(a) Time and Place of Meetings.
(1) Regular meetings. The regular meetings of Council shall generally be held at the Council Chambers located at 101 East Washington Street, on the first and third Mondays, unless otherwise scheduled, in each month at 7:00 p.m. A list of regular meeting dates will be available on the exterior City Hall bulletin board and website. If Council shall determine that the Council Chambers in City Hall are not or will not, for any reason, be an appropriate place for the holding of a meeting, the Council may, upon motion, second and majority vote, designate another place open to the public within the City for the holding of such meeting. Council may also hold remote meetings when special circumstances warrant such action but only after a motion, second, and majority vote. As with all public meetings, all Council members must be able to hear and be heard by other members and the proceedings must be accessible to the public so they can observe the Council in action.
(2) Special meetings. A special meeting is a separate Council session held at a different date and time than a regular meeting and may be called by the Mayor, the Presiding Officer of Council in the event of a mayoral vacancy, or any three (3) members of Council. The purpose for holding a special meeting is to address matters that arise between regular meetings and require action by Council before the next regularly scheduled meeting. Notice of time, place, and purpose of the meeting, including a clear and specific description of any proposed action to be taken by Council, must be provided to all members at least three (3) days, excluding weekends and legal holidays, prior to the special meeting. A special meeting notice will be issued along with an agenda announcing any special meeting.
(b) Attendance. Members of Council are expected to be physically present for regular meetings but may attend up to four (4) regular meetings remotely during any fiscal year, provided appropriate technology is available that enables them to hear and be heard by other members of Council. Any member attending a meeting remotely after the four (4) approved regular meetings will only be able to observe the work of Council and may not participate as a member in discussion or any votes.
(c) Council may waive, via a resolution, the four (4) regular meeting limit on remote participation for all members when extenuating circumstances arise and more flexibility is needed to promote the orderly conduct of Council business.
(d) Agendas.
(1) The City Clerk shall prepare a written agenda for all scheduled meetings which shall consist of items submitted by the Mayor, City Council members, and the City Manager.
(2) The agenda shall be posted on the exterior bulletin board for City meetings located at 105 South George Street and on the City website three (3) days prior to the scheduled meeting. Revisions to the posted agenda can be made, however, the amended agenda must be made available at least two (2) days in advance of the scheduled meeting. For purposes of calculating the number of days in any notice period contained in these rules Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays are excluded.
(e) Presiding Officer.
(1) The Presiding Officer must be physically present in the meeting room to take the chair unless all of Council is meeting remotely.
(2) The Mayor shall take the chair at the hour appointed for Council to meet, and having called the members to order, shall preserve decorum and enforce a strict observance of these rules.
(3) In the physical absence of the Mayor, unless all of Council is meeting remotely, the Mayor Pro- Tempore shall take the chair and assume all duties as appointed the Mayor. In the physical absence of both the Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tempore, unless all of Council is meeting remotely, and a quorum still being in attendance, the present members will elect the chair and that member will assume the duties appointed to the Mayor.
(4) Upon the opening of an agenda item, the Presiding Officer shall introduce or cause to be introduced each item on the Council agenda prior to a motion, debate, and vote on the item.
(5) The Presiding Officer can remove any member of the public attending a scheduled meeting of Council that is disruptive, to the extent that orderly conduct of the meeting is compromised, from the meeting with the assistance of a member of the Police Department upon proper direction.
(f) Filing of Papers to Be Introduced at Council Meetings and Actions of the City Clerk. In order to promote the orderly conduct of the business of Council and the timely preparation of an accurate agenda, the following rules are hereby established:
(1) The Mayor, members of Council, and the City Manager must notify the City Clerk of any item for placement on an agenda at least four (4) days prior to the meeting for which action is intended.
(2) Every effort should be made to submit all meeting materials that are actionable, including but not limited to ordinances, resolutions, petitions, reports, communications, and other documents, to the office of the City Clerk not later than 12:00 noon one (1) day, excluding holidays and weekends, immediately preceding the day of the meeting at which it is intended to be considered.
(3) The written agenda and all related and supporting documentation for consideration at the intended meeting shall be distributed by the City Clerk to the Mayor and Council.
(4) Nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit any member of Council, at the proper order of business, from introducing or submitting any ordinance, resolution, petition, committee report or communication during any regular meeting. Unless it is determined to be an emergency item, official action on any item presented to Council in this manner is prohibited until proper placement on the next Council agenda.
