(a) Purpose and Form. Motions shall be used only to expedite the orderly transaction of the business of Council and shall not be substituted for resolutions or ordinances. The form of all motions shall be "I move that" followed by the substance of the motion. A second shall be required for any motion except as specifically provided for in a rule, but upon demand of any member, any motion shall be reduced to writing by the Clerk of Council. Any such motion may be withdrawn by the maker before it has been amended or voted upon. When a motion is made, it shall be stated by the Mayor before any debate shall be in order. All motions which have been entertained by the Mayor shall be entered upon the minutes.
(b) Precedence of Motions. When a question is before Council, no motion shall be entertained except the following:
(1) To adjourn.
(2) To fix the hour of adjournment.
(3) For the previous question (to request that discussion end and that any motion being considered be voted on).
(4) To lay on the table.
(5) To postpone to a certain day.
(6) To postpone indefinitely.
(7) To refer to a committee.
(8) To amend.
These motions shall have precedence in the order indicated. The motion to adjourn and the motion to the previous question shall be put to a vote without debate. The motion to fix the hour of adjournment shall be debatable only as to the time of such adjournment. All other motions shall be debatable.
(c) Motion to Adjourn. (When not in order not debatable). A motion to adjourn shall be in order at any time without a second except as follows:
(1) When repeated without intervening business or discussion.
(2) When made as an interruption of a member while speaking.
(3) When the previous question has been ordered.
(4) While a vote is being taken.
(d) The Previous Question. A motion for the previous question shall require a majority vote of all members present. It shall be considered only once; may be renewed after intervening business; shall take precedence over all debatable questions; and shall be in order to prevent amendment of undebatable questions. When the previous question is moved and seconded by one other member, it shall be put as follows: "Shall the main question be now put?" There shall be no further amendment or debate, but pending amendments shall be put in their order before the main question. If the question "Shall the main question be now put?" is decided in the negative the main question remains before Council.
(e) Motion to Lay on the Table. The motion to lay on the table shall dispose finally of all legislation against which it is invoked, but a motion to lay on a pending amendment to an ordinance or resolution shall not carry the ordinance or resolution with it. The motion to lay on the table shall require a majority vote of members present.
(f) Motion to Postpone to a Day Certain. The motion to postpone to a day certain shall require a majority vote of the members present; shall be subject to reconsideration; may be renewed after intervening business; shall be debatable as to the propriety of the postponement, but not upon the merits of the legislation; and may be amended by changing the date. Upon the arrival of the date to which postponed, the legislation shall be considered in the regular order of business of that day.
(g) Motion to Postpone Indefinitely. The motion to postpone indefinitely shall have the same effect as the motion to lay on the table and shall require a majority vote of all members present. The motion to postpone indefinitely shall not be reconsidered; shall be debatable and shall open the legislation to debate; may be renewed after intervening business and may not be amended or laid on the table; and shall be subject to the previous question.
(h) Reconsideration. After the decision of any question any member who voted with the majority may move a reconsideration of any action at the same or the next succeeding meeting. However, an ordinance or resolution authorizing or relating to any contract may be reconsidered at any time before the final execution thereof. A motion to reconsider shall require a majority vote of all members present. After a motion for reconsideration has once been acted upon, no other motion for reconsideration thereof shall be made without unanimous consent of all the members present.
(i) Suspension of Rule. Except as controlled by law, any rule may be suspended by the vote of a majority of all members present without debate.
(j) Motion to Amend. A motion to amend shall be susceptible to but one amendment. An amendment once rejected may not be moved again in the same form.
(k) Special Order. To make any subject a special order shall require the consent of a majority of the members present.
(l) Robert's Rules of Order. In the absence of any Council rule upon the matter of business, Council shall be governed by the ordinary rules governing legislative bodies as set forth in Robert's Rules of Order. (Ord. 75-12. Passed 5-5-75.)