(A) Quorum. The Mayor and a majority of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
(B) Standing committees. The several standing committees of the Council shall be appointed by the Mayor at the first meeting of the Common Council in January of each year and shall serve for one year, and shall consist of three members each.
(C) Procedure. The business presented to the Council, by the Mayor, shall be referred to the proper Committee without debate, which Committee shall report thereon at the next regular meeting of the Council or at any such time as may be directed by the Mayor and Common Council.
(D) Order of business. The following order of business and rules are hereby adopted for the government of the Common Council:
(1) Roll call;
(2) Reading of minutes;
(3) Roll call for the presentation of matters to be considered;
(4) Reports of officers:
(a) Clerk-Treasurer;
(b) Attorney;
(c) Chief of Police;
(d) Street Commissioner; and
(e) Chief of Fire Department.
(5) Reports of standing committees:
(a) Claims and Accounts;
(b) Streets and Alleys;
(c) Water and Light;
(d) Auditing;
(e) Judiciary;
(f) Public Utilities;
(g) Printing; and
(h) Building.
(6) Reports of special committees;
(7) Filing of claims against the city;
(8) Introduction of ordinances and resolutions;
(9) Unfinished business;
(10) New business;
(11) Miscellaneous business;
(12) Ordinances on second or third reading; and
(13) Adjournment.
(E) Rules.
(1) Rule 1. When the roll call is called for the presentation of business, the member called may present ordinances, resolutions, or other matters for the consideration of the Council. Ordinances and resolutions must be in writing and shall be read by title only and referred to the proper committee without debate. The Council may order a return to any order of business after the regular order has been completed. The title of every article must clearly set forth its contents.
(2) Rule 2. There shall be the following standing committees for the Council:
(a) Judiciary;
(b) Auditing;
(c) Claims and Accounts;
(d) Streets and Alleys;
(e) Water and Lights;
(f) Finance;
(g) Public Utilities;
(h) Printing; and
(i) Building.
(3) Rule 3. All reports from committees shall be in writing and signed by the committee. If the committee is divided, two reports may be made. The written report of a committee may be waived with the consent of a majority of the Council.
(4) Rule 4. Committees shall return all papers referred to and make a report on same at the next regular meeting after they are introduced. The Council may, at its discretion, extend the time for making reports or may call upon the committee for an immediate report upon any matter under consideration; provided that no committee be compelled to make a report before the regular time.
(5) Rule 5. Every article referred to a committee shall, after being read by title by the member introducing it, be handed by him or her to the Clerk-Treasurer, who shall note thereon the committee to which it is referred and whose duty it shall also be to have all such articles delivered by the Marshal to the Chairperson of the committee to which they are referred within 48 hours after the adjournment of every meeting of the Council.
(6) Rule 6. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Claims and Accounts to examine and report upon the correctness of all claims and accounts of a discretionary character referred to them by the Council. This Committee shall prepare this report before the Council convenes. All claims and accounts to be allowed at a meeting must have been approved and signed by the Chairperson of the Committee prior to the call to order.
(7) Rule 7. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Water and Lights to give special attention to the water supply and the lighting of the city and perform such other duties pertinent thereto and may be directed to exercise by the Mayor or Council.
(8) Rule 8. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Judiciary to investigate the various ordinances and resolutions referred to it from time to time and make a report to the Council, and to perform such other duties pertinent thereto as may be directed to exercise by the Mayor or Council.
(9) Rule 9. It shall be the duty of the Auditing Committee to audit the books of the various departments and perform such other duties pertinent thereto.
(10) Rule 10. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Streets and Alleys to give special attention to the streets and alleys and all matters in connection therewith, and perform all other duties pertinent thereto.
(11) Rule 11. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Finance to report all ordinances making the annual tax levy and making appropriations other than for the allowance of accounts and claims and all other matters pertinent thereto.
(12) Rule 12. Every motion shall, if the presiding officer demands it, be reduced to writing, except motions to adjourn, to reconsider the previous question, to lay on the table, to postpone, to commit, to ascend, to concur, and to suspend the rules.
