The Council shall be the judge of the election and qualifications of its own members. It may remove any member for gross misconduct, or malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance in or disqualification for office, or for conviction while in office for a crime involving moral turpitude, or if adjudicated legally incompetent, or for a violation of his oath of office or persistent failure to abide by the rules of Council, or absence from five (5) consecutive regular meetings of the Council unless one (1) or more of such absences shall have been excused by the Council; provided, however, that such removal shall not take place without the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the remaining members of Council; nor until the accused member shall have been notified in writing of the charge against him at least fifteen (15) days in advance of a public hearing upon such charge; and he or his counsel shall have been given an opportunity to be heard, present evidence, and examine, under oath, any witness appearing in support of such charge. The accused member shall not vote on the question of his removal.