(A) Decorum in public meetings of the Council.
(1) By Council Members. Council Members shall preserve order and decorum at Council meetings by refraining from: (i) delaying or interrupting the proceedings or the peace of the Council by any means; (ii) disturbing any Council Member while the Council Member is speaking; or (iii) refusing to obey the orders of the Council or its Presiding Officer, except as otherwise herein provided.
(2) By other persons. No person shall do any of the following in a public meeting of the Council while addressing the Council or in a manner as to disrupt a Council meeting: (i) make offensive personal insults or comments; (ii) use foul language or language not appropriately uttered in front of children; (iii) use intimidating gestures or postures; (iv) make slanderous remarks; (v) threaten harm to any person or property; or (vi) refuse to comply with the direction of the Presiding Officer. A person who engages in such conduct may be ordered escorted from the premises of the Council meeting by the Presiding Officer. If the Presiding Officer orders any person to be escorted from the premises, the Council may upon the motion of a Council member and majority vote of the Council, rescind such order, with or without conditions.
(3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to either prohibit public criticism of the Council or the act, omission, policy, procedure, program, or service authorized by the Council or put in effect by the city. No person may be ordered to be removed from a Council meeting only as a result of engaging in such public criticism.
(B) Enforcement. A member of the Police Department may be the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Council meetings, as needed. He or she shall carry out all orders and instruction given by the Presiding Officer for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at the Council meeting.
(Ord. 080624-A, passed 6-24-2008; Ord. 090721, passed 7-21-2009; Ord. 100706, passed 7-6-2010; Ord. 191029-B, passed 10-29-2019)