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Neither the Council Chamber nor any other place for holding public meetings, that is owned by the City, shall be used for any purpose other than City business, unless a written application for permission for such use has been made to and approved by the City Manager and/or the City Clerk.
(Res. 8234. Passed 4-27-94.)
The number of Councilmembers, including the Mayor, their terms, election and qualifications, and the filling of vacancies, shall be as provided in the Home Rule Charter. The salary of the Mayor and other members of Council shall be set, by ordinance, from time to time.
(Ord. 4654. Passed 10-27-93.)
The Council shall organize on the first Monday of January of each even-numbered year at a time set by Council. If the first Monday is a legal holiday, the meeting and organization shall take place the first day following. The Council may transact any further business it deems necessary or appropriate at the organizational meeting, which shall include adopting rules of procedure. In addition, at the organizational meeting, the Council shall elect, from among its members, a Deputy Mayor.
(Ord. 4654. Passed 10-27-93.)
(a) Public Notice. Provisions governing public notice of meetings shall be provided by "The Sunshine Act," P.L. 388, Number 84 of 1986.
(b) Regular Meetings. Unless otherwise advertised and public notice given, regular meetings of Council shall be held at least once a month on the second Wednesday of the month. Regular Council meetings will not commence or be scheduled for times prior to 5:00 p.m. prevailing time. During the months of January, February, March, April, September and October Council may hold non-voting meetings on the fourth Wednesday of the month. The non-voting meetings are for Council members to discuss potential items for the agenda for the regular meeting, and will not involve official action by Council. Any workshop and/or committee meeting shall be duly advertised with public notice given as required by law.
(c) Special Meetings. Special meetings may be called by the Mayor on his own initiative or upon the written request of at least two members of the Council. A written notice shall be mailed or delivered to each Council member at least 24 hours before a special meeting is held. Any special meetings shall be duly advertised with public notice given as required by law. Such notice shall specify the time and place of the special meeting and the specific business to be transacted. No other business shall be considered at such meeting by the Council. Presence at the meeting constitutes waiver of notice.
(d) Emergency Meetings. The Council may hold and take action at an emergency meeting at any time. Such emergency meetings may be called by the City Manager or by any member of the Council provided that a quorum is present, as provided in the Home Rule Charter, and a majority of the Council determines that the holding of such meeting and the taking of emergency action at that time is essential to protect or promote the public health and safety of the City.
(e) Executive Sessions. The Council may hold executive sessions as permitted by law.
(f) Location of Meetings. Unless otherwise advertised and public notice given, all meetings shall take place in the Anthony C. Truscello Council Chambers, Fourth Floor, Public Safety Building.
(g) Public Nature of Meetings. All meetings of the Council shall be open to the public as provided by law.
(Ord. 4654. Passed 10-27-93; Ord. 4826. Passed 6-9-99; Ord. 5210. Passed 10-26-16; Ord. 5231. Passed 5-16-17; Ord. 5255. Passed 7-11-18; Ord. 5284. Passed 3-11-20.)
(a) The proposed agenda for any regular Council meeting shall be prepared by the City Manager in consultation with the Mayor and shall be in the following order:
(1) Call to Order;
(2) Invocation;
(3) Pledge of Allegiance;
(4) Roll call;
(5) Approval of Minutes;
(6) Proclamations, awards, honors, resolutions of recognition;
(7) Public Comment – Agenda Action Items Only (Limit five minutes);
(8) Reports:
A. City Manager
B. Mayor
C. City Solicitor
D. City Engineer
E. Council Updates/Neighborhood Liaisons.
(9) Petitions;
(10) Ordinances for Final Read and Adoption;
(11) Ordinances for First Read;
(12) Resolutions;
(13) Motions;
(14) New Business;
(15) Old Business;
(16) Public Comment – Non-Agenda Action Items (Limit three minutes);
(17) Recess/Adjournment.
(b) For purposes of the City Council meeting agenda and procedure for City Council's regular meetings, the following shall apply:
(1) "Agenda Action Items" shall be defined solely as proposed ordinances, resolutions, motions, proclamations, and any other item which a) appears on the agenda and b) is subject to a vote by City Council.
(c) Proposed agenda items shall be submitted to the City Manager and the City Clerk not less than five City business days prior to a Council meeting.
(d) The proposed agenda for any regular meeting shall be forwarded to all members of Council at least three business days prior to the regular meeting and should be posted on the City's internet web site two business days prior to the regular meeting. In the event the deadline for posting the agenda falls on a holiday or other date when City Hall is closed, the agenda will be posted on the City's internet web site no later than 12:00 p.m. on the following business day. The agenda may be amended by Council at any regular meeting by a recorded roll-call vote of the Council.
(Ord. 4654. Passed 10-27-93; Ord. 4880. Passed 3-13-02; Ord. 5034. Passed 8-5-09; Ord. 5177. Passed 5-19-15; Ord. 5210. Passed 10-26-16; Ord. 5255. Passed 7-11-18.)
(a) Council members shall attend all meetings of Council, and as a matter of courtesy are expected to remain present until the meeting is recessed/adjourned. A member of Council or the Mayor shall forfeit his/her office upon failure to attend three consecutive meetings of Council, unless detained by sickness, prevented by necessary absence from the Municipality, or caused by other reasons excusable by the City Council.
(b) A majority of the members of Council in office shall constitute a quorum. If no quorum is present at a regular or adjourned meeting, a majority of the members of Council who are present may agree upon another date and hour for a meeting, and members so present may continue so to agree until a meeting can be held with a quorum in attendance.
(Ord. 4654. Passed 10-27-93; Ord. 5210. Passed 10-26-16.)
(a) The Mayor or, in his or her absence, the Deputy Mayor, shall be responsible for the orderly conduct of business at each Council meeting and shall preserve order and decorum at such meeting.
(b) The Council at its organizational meeting shall adopt rules governing its procedures. The presiding officer shall announce all decisions of the Council and shall decide all questions of order without debate, subject, however, to an appeal by any Councilmember. Any ruling by the presiding officer may be overruled by a majority of the members present.
(c) Every member of the Council desiring to speak shall address the chair and, upon recognition by the presiding officer, shall confine remarks to the question under debate, avoiding all indecorous language or reference to personalities. A member of the Council, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless it is for the purpose of calling such person to order. If a member of the Council, while speaking, is called to order, that person shall cease speaking until the question of order is determined. When two or more members request the floor at the same time, the presiding officer shall name the one entitled to the floor.
(d) Insofar as is practical, the order of roll call for voting purposes shall be rotated so that each member has an equal number of placements in each numerical sequence for voting, i.e. first, second, third and so forth.
(Ord. 4654. Passed 10-27-93.)
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