A. Decorum. The purpose of the rules of decorum is to promote mutual respect, civility, and orderly conduct among elected and appointed City officials, City staff, and members of the public. Other rules and standards of decorum and civility may be established by resolution of the City Council.
1. By Council members. While the City Council is in session, the Council members must preserve order and decorum including, but not limited to, treating everyone courteously, listening to others respectfully, providing fair and equal treatment for all persons and matters coming before the City Council, and allowing other Council members and members of the public to speak without intimidation or interruption, except as otherwise herein provided.
2. By members of the public. Members of the public are expected to observe the rules of order and decorum established by the City Council, including, but not limited to treating others courteously, listening to others respectfully, and allow Council members and others to speak without intimidation or interruption.
a. No person shall disrupt a City Council meeting.
b. As used in this section, "disrupting" means engaging in behavior during a City Council meeting that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting and includes, but is not limited to, one of the following:
i. A failure to comply with reasonable and lawful regulations adopted by the City Council pursuant to Cal. Gov’t Code § 54954.3 or any other law.
ii. Engaging in behavior that constitutes use of force or a true threat of force.
c. "True threat of force" means a threat that has sufficient indicia of intent and seriousness, that a reasonable observer would perceive it to be an actual threat to use force by the person making the threat.
('65 Code, § 2-13)
B. Removal. The Presiding Officer of the City Council or their designee may remove, or cause the removal of, an individual for disrupting the meeting.
1. Prior to removing, or causing the removal of, an individual, the Presiding Officer or their designee shall warn the individual that their behavior is disrupting the meeting and that their failure to cease their behavior may result in their removal. The Presiding Officer or their designee may then remove, or cause the removal of, the individual if they do not promptly cease their disruptive behavior. This paragraph does not apply to any behavior described in § 3.01.145.A.2.b.ii.
C. Enforcement. The Chief of Police or designee shall be ex-officio Sergeant-at-Arms of the City Council. They shall carry out all orders and instructions given them by the Presiding Officer for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum in the Council Chambers.
D. Commissions, Boards and Committees. This section shall also apply to the City's Commissions, Boards and Committees.
('65 Code, § 2-14) (Ord. No. CS-333 §§ 17, 18; Ord. No. 2024- 004 § 3)