Rule 13. Opening Procedures
The Mayor shall take the Chair at the regular hour of calling the meeting, shall immediately call the Members to order and shall proceed with the order of business.
Rule 14. Order of Business
The business of all regular meetings of the Council shall be transacted in the following order:
1 . Call to Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll Call
4. Approval of the Minutes
5. Visitors Comments (maximum of 5 minutes per person)
6 . Reports by Department Heads, Mayor, Fiscal Officer, Village Administrator
7. Committee Reports
8. Old Business
9. New Business
10. Approval of Bills
11. Announcements
12. Miscellaneous
13. Adjournment
The Mayor may at any time, for good cause, permit matters or items to be introduced out of the regular order; and may at any time permit a Member to introduce an ordinance, motion or resolution out of the regular order unless it is objected to by a majority of the Council Members present.
Rule 15. Quorum, Three-Fourths, Two-Thirds Defined
Four Council Members shall constitute a quorum, which is the minimum number of Members required for the transaction of business. If during the course of the meeting the departure of a Council Member results in less than a quorum, the meeting shall be adjourned.
Rule 16. Participation In Discussion
All elected officials shall be entitled to take part in the discussion on all questions before the Council. Administrative officers who are seated on the floor of the Council shall be entitled to take part in the discussion on all questions relating only to their respective departments. Administrative officers seated on the floor of the Council shall be required to answer questions relating to the affairs of the Village under their respective supervision and control.
Rule 17. Limitations on Debate
Members wishing to speak on a question or motion shall first address the Presiding Officer (Mayor), who shall state the name of the Member entitled to the floor. Members shall confine themselves to the question or motion, shall avoid personalities and shall be limited to three (3) minutes.
No Member shall speak more than once on any subject until every Member choosing to speak shall have had an opportunity to be heard, nor more than twice on the same subject without consent from the Council. No Member shall disturb or interrupt another Member having the floor, except by a call to order.
No Member, while Council is in session, shall engage in debate or discussion with anyone, save another Member of the Council or the Mayor or a person who has either been granted the privilege to address the Council or is present at a Council meeting on invitation of the Village Council.
It is the intent that all such debate or discussion shall be guided by Robert's Rules of Order.
Rule 18. Order and Decorum; Appeals
The Presiding Officer shall preserve order and decorum, prevent the impugning of personalities or motives, confine Members in debate to the question under discussion, and shall decide all points of order subject to an appeal by any Member of the Council. In the case of an appeal, the Member called to order and the Mayor shall have the same right to make a statement. A majority vote of Council Members present shall decide the appeal.
If a Member, in speaking or otherwise, shall violate any of these rules, the Presiding Officer or any Member may call the person to order. If such person shall be called to order while speaking, the person shall immediately sit down, unless permitted to explain. The question of order shall be decided without debate.
The Council may punish or expel any member for disorderly conduct or violation of its rules. The Council may declare a member's seat vacant for absence without valid excuse, where such absence has continued for two months.
Rule 19. Yeses and Nos
On the passage of every ordinance and resolution, the vote shall be taken by Yeses and Nos and entered in full upon the records, and included in the official minutes. On any other question, the Yeses and Nos shall be entered upon the records on the request of any Member and seconded by one other Member, or upon the demand by the Presiding Officer.
Rule 20. Voting
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Former Rule 20 was repealed by Ordinance 2022-54, passed January 10, 2022.)
Rule 21. Motions - When Written; Withdrawal
When a motion is made and seconded, the Presiding Officer shall state it before any debate shall be in order. The two movers may agree to withdraw the motion at any time before the final decision. Any motion shall be put in writing if the Mayor or any Members require it, and cannot be withdrawn after acknowledgement by the Mayor without consent of the Council.
Rule 22. Referral to Committee
There are times when a matter brought before Council will be referred to the appropriate standing
committee upon recommendation of the Mayor or any Member and with the consent of the majority of Members. The same process is followed when a special committee is recommended. In both cases, the committee will follow the rules as specified in Section II, Council Committees. Council may direct the committee to submit a written report or recommendation to the full Council within a specified timeframe.
Rule 23. Referral to Committee of the Whole
There are times when a matter brought before Council will be referred to the Committee of the Whole by recommendation of the Mayor or any Member and with the consent of the majority of Members.
This is a meeting of the entire Council as a committee, but instead of the usual Presiding Officer in charge, a chair chosen by The Mayor will preside. The designated chair shall inform the Clerk or Designee, who shall inform the public in advance of the time and place of the meeting. Referral to this committee may take place when a major situation or problem arises in which the Council wants to ensure the participation of all Council Members and discussion in the regular Council meeting would consume too much time and interfere with the regular order of business. The Committee of the Whole will act as a committee, discuss the question as a group, and receive the views and opinions of all Members. This committee shall be governed by the Rules of Council in its deliberations, except that no limit is placed on time or frequency of speaking, that the previous question cannot be moved, and that the yeses and nos cannot be demanded.
The Committee of the Whole will make a written report of its recommendations or findings to Council. If the committee believes that further study or investigation is indicated, it may recommend to Council that the matter be referred to a standing or special committee.