(A) The Board of Ethics shall elect its own officers, consisting of Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary. The Secretary will keep the minutes of the meetings. The Chair will preside over the meetings. The Vice-Chair will preside in the absence of the Chair. The Secretary shall preside in the absence of the Chair and Vice-Chair. The person presiding over the meeting shall be deemed the Chair.
(B) The Executive Committee, consisting of the Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary, shall exclusively evaluate requests and complaints directed to the Ethics Board, in a non-public committee meeting. Any discussion of requests and complaints by the Executive Committee shall remain confidential.
(C) The Board of Ethics shall meet as needed. Meetings may be called by the Chair with 18 hours' notice. Meetings of the Board shall be subject to the requirements and exemptions of the Michigan Open Meetings Act.
(D) Members of the Board shall notify the Chair or Vice-Chair electronically if they are unable to attend any meetings.
(E) The liaison will prepare and distribute an agenda three days prior to the next Board of Ethics meeting. The liaison may place additional items on the agenda at the written request of the Chair or Vice-Chair and at least one other Board member.
(F) The agenda will generally consist of the following:
(1) Call the meeting to order;
(2) Roll call;
(3) Approval of the prior meeting minutes;
(4) Unfinished business;
(5) New business;
(6) Comment from the public (up to three minutes);
(7) Comment from the city administration;
(8) Board Member comments; and
(9) Adjournment.
(G) The rules of parliamentary procedure, as contained in the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order, shall govern the Board of Ethics where applicable and as modified to accommodate small assembly, provided such rules are not in conflict with:
(1) "Policies and Procedures" adopted by the Board of Ethics;
(2) The Charter or Ordinances of the City of Garden City; or
(3) State or federal law.
(H) The Minutes of the Board of Ethics meetings will be kept by the Secretary. The minutes shall contain the date, time, and place of the meeting, members present, members absent, and any decisions made.
(I) Board members may not engage in any political discussion or campaigning of any kind, during the Board's public meetings, as it relates to elected officials. No discussion shall take place regarding the Board members' support or opposition to a current or past elected official as well as any potential future candidates.
(J) Michigan Open Meetings Act provides that persons shall be permitted to address a meeting of a public body under the rules established by the public body, and also provides that the public body may limit the right to address the public body to prescribed times.
(1) There shall be a three minute time limit for each public speaker.
(2) The Chair, Vice-Chair, and/or the Secretary shall be responsible for keeping track of the public's allotted time of three minutes. The clock will start upon the first words of the speaker and will not stop while the speaker is recognized from the floor. The clock will continue to run until the speaker is completed or their speaking time is exhausted.
(3) Any person wishing to address the Board shall provide their name, city of residence, and shall address their comments to and through the Chair when speaking. Only the person recognized by the Chair shall be allowed to speak during the public comment portion of the agenda. Public comment is not a time for questions and responses, of which the Chair shall make the final decision.
(4) Everyone speaking before the Board should do so in a civil manner. Speakers shall refrain from abusive or profane remarks, vulgar language, disruptive outbursts, threats, racial slurs, or other conduct that interferes with the orderly conduct of the business meeting. Personal attacks on Board members, the administration, city staff, other speakers, or members of the public will not be tolerated.
(5) The Chair shall call to order any person who is being disorderly by speaking when not having been recognized by the Chair or is being disruptive to the proceedings. If any person, after being called to order, continues to be disorderly and disruptive to the meeting, the Chair may order that person be removed from that meeting immediately.
(Ord. 24-003, passed 5-20-24)