It is necessary in order to conduct the business of Council that a system of rules be adopted and henceforth the following rules shall govern all regular and special meetings unless, by a majority vote of those present, such rules are suspended or modified.
Rule 1 - Meetings. Regular meetings each year shall be held on the first Monday of each month commencing at 7:30 p.m. local time unless otherwise established by Council when setting meeting dates at the first meeting of the calendar year.
Rule 2 -Special Meetings. Special meetings may be called by the Mayor or any three members of Council upon giving at least twelve hours notice to each Council member, served personally or left at the member's usual place of business. However, if all members of Council are present at the special meeting, giving of notice is considered to be waived. In addition, individual members or all members of Council can expressly waive notice.
Rule 3 - Opening Proceeding. The Mayor shall take the chair at the time appointed for Council to meet, and shall immediately call the members to order; he shall then cause the minutes of the preceding meeting to be read and disposed of, unless otherwise ordered by Council shall perform such duties as are imposed upon the Mayor. In the absence of both the Mayor and the President Pro Tempore of Council, Council may appoint a temporary chairman to conduct the meeting.
Rule 4 - Presiding Officer. The Mayor shall preserve order and decorum, and confine members in debate to the question. He may in common with any other member, call any member to order who shall violate any of the rules, and shall, when in the chair, decide all questions of order, subject to any appeal to Council on the demand of two members. On such appeal there shall be no debate, but the member making the appeal may briefly state his reasons for the same, and the
presiding officer shall have the same right to a similar statement. The presiding officer shall have no vote except in the case of a tie.
Rule 5 - President Pro Tempore of Council. Each year at the first meeting in January, Council shall select one of its members to serve as President Pro Tempore of Council for the ensuing year. The person so selected shall, in the absence or disability of the Mayor, preside over all meetings of Council with the same power and authority exercised by the Mayor.
Rule 6 - Standing Committees.
(a) No later than the first regular meeting of Council after its organization, the Mayor shall appoint standing committees, each consisting of three members the first named to be chairman, of the following named subjects:
(1) Finance
(2) Public Service
(3) Street
(4) Light
(b) The Mayor, or Council by a majority vote, may at any time remove any member or members of any committee.
(c) The Finance Committee shall maintain general oversight of budgetary matters; shall review pending legislation to determine compliance with proposed expenditures or revenues and the effect on existing legislation and available funds; shall make recommendations to Council on financial affairs of the Municipality; and shall review bills prior to Council Meetings.
(d) The Public Service Committee shall be charged with oversight of the Police Department; shall study mattersof concern affecting that Department or the public safety and shall review legislation proposed making such recommendations as the Committee deems best; shall oversee the Park Board; shall deal with personnel matters of any Village employee; shall oversee Cable TV operations; and shall act as liaison with. County governances.
(e) The Street Committee shall review actions of the Street Department; shall study such matters as are referred to it with reference to maintenance or construction of streets, curbs, lawns or sidewalks and make recommendations to Council concerning same; and shall oversee Town Hall maintenance.
(f) The Light Committee shall act as liaison between Council and utility suppliers; shall review matters referred to it by Council with reference to rates, service or facilities of any utility operating within the Municipality and make such recommendations to Council as are deemed best; shall act as liaison with the Board of Trustees of Public Affairs; and shall review any nuisance complaints.
(Ord. 84-12. Passed 4-8-85.)
Rule 7 - Order of Business.
(a) The business of regular meetings of Council shall be transacted in the following order:
(1) Call to order and roll call;
(2) Pledge of Allegiance;
(3) Approval of minutes of previous meeting;
(4) Public participation;
(5) Ordinances and resolutions;
(6) Business of Solicitor;
(7) Committee reports;
(8) Old business;
(9) New business;
(10) Business of the Mayor;
(11) Business of the Fiscal Officer;
(12) Payment of bills;
(13) Adjournment.
(b) The presiding officer may at any time permit a member of Council to introduce an ordinance, motion, or resolution out of the regular order for the same, unless objected to by a majority of the members present.
