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CHAPTER 220: COUNCIL
Section
   220.01   Regular meetings
   220.02   Special meetings
   220.03   Rules of order
   220.04   Compensation of Council members and Vice-Mayor
   220.05   Expense accounts
   220.06   Standing committees
   220.07   Speaking time limitations
   220.08   Information required of speakers
   220.09   Roll call
   220.10   Preparation of ordinances and resolutions; establishment of agenda
   220.105   Consent agenda
   220.11   Referral of legislation to committees
   220.12   Industrial revenue bond financing
   220.13   Vice-Mayor may comment
   220.14   Smoking prohibited in chambers (Repealed)
   220.15   Automatic rejection of legislation
   220.16   Clerk of Council
   220.17   Assistant to the Clerk of Council
   220.18   City Council member liaisons
   CROSS REFERENCES
   Authority concerning Subdivision Regulations, see § 1246.01
   Council generally, see Charter Art. IV
   Report of building inspections to, see § 1420.09
   Traffic control powers, see § 406.02
§ 220.01 REGULAR MEETINGS.
   The regular meetings of Council shall be held on the first and third Mondays of each month with caucus at 7:00 p.m., or at an earlier time if so determined by the Vice-Mayor, in the Caucus Chambers and meetings at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall.
(Ord. 1992-26, passed 2-17-1992; Ord. 2004-225, passed 11-15-2004)
§ 220.02 SPECIAL MEETINGS.
   The Mayor, or any three members of Council, may call special meetings upon at least 12 hours’ notice to each member of Council, served personally or left at his or her usual place of residence.
(Ord. 1964-131, passed 8-17-1964)
§ 220.03 RULES OF ORDER.
   Council’s deliberations and proceedings in meeting, except as may be specifically provided for by ordinance, resolution or statute, shall be governed and controlled in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, or as the same may be amended or revised.
(Ord. 1978-18, passed 2-21-1978)
§ 220.04 COMPENSATION OF COUNCIL MEMBERS AND VICE-MAYOR.
   The compensation of each member of the Council shall be $11,877.32 per year commencing December 1, 2009, except that the compensation of the Council’s representative to the Planning Commission shall be $12,773.54 per year commencing December 1, 2009, and except that the compensation of the Vice-Mayor shall be $13,162.50 per year commencing December 1, 2009.
(Ord. 2000-231, passed 10-2-2000; Ord. 2006-53, passed 5-15-2006)
§ 220.05 EXPENSE ACCOUNTS.
   In addition to the compensation provided for in § 220.04, each member of Council shall receive reimbursement for expenses incurred in the conducting of city business in a sum not to exceed $1,000 per year, beginning with the term commencing December 1, 1995, except that a member of Council may be reimbursed for such expenses in excess of the sum of $1,000 per year when such reimbursement is authorized by a motion of Council, and except, further, that a member of Council may be reimbursed up to an additional sum of $1,000 for the cost of printing and mailing ward newsletters. Prior to the payment of any expense, the member of Council shall furnish the Director of Finance an accounting of money so spent, which may include the expense of the use of a personal automobile on official business at the rate provided in § 260.11.
(Ord. 1996-8, passed 2-5-1996)
§ 220.06 STANDING COMMITTEES.
   (a)   Established. At the first meeting of Council in December of each odd-numbered year, or as soon thereafter as may be practicable, the Mayor shall appoint, subject to confirmation of Council, the following standing committees.
      (1)   Finance. The Finance Committee shall consist of three members of Council. The Finance Committee shall be responsible for all financial and money-related issues within the city.
      (2)   Public Works. The Public Works Committee shall consist of three members of Council. The responsibilities of the Public Works Committee shall be oversight of the Service Department, the Wastewater Treatment Plant, roads, sewers (Stormwater Task Force), solid waste and sludge disposal and landfill closure/methane gas.
      (3)   Safety and Public Properties. The Safety and Public Properties Committee shall consist of three members of Council. The responsibilities of the Safety and Public Properties Committee shall be oversight over all police and fire issues, traffic issues (Traffic Safety Task Force), subdivision and traffic signal devices, city land issues, city building projects and development concepts and building maintenance.
   (b)   Vice-Mayor. The Vice-Mayor will serve as Council’s coordinator (or whip) to help direct legislation to the proper committee and to facilitate the movement of legislation through the committee process.
   (c)   Terms of committee members. Members of the committees shall serve for two years during their terms as Council members. No Council member shall serve on any committee beyond the term for which he or she was elected. The Mayor shall appoint, subject to confirmation, new committees in December of each odd-numbered year. Except as may be otherwise provided, the non-Councilmanic members of the committees shall serve for terms of two years each, but no longer than the period of the term of the elected officials then in office.
(Ord 1999-230, passed 12-6-1999)
§ 220.07 SPEAKING TIME LIMITATIONS.
   No member of Council shall be allowed to speak more than once upon any subject until every member of Council has had an opportunity to speak on that subject. Further, no member of Council shall speak more than twice upon any subject nor for a time longer than five minutes, without leave of Council. No member of the public shall be allowed to speak for a time longer than five minutes, unless permitted by the Vice-Mayor.
(Ord. 1976-34, passed 4-5-1976; Ord. 2004-3, passed 1-20-2004)
§ 220.08 INFORMATION REQUIRED OF SPEAKERS.
