-5J and for such other written or verbal reports as may be requested.
[Amended 5-1-2000 by Ord.
No. 9-00]
All ordinances, resolutions, communications
and other matters submitted to Council shall be read by title and
author and referred to the appropriate committee by the Mayor without
motion unless objected to by a Council member. The Clerk shall read
and record each such reference by title. Any Alderperson may require
reading in full of any matter at any time it is before the Council.
[Amended 5-1-2000 by Ord.
No. 9-00]
All bills and other financial claims against
the City shall be itemized and shall be filed with the Clerk by 12:00
noon on the Friday preceding the regularly scheduled meeting of the
Council and thereafter shall be itemized and referred by the Clerk
to the Finance Committee by not later than 12:00 noon of the Saturday
preceding the regularly scheduled Council meeting for report thereon
at the ensuing meeting of the Council.
A.
Each committee shall, at the next regular meeting,
submit a written report on all matters referred to it, unless a longer
time is granted by vote of the Council, and such report shall be entered
in the proceedings. Such report shall recommend a definite action
by the Council on each item and shall be filed with the Clerk prior
to each meeting. Minority reports may be submitted.
[Amended 5-1-2000 by Ord.
No. 9-00]
B.
Any committee may require any City officer to confer
with it and supply information needed in connection with any matter
pending before the committee.
C.
Any aye and nay vote shall be taken on each committee
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.
D.
The approval of a committee report in which the adoption
of an ordinance, resolution or other matter is recommended shall comprise
final action on such ordinance, resolution or other matter, provided
that any ordinance recommended for adoption shall have had one full
reading before the Council at a meeting of the Council, unless an
action on an ordinance shall be taken pursuant to a motion temporarily
suspending the rules.
No ordinance, resolution, opinion of law by
the City Attorney or committee recommendation shall be considered
by the Council unless presented in writing. It shall be in the hands
of all Alderpersons by 12:00 noon of the Saturday preceding the next
regularly scheduled Council meeting. At special meetings of the Council
the provisions of this rule may be waived by affirmative vote of the
complete Council.
The deliberations of the Council shall be conducted
in the following manner:
A.
No Alderperson shall address the Council until he
has been recognized by the presiding officer. He shall thereupon address
himself to the Chair and confine his remarks to the question under
discussion and avoid all personalities. No interruptions from other
Council members shall be permitted.
B.
When two or more members simultaneously seek recognition,
the presiding officer shall name the member who is first to speak.
C.
No person other than a member shall address the Council, except under order of business § 23-5D and except that citizens may address the Council with permission of the presiding officer as to matters which are being considered by the Council at the time.
D.
No motion shall be discussed or acted upon unless
and until it has been seconded, unless the rules permit one Alderperson
to initiate action. No motion shall be withdrawn or amended without
the consent of the person making the same and the person seconding
it. No motion shall be voted upon until the Clerk has read the motion
aloud in its entirety.
[Amended by Ord. No. 17-92]
E.
When a question is under discussion, no action shall
be in order except the following motions, which shall have precedence
in the order listed:
F.
Any member wishing to terminate the debate may move
the previous question, in which event the Mayor shall announce the
question as "Shall the main question now be put?" If 2/3 of the members
present vote in the affirmative, the main question shall be taken
without further debate, its effect being to put an end to all debate
and to bring the Council to a direct vote, first upon any pending
amendments and then upon the main question.
G.
Any Alderperson may demand a roll call vote on any
matter, except that a demand for a secret ballot on confirmation of
appointments shall be deemed overriding. All roll call votes shall
be recorded in the journal. On the adoption of any measure assessing
or levying taxes, appropriating or disbursing money or creating any
liability or charge against the City or any fund thereof, the vote
shall be by roll call. Every Alderperson shall vote when a question
is put unless the Council, by a majority vote of those present, shall
excuse him for special cause. An Alderperson may not change his vote
on any question after the result has been announced. The Mayor shall
not vote except in the case of a tie. When the Mayor does vote in
the case of a tie, his 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 statute.
Except as otherwise provided, a majority vote of those present shall
prevail in other cases.
H.
A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, and
a motion to adjourn, to recess or to lay on the table and a call for
the previous question shall be decided without debate.
All ordinances or resolutions appropriating
money or creating any charge against the City other than the payment
of claims or purchases of work previously authorized by the Council
shall only be acted upon by the Council at the next regular meeting,
provided that this provision may be suspended by affirmative action
by 3/4 of all members of the Council.
Any member voting in the majority may move for
a reconsideration of the vote of any question, except confirmation
of the appointment of City officials, at that meeting or at the next
succeeding regular meeting. A motion to reconsider being put and lost
shall not be renewed.
[Amended 5-1-2000 by Ord.
No. 9-00; 1-7-2019 by Ord. No. 2-19]
A.
The Clerk
shall prepare minutes documenting the proceedings of each Common Council
meeting in a timely manner. Minutes from regularly scheduled Common
Council meetings shall be prepared for submission and consideration
at the next regularly scheduled Common Council meeting. Minutes from
special Common Council meetings shall be prepared for submission and
consideration as soon as practical, but no later than the second regularly
scheduled Common Council meeting following the date of the special
meeting.
B.
By majority
vote of those present, the Council may dispense with the reading of
the meeting minutes at the ensuing meeting.
These rules or any part thereof may be temporarily
suspended in connection with any matter under consideration by a recorded
vote of 2/3 of the members present.
The assent of 2/3 of all members of the Council
shall be required to amend these rules or any part thereof.
[Amended by Ord. No. 23-83; 5-1-2000 by Ord. No. 9-00]
The Clerk shall, after consultation with the
Mayor, prepare a written agenda of all matters to be considered at
the next meeting of the Common Council and shall cause such agenda
to be published in the official City newspaper previous to the time
of such meeting. Any matter received by the Clerk subsequent to the
newspaper deadline for publication may be considered by the Common
Council at such meeting, provided that the public notice requirements
of the Open Meeting Law have been fully complied with.
[Added 11-20-2017 by Ord.
No. 17-17]
A.
The Hudson Common Council will not consider or put any resolutions
on the Council agenda except resolutions that are required under state
or federal statute, regulation, local ordinance, regulation or rule,
for administering, implementing, or carrying out City functions and
operations authorized or required under Wisconsin law. Examples of
such resolutions that are required by law for conducting City functions
or operations include, but are not limited to, resolutions relating
to special assessment proceedings, proceedings relating to issuing
bonds, promissory notes, or other form of municipal borrowing, establishing
permit or license fees, tax increment financing, rejection of bids
and performing work directly by the City under § 62.15(5),
Wis. Stats.
