1)
ROSENBERG'S
RULES OF ORDER
The City Council adopts Rosenberg's Rules of Order unless provided
otherwise in this Policy.
2)
USE
OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES
The Council's use of electronic communication devices, such
as cell phones, during a City Council meeting may lead to the public's
perception that a Councilmember is not paying attention to the subject
matter at hand or that a Councilmember is receiving information relative
to the subject matter at hand that other Councilmembers and members
of the public are not receiving, either one of which is inimical to
good government and transparency. Therefore, the Council's use of
electronic communication devices (including cell phones), other than
for the purpose of accessing agenda materials that are on a Councilmember's
tablet or laptop computer, is prohibited during Council meetings.
3)
DUTIES
OF PRESIDING OFFICERS
A)
The
Presiding Officer—Election and Duties. The presiding officer
of the Council shall be the Mayor who shall be elected as provided
in the Stockton City Charter. The Mayor shall preserve strict order
and decorum at all meetings, announce the decisions of the Council
and decide all questions of order consistent with Rosenberg's Rules
of Order subject, however, to an appeal to the Council, in which event
a two-thirds vote of the Council shall govern and conclusively determine
such questions of order.
B)
Call
to Order—Presiding Officer. The Mayor or, in his or her absence,
the Vice Mayor shall take the chair precisely at the hour appointed
for the meeting, and shall immediately call the Council to order.
In the absence of the Mayor or Vice Mayor, the City Clerk, or his
or her deputy, shall call the Council to order, whereupon a temporary
chairperson shall be elected by the members of the Council present.
Upon the arrival of the Mayor or Vice Mayor, the temporary chairperson
shall immediately relinquish the chair upon the conclusion of the
business immediately before the Council.
4)
RULES
OF DEBATE
A)
Except
as provided below, the City Council will follow the latest version
of Rosenberg's Rules of Order.
B)
Presiding
Officer May Debate and Vote. The Mayor or Vice Mayor or such other
member of the Council as may be presiding may move, second, and debate
from the Chair, subject only to such limitations of debate as are
by these rules imposed on all members and shall not be deprived of
any of these rights and privileges of a Councilmember by reason of
acting as the presiding officer.
C)
Getting
the Floor—Improper References. Every member desiring to speak
shall address the Chair, and, upon recognition by the presiding officer,
shall confine all remarks to the question under debate, avoiding all
personalities and indecorous language.
D)
Interruptions.
A member, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking
unless it is to call said member to order, or as herein otherwise
provided. If a member, while speaking, be called to order, said member
shall cease speaking until the question of order is determined, and,
if in order, he/she shall be permitted to proceed.
E)
Time
Limit. Every member, once recognized, shall be limited in their debate
to five minutes and shall, upon expiration of said time, relinquish
the floor.
F)
Privilege
of Closing Debate. The Councilmember making the motion shall have
the privilege of closing the debate.
G)
Remarks
of Councilmembers—When Entered in Minutes. A Councilmember may
request, through the presiding officer, the privilege of having a
written abstract of said member's statement on any subject under consideration
by the Council entered in the minutes. If the Council consents thereto,
such statement shall be entered in the minutes.
5)
ADDRESSING
THE COUNCIL
Any person desiring to address the Council shall first secure
the permission of the presiding officer to do so; provided, however,
that under the following headings of business, unless the presiding
officer rules otherwise, any qualified and interested person shall
have the right to address the Council upon obtaining recognition by
the presiding officer.
A)
Written
Communications. Interested parties or their authorized representatives
may address the Council by written communications in regard to matters
then under discussion.
i)
Material that is submitted to the City Clerk one business day before
the regular meeting, special meeting or workshop will be transmitted
to the City Council prior to the meeting or workshop and made available
to the public.
ii)
Material that is submitted to the City Clerk on the day of the meeting
or workshop will be copied and placed on the dais prior to the meeting
or workshop and made available to the public.
iii)
Material that is presented at a meeting or workshop will be, to the
extent practical, scanned and distributed to the City Council and
made available to the public.
B)
Oral
Communications. Persons may address the Council by oral communications
on any matter concerning the City's business, or any matter over which
the Council has control. Speakers may submit "Request to Speak" cards
to the City Clerk who shall number them in the order in which they
are received. The presiding officer shall call upon such persons to
speak in such order, unless he or she determines that a different
order is necessary to facilitate the conduct of the meeting.
