(A) When debate is in order. Debate among members of the Council is in order only after a motion has been stated by the Chairperson and seconded.
(B) Nondebatable motions. Certain parliamentary motions must be decided without formal debate. These are:
(1) To adjourn or recede;
(2) To continue;
(3) To lay on the table;
(4) To postpone indefinitely or to a day certain;
(5) To suspend or depart from the agenda, or to return to it; and
(6) For the previous question.
(C) Informal debate. Immediately after receiving a nondebatable motion, and at other times when no motion is on the floor, the Chairperson may allow the conversation as he or she deems appropriate, but all the informal discussion remains subject to his or her discretion; he or she may call for the vote on the matter at hand or terminate discussion at any time, and in the instances his or her decision may not be appealed.
(D) Temporary suspension of business. The following instances may suspend any matter before the Council temporarily:
(1) Point of order;
(2) Point of personal privilege;
(3) Question of recess; and
(4) Other incidental questions, such as of reading papers, dividing a question, withdrawing a motion, or excusing a member from voting.
(E) Motions in order during formal debate. When a motion has been stated and seconded and debate has begun, no motion except the following shall be in order:
(1) To adjourn or recede;
(2) To continue;
(3) To table;
(4) For the previous question;
(5) To postpone indefinitely;
(6) To postpone to a certain day;
(7) To recur to the agenda;
(8) To substitute a motion germane to the matter at hand; and
(9) To amend.
(F) Substitute motions. No more than 2 motions may be received in substitute for the motion on the floor. Any substitute motion defeated by a vote of Council shall be counted as 1 of 2 permissible substitute motions, but any substitute motion which fails for lack of a second shall not be so counted.
(G) No dilatory motions. The Chairperson shall entertain no motion the effect of which will be unnecessarily to delay the business of Council.
(H) Repeated motions. Once 1 of the following motions has been made and rejected, no motion of the same effect shall again be allowed with regard to the same question;
(1) To continue;
(2) To postpone;
(3) To defer; or
(4) To table.
(I) Division of a question. Any member may call for the division of the question. Council may then divide it if the question can be so comprehended that, 1 part being taken away, the rest can stand entire for decision. A motion to divide the question shall require a second and shall be effective upon the vote of a majority of members present and voting; provided, however, that a motion to strike out and insert may not be divided, but that rejection of a motion to strike out shall not preclude a motion to strike out and insert.
(J) Withdrawal of a question. The member who introduced a motion may withdraw it before decision on it or on any amendment to it, so long as the member seconding the motion shall not object; provided, however, that no motion may be withdrawn after the previous question has been called.
(K) Reconsideration. After a question has been decided, any member who voted with the prevailing side may move for reconsideration, and any member may second the motion. However, if Council either shall refuse to reconsider or shall affirm its first decision by a vote of 5 members to reconsider, then no further reconsideration shall be in order except by unanimous consent. The motion to reconsider shall have precedence over all other main motions to rescind, but must be by a vote of at least 5 members.
(L) Resumption of debate. If debate on a question is continued or postponed by action of Council, that question shall be resumed as the first item of business in its proper category on the agenda at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Council, unless another date certain is specified in the action to continue or postpone.
(M) Suspension of the rules. Any member may request, as a matter of privilege, a suspension of any rule contained in this chapter. The rules shall be suspended upon the consent of majority of the members present.
(N) Parliamentary practice. In all particulars not determined by these rules, the practice of the Council shall be guided by Robert’s Rules of Order, 10th Edition.
(Ord. 05-06-01, passed 5-2-2001)