(a) All Meetings Open to Public. All meetings of Council and any other board or commission established by Council shall be public meetings open to the public at all times, except those portions allowed for executive sessions in the Ohio Revised Code. No resolution, rule, regulation or formal action of any kind shall be adopted at any executive session of Council or any such board, commission, agency or authority. Strict confidentiality shall be maintained by all Council Members, Fiscal Officer, Mayor and others present, regarding topics lawfully discussed in executive sessions.
(b) Organization. The organization of Council shall be as follows:
(1) Council Members shall at the first regular Council meeting of each year have an organizational meeting including the election of a Council President.
(2) The Council President presides in the absence of the Mayor.
(3) The Fiscal Officer of the Municipality shall attend all meetings regular and special, record all proceedings in the minutes, prepare an agenda for every meeting and attend to all correspondence incidental to the office, and perform such other duties as may be lawfully assigned to the Fiscal Officer by vote of Council. Such duties, however, may not exceed the range of duties and powers contained in the Ohio Revised Code, particularly Sections 733.27, 733.28 and 733.29. (Ord. 013-95. Passed 5-8-95.)
(c) Standing Committees.
(1) The standing committees of Council are:
A. Finance.
B. Planning, Environment and Properties.
C. Streets and Transportation.
D. Security.
E. Personnel. (Ord. 2-07. Passed 1-22-07.)
(2) Prior to the annual organization meeting held by Council each Council Member shall, in writing, present the name of the committee or committees that he desires to be placed upon to the Mayor. After due consideration of all requests the Mayor shall appoint the members of all committees. The Mayor shall also name the chairpersons of each committee.
(3) The chairperson shall keep minutes of each meeting and shall so submit them in writing to Council as a whole.
(4) Standing committee shall consist of three Council Members unless the amount of work presented to such committee requires that the committee be extended to such number of members as necessary. Village employees may be added as needed to a standing committee.
(d) Change of Meetings or Special Meetings.
(1) When any regular meeting of Council falls on a legal Federal holiday no meeting shall be held on such holiday, but instead Council may set another date within the same month for holding a regular meeting or may cancel such meeting.
(2) Special meetings of Council may be called at any other times by the Mayor or by any three Council Members.
(3) Written notice of a special Council meeting must be served by the Fiscal Officer personally, or left at the usual place of residence of each Council Member and the Mayor at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to such meeting. A written notice of a special meeting shall contain a resume of the subject matter to be considered at such meeting and no other subject matter may be considered at the meeting.
At least twenty-four (24) hours prior to a special meeting the notice of such meeting, including a resume of legislation to be considered shall be posted by the Fiscal Officer according to Section 123.01 and given to the media who have so requested notification (O.R.C. 121.22)
(e) Conduct of Meetings.
(1) Agenda. The Fiscal Officer shall prepare an agenda to be brought before Council. The agenda shall be given to the Council Members and officers and the Solicitor at least one (1) business day prior to the meeting. Council Members shall inform the Fiscal Officer at least (four) 4 business days prior to the meeting of ordinances or resolutions that require preparation and for items, known to them at the time, to be discussed. Introduction, discussion and action on new ordinances, resolutions or proclamations is not limited to these prepared items.
(2) Call to order. The Mayor, or in his absence, President of Council, shall take the chair at the hour appointed for the meeting and shall immediately call the Council to order.
(3) Roll call. The Fiscal Officer shall call the roll of the members and the names of those present shall be entered in the minutes.
(4) Minutes. Minutes of the previous Council Meeting shall be sent to all Council Members at least one (1) business day prior to each Council Meeting. Such minutes may be approved without reading.
(5) Quorum and procedure. Four (4) Council Members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business at any meeting of Council, but a lesser number may adjourn the meeting from time to time and compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as may be prescribed by ordinance. At any meeting at which a quorum is present any ordinance or resolution may be passed or adopted and any other action taken by the affirmative vote of four (4) Council Members, unless a larger number is required by the laws of Ohio.
A. Whenever the term "majority" is used in this chapter, unless otherwise expressly indicated, it shall mean a majority of those members elected or appointed to Council.
(6) Order of business. All meetings of Council shall by open to the public, except those portions allowed for executive session in the Ohio Revised Code. Promptly at the hour set by law on the day of each regular meeting the Council Members, Fiscal Officer, and Mayor shall take their regular stations in the Council chambers and the business of Council shall be taken up for consideration and disposition in the following order:
A. Roll call.
B. Approval of minutes of previous meeting.
C. Official reports.
D. Authorization to pay bills.
E. Committee reports.
F. Old business.
G. New business.
H. Visitors.
I. Other business.
J. Adjournment.
(f) Motions.
(1) Receiving motion when question is before Council. When a question or a proposal is before Council or under debate, or when a motion has been made, no motions shall be, received except the following:
A. To adjourn (not debatable);
B. To table the motion-lay it aside until later (not debatable);
C. To request that discussion end, and that any motion being considered be voted on (previous question, as it is usually called) (not debatable);
D. To postpone any action on a motion until some stated future time;
E. To refer the proposal to a standing or special committee.
F. To amend the main motion;
G. To postpone any action for an indefinite time.
(g) Suspension of Rules Relating to Reading Resolutions and Ordinances. Resolutions and Ordinances of a permanent or general nature shall be fully read on three (3) different days unless the rules are dispensed with pursuant to Ohio Revised Code 731.17 upon vote of three fourths (3/4) of the full members of Council. The vote on such suspension shall be taken by yeas and nays, separately on each resolution or ordinance, and the Fiscal Officer shall enter such vote in the minute book together with the names of members voting yea and nay.
(h) Correspondence. All correspondence requested by the Mayor or Council shall be noted in the minutes and copies provided to all Council Members prior to the next scheduled Council meeting.
(i) Roberts Rules of Order. Except as otherwise provided Roberts Rules of Orders shall govern the deliberations of Council. The Mayor, Fiscal Officer, Solicitor and Council Members shall be provided with a copy. (Ord. 013-95. Passed 5-8-95.)