(a) The Chair: Powers and Duties.
(1) Roll call. The Mayor, or in his or her absence, the Vice-Mayor, shall take the chair at the hour appointed for Council to meet, and shall immediately call the members to order. The roll shall then be called by the Clerk, who shall enter in the minutes of the meeting the names of the members present. In the absence of a quorum at the time appointed for a meeting, the members present may, by a majority vote, take a recess or recesses, and direct the Clerk to procure the attendance of absent members.
(2) Temporary chairperson. In case of the absence of the Mayor and Vice- Mayor the Clerk shall call Council to order and call the roll of the members. If a quorum is found to be present, Council shall proceed to elect, by a majority vote of those present, a chairperson of the meeting, to act until the Mayor or Vice-Mayor appears.
(3) Decision of the chair. The chair shall preserve decorum and decide all questions of order.
(4) Votes. All questions shall be stated and put by the chair and it shall not be in be in order for members to explain their votes during the call of the roll.
(5) Presiding officer; leaving chair. The presiding officer at a meeting may call any other member to take his or her place in the chair, but the substitution shall not extend beyond adjournment. "Presiding officer" means either the Mayor, Vice-Mayor or chairperson of the meeting.
(6) Motions to be stated by chair; withdrawal. When a motion is made and seconded, it shall be stated by the chair before debate. Any member may demand that it be reduced to writing. A motion may not be withdrawn by the mover without the consent of the member seconding it.
(b) Members: Duties and Privileges.
(1) Addressing chair. Every member speaking to a question or making a motion, shall address the chair. Members addressing Council shall confine themselves to the question under debate and avoid personalities.
(2) Voting. Every member present when a question is put shall vote either yes, no or abstain.
(3) Division of a question. On demand of any member, a question under consideration covering two or more points, may be divided by the chair where the question admits of such division.
(4) Personal privilege. The right of a member to address Council on a question of personal privilege shall be limited to cases in which his or her integrity, character or motives are assailed, questioned or impugned.
(5) Excusal from attendance. No member shall be excused from attendance at a Council meeting, except upon roll call, and by a vote of the majority of the members present.
(6) Excusal during meeting. Any member desiring to be excused while Council is in session, shall obtain such permission from the chair.
(c) Order of Business.
(1) Council meetings.
A. The regular meeting of Council shall be held in the Council Chamber, commencing at 7:00 p.m. on the third Monday of each month; provided that whenever the third month is a legal holiday, the regular meeting shall be held on the following Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.: provided further that Council, may on motion, adopt a different day, hour or place for its regular meetings.
B. Council, following its election, shall hold an organizational meeting on the first day of December following such election.
(2) Consent Agenda. To expedite the conduct of business during meetings and in order to allocate more meeting time to the discussion of substantive issues, Council may use the consent agenda for items of routine financial, legal, and administrative matters that require Council action. Any member of Council may request that an item be removed from the consent agenda and placed upon the regular agenda, and such request shall not require a second nor be subject to debate or vote.
(3) Reading of the minutes. At each meeting the reading of minutes of the preceding meeting may be corrected but the complete reading shall be dispensed with unless requested by a majority of the members of Council present.
(4) The agenda. Council shall transact its business in the following order:
A. Roll call.
B. Approval of Consent Agenda.
C. Approval of the minutes, unless approved under the Consent Agenda.
D. Special reports.
E. Reports of standing committees.
F. Reports of special committees.
G. Citizen participation. Any citizen desiring to speak on any issue not on the business agenda of Council shall be given an opportunity to speak. The amount of time granted to any individual shall be governed by the chair. All persons addressing Council shall provide his or her name and address in order to provide a complete and accurate record of proceedings. No anonymous communications shall be accepted by Council.
H. Business.
I. New business not otherwise on the agenda
J. Miscellaneous
L. Excusal of absent members.
(5) Special order. Any subject may be placed in a special order on the agenda of Council by the chair or by the consent of a majority of the members present.
(d) Committee of the Whole. The working business of Council shall be conducted at Committee of the Whole meetings. No legislation or other formal Council action shall be taken at a Committee of the Whole Meeting.
(1) Composition. The Committee of the Whole shall consist of all Councilmembers.
(2) The Chair. Powers and Duties.
A. The Mayor, or in his or her absence, the Vice Mayor, shall preside over all Committee of the Whole Meetings.
B. The Chair shall set the agenda for all Committee of the Whole Meetings in consultation with the City Manager. The Chair or City Manager may solicit input from Councilmembers for items to be placed on the agenda. Any three Councilmembers may compel an item be placed on the agenda.
