A. Order Of Business:
1. Specified: At all meetings of the city council, the order of business shall be set forth in the agenda as prepared by the mayor and city clerk, unless otherwise directed by special order of the city council. (Ord. 2015-02, 6-22-2015)
2. Questions Of Priority: All questions relating to the priority of business shall be decided without debate. (1961 Code § 1-23-1)
B. Standing Committees: The mayor shall appoint such standing committees as the city council may request. (1961 Code § 1-23-2)
C. Proceedings: The proceedings of the city council shall in all cases be governed by the following rules, unless the same be suspended, pro tempore, by the vote of a majority of the city council:
1. The mayor, or in his absence, the mayor pro tempore or president of the city council, shall preserve order and decorum and shall decide all questions of order, subject to appeal to the city council. (1961 Code § 1-23-3)
2. Every member, previous to speaking, shall address the mayor or presiding officer, but shall not proceed until recognized and named and shall arise while addressing the city council if requested.
3. When two (2) or more members address the presiding officer, the first recognized shall have precedence, which shall be decided by the presiding officer. (Ord. 2015-02, 6-22-2015)
4. While a question is being put, no member shall speak or walk across the council room or leave the same.
5. When any member is addressing the city council, no other member shall engage in private conversation or do any other act to divert attention or interrupt the speaker.
6. A member shall not speak more than twice on the same subject without leave of the city council, nor more than once until every member desiring to speak on the pending question shall have an opportunity so to do.
7. No motion shall be debated or put unless the same shall be seconded. It shall then be stated by the presiding officer and at the request of any member, it shall be reduced to writing.
8. After a motion has been stated by the presiding officer, it shall be deemed in possession of the city council, but may be withdrawn at any time before amendment or decision by the mover with consent of his second.
9. If a question under consideration contains more than one distinct proposition, any member may demand a division.
10. When a blank is to be filled and different sums and times are proposed, the question shall first be put on the largest sum or longest time.
11. When a question is under debate, no motion shall be entertained, except first to adjourn; second, to lay on the table; third, for the previous question; fourth, to postpone to a day certain; fifth, to commit to a standing committee; sixth, to commit to a select committee; seventh, to amend; eighth, to postpone indefinitely; and these several motions shall have precedence in the order stated.
12. The previous question must be seconded by a majority of the members present. It shall be put in the following form: "Shall the main question be now put?" This question shall not be debatable and shall operate to close all further debate on the subject under consideration. (1961 Code § 1-23-3)
13. (Rep. by Ord. 2015-02, 6-22-2015)
14. Every member of the city council present shall vote upon every question submitted to the city council unless excused or directly interested, in which case he shall not vote.
15. No motion or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted under color of amendment.
16. No motion for reconsideration shall be in order unless made at the same meeting or the meeting following that on which the decision was made, nor shall such motion be made save by one who voted with the majority upon the adoption.
17. In all cases, the name of the member proposing a motion or resolution shall be entered with it upon the city council minutes.
18. Upon the final passage of any ordinance, the yeas and nays shall be entered upon the minutes, unless the same is unanimously adopted. Any member may demand the yeas and nays upon any question if the demand is made before the vote is taken.
19. All reports, petitions or resolutions shall be reduced to writing before being submitted to the vote of the city council.
20. Every proposition involving the expenditure of money shall be referred to and reported upon by some standing committee before being voted upon. (1961 Code § 1-23-3)
Notes
| 1 | 1. MCA § 7-1-4143. |