(A) Agenda. All reports, communications, ordinances, resolutions, contract documents, or other matters to be submitted to the Board shall be delivered or submitted to the Clerk at least four days prior to its meeting. The Clerk shall arrange a list of these matters according to the order of business and furnish each member of the Board and the Town Attorney with a copy prior to the Board meeting and as far in advance of the meeting as time for preparation will permit.
(B) Rules of debate and decorum.
(1) Obtaining the floor. Every member desiring to speak shall address the chair and, upon recognition by the Mayor, shall confine himself or herself to the question under debate, avoiding all personalities and indecorous language.
(2) Interruption. A member, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking, unless it be to call him or her to order or as herein otherwise provided. If a member, while speaking be called to order, he or she shall cease speaking until the question of order be determined and, if in order, he or she shall be permitted to proceed.
(3) Closing debate. The member moving the adoption of an ordinance or resolution shall have the privilege of closing the debate.
(4) Motion to reconsider. A motion to reconsider a vote may be made only at the same or any adjourned meeting to that at which the vote is taken, or upon notice by one voting with the majority that a motion to reconsider will be made at the next regular meeting. The motion must be made by a member of the Board voting on the prevailing side, but may be seconded by any other member and may be made at any time and have precedence over all other motions or while a member has the floor.
(5) Abstract of statements. A member may request from the Mayor the privilege of having an abstract of his or her statement on any subject under consideration by the Board entered in the minutes.
(6) Recordation of discussion. The Clerk may be directed by the Mayor, with consent of the Board, to enter in the minutes a synopsis of the discussion on any question coming before the Board.
(C) Addressing the Board. Any person desiring to address the Board shall first secure the permission of the Mayor. Any interested parties or their authorized representatives may address the Board on matters listed on the agenda of the Board. After a motion is before the Board, no person shall address the Board without first securing the permission of the Board so to do.
(D) Manner of addressing Board; time limit. Every person addressing the Board shall give his or her name and address for the records, and unless special time is granted by the Board, shall limit his or her remarks to ten minutes. All remarks shall be addressed to the Board as a body and not to any member thereof. No person, other than Board members and the person having the floor, shall be permitted to enter into any discussion either directly or through a member of the Board. No question shall be asked a member except through the Mayor.
(E) Voting, explanation of vote. All elections by the Board shall be made by ballot if required by any two members present. A member may be permitted to explain his or her vote only by leave of a majority of the members present, and for explanation, he or she may be allowed not more than five minutes. He or she may, if he or she desires, have his or her reason for voting for or against any measure recorded in the minutes.
(F) Questions of order. All questions of order shall be decided by the Mayor without debate, subject to an appeal to the Board.
(G) Robert’s Rules of Order. When any point of procedure shall arise not covered by this chapter, the latest revised edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall determine the question of procedure.
(Prior Code, § 2-1025)