1-4A-4: PARLIAMENTARY RULES TO GOVERN:

In all cases not provided for herein, the city council shall use the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order to decide questions of parliamentary procedure, where it may be applicable and appropriate. (Ord. 5662, 9-19-2022)

1-4A-5: ORDER OF SEATING:

Council members shall occupy the respective seats in the council chambers assigned to them by the mayor. (Ord. 5662, 9-19-2022)

1-4A-6: OFFICIAL ACTION:

City council shall exercise power only in a duly convened meeting by passing a motion, resolution, amendment, or an ordinance. No motion, resolution, amendment, or ordinance shall be debated unless it receives a second. (Ord. 5662, 9-19-2022)

1-4A-7: PRESIDING OFFICER:

   A.   The mayor shall be the presiding officer of the city council. In the mayor's absence, the mayor pro tem shall be the presiding officer. The mayor pro tem shall immediately relinquish the chair upon arrival of the mayor. In the absence of the mayor and the mayor pro tem, the city clerk shall call the meeting to order, and a temporary presiding officer shall then be selected by majority vote of the council members present. Upon arrival of the mayor or mayor pro tem, the temporary presiding officer shall immediately relinquish the chair.

   B.   The responsibilities of the presiding officer during council meetings include but are not limited to the following:

      1.   Call the meeting to order.

      2.   Announce the order of business as provided in the agenda.

      3.   State motions on the table and who opens debate.

      4.   Put motions to a vote, when appropriate.

      5.   Announce the council's decision on all subjects.

      6.   Prevent irrelevant or frivolous debate or discussion.

      7.   Maintain order and decorum.

      8.   Decide all questions of order.

      9.   Enforce city rules or policies pertaining to city council meeting procedures.

      10.   Recognize the right of council members to appeal parliamentary procedure.

   C.   Appeal Of Parliamentary Decision: A council member may appeal a parliamentary decision made by the presiding officer. A motion to appeal the decision of the presiding officer requires a second and is debatable. The city council shall decide the question by a majority vote. (Ord. 5662, 9-19-2022)

1-4A-8: PRESIDING OFFICER DEBATE AND VOTING:

   A.   The mayor as presiding officer may debate, but may not make a motion or vote. The mayor pro tem, as presiding officer or a temporary presiding officer, may debate, vote as a regular council member, and retain all the powers of a council member. The presiding officer is subject to the limitations of debate that are imposed on all council members.

   B.   The mayor pro tem or a temporary presiding officer shall be counted as a council member when determining whether a quorum exists.

   C.   The mayor pro tem or temporary presiding officer shall affix his or her signature on documents that require the mayor's signature. With regard to measures passed by the council, the mayor pro tem may sign the measure or may take no action as provided by Iowa Code section 380.6(3), in which case the measure becomes effective pursuant to said section. However, the mayor pro tem or temporary presiding officer shall not have the power to veto a measure. In the event the mayor pro tem or temporary presiding officer takes no action on a measure and the mayor resumes his or her office within fourteen (14) days of the measure's passage by the council, the mayor may sign or veto the measure within the fourteen (14) day period. (Ord. 5662, 9-19-2022)

1-4A-9: COUNCIL MEETING DECORUM:

   A.   The presiding officer shall preserve order and decorum, prevent attacks on personalities and the impugning of council members' motives, confine council members in deliberation and debate to the question under discussion, and decide all questions of order. Council members shall not attack the personalities or motives of other members and shall limit deliberation and debate to the question on the table. Council members shall be required to compel the presiding officer to enforce rules of decorum, debate, speaking, and conduct listed in this Article by raising a point of order.

B.   Every member of the public and every council member desiring to speak shall address the presiding officer, only upon recognition by the presiding officer, and shall confine comments to the question under debate, avoiding inappropriate language and personal attacks. (Ord. 5662, 9-19-2022)

1-4A-10: SPEAKING DURING PUBLIC MEETINGS - COUNCIL MEMBER:

   A.   When two (2) or more council members address the presiding officer at once, the presiding officer shall name the member who is to speak. Council members shall refrain from discourse while another member or the presiding officer is speaking. Cell phone and email use shall be limited during any city council meeting.

   B.   Council members shall only speak once until each member choosing to speak shall have spoken.

   C.   Council members shall only have the floor for a maximum of three (3) minutes each time they have the floor. Council members may request time in addition to the allotted three (3) minutes. Such requests for additional time shall be made to the presiding officer and granted at the presiding officer's discretion.

   D.   The presiding officer may make a call to order if a council member violates rules of decorum, and upon such a call, the council member shall immediately cease speaking. The council member may appeal to the presiding officer for an opportunity to explain the remarks. If no appeal is made, the decision of the presiding officer shall be conclusive, but if the member shall appeal from the decision of the presiding officer, the city council shall decide the question without debate by majority vote. (Ord. 5662, 9-19-2022)