(A) Agenda. All reports, communications, ordinances, resolutions, contract documents or other matters to be submitted to the Board of Aldermen should be delivered or submitted to the Town Clerk prior to the meeting.
(B) Rules of debate and decorum.
(1) Manner of speaking. 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) Interrupting the speaker. A member, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking, unless it is to call him or her to order or as otherwise provided under applicable rules of parliamentary procedure. If a member, while speaking, is called to order, he or she shall cease speaking until the question of order is determined and, if in order, he or she shall be permitted to proceed.
(3) 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 to do so.
(4) 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.
(5) Request to have statement abstracted. 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) Request to record synopsis of discussion in the minutes. 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.
(7) Questions of order. All questions of order shall be decided by the Mayor without debate, subject to an appeal to the Board.
(8) Robert’s Rules of Order. When any point of procedure shall arise, the latest revised edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall determine the question of procedure.
(1979 Code, § 2-1025) (1994 Code, § 30.19)