(13) Rule 13. A motion to adjourn and a motion or reconsider are privileged questions and are debatable. A business which by law or necessity must be considered or transacted in a certain time will be considered a question of privilege. A motion to suspend the rules is a question of privilege, is not debatable, and can not be amended except with the consent of the Mayor.
(14) Rule 14. Where a question has once been decided, any member voting with the majority may move a reconsideration thereof at the same time or at the next regular meeting thereof.
(15) Rule 15. All ordinances shall be in writing and shall, upon introduction, be read by title only, but such title shall clearly set forth the nature of the contents and the ordinance shall then be referred to the proper committee. No ordinance shall be passed upon the day of its introduction except by unanimous consent and a motion to suspend the rules.
(16) Rule 16. Every ordinance shall be read through at its second reading and at this time it is subject to amendments, no amendments except to strike out shall be in order after the second reading, unless by unanimous consent. An ordinance failing to receive a majority of votes on its second reading shall be considered as still on second reading unless stricken from the files or otherwise disposed of. An ordinance may be stricken from the files any time by a vote of two-thirds of all members or by a majority vote after it has passed its second reading.
(17) Rule 17. An ordinance on third reading or final passage shall be read by title, but should any members desire, it shall be read through as amended. Failing to receive a majority of all votes on the third reading, an ordinance is lost and shall be stricken from the files unless the vote be reconsidered.
(18) Rule 18. An ordinance once passed may be amended or repealed by a subsequent ordinance; a resolution may be rescinded by a subsequent resolution.
(19) Rule 19. The general rules of parliamentary law, so far as applicable, are to be considered the rules of the Council, unless they conflict with some of the rules herein prescribed.
(20) Rule 20. No one not a member shall be permitted to address the Council, except with the consent of the Mayor.
(21) Rule 21. When a member desires to address the Council, he or she shall rise to his or her feet and address the Mayor as Mr. or Ms. Chairperson and on being recognized may address the Council, and he or she shall confine himself or herself to the subject in debate and avoid personality. The Mayor shall not recognize any member unless he or she shall be in his or her proper seat and ask recognition in the proper way.
(22) Rule 22. When the Mayor or any member is addressing the Council, no member shall engage in private discourse or walk across or leave the room unnecessarily.
(23) Rule 23. No member shall speak more than twice on the question without leave of the Council; nor more than once until every member choosing to speak shall have spoken. Speeches shall be limited to five minutes unless further time be granted by the Council. Answering questions not to be considered apart of the speakers time.
(24) Rule 24. Every member must vote upon every question unless disqualified by law or excused by the Council. Any member may change his or her vote before the announcement of the result by the Mayor.
(25) Rule 25. If any member in any way transgresses these rules, it is the duty of the Mayor or any member to call him or her to order. In case of a call to order, the alleged offender shall at once take his or her seat until the point of order has been decided. Willful and repeated transgressions shall constitute an offense against the Council and shall be punished by reprimand or removal from office.
(26) Rule 26. These rules may be annulled or amended by a majority vote of all members of the Council; provided, that no vote on any amendment or resolution to annul shall be taken until at least two weeks’ notice of such intention shall have been given.
(F) Any member of the Council or any city officer whose duty it shall be to attend the meetings of said Common Council, who shall absent himself or herself from any regular meeting of said Council, shall forfeit to the city the sum of $1 for each and every meeting he or she shall be absent, the amount of said forfeit to be deducted and kept out of the allowance made to him or her for his or her services; provided, that this rule shall not apply if such absentee shall render an excuse satisfactory to the majority of the members of the Council.
(G) It shall be the duties of the members of said Council, the Mayor, Clerk-Treasurer, City Attorney, Secretary of the city’s Board of Health, Chief of Police, Street Commissioner, and Fire Chief to be present at each regular meeting of such Council.
(2003 Code, § 2.08.060) (Ord. 4, passed 6-10-1912)