The following rules of procedure are adopted governing the conduct of all Council meetings.
(A) Rule 1. The rules prescribed by general law of Ohio, relating to the proceedings of city councils, shall govern the proceedings of this Council so far as they may be applicable, except as they may be suspended in accordance with law.
(B) Rule 2. The order of business at meetings of Council shall be as follows:
(1) Call to order by Mayor or president pro tem.
(2) Roll call.
(3) Questions, references, and corrections to minutes of previous meeting in hands of members by virtue of Rule 6.
(4) Communications from private parties.
(5) Communications and reports from the Mayor and other village officers.
(6) Reports by committees of the Council.
(7) Introduction of ordinances, and first reading of the same.
(8) Second reading of ordinances - laid over or reported by committees.
(9) Third reading of ordinances. However, no ordinance shall be read a third time while it is lying on the table by order of Council, or while consideration of it is indefinitely postponed by order of Council, or which has not been recommended for passage by a committee, unless in the last case a majority of Council shall order it to be read the third time.
(10) Adoption or passage of measures. Upon the third reading of any ordinance it shall be deemed to have been placed upon its adoption or passage, as the case may be, and upon the conclusion of debate thereon the roll shall be called, unless it is otherwise ordered by Council.
(11) Presentation of motions not connected with other business and introduction of resolutions having legal effect in relation to citizens, or their property, to the finances of the village, or to public improvements.
(12) Introduction of miscellaneous resolutions not having to do with the conduct of the affairs of the village, nor having legal effect. Such resolution may be adopted forthwith, upon a single reading.
(13) Introduction of resolutions directing officers of the village to report, or to take action or measures specified. Such resolutions may be adopted forthwith, as under Rule 7.
(14) Adjournment.
(15) By unanimous consent any item other than (B)(1) and (B)(2) may be presented or taken up out of order.
(C) Rule 3. A preferential motion is a motion which, being made and seconded, displaces the consideration of all other motions or business except a motion of superior preference. The following motions, and none other, shall be deemed to be preferential motions, in the order of preference in which they are listed:
(1) To adjourn.
(2) To recess.
(3) To postpone indefinitely.
(4) To lay on the table.
(5) To go into committee of the whole Council.
(6) The previous question.
(D) Rule 4. No preferential motion shall be put or considered unless it be seconded.
(E) Rule 5. The motion to adjourn shall be undebatable. On other preferential motions no member shall speak more than once nor longer than one minute.
(F) Rule 6.
(1) It shall be the duty of the manager before each meeting of the Council to prepare a calendar therefor, on which he or she shall list, arranged under the several heads specified in Rule 2, every communication, report, motion, resolution, or ordinance in his or her charge or possession to be laid before Council, and such reports and measures as may be pending before Council or committee of Council.
(2) The clerk shall take full and adequate minutes of the proceedings of each meeting and, with the assistance of the City Manager or his or her designee, shall distribute the same to each member of Council promptly after each meeting.
(G) Rule 7. Any of the foregoing rules may be suspended by a vote of five (5) members of the Council, except in cases where a greater number of votes is required by law. No suspension of any rule shall apply to more than one measure or item of business.
(H) In case any question arises which cannot be determined by the foregoing rules, it shall be decided according to Robert's Rules of Order, so far as it may be covered thereby. In case the question cannot be decided by any such rules, it shall be decided by the Mayor.
(Rules adopted 1-17-51) ('80 Code, § 31.02) ( Am. Ord. 13-21, passed 8-23-21)