(A) Rules of order. Robert's Rules of Order, Revised (latest edition), shall be the controlling authority on all questions of parliamentary law and procedure not specifically covered by these rules or by statute or ordinance.
(B) Quorum. A quorum shall consist of a majority of all members-elect, but no ordinance, order or resolution shall be passed which shall not have received the votes of the majority of all members-elect of the Common Council.
(C) Determination of results of voting. The Presiding Officer shall decide whether any question is carried by affirmative or negative vote; but if in doubt or if a roll call vote be demanded, the Council shall decide by roll call vote.
(D) Roll call vote.
(1) All votes upon the passage of ordinances, upon motions to suspend the rules or motions to reconsider, shall be by the roll call.
(2) All votes upon the passage of resolutions may be by roll call or show of hands.
(3) Upon a roll call vote on any question, after any one member shall have voted, it shall not be in order for any member to offer remarks except in explanation of his or her vote, which he or she may do only simultaneously with the casting of his or her vote.
(4) Any member may demand a roll call upon any question to be voted upon by the Council and, when the demand is made, the City Clerk shall call the roll.
(E) Motions, their procedure and the like.
(1) When any motion is made and seconded, it shall be stated by the Presiding Officer, or, being in writing it shall be handed to the Clerk and read aloud, after which debate thereon shall be in order, and it shall be entered upon the journal with the name of the members making it, unless it is withdrawn at the same meeting.
(2) Every motion shall be reduced to writing, except to adjourn, to adjourn to a day certain, to reconsider at the same meeting, to lay on the table, to postpone to a day certain, to postpone indefinitely, for the previous question, to commit, to suspend the rules, to concur, to approve, to make a matter of record, to place on file, to read a second time by title, to refer to committee, to read a third time and to place on passage; and every other motion not so reduced to writing shall be out of order.
(3) A motion to "lay on the table" or for the "previous question" shall not be in order if prefaced by any speech or remarks; provided, however, that, when a motion is made to "lay on the table" any ordinance, the person introducing the ordinance, and he or she only, shall have the right to explain the ordinance before the motion is put to vote.
(4) Any motion or resolution which in effect contemplates a violation of law or is in conflict with any ordinance shall be out of order.
(5) A motion to adjourn cannot be reconsidered.
(6) Any matter laid on the table may be taken up by a vote of the Council at any meeting after the meeting at which it is tabled.
(7) A motion to "reconsider" and "that when the Council adjourn it adjourn to meet on a day certain" are privileged questions and are debatable.
(8) Any business which by law or necessity must or should be transacted within or by a certain time will be considered a question of privilege.
(9) A motion to "suspend the rules" is a privileged question, is debatable. A two-thirds vote of all the elected members, after unanimous consent of the members present to consider the ordinance, is required to pass an ordinance of the legislative body on the same day or at the same meeting at which it is introduced.
(F) Reconsideration. When any question has been once decided in the affirmative or negative, any member voting with the majority may move a reconsideration thereof at the same or next regular meeting; provided that, no such motion shall be introduced at the next regular meeting unless the member intending to make the same shall have given written notice of the intention at the meeting at which the vote which he or she desired to have reconsidered was taken.
(G) Previous question. The "previous question" shall be put in this form: "Shall the main question be now put?" It shall preclude all other motions or amendments except the motion to adjourn. If the motion be sustained, the Chair shall, at once, put the question, first upon the pending amendments in their order and then upon the main question.
(H) Decorum and debate.
(1) When any member is about to speak or deliver any matter to the Council, he or she shall address himself or herself to the Presiding Officer and, on being recognized, may address the Council and shall confine himself or herself to the question in debate.
(2) All speeches and discussions by Council members will be limited to five minutes, unless extended at the discretion of the Presiding Officer.
(3) When two or more members request to be recognized at the same time, the Presiding Officer shall decide which shall speak first.
(4) No member shall impugn the motive of any other.
(5) Any member may change his or her vote before the announcement of the result by the Chair.
(I) Colorable amendments. No matter or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted under color of an amendment.
(J) Postponements. When any matter is postponed indefinitely, it shall not be again voted upon during that or the next two succeeding meetings.
(K) Division of question. Any member may demand a division of a question when the question is capable of a division.
(Ord. 4600, passed 3-4-1957; Ord. G-92-135A, passed 12-7-1992)
Statutory reference:
Quorum, see I.C. 36-4-6-10