The business of the Council shall be taken up for consideration and disposition in the following order.
(A) Call to order. The Mayor shall take the chair at the hour appointed for the meeting and shall call the Council to order. In the absence of the Mayor, the Vice Mayor shall call the Council to order. In the absence of both the Mayor and Vice Mayor, the Clerk shall call the Council to order, and an acting Mayor shall be selected to chair the meeting. Upon the arrival of the Mayor or the Vice Mayor, the Vice Mayor or the acting Mayor shall immediately relinquish the chair upon the conclusion of the business immediately before the Council. The Mayor shall preserve order and decorum and decide all questions of order.
(B) Pledge of allegiance. Immediately following the call to order, the Council shall recite the pledge of allegiance.
(C) Roll call. Before proceeding with the business of the Council, the Clerk or his or her deputy shall call the roll of the members, and the names of those members present shall be entered in the minutes. If a quorum is not present, the members present may adjourn pursuant to § 30.063.
(D) Consent agenda. When any item of business requires action by the Council, but is of a routine and noncontroversial nature, the item may be presented as part of a consent agenda.
(1) There shall be no debate or discussion by any member of the Council regarding any item on the consent agenda, beyond asking questions for simple clarification.
(2) Upon objection by any member of the Council to inclusion of any item on the consent agenda, that item shall be removed from the consent agenda forthwith. The objections may be recorded at any time prior to the taking of a vote on the motion to approve the consent agenda. All these items shall be considered individually, in the order in which they were objected to, immediately following consideration of the consent agenda.
(3) Approval of the motion to approve the consent agenda shall be fully equivalent to approval, adoption or enactment of each motion, resolution, ordinance or other item of business thereon, exactly as if each had been acted upon individually.
(E) Minutes. The Clerk or his or her deputy shall read or present the minutes of the preceding Council meeting, which shall be approved if correct. Any errors noted shall be corrected.
(F) Committee reports and demands. Any reports of committees or demands against the town shall be presented. The demands shall be approved or disapproved by the Council.
(G) Call to the public. Petitions, remonstrances, communications and comment or suggestions from citizens present shall be heard by the Council. All these remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a whole, and not to any member thereof. The remarks shall be limited to five minutes, unless additional time is granted by the Council. No person other than the individual speaking shall enter into the discussion without the permission of the presiding officer. No question shall be asked a Councilmember except through the presiding officer. Members of the Council may not discuss, consider or make decisions on matters other than to direct staff to investigate and respond to the petition or request the matter be scheduled for consideration at a future meeting.
(H) Unfinished business. The Council shall consider any business that has been previously considered and which is still unfinished.
(I) New business. The Council shall consider any business not heretofore considered, including the introduction of ordinances and resolutions.
(J) Adjournment. The Council may, by a majority vote of those present, adjourn from time to time to a specific date and hour. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order and decided without debate.
(1991 Code, § 2-4-6)