[Adopted by Article 115 of the Codified Ordinances]
A.
Purpose. The purpose of these rules and regulations
is to establish the internal organization of the Council to provide
for an ordered and efficient procedure of operation in a democratic
manner.
B.
President. The President of the Council shall be selected
at the organization meeting of the Council. The President of the Council
may be removed by the Council upon the affirmative vote of an absolute
majority of the Council. The President may select, from time to time,
a member of the Council to preside at meetings of the Council in his
absence.
C.
Time of meetings. The Council shall meet regularly on the second
and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. or such other time between
5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., as Council may elect by majority vote and
only after applicable notice and advertising in accordance with Pennsylvania
Law, in the Council Chambers of the Municipal Building of the City,
unless such day is a holiday, in which case the meeting shall be the
following secular day. Special meetings of the Council may be called
by the President and shall be called upon the request of a majority
of the members of Council. At least 24 hours' written notice of the
special meeting, setting forth the time, place and purpose, shall
be given to each member personally or by leaving a copy thereof at
his place of residence or by providing the same to said Councilmember
by email. Special meetings may be held at such place and at such time,
open to the public, as set forth in the notice.
[Amended 9-8-2020 by Ord.
No. 08-2020]
D.
Agenda of meeting. The agenda of each regular meeting
shall be as follows:
[Amended 6-23-2015 by Ord. No. 6-2015]
(1)
Call to order.
(2)
Pledge of allegiance.
(3)
Calling roll of members.
(4)
Approval of minutes.
(5)
Proclamations, honors, awards and resolutions of recognition.
(6)
Public comment.
(7)
Reports requested by Council.
(8)
For the first meeting of the month, reports of committees of Council,
and for the second meeting of the month, interim reports of committees
of Council.
(9)
Legislative agenda.
(10)
Public comment.
(11)
Report of the Mayor.
(12)
Report of President of Council.
(13)
Council comments.
(14)
Adjournment.
E.
Conduct of meeting. All meetings of the Council shall
be open to the public except where the nature of the subject being
discussed requires otherwise, in which case, upon the concurrence
of all members present less one, the Council may sit as a committee
of the whole. When sitting as a committee of the whole, no vote may
be taken.
(1)
The President of the Council shall preside at all
meetings and shall preserve order and announce the decision of the
Council on all subjects. The rules of parliamentary practice comprised
in Robert's Rules of Order shall govern in all cases in which they
are applicable and not inconsistent with the standing rules of the
Council.
(2)
Any member desiring to speak shall address the President
and, upon being recognized, shall confine himself to the subject.
(3)
All motions shall be presented to the President, and
no motion shall be considered in debate until it shall have been stated
by the President or by the City Clerk at the direction of the President.
Each ordinance or resolution shall be introduced in written or typewritten
form.
(4)
No member or the Mayor shall speak more than twice
upon the same motion in the same meeting, nor for more than 10 minutes
at one time, without leave granted by the President.
(5)
Before putting any question, the President shall permit
any member of public attending the meeting to make such statements
as he desires, confining himself to the subject under consideration.
The President may limit the time of each statement.
(6)
When the Council is ready for the question, the President
shall put the question to the Council. The names of the members of
the Council shall be called in alphabetical order, except the President
who shall be called last, and the yeas and nays shall be recorded
in full on the minutes.
(7)
No motion for reconsideration shall be entertained
unless made by a member voting with the prevailing side in the first
instance. Upon the motion for reconsideration prevailing, any member
may interrogate any member who did not speak as to the reason of his
yea or nay.
F.
Minutes. The City Clerk shall cause minutes of each
meeting of the Council to be recorded, and shall provide each member
with a copy of the minutes of each meeting not less than two days
prior to the next regular meeting.
G.
Committees. The Council may establish from among its
members such committees as it may from time to time deem necessary
or appropriate. The manner of appointment shall be specified in the
motion to create the committee. The committee may be discharged in
the same manner as appointed. The President shall be an ex officio
member of all committees.
H.
Attendance. Any member of the Council who is absent
without an excuse acceptable to the Council for more than two meetings
in any one year shall forfeit $25 for each such meeting.
I.
Suspension and amendment. Any rule of the Council
may be suspended by assent of 2/3 of the members present. The
rules may be amended or repealed by an absolute majority of the Council
taken at the regular meeting next following the meeting at which the
amendment or repealer was introduced.
There is hereby established the position of
Secretary to City Council who shall perform such duties as requested
by the Council and shall be appointed by the Council and receive such
salary as is duly appropriated therefor.
[Amended 3-11-1997 by Ord. No. 4-1997]
A.
The annual compensation of the members of the City
Council who will be elected for four-year terms beginning in January
2006 and thereafter shall be the sum of $8,000 per annum. The member
of the Council who is elected as President thereof shall receive the
additional sum of $500 per annum as President.
[Amended 1-25-2005 by Ord. No. 20-2005]
The Council shall be vested with the powers
and duties as specified in the appropriate areas of responsibilities
of the City.
The Legislative Department, in addition to the
Council, shall consist of the following subordinate functional areas
and shall conduct all of the appropriate areas of responsibility associated
therewith:
The Council or its subordinate functional areas
shall, in addition to all other appropriate areas of responsibility,
interact, where applicable, with the various authorities, boards and
commissions of the City appropriate to the Legislative Department.