C)
Visual
Presentations. Members of the public wishing to use electronic media
when addressing Council must provide the electronic file to staff
for screening no later than noon six days prior to the meeting. For
example, for the Tuesday meeting, the electronic file must be provided
to City staff by noon on the preceding Wednesday.
Screening ensures that the material is in a format capable of
broadcast or presentation over the audiovisual system, assures that
the material is germane to the agenda item and assures that the material
is legally appropriate for broadcast over the audiovisual system and
cable. No visual materials may be displayed through the audiovisual
system that City staff has not screened.
i)
Visual materials include any visual or textual items that are to
be displayed through the audiovisual system irrespective of their
specific format or media. This includes, without limitation, photographs,
audio and video presentations, charts, computer presentations, computer
screen images, posters and flyers, whether in physical or electronic
format.
ii)
The name of the person or the name of organization presenting the
visual material must be included in the footer on every slide. If
the presenter is representing a party to an appeal, the status of
the party must also be included in the footer.
iii)
Visual Presentations during Public Comments are limited to five minutes,
which includes the time necessary for oral remarks and all visual
presentation.
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Visual materials do not include items held or worn by a speaker
at the podium or worn by a member of the audience, even though such
items may be televised through the cameras that view the audience
and the dais.
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D)
Public
Hearings and Protests, Etc. Persons may address the Council by reading
of protests, petitions, or communications relating to zoning, sewer
and street proceedings, hearings on protests, appeals and petitions,
or similar matters, in regard to matters then under consideration.
E)
Addressing
the Council After Motion is Made. After a motion is made by the Council,
no person shall address the Council without first securing the permission
of the Council to do so.
F)
Manner
of Addressing Council—Time Limit. Persons addressing the Council
shall step up to the podium and may give their name and address in
an audible tone of voice.
i)
All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a body and not to
any member. No person, other than the Council and the person having
the floor shall enter into any discussion, either directly or through
a member of the Council, without the permission of the presiding officer.
No question shall be asked of a Councilmember except through the presiding
officer.
ii)
All comments, including visual presentations, presented to the Council
under any agenda item shall be limited to a maximum of five minutes
but the presiding officer may waive this limitation when deemed necessary
to accommodate more fully a citizen's request to be heard.
6)
MISCELLANEOUS
All reports and resolutions shall be filed with the City Clerk
and entered on the minutes.
1)
Except
as provided below, the City Council will follow the latest version
of Rosenberg's Rules of Order.
2)
ROLL
CALL
Before proceeding with the business of the Council, the City
Clerk or his or her deputy shall call the roll of the members, and
the names of those present shall be entered in the minutes.
3)
QUORUM
A majority of all the members elected to the Council shall constitute
a quorum at any regular or special meeting or study session of the
Council.
4)
ORDER
OF BUSINESS
All meetings of the Council shall be open to the public, except
for closed sessions as permitted by law. The Council shall provide
by resolution the order of business for regular meetings of the Council,
and shall provide therein for public comment as required by law. In
attendance shall be the City Manager, the City Clerk, and the City
Attorney or their authorized designees.
5)
READING
OF MINUTES
The Clerk will read a synopsis of the minutes of the previous
Council meeting at each Council meeting. Such reading of the minutes
may however be dispensed with provided that the Clerk has previously
furnished each member with a synopsis thereof.
6)
ADJOURNMENT
A motion to adjourn shall always be in order and decided without
debate.
City Clerk: File all reports and resolutions.
None applicable.
None applicable.
None applicable.
3/16/81 - Adopted by Resolution No. 38,095
2/22/82 - Amended by Resolution No. 38,894
4/21/86 - Amended by Resolution No. 86-0222
10/26/87 - Amended by Resolution No. 87-0583
5/7/90 - Amended by Resolution No. 90-0286
2/4/92 - Amended by Resolution No. 91-0110
6/7/93 - Amended by Resolution No. 93-0377
2/23/10 - Amended by Resolution No. 10-0041
12/17/13 - Amended by Resolution No. 2013-12-17-1213
1/26/16 - Amended by Resolution No. 2016-01-26-1203
