A. Definitions:
ADJOURN: To end a meeting.
AMEND: To change the main motion.
CHAIR: The presiding officer, chosen annually by a majority vote of the county commission in compliance with these rules. The duties of the chair shall be to conduct county commission and other meetings and to execute documents on behalf of the county.
CONSENT AGENDA: A means of expediting routine matters which come before the county commission for approval, e.g., contract renewal where no terms have been added, removed, or amended. The consent portion of the agenda is approved by one nondebatable motion. If any commissioner wishes to remove an item from the consent portion of the agenda, then that item becomes the first order of business on the regular agenda.
COUNTY CLERK: Serves as secretary to the board. He/she is responsible for preparing the agenda, properly advertising the meeting, recording the meeting, preparing and maintaining the minutes, and keeping track of all motions and seconds. He/she also attests to all ordinances passed by the county commission.
INVITED SPEAKERS: May attend meetings and be called upon by the chair to present information.
MAJORITY: The minimum number of votes needed to pass or defeat a motion or question. In general, the majority is one more than half of the quorum.
MINUTES: The official record of the board of commissioners' meeting. At a minimum, minutes must include the names of all members present, a description of all motions, and the vote.
MOTION: The question presented to the board. It must be made by one of the commissioners who is not the chair and seconded by another commissioner.
QUORUM: A simple majority of the membership of the board or commission. It does not include a meeting of two (2) commissioners or board members by themselves when no action, either formal or informal, is taken on a subject over which the board members or commissioners have advisory power. A vacant seat does not count toward determining a quorum.
REGULAR AGENDA: Second order of business at any meeting, after the consent agenda. Each issue listed requires a separate motion and is debatable.
SECOND: A supporting vote by a commissioner not making the motion which allows the motion to be put forward for debate and vote. The chair may second any motion. (Ord. 2011-1012-O, 8-16-2011; amd. Ord. 2017-1079-O, 1-3-2017)
B. Order Of Business: The first order of business for regular meetings of the board shall be as follows:
Welcome, the Pledge Of Allegiance;
Explanation of the rules;
Approval of minutes from the previous meeting;
Approval of the consent agenda;
Regular agenda;
Adjourn the meeting.
The chair shall announce each issue, as it is addressed. If there are any invited speakers, the chair shall call them to the podium. The invited speaker(s) shall then address the commission with their concerns, questions, and/or comments. When they are finished, the chair shall then ask the commissioners if they have any questions for the invited speaker(s). When the questions are finished, or if there are none, the invited speaker(s) may then sit down.
If a public hearing has been noticed and if there is anyone in the audience who wishes to speak to the issue, they shall stand and address the chair after any invited speakers. The chair shall acknowledge them and ask them to step to the podium. The audience member will then address the commission with their concerns, questions, and/or comments. When they are finished, the chair shall then ask the commissioners if they have any questions for the audience member. When the questions are finished, or if there are none, the audience member may then sit down.
C. Making A Motion: In order for a board to take any official action on any subject, a commissioner must make a proposal. The commissioner must be recognized by the chair as having the right to speak. This is referred to as "getting the floor".
A proposed motion will not be recognized by the chair until another commissioner agrees to second the motion. A second does not require the commissioner seconding the motion to support the motion.
After the motion is recognized by the chair, the board may debate the motion, one commissioner at a time, starting with the commissioner offering the motion. Commissioners may only speak one at a time.
When there is no further debate, the chair shall then call for a vote. Votes can be taken by voice, by show of hands, by standing, or by roll call as is required.
D. Withdrawing A Motion: After a motion is recognized by the chair, it may be withdrawn by the mover and consent of the second at any time previous to a decision thereon.
A second may withdraw at any time without the consent of the mover.
E. Findings Of Fact: An ordinance before this commission shall only be passed if it includes findings of fact in accordance with due process and public notice standards of the United States, this state, and Washington County.
F. Every Member To Vote: Each commissioner has an equal right to attempt to persuade the other commissioners that his/her opinion on the question or motion is correct or best for the county. Each commissioner has an equal right to vote on every issue.
G. Succession: The chair shall be elected every year at the first meeting of the year by a majority vote of the commissioners. The chair shall preside over all meetings.
If the chair is not present, a chair pro tempore shall be appointed by majority vote to preside over the meeting. In the event that the chair attends the meeting electronically, as allowed in Utah Code Annotated 52-4-207 and section 1-5-1 of this chapter, he/she may ask the chair pro tempore to lead the meeting.
H. Public Notice: Nothing in this section shall be construed as incompatible with Utah code 52-4 or any other applicable notice requirements in the Utah state code or Washington County ordinances.
I. Ethics: Nothing in this section shall be construed as incompatible with any ethical requirements or standards in the Utah state code or Washington County ordinances.
J. Civil Discourse: All debates and voting shall be conducted in such a manner as to be an act of civil discourse to ensure the objectivity of all actions by this commission. (Ord. 2011-1012-O, 8-16-2011)
K. Agenda Items: The agenda for county commission meetings is controlled by the county commission, and any single commissioner can direct that an item be placed on an agenda.
L. Amendment Of These Rules: No rule shall be altered, amended, or suspended except by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the board present. (Ord. 2017-1079-O, 1-3-2017)