(A) The standing committees (“standing committees”) of the Common Council shall be as follows:
(1) Budget and Finance Committee. Notwithstanding emergency circumstances, the Committee shall consider any matter of financial impact to be placed before the entire Common Council, prepare and review budget requests related to the city’s annual budget, and any other matter properly referred to the Committee by the Council President.
(2) Rules Committee. The Committee shall consider and recommend proposed changes regarding the rules of the Common Council; state and federal legislation; Council appointments to non-standing council committees, boards, or commissions; and any other matter properly referred to the Committee by the Council President.
(3) Non-Profit Committee. The Committee shall consider and recommend grant awards to non-profit corporations that serve and benefit Fishers, subject to annual appropriation, and any other matter properly referred to the Committee by the Council President.
(B) The standing committees shall consist of at least three Council members and shall have at least one member from the minority party, each as determined and appointed by the Council President. The Council President shall appoint each standing committee chairperson. Council members may indicate to the Council President their preference for standing committee membership. All standing committee appointments shall be made after the January Council meeting in which the Council President is elected, and all appointments shall be deemed final upon assignment by the Council President.
(C) Following the first reading of an ordinance or other matter properly before the Common Council, the same may, at the discretion of the Council President, be assigned to a standing committee for consideration and review. At any regular meeting of a standing committee, any matter which has been referred to the standing committee pursuant to this section but has not been reported back to the Common Council shall be a proper item of committee business.
(D) It shall be the duty of the standing committee to consider all proposals referred to them as well as any other city matters that are within the scope and purpose of their standing committee as generated by the committee chairperson.
(E) The Mayor and Clerk (or their respective designees), city staff, and other representatives as permitted by the committee chairperson shall be entitled to participate in the discussion before any standing committee at the direction of the committee chairperson. A majority of all standing committee members shall constitute a quorum. Only members of the standing committee shall be entitled to vote on committee business.
(F) The standing committee to which a matter is referred shall make a report thereon recommending passage, non-passage, amendment, or no recommendation at the next scheduled meeting of the Council.
(G) The standing committee chairperson, or any other standing committee member designated by the standing committee chairperson, shall make the standing committee’s report to the Council.
(H) Each standing committee shall meet at the call of the standing committee chairperson, provided notice is given in accordance with Indiana law.
(I) The Clerk, or her designee, shall take meeting minutes of all standing committee meetings.
(J) Where applicable, the Council rules of procedure shall apply to all standing committees.
(K) Other standing committees of the Common Council shall be created by majority vote by the Council.
(Ord. 101121C, passed 1-18-22)