The Council shall be the judge of the election and qualifications of its own members. It may remove any member for gross misconduct, or malfeasance in or disqualification for office, or for conviction while in office for a crime involving moral turpitude, or if adjudicated legally incompetent, or for a violation of the oath of office or persistent failure to abide by the rules of Council, or absence from three consecutive regular meetings of the Council unless one or more of such absences shall have been excused by the Council; provided, however that such removal shall not take place without the affirmative vote of three-fourths of the remaining members of Council nor until the accused member shall have been notified in writing of the charge or charges against him or her at least fifteen days in advance of a public hearing upon such charge or charges and the member or member's counsel shall have been given an opportunity to be heard, present evidence, and examine, under oath, all witnesses appearing in support of such charge or charges. The accused member shall not vote on the question of removal. (Amended 11-7-95)