The deliberations and actions of Council shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order except where the following special rules, which shall take precedence, are in conflict with Robert's Rules of Order:
Rule 1. Quorum. Upon the appearance of a quorum, the presiding officer shall take the Chair and call the members to order and proceed with the order of business.
Rule 2. Preserving Order. The presiding officer shall preserve order and decorum, and shall decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal to Council. When the Chair is vacated by the President of Council, the President Pro-tempore shall assume the duties of the Chair.
Rule 3. Not To Leave Room. Once Council has reached the portion of the agenda related to motions, resolutions and ordinances, all members of Council must remain in the room to vote upon those motions, resolutions and ordinances and any amendments, suspensions of rules, and emergency clauses related thereto.
Rule 4. Addressing the Chair. Any member of Council desiring to speak shall raise his hand and be recognized by the Chair. No comments should be made by the member desiring to speak until he has been recognized, and once recognized he should address his comments to the Chair.
Rule 5. Two or More Members Seeking Recognition at the Same Time. When two or more members seek recognition from the Chair at the same time, the Chair shall decide which member of Council shall be recognized to speak first.
Rule 6. Member Called to Order. When a member is called to order, he shall immediately stop speaking, unless permitted by the Chair to explain his conduct. If a member of Council appeals the decision of the Chair, the Council shall decide the question by majority vote after appropriate debate.
Rule 7. Voting and Conflict of Interest. Every member of Council who has entered an appearance at the meeting shall vote when a question of any kind is stated from the Chair, unless the member of Council claims to have a conflict of interest which would ethically preclude him from voting on the question. If such a claim is made, the member must explain his conflict of interest to Council.
Rule 8. Motions Must be Seconded. No motion shall be debated or voted upon until it has been seconded. Once a motion has been seconded, it shall be stated distinctly by the Chair prior to debate, shall be reduced to writing by the member making such motion upon request of any other member of Council. A motion may be withdrawn at any time prior to its being amended or voted upon for final decision with the consent of the member seconding the motion. Otherwise, the motion may only be withdrawn with leave of a majority of Council after appropriate debate.
Rule 9. Call for Yeas and Nays. After a voice vote, any member of Council may require that the question be taken upon roll call vote. Such demand must be made immediately after the Chair's interpretation of the voice vote. For any roll call vote the names of the members shall be called alphabetically at the first regular meeting of each year. At subsequent regular meetings of Council, the Clerk shall take the order of roll call vote by calling the next consecutive name alphabetically first and this rotation shall continue throughout the year. All special meetings of Council shall follow the order of roll call at the previous regular meeting. If any roll call vote is tied, the question shall be put to the President of Council last for his deciding vote.
(Ord. 84-22. Passed 4-17-84.)
Rule 10. Committees. All standing committees shall be appointed by the President of Council at the first regular meeting of Council immediately following its organization. Each of the standing committees shall consist of three members of Council, except the Streets, Sidewalks and Sewers Committee, which shall consist of one member from each ward. The following are designated to be standing committees:
(a) Finance.
(b) Streets, Sidewalks and Sewers.
(c) Economic Development and Downtown Planning.
(d) Personnel and Labor Relations.
(e) Recreation and Public Property.
(f) Law and Community Planning.
(g) Materials and Equipment.
The President of Council may appoint special committees consisting of at least three Council members at any time.
The seven elected members of Council and the President shall constitute the Committee of the Whole, who shall meet to discuss such agenda as the President proposes or allows, at such time as the President directs on not less than seven days notice unless an emergency is declared by the President to justify shorter notice. The rules of procedure for the Committee of the Whole and its time for regular meeting, shall be established in writing by the President, subject to amendment by motion approved by a majority of Council, and recorded with the Clerk.
(Ord. 13-80. Passed 1-20-14.)
Rule 11. Special Motions. A motion to adjourn is always in order and is always debatable. A motion to lay on the table is always in order and is always debatable. A motion for the previous question is always in order, but is never debatable.
Rule 12. Reconsideration. Once a question of any kind has been voted upon and decided, it is appropriate for any member who voted with the prevailing side to move for a reconsideration of such decision, but such a motion for reconsideration may only be considered at the same meeting at which the original action which is to be reconsidered was taken, unless reconsideration is allowed at a later time by unanimous vote of the members of Council. No question shall be reconsidered more than two times.
Rule 13. Executive Session. Whenever Council considers business requiring secrecy, the President may direct the meeting room to be cleared and the doors to be closed during such executive session, and each member of Council is enjoined from divulging the information discussed during such executive session until such injunction is explicitly or implicitly removed.
Rule 14. Reading of Papers. Any member of Council may have any paper in the possession of Council, including any papers in the possession of a Council committee or in the possession of the Clerk of Council, to be read upon request, unless such reading is objected to by any other member, in which case the question shall be determined by a majority vote of Council after appropriate debate.
Rule 15. Committee Reports. No report shall be delivered by any member in the name of any committee unless the committee or a majority thereof shall have met and considered the matter reported upon.
Rule 16. Order of Business. The order of business for regular meetings of Council shall be as follows:
(a) Call the roll of members;
(b) Approving the minutes of the preceding meeting as printed in the agenda;
(c) Presentation of petitions;
(d) Reports of committees;
(e) Reports of the officers;
(f) Communication from the general public, both written and oral;
(g) Motions, resolutions and ordinances in that order;
(h) Unfinished business.
(Ord. 84-22. Passed 4-17-84.)
Rule 17. Withdrawing Legislation. An ordinance or resolution may be withdrawn prior to vote on passage by motion of the Council member who introduced the legislation and the concurrence of a majority of Council after debate.
(Ord. 03-23. Passed 5-5-03.)