The city council shall determine its own rules and procedures. The city council shall have all powers necessary to properly discharge the duties imposed upon it. In order to provide the framework for the execution of these powers and authority, the following set of rules shall be in effect upon their adoption by the city council and until such time as they are amended or new rules adopted in the manner provided by these rules.
(Ordinance 111, sec. 1, adopted 8/14/18)
(a)
Open meetings.
All meetings of the city council shall be open to the public, with the exception of executive sessions.
(b)
Terminology.
For purposes of these rules, the collective membership of the mayor and aldermen shall be known as the city council. Individually, each shall be referred to as mayor and council member.
(c)
Quorum.
Three (3) voting members of the city council shall constitute a quorum.
(d)
Minutes of meetings.
An account of all proceedings of the city council shall be kept by the city secretary and shall be entered in a book constituting the official record of the city council. The official city council minutes are action minutes and provide the action taken by the city council and a summary of subjects discussed. The city secretary shall attend all meetings of the city council unless expressly excused, and shall keep the official minutes and perform such other duties requested by the city council.
(Ordinance 111, sec. 2, adopted 8/14/18)
(a)
Regular meetings.
Regular meetings of the city council shall be held on the second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 245 Rick Husband Blvd. Provided further, the city council may authorize the holding of a regular meeting at a time, place or location other than as set forth herein if deemed necessary by city council due to conflict with city holidays, or for public accommodation and convenience. The council shall determine whether or not to continue its meeting for additional time if the 1.5 hours they have allotted will expire and further items are on the agenda and have not been considered. The call for and conduct of all meetings of the city council, both regular and special, shall be in accordance with the state law and the Open Meetings Act.
(b)
Special meetings.
Special meetings of the council shall be called by the mayor upon his or her own motion, or on the written request of a majority (3) of the members of the council qualified and serving, or upon motion and majority (3) vote of the council during a council meeting; the city secretary shall post notice of such meeting in accordance with state law and the Open Meetings Act.
(c)
Executive sessions.
Executive sessions (closed sessions) shall be conducted in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act whenever the city council finds it appropriate during a meeting. All matters discussed in executive sessions may be deemed confidential and, by law, members of the city council and participants authorized to attend executive sessions shall not make selective disclosure of confidential matters where the information has not been released to the public.
(d)
Recessed meetings.
Any meeting of the city council may be recessed to a later time provided that no recess shall be for a longer period than until the next regularly scheduled city council meeting. Such recess shall be held upon the approval of the vote of the majority of the city council. Additional notice shall be posted in accordance with the Open Meetings Act for any recess that is set beyond the next business day.
(e)
Work session meetings.
(1)
Work session meetings may be called by the mayor or any three (3) council members for the purpose of discussing in depth, investigating or exploring matters of interest to the city, without formal action being taken thereon by the city council. The time, place and purpose of such work session meeting shall be stated in a notice complying with the Texas Open Meetings Act. Such work session meeting may be held in any appropriate location inside or outside city hall with concurrence by any three (3) council members or as determined by the mayor. Such work session meetings may include, but not limited to, meetings with neighboring governmental bodies or agencies, meetings with one of the city’s appointed boards, commissions or committees or a meeting for the council members to research, evaluate, explore, investigate or discuss any matter of interest or possible action affecting the city, subject to compliance with the provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act.
(2)
The city council may establish regular work session meetings immediately prior to regular city council meetings. In conjunction with the regularly scheduled city council meeting, a pre city council work session shall be held at 3:00 p.m., the Monday prior to the regular city council meeting, unless otherwise specified. The agenda for the city council work session meeting shall include, among other items: routine reports, information related to the regular agenda items, and issues for which the city council seeks direction or clarification.
(Ordinance 111, sec. 3, adopted 8/14/18; Ordinance adopting 2023 Code)
(a)
Mayor to preside at meetings.
The mayor shall preside at all meetings of the council, but if for any reason the mayor is absent from the city, sick or unable to act, then the mayor pro-tem shall preside at such meetings.
(b)
Call to order.
The meetings of the city council shall be called to order by the presiding officer.
(c)
Motions.
The following motions are available to be made:
(1)
Main motion.
A subject shall be introduced by a main motion. The presiding officer shall seek a motion on the agenda item, but in the absence of any such motion, the presiding officer may make a motion. Once the motion is seconded, no other topics should be taken up until after the motion is disposed of in accordance with these rules. The main motion may be modified at the initiative of the movant and [with] the concurrence of the council member who seconded the main motion.
(2)
Second.
Any motion requires a second or it dies for lack of a second.
(3)
Motion to table or postpone to a time certain.
This motion requires that consideration of the main motion be delayed until a certain, stated time for, among other reasons, obtaining more information. A future date certain shall be set when the subject is considered. This motion is debatable and requires a majority vote of the members present for passage.
(4)
Motion to call the question.
