The proceedings of the Council shall in all cases be governed by the following rules, unless the same are suspended temporarily by a vote of majority of the Council.
(A) The Mayor or, in his or her absence, the President of the Council shall preserve order and decorum and shall decide all questions of order, subject to appeal to the Council.
(B) Prior to speaking, every person shall address the Mayor, and shall not proceed until recognized by him or her.
(C) Every person shall rise while addressing the Council, if requested.
(D) When two or more persons address the presiding officer, the first arising shall have precedence.
(E) While a question is being put, no member shall speak or walk across the Council room or leave the room.
(F) When any member is addressing the Council, no other member shall engage in private conversation or do any act to divert or interrupt the speaker.
(G) No member shall speak more than twice on the same subject without leave of the Council, nor more than once until every member desiring to speak on the pending question has had an opportunity to do so.
(H) No motion shall be debated or put unless the same is seconded. It shall then be stated by the presiding officer and, at the request of any member, shall be reduced to writing.
(I) After a motion has been stated by the presiding officer, it shall be deemed in possession of the Council, but may be withdrawn at any time before amendment or decision by the mover with the consent of his or her second.
(J) If a question under consideration contains more than one distinct proposition, any member may demand a division.
(K) (1) When a question is under debate, no motion shall be entertained, except the following motions:
(a) To adjourn;
(b) To lay on the table;
(c) For the previous question;
(d) To postpone to a certain day;
(e) To commit to a standing committee;
(f) To amend; and
(g) To postpone indefinitely.
(2) These motions shall take precedence in the order in which they are stated.
(L) A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, save when a member is addressing the chair or a vote is being taken. Motions to adjourn and lay on the table shall not be debatable.
(M) Every member of the Council present shall vote upon every question submitted to the Council, unless excused or unless directly interested.
(N) No motion or proposition on a subject different from that under consideration shall be admitted under color of amendment.
(O) No motion for a 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.
(P) In all cases, the name of the member proposing a motion or resolution shall be entered with it in the journal of the proceedings.
(Q) The yeas and nays shall be called and recorded on the final passage of any ordinance, by-law, resolution or the making of any contract.
(R) The voting on the election or appointment of any officer shall be done orally. A majority of the whole number of the members elected is required to appoint or elect an officer. Such vote shall be recorded in the journal of the proceedings.
(S) The Mayor shall vote only in the case of a tie and, by his or her vote, all ties shall be decided.
(T) All petitions, communications, ordinances and resolutions shall be reduced to writing before being submitted to the vote of the Council.
(U) In all parliamentary practice not herein provided for, the Mayor, with the consent of the Council, shall select a standard work on rules of order and shall see that a copy of this work is present and available at all meetings of the Council.
(1992 Code, § 2-1-208)