These parliamentary procedures are adopted for the boards, commissions and committees (hereinafter referred to as "advisory bodies") of the city council and are meant to establish minimum parliamentary procedures for those advisory bodies. Nothing is meant herein to limit the authority of those advisory bodies to adopt implementing rules that are consistent with these rules.
(Ord. 1506 § 2, 2015)
An advisory body is a body that is required by the Ralph M. Brown Act, Government Code Section 54950 et seq. ("Brown Act"), to conduct its meetings in public and in accordance with that law.
(Ord. 1506 § 2, 2015)
The staff shall prepare an agenda for all public meetings pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act.
(Ord. 1506 § 2, 2015)
A majority of the advisory body shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A majority vote of the quorum shall be necessary to approve action.
(Ord. 1506 § 2, 2015)
The secretary or other staff person assigned the task shall take minutes of the meeting. Minutes are not verbatim transcripts but action minutes that shall show votes taken. The minutes should be approved and filed at the next regular meeting. Advisory body members that were absent from the meeting shall abstain from approving the minutes unless a tape or other verbatim recording of the meeting was reviewed beforehand.
(Ord. 1506 § 2, 2015)
(a) 
Presiding Officer may Debate. The presiding officer may move, second and debate, and shall not be deprived of any rights of an advisory body member by virtue of serving as presiding officer.
(b) 
Getting the Floor. Each advisory body member desiring to speak shall first obtain the presiding officer's permission to speak by being recognized.
(c) 
Interruptions. No advisory body member shall interrupt another person while speaking unless calling for a point of order, and then only when recognized by the chair.
(d) 
Rules of Order. Robert's Rules of Order may be used as a guide to conducting meetings but are not binding. All questions of order are to be decided by the chair unless overruled by a majority of the advisory body. If an advisory body must act in an adjudicatory capacity, Robert's Rules of Order shall not control, but an informal hearing procedure shall be employed to provide whatever due process may be required for the matter being considered.
(Ord. 1506 § 2, 2015)
All persons shall address the advisory body by speaking at the podium, unless other arrangements are authorized. Each person shall be asked to fill out a speaker's card and to state his or her name and address for the record. No person shall be compelled to provide his or her address and speakers may simply provide what city they reside in lieu of a street address. All persons shall address the advisory board by speaking through the chair. Direct questioning or statements to individuals, advisory body or staff are not permitted. There shall be no cross-examination allowed of staff or advisory body members.
(Ord. 1506 § 2, 2015)
The advisory body shall determine if time limits are to be established for addressing the advisory body, unless an exception is allowed.
(Ord. 1506 § 2, 2015)
Whenever a person is speaking as a recognized spokesperson for a group, that person may be allowed additional time to speak, by the presiding officer, in lieu of others present who have authorized that spokesperson by a show of hands. If persons all support a position for the same reasons as another speaker, they may show that they have similar viewpoints by a show of hands in lieu of each person coming to the podium to make the same statement.
(Ord. 1506 § 2, 2015)
Alternates may ask questions of the public, staff or other advisory body members, and may participate in the discussion regarding any matter prior to a motion being made. Once a motion is made and seconded, the question belongs to the advisory body then qualified to vote and alternates shall not participate in the discussion or vote unless serving in lieu of a regular member who is absent or abstaining.
(Ord. 1506 § 2, 2015)