[1960 Code § 1.06.010]
The City Council shall consist of the Mayor and two Aldermen from each ward. The Council shall be the judge of its election and qualification of its own members. An Alderman may resign from his office. Should a vacancy occur in the office of Alderman by reason of resignation, failure to elect or qualify, death, permanent physical or mental disability, conviction of a disqualifying crime, abandonment of office or removal from office or of residence from the ward, the office may be filled at the next succeeding general election for Alderman at which time the vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired balance of the term. A vacancy for Alderman shall not be filled by special election in compliance with Section 3-4-14 of the Illinois municipal code. The Mayor, with the advice and consent of the City Council, may appoint a person to serve as Alderman in the vacancy until the next general election as provided in this section and until the person elected qualifies.
[1960 Code §§ 1.06.020, 1.06.030]
(A) 
The Aldermen of the City shall hold their office for the term of four years and until their successors are elected and qualified.
(B) 
No person shall be eligible to the office of Alderman unless he is a qualified elector and resides within the ward for which he was elected, nor shall be be eligible if he is in arrears in the payment of any tax or other liability due to the City; nor shall be be directly or indirectly interested in any contract whatever to which the City is a party; nor shall be be eligible if he has been convicted of malfeasance, bribery or corrupt practices of crime; nor shall be be eligible to any office the salary of which is payable out of the City treasury, if at the time of his appointment he is a member of the City Council; nor shall any member of the City Council at the time hold any other office under the City government; nor shall be be either directly or indirectly, individually or as a member of a firm engaged in any business transaction, other than official, with the City through its Mayor or any of its authorized boards, agents or attorney, where any money is to be paid directly or indirectly out of the City treasury to such member or firm.
[Ord. 326, 4-8-1991; amended Ord. 661, 12-3-2007; 12-18-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-1021]
The compensation of Aldermen elected at or subsequent to the general election for City officers shall be paid as provided by Section 1-12-1 of this title. Aldermen shall be allowed two absences in each year for which they shall receive compensation at the appropriate rate. Aldermen may miss more than two meetings per year and still receive payment as set forth if the Aldermen can show due cause for such additional absences, such as illness of the Alderman, serious illness of a member of the Alderman's immediate family, a death in the Alderman's immediate family or other like cause. No other salary or compensation shall be allowed any Alderman except that each Alderman shall receive $75 for regular meetings attended and committee of the whole meetings, $25 per diem for other meetings, including regularly scheduled meetings or committee meetings where the Alderman is a member of said committee, with a maximum of $300 per year per Alderman, and $20 per diem for negotiations meetings. No additional compensation shall be paid for any properly called special meeting of the City Council or any adjourned meeting of the City Council if such special meeting or adjourned meeting is scheduled to occur immediately prior to a regularly scheduled City Council meeting or a regularly scheduled committee of the whole meeting of the City Council.
[1960 Code, Secs. 1.06.060, 1.06.090; amended Ord. 640, 11-20-2006; Ord. 720, 11-15-2010; 2-5-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-1023]
(A) 
Regular Meetings:The regular stated meetings of the City Council shall be held in the Council chambers in the City Hall on the first and third Monday of each month. The meeting time for each calendar year shall be set by the City Council at the first meeting in December of each year for the ensuing year. If the meeting time for the upcoming year is not modified at the first December meeting in December of any given year, the regular meeting of the City Council shall remain at the same time for the next calendar year as the previous year's meeting time. The regular meetings shall begin at 6:00 p.m. If the first or third Monday shall happen to be a legal holiday, the Council shall meet at the same hour on the next day following; and adjourned meetings may be held at such time or times as may be determined by the Council.
(B) 
Special Meetings: Special meetings of the Council may be called by the Mayor or any three Aldermen whenever, in their discretion they may deem it necessary. The meeting shall be called in the following manner: the Mayor, or three Aldermen, as the case may be, shall file in the office of the City Clerk a statement in writing setting forth the object and purpose of the special meeting and directing the Clerk to give notice of same. Upon the filing of the statement, the Clerk shall cause to be served personally upon each member of the Council or left at his residence or usual place of business a notice of the special meeting, setting forth the object and purpose thereof and the time of holding the same. No business other than that mentioned in the call shall be transacted at any special meeting unless 3/4 of all members elect shall be present and vote.
(C) 
Quorum: A majority of the Aldermen elected shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a smaller number may adjourn from time to time and may compel the attendance of absentees under the provisions of Section 1-6-5 of this chapter.
(D) 
Attendance By Means Other Than Physical Presence:
1. 
If a quorum of the members of the City Council of the City of Lincoln is physically present as required by Section 2.01 of the open meetings act of the state of Illinois, a majority of the City Council of the City of Lincoln may allow a member of the City Council to attend the meeting by audio or video conference if such member is prevented from physically attending the meeting because of:
(a) 
Personal illness or disability;
(b) 
Employment purposes or the business of the City of Lincoln; or
(c) 
A family or other emergency.
