Unless otherwise required by this Charter or state law, all ordinances, regulations, resolutions and bylaws shall be passed by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the city council present, by yeas and nays, which shall be entered upon the record of the council, approved by the mayor and attested by the city recorder, and then recorded at length by the designated secretary to the council in a separate book provided for that purpose. All ordinances shall be published at least once in the official paper of the city becoming effective seven days after such ordinance is published.
Resolutions, regulations and bylaws need not be published unless so required by the city council or by the laws of the State of Minnesota, and shall take effect when approved by the mayor and attested by the city recorder.
An ordinance shall not be passed at the first meeting at which it is presented to the city council, except by unanimous consent of all members present, and not then unless two thirds of the members elected are present. An emergency ordinance is an ordinance necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare. It must be adopted by the affirmative votes of at least five council members and contain a preamble that defines and declares the emergency. The city may not prosecute a violation of an emergency ordinance until 24 hours after the ordinance was either (a) filed with the city clerk and posted in three conspicuous places in the city or (b) published at least once in the official means of the alleged violation. An emergency ordinance is automatically repealed on the 61st day after adoption, but the ordinance may be re-enacted if the emergency still exists.
The following actions of the council shall be effective only if taken by the enactment of an ordinance:
(a) any action which reasonably can be expected to require the direct or indirect expenditure of moneys in the city treasury during any one year period in an amount greater than 10 percent of the annual city budget for the fiscal year in which such action is taken.
(b) any action which legally obligates the City of Austin, under contract or otherwise, for a period greater than five years.
Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) above, the council may authorize the issuance of bonds and certificates of indebtedness by resolution.