(g) Order of Business at Regular Meetings.
(1) The order of business for each regular meeting shall be:
A. Call to Order
B. Moment of Silence and Pledge of Allegiance
C. Approval of the Minutes
D. Public Comments
E. Reports
F. Unfinished Business
G. New Business
H. Appointments to Committees/Commissions
I. Referrals to Committees/Commissions
J. Approval of Bills
K. Adjournment
(2) The Presiding Officer may order that any agenda item be repositioned as to provide for a more efficient meeting.
(h) Parliamentary Rules of Order. These rules of Council, the Charles Town City Charter, state law and other rules duly adopted by Council shall govern Council. In all cases not provided for, the Presiding Officer shall decide, subject to an appeal by a member of Council which shall then be determined by the rules of parliamentary usage comprised in the most recent edition of "Robert's Rules of Order."
(i) Members of Public Speaking Before Council.
(1) A member of Council may ask the floor for a member of the public to speak before Council, which said motion is non-debatable. Upon such request, the presiding officer shall inquire of the councilmember the subject matter of the inquiry. Council, by majority vote, shall determine whether or not the person shall be allowed to address Council. Any person addressing Council shall be allowed no more than five (5) minutes to address their remarks, unless by majority vote, Council allows a longer period of time.
(2) A maximum of twenty (20) minutes shall be set aside at the beginning of each meeting of the Council to permit members of the public, without leave of Council, to address the Council on any matter pertaining to the City's business with a maximum of five (5) minutes per person. Any member of the public wishing to address the Council shall first register with the City Clerk, or designated representative for such purpose, not earlier than fifteen (15) minutes before the beginning of the meeting setting forth their name, the group, if any, on whose behalf they wish to speak, their address and the subject matter which they wish to speak. For those attending the Council meeting, a sign-up sheet will be available to those who wish to register to speak. Members of the public attending the meeting remotely, must still provide the same information to register to speak but may do so in an email or through the chat function available for remote attendees. Registration for remote attendees will follow the same schedule for those attending in person. Individuals present at the meeting will be invited to speak first. If members of the public are still waiting to speak after the twenty (20) minute time period has expired Council may hold an additional public comment period for twenty (20) minutes upon completion of business if so, decided by Council by majority vote. Nothing in this section shall affect the ability of a member of Council to request that a member of the public be allowed to speak pursuant to Section 111.01(i).
(j) Making Entries in the Minute Book. No remarks, voting explanations or words spoken in debate by any member of Council shall be reproduced in the journal except by unanimous consent of the members of the Council present.
(k) Committees.
(1) Standing committees shall be appointed by Council, and Select Committees by the Mayor, unless otherwise ordered.
(2) Standing committees shall be as follows:
A. Finance -the Committee's duties include but are not limited to proposing changes to the City's fiscal, budgetary, and investment policies; reviewing and recommending to Council operating, capital, and coal severance budgets and budget revisions; and authorizing the execution of contracts within approved budget levels.
B. Infrastructure - the Committee's duties include but are not limited to reviewing and recommending policies to Council related to public streets, curbs, stormwater, sidewalks, broadband, and electric/gas utilities.
C. Ordinance - the Committee's duties include but are not limited to reviewing and recommending to Council proposed additions and deletions to the City's codified ordinances and related policies.
D. Personnel - the Committee's duties include but are not limited to reviewing and recommending proposed changes to the City's personnel policies and facilitating Council actions related to the hiring, evaluation, and termination of the City Manager.
(3) Select committees shall be created and dissolved at the discretion of the Mayor.
(4) Reports of committees shall be in writing and shall specify such action as the committee may recommend for adoption by Council.
(l) When a Member Abstains from Voting. No member shall vote on any question before the City Council if directly and immediately interested therein other than as a citizen of the City of Charles Town; however, no member may abstain from voting without, prior to discussion, having stated their reason for not participating and having obtained a ruling from the presiding officer excusing them from doing so.
(m) Recission, Amendment, and Suspension of Rules. No rule of the Council shall be suspended for a single item in any case except by unanimous consent of the Council members present remotely or in person provided, that no rule shall be suspended if compliance wherewith is made mandatory by state law, the City Charter, or another ordinance of the City of Charles Town. (Ord. 2022-002. Passed 2-22-22.)