(A) Members of the public attending Council meetings must observe the same rules of order and decorum applicable to the Council members and city staff. Each person who addresses the Council shall do so in an orderly manner and shall not make personal, impertinent, slanderous or profane remarks to any member of the Council, staff or general public. Any person who makes such remarks, or who utters loud, threatening, personal or abusive language, or engages in any other disorderly conduct which disrupts, disturbs or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of any Council meeting shall, at the discretion of the presiding officer or a majority of the Council, be barred from further audience before the Council during that meeting. Unauthorized remarks from the audience, heckling, stamping of feet, whistles, yells, applause, and similar demonstrations which disrupt, disturb or otherwise impede the orderly conduct of the Council meeting should not be permitted by the presiding officer of the meeting.
(B) The presiding officer of the meeting may order the meeting room cleared and Council may continue in session if the meeting is willfully interrupted by a person or group of persons so as to render the orderly conduct of the meeting infeasible without removal of individuals who are willfully disrupting the meeting. In these cases, only matters appearing on the agenda may be considered. Representatives of the press or other news media, except those participating in the disturbance, and individuals not responsible for disturbance of the orderly conduct of the meeting, will be allowed to remain at the meeting or may be readmitted.
(Ord. 1347, passed 12-15-10; Am. Ord. 1358, passed 6-19-13; Am. Ord. 1384, passed 3-16-16)