C. Decision of the Chair. The Chair shall preserve decorum and decide all questions of order.
(3) Public Participation. Committee of the Whole Meetings shall not include public participation. The Chair may, at his or her discretion, allow non-members of Council to address Council on certain agenda items if it will assist Council in assessing or understanding an agenda item.
(4) Supporting Documentation. Any documentation regarding items on the Agenda should be provided to all members of Council at least 48 hours prior to the Committee of the Whole meeting when possible.
(e) Committees.
(1) Appointment. The Mayor shall appoint all committees of Council.
(2) Standing committees. Standing committees shall consist of a chairperson and two members. The Chair shall preside over the committee meeting, preserve decorum and decide all questions of order. The standing committees of Council and the responsibilities of the standing committees are as follows:
A. Finance Committee: Responsible for review and recommendation regarding matters involving the finances of the City.
B. Law Committee: Responsible for review and recommendation regarding legislation of the City.
C. Public Safety Committee: Responsible for review and recommendation regarding matters relating to public safety programs and activities of the City.
D. Streets and Roads Committee: Responsible for review and recommendation regarding matters relating to the public streets, roadways, alleys, state highways, private streets and public rights of way in the City.
E. Buildings and Equipment: Responsible for review and recommendation regarding matters relating to the buildings and equipment of the City.
(3) Special committees. The chair may, at its discretion or, upon action of Council, establish special committees of Council for a temporary time period. Special committees shall consist of not more than three members of Council and may be established for any purpose not in conflict with the responsibilities of standing committees.
(4) Limitations. The activities of standing and special committees are limited by Section 4.05 of the City Charter and may be further limited by act of Council.
(5) Reference to committees. The operating budget and the capital improvement budget shall be referred to appropriate committee for investigation and report. Any matters coming before Council may be referred to the appropriate committee at the discretion of the chair or upon motion approved by a majority of the members present.
(6) Meetings. Standing and special committees shall meet on call of the chairperson or any two members. The meeting agenda shall be prepared by the Chair with input from the two other members. Committee meetings are intended to be working sessions and are not intended to include public participation as a matter of course. The Chair may, at his or her discretion, allow non-members of the committee to address the committee on certain agenda items if it will assist the committee in assessing or understanding an agenda item.
(7) Reports. The committees will study and report back to Council their findings and recommendations regarding any issue referred to the committees by Council. Reports are to be in writing. Minority reports are permitted.
(8) Relieving from further consideration. Upon motion, Council may, by a majority vote, relieve a standing or special committee of further consideration of a matter referred to it, and order the same placed on the agenda.
(f) Volunteer Boards and Commission Membership.
(1) On any board or commission that has representation by volunteers appointed by the City Council, volunteer membership shall be limited to serving on only one board or commission at the same time.
(g) General.
(1) Procedure in absence of rule. In the absence of a rule in this Section to govern a point of procedure, Robert's Rules of Order shall be followed.
(2) Tie vote. In case of a tie in votes on any proposal, the proposal shall be considered lost.
(3) Reconsideration. A motion to reconsider a proposal that has been acted upon favorably, must be made before adjournment of the session of Council at which the vote was taken. A motion to reconsider any other action taken by Council may be made no later than the next regular meeting of Council. A motion to reconsider may be made only by a member who voted with the prevailing side. A majority of the members present shall be sufficient for reconsideration of a vote. If a motion to reconsider is lost, it shall not again be entertained.
(4) Reading of ordinances. The first reading of an ordinance shall be for information. If there are objections to it, the question shall be:
"Shall the proposal be accepted?" Upon acceptance, reading of the ordinance shall be governed by the provision of the City Charter.
(5) Anonymous communications. Unsigned communications shall not be introduced in Council.
(6) Suspension of rule. Except as controlled by statute, any rule may be suspended by the votes of a majority of the members present without debate.
(7) Appointment terms. All Councilmanic appointments shall be limited to two consecutive terms, unless Council by a majority vote determines to waive such restriction.
(8) No City Endorsement. While members of Council are free to express their views or opinions, no individual member shall use city symbols or hold themselves out in any manner to imply the support or endorsement of City Council or the City of Wyoming as a whole on a particular issue without the express consent of the majority of members on City Council.
(9) Decorum. Members of Council shall represent the City in a professional manner while conducting city business. Disparaging comments about a specific member of Council's political affiliations or matters of a personal nature shall be ruled out of order by the chair of the meeting. This section is not intended to eliminate the disagreements or debate between members of Council on particular view, positions, or political and/or philosophical positions, or to infringe on any particular member of Council's First Amendment rights in their private or political capacities outside of City meetings.
(Ord. 22-2020. Passed 11-16-20.)