This motion is made to end discussion that has become lengthy, repetitious, or futile. When seconded, the presiding officer immediately calls the vote on the question of closing the discussion. This motion is not debatable and requires a majority vote of the members present for passage. If a motion to call the question is approved, any council member who has not yet been heard shall be allowed up to three (3) minutes to comment on the item prior to the vote.
(5)
Motion to reconsider.
The council may reconsider a vote during the same meeting on motion by a member who voted on the prevailing (winning) side of an issue. This motion is debatable and requires a majority of the members present for passage. If that vote is affirmative, a second vote is held on the issue to be reconsidered.
(6)
Frivolous or delaying motions.
The presiding officer shall not entertain any motion that is frivolous or clearly made for purpose of delay.
(7)
Point of order, questions and inquiries.
(A)
A point of order may be raised at any time and supersedes any issue being discussed at the time. No second is required for a point of order and no debate is allowed. The presiding officer shall rule on the point of order before proceeding.
(B)
Whenever necessary, advice may be asked as to correct procedures of [or] facts may be requested. The presiding officer shall respond to the question or refer it to the proper person.
(8)
Motion to adjourn.
(A)
At the conclusion of business, the presiding officer may declare the meeting adjourned without waiting for a motion, but a member may move to keep the meeting open in order to make a motion to reconsider or to ask that an item be placed on a future agenda or a member may move to adjourn.
(B)
When the meeting is adjourned by a vote of the body, the meeting is immediately halted.
(d)
Preservation of order.
The mayor or presiding officer shall preserve the order and decorum of the council meetings.
(e)
Questions to be stated; announcement of result.
The mayor or presiding officer shall state all questions submitted for a vote and announce the result.
(Ordinance 111, sec. 4, adopted 8/14/18)
(a)
It is imperative that the mayor or presiding officer maintain order at all times. The mayor must not permit debate or comments from any who have not been recognized. Recognition will be considered to any council member who addresses the presiding officer as mayor or mayor pro-tem. Interruptions must be silenced by voice, use of gavel or other means, and, in the event of any person’s failure to heed the directions of the mayor or presiding officer, the individual may be removed.
(b)
When a measure is presented to the council for consideration, the presiding officer shall recognize the appropriate individual to present the case. No member of the council shall interrupt another who is speaking except to make a point of order. No member shall speak more than five minutes on any question.
(c)
The mayor shall not be obligated to recognize any council member for a second comment on the subject until every council member wishing to speak has been allowed a first comment. Council members have the right to yield their time or a portion of their time to another member.
(d)
The mayor and council members shall not be permitted to indulge in personalities, use language personally offensive, arraign motives of members, charge or deliberate misrepresentation [sic], or use language tending to hold a member of the city council up to contempt.
(e)
If a member is speaking without being recognized or otherwise transgressing the rules of the council, the presiding officer shall, or any council member may, call him or her to order in which case her or she shall immediately be quit unless permitted to explain. (A council member who is disorderly may be removed from the meeting, but this should only be a last resort.)
(Ordinance 111, sec. 5, adopted 8/14/18)
(a)
The order of business at each meeting shall be as contained in the city council agenda prepared by the mayor. The agenda shall be a listing by topic of subjects to be considered by the city council, and, in the case of regular meetings, shall be delivered to the city council not less than 72 hours preceding the scheduled meeting to which it pertains.
(b)
The mayor will be able to place any item on an agenda at his or her discretion. Similarly, upon written request, including email, council members’ requests shall be included on the agenda. Each council member is limited to 5 items per month and must be received by the city secretary no later than 12:00 p.m., 10 days prior to the next regular Tuesday scheduled meeting. Once an agenda item has been requested per the above, such agenda item can only be removed from the agenda by the person who requested it.
(c)
Upon final completion and approval by the mayor, the agenda for the next council meeting shall be distributed to the full city council 72 hours preceding the scheduled meeting along with the agenda packet that includes all topics to be discussed or voted on, unless it is of an emergency nature as authorized by the Texas Open Meetings Act and comes to the city’s attention too late to appear on the agenda.
(d)
Any item not appearing on the agenda shall not be taken up for discussion as a matter of city council business during a regular meeting unless it is of an emergency nature as authorized by the Texas Open Meetings Act and may be added as a supplemental item to the regular agenda.
(e)
The city secretary shall post notices of all city council meetings in order to afford compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act and also post any required notices publicly and in the newspaper.
(Ordinance 111, sec. 6, adopted 8/14/18)
(a)
As a general rule, citizens may not participate in discussions of the city council except when recognized by the mayor or if added to the agenda by a city council member. Council members who elect to sponsor a citizen on the agenda must realize this counts towards one of their 5 items allotted for the month.
(b)
As time permits during a city council meeting the mayor may elect to hear from citizens. Each citizen will be given 3 minutes to make their comment or ask a question. Council members are not allowed to discuss any presented issue nor may they take action on any issue at this time. If time does not allow for citizens to address the council, they will be able to fill out the question or comment form provided. If any form requires action by the council it will be considered for the next agenda.
(Ordinance 111, sec. 7, adopted 8/14/18)