[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Fenwick Island 9-29-1979 as Ord. No. 50. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
Every proposed ordinance, ordinance amendment or Charter amendment shall
be introduced in writing and in the form required for final adoption, unless
the appropriate committee and/or Ordinance Committee shall later amend said
ordinance for Council approval.
[Amended 5-27-1994]
After an ordinance, ordinance amendment or Charter amendment has been
introduced and given its first reading, it shall be referred to an appropriate
committee and/or Ordinance Committee for report, and the committee and/or
Council may hold a public hearing on any ordinance ordinance amendment or
Charter amendment it so desires. No ordinance, ordinance amendment or Charter
amendment shall be finally enacted at the same meeting in which it was introduced,
and shall be enacted only at a subsequent regularly scheduled monthly Council
meeting, but in no event less than twenty-one (21) days after the first reading.
If a proposed ordinance, ordinance amendment or Charter amendment is substantially
changed in the opinion of the Council during or after the first reading, as
many as necessary additional first readings shall be made at subsequent regular
monthly Council meetings until the proposed ordinance has been read at a regularly
scheduled monthly Council meeting and has had initial acceptance of the Council
without substantial change.
Votes on all ordinances, ordinance amendments and Charter amendments
on final passage shall be taken by roll call vote and the ayes and nays recorded
in the minutes of the Council meeting.
To meet a public emergency affecting life, health, property or the public
peace and safety, the Council may adopt one (1) or more emergency ordinances.
An emergency ordinance shall be introduced in the form and manner prescribed
for ordinances generally, except that it shall be plainly designated as an
emergency ordinance and shall contain, after the enacting clause, a declaration
stating that an emergency exists and describing it in clear and specific terms.
An emergency ordinance may be adopted with or without amendment at the meeting
at which it was introduced, but the affirmative vote of at least three-fourths
(3/4) of a quorum of Council members shall be required for adoption. An emergency
ordinance shall become effective at the discretion of the Council and shall
remain in effect only so long as the emergency exists.
All proposed ordinances, including emergency ordinances, ordinance amendments,
and Charter amendments, shall be displayed clearly and be visible to the public
on a bulletin board inside and outside the Town Hall of Fenwick Island, within
four (4) days after the first reading, and shall remain posted until they
are approved or rejected by Council. A notice shall accompany each proposed
ordinance, ordinance amendment or Charter amendment stating that the proposed
ordinance, ordinance amendment or Charter amendment was read by Council on
(state date), that the second reading will be on (state date), and that each
proposed ordinance, ordinance amendment or Charter amendment is subject to
change or amendment before final approval by Council. All ordinances, ordinance
amendments or Charter amendments shall be displayed five (5) days after their
approval and shall remain displayed to the public not less than thirty (30)
days.
Any variation from this chapter, ordinance amendments and Charter amendments
enactment procedure shall deem the said ordinance, ordinance amendment or
Charter amendment null and void.
