(A) Seating arrangement. The President of Council shall occupy the seat by the Council Clerk. Seats in the Council Chamber shall be arranged in numerical order and all other Council members shall occupy said seats after drawing by lot at the beginning of the term.
(B) Addressing Chair. Members, when about to speak to a question or making a motion, shall address the Chair as “Mr. Mayor”, “Mr. President” or “Mr. Chairperson”, who shall pronounce the name of the member entitled to the floor. Members addressing Council shall confine themselves to the question under debate and avoid personalities.
(C) Limitation of debate. No member shall be allowed to speak more than once upon any one subject until every member choosing to speak shall have spoken, nor more than twice upon the same subject, nor for a time longer than five minutes, without leave of Council as expressed by a majority vote of the members present.
(D) Voting. Every member present when a question is put shall vote on same unless Council shall, for special reason, excuse him or her from voting. Said excuse shall be granted only if the member states reason for the request before voting begins and the Council, by majority vote of the members present, accepts them. There shall be no debate upon this question.
(E) Division of a question. On demand of any member, a question under consideration which covers two or more points, shall be divided where the question admits of such division.
(F) Demand for roll call. Any member may demand a roll call vote upon any question before Council at any time before the decision of said question is announced by the Chair.
(G) Excusal from attendance. Members shall notify the Clerk of any foreseen absences prior to any scheduled Council or committee meetings.
(H) Excusal during meeting. No member shall be excused while Council is in session except upon permission of the Chair.
(Ord. 1142-00, passed 1-2-2001)