(c) Members of the public will be recognized to address Council during both Sessions of Public Comments. Each speaker shall be limited to five minutes, provided that the presiding officer may impose different reasonable time limitations and may also grant time extensions. (Ord. 23-005. Passed 4-10-23.)
Rule 8 - Quorum; Majority. A majority of the members elected to Council shall constitute a quorum to do business, but a lesser number may adjourn from day to day. A majority vote of those present at a meeting at which there is a quorum is sufficient to pass any measure other than an ordinance or resolution. An ordinance or resolution shall require the favorable vote of at least a majority of the members elected to Council.
Rule 9 - Legislation.
(a) Ordinances and resolutions are to be prepared or approved by the Solicitor before final passage. They shall be given a first reading and may be referred to the committee concerned with the subject matter of the next Council meeting. Committees may also report ordinances or resolutions for first hearing. Each member of Council, the Mayor, the Fiscal Officer and the Solicitor shall be furnished with a complete copy of any ordinance or resolution introduced.
(b) Council may accept or reject any committee report, in whole or in part. The Solicitor has the responsibility of preparing legislation in the manner prescribed by law. The committees to which legislation is referred shall not concern themselves with the fulfillment of legal requirements. They will only determine whether the subject matter has been fully covered. Example: The Finance Committee may request certain salary adjustments be made. Council may approve the request and vote to have the necessary legislation prepared by the Solicitor. The legislation at first hearing would be referred to the Finance Committee to determine whether all of the adjustments are included. Members and committees may prepare ordinances but they must be approved by the Solicitor as to form before the third reading or a vote for passage.
(c) Each ordinance or resolution shall be read by title only unless by majority vote, Council directs it to be read in full.
(d) After three separate readings the ordinance or resolution shall be ready for passage. A member may then move for its passage and, after seconding and discussion, a final vote shall be taken. If a majority approves the legislation, it shall be signed by the Fiscal Officer and presiding officer and shall take effect as provided by law. The Fiscal Officer shall record each vote by yeas and nays and enter the same upon the journal.
Rule 10 - Suspension of the Rules. If an ordinance or resolution is presented to Council requiring immediate action, the presiding officer should entertain a motion to suspend the rules. If three- fourths of the members approve the motion, the Fiscal Officer shall record such vote by yeas and nays on the journal and further readings thereof shall be dispensed with. The legislation shall then be ready for passage.
Rules 11 - Effective Date of Legislation.
(a) Ordinances and resolutions which are passed in the ordinary course of business and which do not contain an emergency clause, shall take effect and be in force from and after thirty days after passage unless the ordinance or resolution contains a later date.
(b) Emergency ordinances and resolutions deemed necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health or safety in the Municipality shall so state, shall contain the reasons therefor, and shall take effect immediately upon passage.
(c) Appropriation ordinances for current expenses of the Municipality shall take effect immediately upon passage.
Rule 13 - Reference to Committees. Any report, resolution, ordinance or matter before Council for consideration, except appropriation ordinances, before their final passage, may be referred either to the standing committee to which the subject matter is most closely related or to a committee specially appointed by the presiding officer. Any such committee shall consider the matter thus referred to it and report thereon to Council without unnecessary delay.
Rule 14 - Committee Meetings. Notice of each committee meeting shall be filed with the Clerk of Council and each meeting shall be open to the public. Any committee may require any Village officer to confer with it and provide information needed in connection with any matter pending before the committee.
Rule 15 - Motions: Order of Preference. When a question or proposition is before Council, or under debate, no motion shall be received except the following:
To adjourn,
To lay on the table,
For the previous question,
all of which shall be decided without debate.
Rule 16 - Amendments. These rules may be amended or altered or new rules adopted by a vote of the majority of all members elected at any meeting of Council.
Rule 17 - Punishment and Expulsion of Members. Council may punish or expel any member for disorderly conduct or violation of its rules, and declare his seat vacant for absence without valid excuse, where such absence has continued for two months. No expulsion shall take place without the concurrence of two-thirds of all the members elected, and until the delinquent member has been notified of the charge against him and has had an opportunity to be heard.