The Mayor shall preserve order during meetings of the Governing Body and shall decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal to the Governing Body. When any person is called to order, he or she shall be seated until the point is decided. When the Mayor is putting the question, no person shall leave the meeting room. With the exception of the Governing Body and those appointed officials seated with the Governing Body, every person present, previous to speaking shall rise from his or her seat and address himself or herself to the presiding officer and while speaking shall confine himself or herself to the question. When two or more persons rise at once, the Mayor shall recognize the one who spoke first. All resolutions or motions shall be reduced to writing before being acted upon, if requested by the Municipal Clerk, or any member of the Governing Body. Every member of the Governing Body who is present when a question is voted upon, shall cast his or her vote unless excused by a majority of the Governing Body present. No motion shall be put or debated unless seconded. When seconded, it shall be stated by the Mayor before being debatable. In all cases where a motion or resolution is entered on the minutes, the name of the member of the Governing Body making the motion, or resolution shall be entered also. After each vote, the “Yeas” and “Nays” shall be taken, and entered in the minutes upon the request of any member of the Governing Body. Before the vote is actually taken, any resolution, motion, or proposed ordinance may be withdrawn from consideration by the sponsor thereof with the consent of the member of the Governing Body seconding the resolution, motion, or ordinance. When, in the consideration of an ordinance, different times, or amounts are proposed, the question shall be put on the largest sum, or the longest time. A question to reconsider shall be in order when made by a member voting with the majority, but the motion to reconsider must be made before the expiration of the third regular meeting after the initial consideration of the question. When any question is under debate, no motion shall be made, entertained, or seconded except the previous question, a motion to table, and to adjourn. Each of the motions shall be decided without debate. Any of the rules of the Governing Body for meetings may be suspended by a two-thirds vote of the members present. The Mayor may refer back to any order of business after passing it, if there are no objections by any member of the Council. The Governing Body may reprimand or censure its members for any breach of trust or disorderly behavior. In all cases in which provisions are not made by these rules, Robert’s Rules of Order is the authority by which the Governing Body shall decide all procedural disputes that may arise.
(1972 Code, § 1-703) (Ord. 610, passed 12-19-1978)