[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of
the Town of Farmington 7-1-1991; amended in its entirety 1-13-2004.
Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Code of Ethics — See Ch. 24.
A.
Regular Council meetings shall be held on the second
and fourth Tuesday of each month.
B.
Each meeting shall start at 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise
specified.
[Amended 1-2-2024]
C.
The Council agenda, with supporting material, shall
be provided to Council members the Thursday preceding each meeting.
The deadline for regular items to be included in the agenda shall
be 4:30 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to the regular meeting.
[Amended 1-2-2024]
D.
Additional special Council meetings may be called
by the Chair. Any Council member may request that a special Council
meeting be called. In the event the Chair declines to call a special
Council meeting, three members of the Council may call a special Council
meeting.
E.
Agendas for all Council meetings shall be prepared
by the Town Manager in consultation with the Chair.
[Amended 1-9-2018; 1-14-2020]
F.
Town Council
meetings shall be held in person and online. It is expected that Town
Council members will participate in person.
[Added 1-2-2024]
The proceedings of the Council shall be conducted
in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.
[Amended 1-14-2020]
A.
The Chair of the Town Council, who may also be referred
to as the "Mayor," shall preside over all meetings of the Council.
B.
Each member shall be provided with an agenda in advance
of each meeting.
C.
Voting.
(1)
All
votes shall be "aye" or "nay," and the vote of each member shall be
recorded. In cases where there are no "nays" or "ayes," the Secretary
shall record the vote as unanimous, unless a member who did not cast
an audible vote requests that his or her vote be recorded otherwise.
The Clerk shall have ample time to record the vote before moving on
to the next agenda item.
(2)
All members present shall vote on each question, except when a member has, or believes he or she has, a conflict of interest. In such circumstance, the member shall comply with the Code of Ethics, Chapter 24 of the Farmington Code.
(3)
A
motion to limit or extend limits of debate, a motion for the previous
question (i.e., to “call the question”) or a motion to
suspend, alter or amend these rules of procedure shall require a two-thirds
vote of the members present, but not fewer than four affirmative votes.
(4)
Public
comments may be limited to five minutes per speaker at the discretion
of the Chair. Members of the public attending in person will be given
the opportunity to provide public comment before online attendees
are given the opportunity to provide public comment.
[Amended 1-2-2024]
The order of business of the regular Council
meeting held on the second Tuesday of each month shall be as follows:
A.
Call to order.
B.
Pledge of Allegiance.
C.
Presentations and recognitions.
D.
Public hearing.
E.
New items.
F.
Public comments.
G.
Reading of minutes.
H.
Reading of communications and written appeals.
I.
Report of Council Chair and liaisons.
J.
Report of committees.
K.
Report of Town Manager.
L.
Appointments.
M.
Old business.
N.
New business.
O.
Executive session (by 2/3 vote).
P.
Adjournment.
[Amended 1-14-2014]
The order of business of the regular Council
meeting held on the fourth Tuesday of each month shall be as follows:
By a two-thirds affirmative vote of the full
Council membership, any item received after the deadline and which
is considered to either be an emergency or a matter of sufficient
import to warrant special consideration may be introduced and, if
added to the agenda, may be considered a part of the agenda at a regular
meeting. If new items are presented to the Council, whether from the
public or from the Council, their addition to the agenda shall be
considered before the public comment portion of the meeting in order
to give the public the opportunity to comment on those agenda items.
The following sections of the Town Charter are
referred to or quoted for the procedure guidance of the Council:
A.
Section C3-2: "A vacancy in the office of the Chair of the Council, from whatever cause arising, shall be filled by appointment by the Council for the unexpired balance of the term, in accordance with C2-3 above. The Council at its first meeting shall appoint from among its members an Acting Chair who shall have all powers, duties and responsibilities of the Chair of the Council in the Chair's absence or incapacity."
[Amended 1-14-2020]
B.
Section C3-4: "The presence of four members shall constitute a quorum, but no ordinance, resolution or vote except a vote to adjourn or fix the time and place of its next meeting or to fill a vacancy in an elective office after a sixty-day impasse has occurred, shall be adopted by fewer than four affirmative votes."
The Council shall elect an Acting Chair at its first meeting in January, following a municipal election, in accordance with § C3-2 of the Farmington Town Charter.
It is the obligation and responsibility of a
Council member not to interfere with or intervene in the implementation
by the Town Manager or other Town official of the policy or decision
adopted by the Council and not divulge to anyone any aspect of matters
considered and discussed in executive session. Each Council member
shall act in complete accordance with the provisions and tenor of
this section, and should any Council member fail to so act, such failure
shall subject such member to censure, reprimand or such other action
deemed appropriate by the Council.
