(a) Appointment.
(1) Before it is enacted or passed, any report, resolution, ordinance or matter before Council for consideration, except appropriation ordinances, may be referred to a committee. If the motion to refer to committee does not include a method of appointing the committee, the committee shall be specially appointed by the Mayor. The committee shall elect its own chair and vice-chair.
(2) The absence of a member of any committee from three consecutive meetings, unless authorized by the chairman of the committee, may upon the recommendation of the committee cause the removal of the member from the committee by the Mayor.
(b) Committee Meetings.
(1) Time and place. A majority of the members of a committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Each committee shall hold its regular meetings at the Municipal Building, at the time and place fixed in the schedule, as prepared by the Mayor and the Clerk of Council in conference with the chairman of the committee.
(2) Notice. The schedule of each committee shall be posted at the Municipal Building. Should the chairman of any committee find it necessary to hold the meeting at another time or place, he shall cause notice thereof to be posted at the Municipal Building at least twenty-four hours before the meeting.
(3) Openness. All committee meetings shall be open, and a record of the attendance of members of the committee kept by the secretary of the committee. Such record shall be kept on file with the Clerk of Council and open to public inspection in accordance with Chapter 104
.
(c) Voting. All votes shall be taken by roll call vote by the secretary of the committee, with the presiding officer's vote being taken last. A majority of the members of a committee shall be necessary for the recommendation of approval, disapproval, or amendment of any legislation pending before a committee. All other motions shall require only a majority vote of the members of the committee present. The vote on all matters before a committee shall be recorded in the minutes of the committee meeting.
(d) Committee Rules. Except in cases of obvious inconsistency or inapplicability, committee meetings and hearings shall be governed by the Rules applicable to council proceedings.
(e) Reports of Committee. It shall be the duty of the committee to recommend to Council the approval, disapproval, or amendment of any legislation or other matter pending before it. The committee shall consider the matter referred to it and report thereon to Council without unnecessary delay. The report of any committee of Council shall be made in writing and shall be accompanied by the original papers upon which such report is based, unless otherwise ordered by Council. Prior to the report of such committee, any matter referred to a committee may be taken from the hands of such committee by a majority vote of Council.
(f) Reception and Adoption of Reports by Council. Before the report of any committee can be read by Council it must be received upon a motion for the same, approved by a majority vote. When the committee's report is only for the information of the Council, no action need be taken on the report after it is read. In all other cases, a principal motion to adopt, accept or agree to the committee report must be made in order to bring the report before Council for consideration or debate. After a motion for adoption is made, the report is open to amendment. When the committee reports back on a resolution or ordinance referred to it, and recommends its adoption or enactment, the question to Council shall be a motion for such adoption or enactment. If the committee recommends against adoption or enactment, the motion shall still be for adoption or enactment, and shall be stated for adoption (or enactment), "notwithstanding the report of the committee to the contrary." If the committee report recommends that the resolution or ordinance be amended, the questions to Council shall be first on the adoption of the proposed amendment and then on adoption of the resolution or enactment of the ordinance.
(Ord. 03-16. Passed 11-17-03.)