2. 
If a member of the City Council wishes to attend a meeting by audio or video conference, he or she shall notify the City Clerk of the City of Lincoln prior to a scheduled meeting, unless advance notice is impractical.
3. 
Upon receiving a request for a member to attend by audio or video conference, the City Council shall, before allowing such member to participate, vote to authorize such member to participate in the meeting by audio or video conference. The vote, as taken by the City Council, shall be recorded in the minutes, subsequent to which the member who is unable to attend may participate in the meeting by video or audio conference, if approved by the vote of a majority of the City Council.
4. 
This subsection shall not permit a member to participate in a closed meeting by audio or video conference, which meeting has been closed pursuant to the provisions of the open meetings act of the state of Illinois.
[1960 Code, Sec. 1.06.100]
In case of the want of a quorum at any time of the City Council, and in case a majority of the members present direct, the Mayor or presiding officer shall direct the Chief of Police or any police officer to arrest and bring in any and all absent members that can be found in the City who are not unable through sickness to attend; and any member who purposely absents himself from the City to avoid attending any meeting of the Council, or being in the City conceals himself from such officer or refuses to be brought in when found, shall be deemed guilty of disorderly conduct and be subject to a fine of $25. The Council may, with concurrence of 2/3 of all the Aldermen elect, expel such member, in which event his seat shall be deemed vacant and be filled by an election as in other cases of vacancy provided.
[1960 Code § 1.06.110]
Every member of the Council shall vote upon all questions in which they are not directly or personally interested which may be brought before the Council for its action in such manner as to require a vote to be taken thereon, unless such member be excused by a vote of 2/3 of all the other members present. Should any member refuse to vote and shall have not been thus excused, he shall be considered as having voted on the negative of such question and his vote shall be so recorded. Such member shall be deemed guilty of disorderly conduct and be subject to a fine of $25, and the Council may, with the concurrence of 2/3 of all the Aldermen elect, expel such member in which event his seat shall be deemed vacant and be filled by an election as in other cases of vacancy provided.
[Ord. 2013-775, 4-15-2013]
(A) 
Committee Of The Whole Established: There is hereby established a standing committee, known as the committee of the whole, which shall consist of all the Aldermen and the Mayor. A quorum of the committee of the whole shall not be less than five. The Mayor shall serve as chair of the committee of the whole and conduct the order and consideration of business of the committee of the whole. The Mayor pro tem shall serve as chair of the committee of the whole in the absence of the Mayor. The committee of the whole shall consider and make recommendations to the City Council regarding business of the City, including, but not limited to, the subject matters of finance, administration, community and economic development, public utilities, public parking, public land renovations, public safety and transportation.
1. 
The committee of the whole shall meet on the Tuesday of the week following a regular City Council meeting at the hour specified by the Mayor. The Mayor may call such additional meetings of the committee of the whole as are required, pursuant to the notice requirements set forth in Subsection 1-6-4(B) of this chapter.
(B) 
Special Committees: The Mayor shall appoint such special committees as he may deem necessary or as may be directed by the City Council.
(C) 
Membership In Committees:
1. 
Committee Of The Whole: The committee of the whole shall consist of the Mayor and the Aldermen.
2. 
Special Committees: The Mayor shall appoint the members of all special committees, in the absence of specific direction of the City Council, and shall designate the chair thereof. Every special committee shall consist of no less than three members, including the chair, unless the City Council shall provide otherwise.
[1960 Code §§ 1.06.120, 1.06.130, 1.06.140]
(A) 
Yeas And Nays; Majority Vote Required: The yeas and nays shall be taken upon the passage of all ordinances and on all propositions to create any liability against the City or for the expenditure or appropriation of its money, and in all other cases at the request of any member, which shall be entered on the journal of the proceedings; and the concurrence of a majority of all the members elected in the City Council shall be necessary to the passage of any such ordinance or proposition; provided, it shall require 3/4 of all the Aldermen elect to sell any City property.
(B) 
Passing Over Veto: In case the Mayor shall veto any ordinance or any part of an ordinance and return the same to the Council, together with his objections thereto, the vote by which the same was passed shall be reconsidered by the Council; and if, after such reconsideration 2/3 of all the Aldermen elected to the City Council shall agree by yeas and nays to pass the same, it shall go into effect, notwithstanding the Mayor may refuse to approve thereof. The vote to pass the same over the Mayor's veto shall be taken by yeas and nays and entered on the journal.
(C) 
No Vote Reconsidered At Special Meeting: No vote of the City Council shall be reconsidered or rescinded at any special meeting thereof unless at such special meeting there be present as large a number of Aldermen as were present when such vote was taken.