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 the conviction while in office of 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; provided, however, that such removal shall not take place without the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of Council nor until the accused member shall have been notified in writing of the charges against him or her at least ten (10) days in advance of a public hearing upon such charge, and he or she has been given an opportunity to be heard, present evidence and examine any witness appearing in support of the charge. The accused member shall not vote on the question of his or her removal.