Subd. 1. Form and Adoption. The ordaining clause of all ordinances shall be in the words, “The City of Fergus Falls ordains”. Every ordinance, except an emergency ordinance, shall be introduced in writing and may be adopted at any meeting occurring at least ten (10) days after the meeting at which it was introduced. No ordinance shall contain more than one subject which shall be clearly expressed in its title.
Subd. 2. Signing and Publication. Every ordinance adopted by the Council shall be signed by the Mayor or by two Council Members and attested to, filed and preserved by the City Administrator. Every ordinance shall be published once in the official newspaper. However, as to lengthy ordinances, or ordinances which include charts or maps, the Council may, by a four fifths vote, determine that publication of the title and a summary of an ordinance would clearly inform the public of the intent and effect of such ordinance, and direct that only the title and summary be published with a notice that a printed copy of the ordinance is available for inspection during regular office hours at the office of the City Administrator and at the Public Library. The text of the summary shall be approved by the Council prior to publication. Such publication shall be deemed to fulfill all legal requirements for publication as completely as if the entire ordinance had been published. The text of the summary shall be published in a body type no smaller than brevier or eight point type as defined in Minnesota Statutes. Proof of publication shall be attached to and filed with the ordinance. To the extent and in the manner provided by law, an ordinance may incorporate by reference a statute of Minnesota, a State administrative rule or a regulation, a code, or ordinance or part thereof without publishing the material referred to in full.
Subd. 3. Emergency. An emergency ordinance is an ordinance necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, morals, safety or welfare in which the emergency is defined and declared in a preamble thereto. No prosecution shall be based upon the provisions of any emergency ordinance until twenty-four hours after the ordinance has been filed with the City Administrator and posted in three conspicuous places or until the ordinance has been once published in the official means of publication, unless the person charged with violation had actual notice of the adoption of the ordinance prior to the act or omission of which complaint is made.
Subd. 4. When Effective. An emergency ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its adoption or at such later date as is fixed therein. Every other ordinance shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication of the ordinance or publication of the summary, as the case may be, or at such later date as is fixed therein. Every ordinance adopted by the voters of the City shall take effect immediately upon its adoption, or at such later time as is fixed therein.
Subd. 5. Amendment or Repeal. Every ordinance repealing a previous ordinance or section or subdivision of a codification shall give the number, if any, and the title of the ordinance or section or subdivision to be repealed in whole or in part. No ordinance or section or subdivision shall be amended by reference to the title alone, but such an amending ordinance shall set forth in full each section, subdivision or subparagraph so amended.