(A) Presiding. The Mayor shall preserve order and decorum and shall decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal to the Council. If the Mayor is absent, the President of the Council shall preside. If the President of the Council is absent, then the Council may appoint a presiding officer.
(B) Addressing. Every member, previous to speaking, shall address the Mayor, or President, but shall not proceed until recognized and named by the presiding officer. When two or more members address the presiding officer, he or she shall decide who is to speak first.
(C) Conduct of members. While a question is being put, no member shall walk across or about the Council room or leave the same, and while a member is speaking, no other member shall engage in private conversation or do anything else to divert the attention or interrupt the speaker.
(D) Monopoly of subject. No member shall speak more than twice on the same subject without leave of the Council, or more than once until every member choosing to speak on the pending question shall have had an opportunity.
(E) Personal remarks. No personalities or reflections injurious to the feelings of any member or the harmony of the Council shall be allowed. Anyone offending in this regard shall be called to order by the presiding officer and shall immediately take his or her seat unless permitted by the Council to explain. If an appeal is taken from the decision of the Chair, it shall be decided without debate; and, unless appealed, the decision of the Chair shall stand.
(F) Motions; rules and restrictions.
(1) Second required. No motion shall be debated or put unless the same shall be seconded. It shall then be stated by the presiding officer and at the request of any member reduced to writing.
(2) Withdrawal. After a motion has been stated by the presiding officer, it shall be deemed in the possession of the Council, but may be withdrawn at any time before amendment or decision by the mover with the consent of his or her seconder.
(3) Division of question. If a question under consideration contains more than one distinct proposition, any member may demand a division.
(4) Different subject matter. No motion or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted under cover of an amendment.
(5) Motion for reconsideration. No motion for reconsideration shall be in order unless made at the same meeting or the meeting following that on which the decision was made; nor shall such motion be made save by one who voted with the majority upon the adoption. In all cases, the name of the member proposing a motion or resolution shall be entered with it on the Council minutes.
(G) Filling blanks. When a blank is to be filled and different sums and times are proposed, the question shall first be put on the largest sum and longest time.
(H) Form of question; debate.
(1) When a question is under debate, no motion shall be entertained, except: first, to adjourn; second, to lay on the table; third, for the previous question; fourth, to postpone to a certain day; fifth, to commit to a standing committee; sixth, to commit to a select committee; seventh, to amend; and eighth, to postpone indefinitely, and these several motions shall have precedence in the order stated.
(2) (a) The previous question must be seconded by a majority of the members present. It shall be put in the following form:
“Shall the main question be now put?”
(b) This question shall not be debatable, and shall operate to close all further debate on the subject under consideration.
(3) Every member of the Council present shall vote upon every question submitted to the Council unless excused or directly interested, in which case he or she shall not vote.
(I) Repealing/passing. These rules shall not be appealed, amended or suspended, except by a vote of two-thirds majority of the Council, and in all parliamentary practices not herein provided for, Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern so far as applicable.
(J) Final passage.
(1) The ayes and noes must be called and recorded on the final passage of any ordinance, bylaw or resolution; the making of any contract; or the consideration of any other matter called for a vote.
(2) The voting on the election or appointment of any officer must be viva voce.
(3) A majority of the whole number of the members elected is requisite to appoint or elect any officer, and such vote must be recorded.
(K) Motion to adjourn. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, save when a member is addressing the Chair, or a vote is being taken. Motions for adjournment and tabling shall not be debatable.
(Prior Code, § 1-6-6)