121.02 MEETINGS.

   (a)    General. The following meetings shall have minutes taken, and these minutes shall be approved by a majority of City Council and filed with the Clerk of Council.

   (b)   Organizational Meeting.

      (1)    The City Council organizational meeting is to be held in January of each year following a regular municipal election. The City Council shall meet in the Council Chambers for the purpose of organization. No gathering of persons elected as members of the City Council, prior to the start of their term, shall be considered a meeting of City Council. (Charter 3.06 )

      (2)    The President of Council, the Vice President of Council, the Planning Commission representative, and the Clerk of Council and any deputies shall be elected by the members of the City Council at this meeting.

      (3)   The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Committee of the Whole shall be elected by the members of the City Council at this meeting.

      (4)    Committee, Board, and Commission assignments shall be based on the seniority of the Members of the City Council. City Council members shall list their top three (3) choices in order of preference. In order of seniority, each City Council member will be assigned his/her top choice. If the member’s top choice is not available, then the member’s next choice in order of preference shall be considered. The appointments made by the City Council shall be valid until the next organizational meeting or as otherwise determined by the City Council.

      (5)    Seniority for the selection of assignments shall be determined by the length of uninterrupted councilmanic service only.

      (6)    No meeting of a Committee of Council, Board or Commission shall convene during January of an even numbered year, prior to the Organizational Meeting of the City Council.

   (c)   Regular Meetings. All meetings of the City Council shall be held in the Council Chambers in City Hall unless otherwise ordered by the City Council. In December of each year, the City Council shall vote to set the Regular City Council Meeting Calendar for the following year.

   (d)    Special Council Meetings. Special Council meetings may be called by the Mayor, President of Council, or any three (3) members of the City Council. Unless an emergency exists requiring a shorter notice confirmed by at least two-thirds of the members of the City Council, there shall be given at least twenty-four (24) hours notice in writing of such special meeting served personally on each member of City Council or left at their usual place of residence. Such notice shall state the subjects to be considered at the meeting and no other matter shall be considered except on the approval at that meeting by at least two-thirds of the members of the City Council. City officials requested to attend the Special Council meeting shall also be notified in the above manner. (Charter 3.07)

   (e)   Work Sessions. Work sessions may be called by the President of Council, three (3) members of the City Council, or by a motion of the City Council. There shall be given at least twenty-four (24) hours’ notice in writing of such work session served personally on each member of the City Council or left at their usual place of residence. Such notice shall state the subjects to be discussed at the meeting and no other matters shall be discussed except on the approval at that meeting by at least two-thirds of the members of the City Council. City officials requested to attend the work session shall also be notified in the above manner. No legislative deliberation is to take place during a work session. Citizens' comments may be permitted at work sessions.

   (f)   Public Hearings.

      (1)   Public Hearings offer citizens an opportunity to express their opinion on a particular issue or piece of legislation in front of the City Council before final consideration. Public hearings may be a separate meeting or may be held before, during, or after a regular or special meeting. No legislative deliberation is to take place during a public hearing. The City Council will not approve the legislation the same night as the hearing. In the event that the timeline necessitates earlier approval, this provision may be waived.

      (2)   Public hearings in front of the City Council must be held for the following issues:

         A.    Zoning Map and Regulation Changes

         B.    Budget Commission Tax Rate and Levy Certification

         C.    Annual Tax Budget Approval

         D.    Other issues as advised by the Law Director

         E.    Upon the request of the majority of Council

         F.    Building Regulation Changes

         G.    CAUV Applications

      (3)    Notification

         A.    Date of hearing must be set by a motion of the City Council

         B.    Hearing must be advertised in at least one newspaper of general circulation

         C.   Hearing advertisement must occur at least 30 days prior to the public hearing

         D.   Advertising must state the title of the legislation, the time, date and place of the hearing

         E.    All "Aurora reporting" press should be notified

   (g)   Quorum. A majority of the members of the City Council shall constitute a quorum to transact business, but a lesser number may adjourn from time to time and compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as may be prescribed by the City Council rules and regulations duly adopted. (Charter 3.08)  

   In the absence of a quorum at the hour appointed for the meeting the members present may, by majority vote of those present, recess for a period not exceeding thirty minutes.

   (h)   Time Limit. City Council meetings shall not exceed three (3) hours, not including Executive Sessions and the Mayor's Report, unless the City Council suspends the Rules of the City Council to continue the meeting. The questions and answers regarding the Mayor's Report are to be considered as a part of the Report.

   The Mayor's Report shall be limited to seven (7) minutes, not including questions and answers, unless a longer period of time is approved by the Chair.

   (i)   Executive Session.

      (1)   All meetings of the City Council shall be public. However, the City Council may go into Executive Session to consider only those subjects permitted by Ohio law.

      (2)   The City Council must return to Open Session prior to the consideration of any order of business.

      (3)   Executive Sessions are privileged and confidential, and information shall not be shared with anyone other than the participants.

         (Ord. 2024-028. Passed 2-26-24.)