(a) Meetings.
(1) The Commission shall meet on regularly scheduled dates in order to conduct the business of the Commission. The Commission may meet as a whole or in committees.
(2) Time and place of the Commission meetings shall be determined by the Chair.
(b) Presiding Officer.
(1) The Chair, or in his absence, the Vice Chair of the Commission shall preside over the meetings of the Commission, preserving order and decorum during the meetings and deciding questions of order. The Chair shall also approve the agenda.
(2) In the absence of the Chair and Vice Chair, the Commission may elect another member of the body to serve as a temporary chair in order to preside at such meetings.
(c) Order of Business. The business of the Commission shall be transacted in the following order:
(1) Call to Order.
(2) Roll Call.
(3) Adoption of the Minutes from previous meetings.
(4) Agenda Additions.
(5) Public Input.
(6) Correspondence and Communications.
(7) Reports of Special Committees.
(8) Agenda Items.
(9) Adjournment.
(d) Conduct During the Commission Meetings. While the Commission is in session at a regular meeting of the whole or as a subcommittee, the presiding officer shall have the authority to remove any person or persons who refuse to obey the Rules of the Commission, disturbs or interrupts the meeting to the extent of preventing the orderly transaction of business.
(e) Speaking.
(1) No member of the Commission shall be allowed to speak longer than five minutes if other members request the floor. While the member is speaking, no one shall interrupt except the Chair or presiding officer, who may confine the member to the rules.
(2) No member shall speak more than once on the same motion until every member desiring to speak on the issue shall have had the opportunity to do so. The Chair may waive this restriction in order to allow the members the opportunity to adequately discuss an issue and respond to questions from others regarding the issue on the floor.
(f) Questions and Motions.
(1) The Chair shall state and put all questions and motions and shall declare the results of all votes. All votes shall be taken by YES and NO.
(2) The votes on all questions and motions shall be by roll call voice vote and recorded as unanimous if no vote is made against the prevailing side. All motions shall be made in the affirmative. A failure to pass on an affirmative motion means the rejection of that motion.
(g) Calling of the Question. Any member may call the question to close the debate. If the motion is made, seconded, voted on and approved, there will be no further amendment or debate.
(h) Non-members Addressing the Commission.
(1) Any person may address the Commission with the approval of the Chair or presiding officer.
(2) The Commission shall establish a period of time at each meeting of the whole to allow citizen input. Citizens shall sign in with the Secretary or Chair prior to the meeting indicating their desire to address the Commission. The Chair may limit the time of individual speakers to five minutes if other citizens desire to address the Commission or if necessary to transact business.
(3) Copies of all written communications from citizens shall be distributed to all members of the Commission.
(i) Votes Required for Passage. All motions require a simple majority vote of those appointed to the Commission for passage of the motion. A failure to pass by a simple majority vote of those appointed to the Commission means a rejection of that motion.
(j) Refusal of Commission Member to Vote. Each member of the Commission must vote on each issue at the designated time. Any determination of a possible conflict of interest should be raised before the issue is discussed. Absence at a meeting shall not be deemed a conflict of interest as it pertains to the meeting minutes.
(k) Minutes. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to furnish an accurate, narrative record of all meetings and proceedings of the Commission to each member as soon as possible. Minutes shall also be filed and available for public inspection in the Office of the City Council.
(l) Rules Governing the Commission. In the absence of any rule not provided for in the foregoing rules, the Commission shall refer to the Codified Rules of Council. In the absence of a Rule in the Rules of Council, the Commission shall refer to Roberts Rules of Order-Newly Revised shall be the standard of parliamentary procedure.
(m) Notices. Notice of all Commissions and committee meetings shall be provided to all members of the Commission or committee and the press, written or oral, at least twenty-four hours prior to the meeting. Notices shall provide time, place, and purpose of such meeting.
Notices of all Commission meetings shall be posted at least twenty-four hours prior to such meeting at the following Tallmadge locations:
Summit County Library/Tallmadge Branch
Tallmadge Municipal Building
Tallmadge Community Center
Tallmadge Recreation Center
City of Tallmadge Website
(n) Financial Business. Expenditures incurred by the Commission shall be submitted to the Chair for approval and upon such approval shall be directed to the Director of Finance for payment. (Ord. 77-2016. Passed 10-24-16.)