(A) (1) The presiding officer of the City Council shall provide opportunity during Council meetings for discussion by interested persons or their authorized representatives on any Council bill or other matter before the Council prior to final passage; provided, that the preference shall be given to any person, who, at least four days prior to the Council meeting, shall have requested opportunity for discussion by written notice directed to the City Clerk.
(2) Any person may direct a written communication to the City Council on any matter concerning the city's business by directing the communication to the City Council through the City Clerk. Any written communication shall be placed on the agenda of the next regular Council meeting under the order of business entitled Petitions, Remonstrances and Communications.
(3) Any person desiring to personally address the Council on any matter not then before it shall notify the City Clerk in writing of his or her desire at least four days prior to the Council meeting at which he or she wishes to appear.
(4) After a motion is made in the City Council, no person except a member of the Council shall address the Council.
(5) The presiding officer of the Council shall, from time to time, make rules as he or she may deem necessary to fulfill and carry out the intent of the provisions of this division.
(Prior Code, § 1-521)
(B) Each person addressing the City Council shall step up to the City Clerk's table, shall give his or her name and address for the records, and unless further time is granted by the Council, shall limit his or her address to five minutes. All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a body and not to any member thereof. No person, other than the Council and the person having the floor, shall be permitted to enter into any discussion, either directly or through a member of the Council, without the permission of the Mayor. No question shall be asked a Council member except through the presiding officer.
(Prior Code, § 1-522)
(C) (1) While the City Council is in session, the members shall preserve order and decorum, and no member shall, by conversation or otherwise, delay or interrupt the proceedings or the peace of the Council, nor disturb any member while speaking, nor refuse to obey the orders of the Council or its Mayor, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
(2) No person shall make personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks, nor otherwise disturb the order and decorum of any Council meeting. The sergeant-at-arms, at the direction of the Mayor, shall remove any person violating the provisions of this division.
(Prior Code, § 1-523)
(D) The Chief of Police, or members of the Police Department as he or she may designate, shall be sergeant-at-arms of the City Council meetings. He or she shall carry out all orders and instructions given by the Mayor for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at the Council meetings.
(Prior Code, § 1-524)
(E) No person, except city officials, their representatives, and recognized news representatives, shall be permitted in front of the podium in the Council Chamber without the express consent of the Council.
(Prior Code, § 1-525)
(F) Any member shall have the right to have the reasons for his or her dissent from or protest against any action of the City Council entered on the minutes.
(Prior Code, § 1-526)
(G) A motion to adjourn shall always be in order and shall be decided without debate.
(Prior Code, § 1-527)