(A) Whenever the term "presiding officer" is used in this subchapter, it shall mean the Mayor, and if the Mayor is absent, it shall apply equally to the Vice-Mayor, and if the Vice-Mayor is also absent, to the temporary presiding officer elected pursuant to division (B) below.
(B) The Mayor shall preside at all regular and special meetings of the City Council. During the absence of the Mayor the Vice-Mayor shall preside. In the absence of the Mayor and Vice-Mayor, the City Clerk shall call the Council to order, whereupon a temporary presiding officer shall be elected by the majority vote of Aldermen present as their first order of business. Upon the arrival of the Mayor or Vice-Mayor, the temporary presiding officer shall relinquish the chair at the conclusion of the item of business then before the Council.
(C) The Mayor shall not vote on any ordinance, resolution or motion, except when the vote of the Aldermen has resulted in a tie; when one-half of the Aldermen then holding office have voted in favor of an ordinance, resolution or motion, even though there is no tie vote; or when a vote greater than a majority of the City Council is required by state statute or City ordinance to adopt an ordinance, resolution or motion. The Mayor shall not vote when the vote being taken is to override his veto.
(D) The presiding officer or such person as he may designate may verbally summarize the item to be voted upon immediately after it has been moved and seconded and may restate each question immediately prior to calling for the vote. Following the vote the presiding officer shall announce whether the question carried or was defeated. The presiding officer shall maintain order and decorum at all meetings. He shall decide all questions of order and procedure subject, however, to the right of appeal which shall be decided by a show of hands without debate.
(E) Every member, previous to his or her speaking, shall address the presiding officer and say "Mayor " (or) "Your Honor." The member shall not begin to speak until recognized and named by the presiding officer and he or she shall confine comments to the question under debate and will refrain from impugning the motives of any other member's argument or vote. A member, when called to order by the presiding officer, shall thereupon discontinue speaking and the order ruling of the presiding officer shall be binding and conclusive, subject only to the right of appeal.
(Ord. 7483, passed 8-21-90; Am. Ord. 8642, passed 3-3-09)