(a) Quorum. A majority of Council members must be present at any meeting for official and valid business to be conducted, except as otherwise provided by the Municipal Charter.
(b) Voting Procedure. Voting on all proposed legislation and motions shall be oral and in open Council. The Clerk of Council shall call the roll, beginning with the member seated to the left of the member who made the motion. A member may signify approval with a “yes” vote or disapproval with a “no” vote or may choose to abstain. If a member chooses to abstain, he or she shall state, “I abstain because...,” indicating the reasons for the abstention, which reasons may include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) Such member feels his or her vote would constitute a conflict of interest.
(2) Such member was not present at the previous meeting (re: minutes).
(3) Such member is prohibited from voting on a question by Section 4.07(a) of the Municipal Charter.
No other comments shall be in order during the voting procedure. The Clerk shall announce the result and the vote immediately after the roll call.
(Res. 82-05. Passed 6-7-82.)
(c) Absences. (EDITOR'S NOTE: Subsection (c) was repealed by Resolution 97-09R, passed December 15, 1997.)
(d) Voting on Suspension of Rules. A suspension of the Rules of Council set forth in this chapter shall require a two-thirds vote of the Council members present.
(e) Dissent from Majority Opinion. Any member of Council may dissent or protest a decision of the majority of Council, an ordinance, a resolution or a motion, and may have that dissent entered into record. Such dissent may be verbal or written and shall be presented at the next regular meeting following the action on such ordinance, resolution or motion.
(f) Reconsideration. Any member of Council who voted with the prevailing side on a vote on a given action of Council may move a reconsideration of that action, provided that the motion is made not later than the next regular meeting after the action was taken.
A motion to reconsider shall be in order at any time except when a motion on another subject is standing.
A motion to reconsider, being laid on the table, may be taken up and acted upon at any time Council is engaged in the transaction of miscellaneous business.
No motion to reconsider shall be made more than once on any matter or subject, and the same number of votes is required to reconsider the action of Council as is required to pass or adopt the same.
No motion, resolution or ordinance, having been voted upon, shall be reintroduced within ninety days, unless a majority of Council members concurs.
(Res. 82-05. Passed 6-7-82.)