(A) Procedure in absence of rule. In the absence of a rule to govern a point of procedure, reference shall be had to the approved practice in parliamentary bodies.
(B) Decorum in Council Chambers. The Chair shall maintain decorum in Council Chambers during sessions. Persons, other than members of Council, city officials and members of the press, shall not be permitted upon the floor of the Council, or to address Council, except upon introduction by the Chair or a member of Council. If anyone, other than a city official, desires to speak to a member of Council while it is in session, the member, if agreeable to the request, shall leave his or her seat and retire to the rear of the Council Chambers or elsewhere until the conversation is finished.
(C) Rules on readings and suspension of rules. No by-law, ordinance or resolution of a general or permanent nature, or granting a franchise, or creating a right, or involving the expenditure of money, or the levying of a tax, or for the purpose of lease, sale or transfer of property, shall be passed unless it has been fully and distinctly read on three different days, and with respect to any such by-law, ordinance or resolution, there shall be no authority to dispense with this rule, except by a three fourths vote of all members elected to Council, taken by yeas and nays, on each by-law, resolution or ordinance, and entered in the minutes. (See R.C. § 731.17.)
(D) Emergency measures. All emergency measures shall require three readings, two by title only if suspended as provided in motion to suspend rules. A roll call shall first be taken on the emergency clause and then a roll call on the legislation as a whole. In order to pass as an emergency measure, the affirmative vote of five members of Council on the emergency clause is required.
(E) Majority. Whenever the term “majority” is used herein, otherwise unless expressly indicated, it shall be held to mean a majority of those members elected to Council.
(F) Amending rules. A majority vote is required to alter, amend, rescind or supplement these rules. Any proposed alterations or amendments or supplements shall be submitted in writing at a regular meeting and placed on the agenda for the next regular meeting under the order of new business. By unanimous recorded vote of all members elected to Council, such proposed alterations, amendments or supplements may be adopted at the meeting at which the same are submitted.
(G) Quorum. The majority of all members elected to Council shall constitute a quorum.
(H) Solicitor. The Solicitor shall, when requested by a member of Council, give a verbal opinion on any question of law concerning city affairs in open Council, but he or she may, if he or she deems the matter of importance, take a reasonable time to submit his or her opinion in writing. He or she shall not be required to draw any ordinance or resolution except upon a majority vote of the members.
(Ord. 1142-00, passed 1-2-2001)