   All persons addressing Council shall state their name, address and affiliation before commencing their statement.
(Ord. 1976-34, passed 4-5-1976)
§ 220.09 ROLL CALL.
   The roll call of Council shall be in alphabetical order.
(Ord. 1976-34, passed 4-5-1976)
§ 220.10 PREPARATION OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS; ESTABLISHMENT OF AGENDA.
   All requests for preparation of ordinances or resolutions shall be made by the Mayor, Director of Finance or a Chairperson of a committee of Council, upon approval of the majority of the committee. Responsibility for the preparation of the agenda for each meeting of Council shall vest with the Vice-Mayor, in consultation with the Mayor, Director of Finance and the Chairpersons of the committees of Council.
(Ord. 1989-248, passed 10-16-1989)
§ 220.105 CONSENT AGENDA.
   In preparation of the agenda for each meeting of Council, the Vice-Mayor may designate a “consent” portion of the agenda, which may include reports from various departments, bid awards, appointments to boards and commissions, citizen recognitions, ordinances and resolutions and such other matters as Council determines. Action on any item on the consent portion of the agenda shall be taken by the unanimous consent of all members of Council in attendance. Action on any item on the consent portion of the agenda shall not eliminate the need for a greater majority vote if one is called for by the Charter or these Codified Ordinances. At the request of any single member of Council, an item in the consent portion of the agenda can be removed and placed on a later portion of the agenda for regular action.
(Ord. 1997-166, passed 8-4-1997)
§ 220.11 REFERRAL OF LEGISLATION TO COMMITTEES.
   Referral of legislation to the proper committees for recommendation and other action shall be made by the author of the legislation, unless otherwise directed by Council.
(Ord. 1976-34, passed 4-5-1976)
§ 220.12 INDUSTRIAL REVENUE BOND FINANCING.
   No resolution finally approving industrial revenue bond financing shall be adopted unless bond counsel is present.
(Ord. 1979-9, passed 1-15-1979)
§ 220.13 VICE-MAYOR MAY COMMENT.
   The Vice-Mayor may comment on any issues that pertain to his or her ward or to the city as a whole at a proper time.
(Ord. 1976-34, passed 4-5-1976)
§ 220.14 SMOKING PROHIBITED IN CHAMBERS (REPEALED).
Editor’s note:
   Section 220.14 was repealed by Ordinance 1993-18, passed April 6, 1993.
§ 220.15 AUTOMATIC REJECTION OF LEGISLATION.
   Each resolution or ordinance which has not been enacted by Council shall be deemed automatically rejected on the anniversary date of its introduction before Council, unless extended by motion of Council.
(Ord. 1980-8, passed 1-21-1980)
§ 220.16 CLERK OF COUNCIL.
   (a)   There is hereby established a position of Clerk of Council to be appointed by the Vice-Mayor and approved by the remaining members of Council for a term running concurrently with the Vice-Mayor. The Clerk of Council shall work under and be subject to the supervision of the Vice-Mayor and shall perform such duties as may be delegated to him or her by the Vice-Mayor. Among other duties, the Clerk of Council shall act as the Secretary of the Council and of the City Planning Commission. In such capacity, the Clerk of Council shall keep the record of Council and the Planning Commission and shall authenticate all records, documents and instruments of the city on which authentication is proper. All notices or other communications to Council and to the City Planning Commission shall be presented to the Clerk of Council.
   (b)   The Clerk of Council shall serve during good behavior and shall be removed only upon a two-thirds vote of all members elected or appointed to Council.
(Ord. 1988-229, passed 12-5-1988)
   (c)   The Clerk of Council’s rate of pay shall be established from time to time by Council. Additionally, the Clerk of Council shall receive all other employment benefits as are furnished to full-time city employees.
§ 220.17 ASSISTANT TO THE CLERK OF COUNCIL.
   (a)   There is hereby established the position of Assistant to the Clerk of Council in the Clerk of Council’s office, to be appointed by the Vice-Mayor and approved by the remaining members of Council, for a term running concurrently with the Vice-Mayor. The Assistant to the Clerk of Council shall work under and be subject to the supervision of the Clerk of Council and shall perform such duties as may be delegated to him or her by the Clerk of Council.
   (b)   The Assistant to the Clerk of Council shall serve during good behavior and shall be removed only upon a two-thirds vote of all members elected or appointed to Council.
   (c)   The Assistant to the Clerk of Council’s rate of pay shall be established from time to time by Council. Additionally, the Assistant to the Clerk of Council shall receive all other employment benefits as are furnished to full-time city employees.
   (d)   During any period of time when the Clerk of Council is absent, unavailable or unable for any cause to perform his or her duties, the Assistant to the Clerk of Council shall serve and act in the Clerk of Council’s capacity in all respects.
(Ord. 1999-212, passed 11-1-1999)
§ 220.18 CITY COUNCIL MEMBER LIAISONS.
   (a)   The Mayor is hereby authorized to appoint a City Council member as a liaison to interface with and assist each of the following departments:
      (1)   Senior Services Department;
      (2)   Recreation Department;
      (3)   Information Technology Department; and
      (4)   Solon Center for the Arts.
   (b)   Such appointments shall be subject to the confirmation by a majority of the members of Council. No member of Council shall serve as a liaison to more than one of the named departments.
(Ord. 2007-297, passed 12-17-2007)