(A) All questions of order shall be determined by the chairperson in the first instance without debate, or with the debate as the chairperson, in the chairperson’s discretion, may permit; but any member may appeal to the Council from the decision of the chairperson.
(B) All motions, except motions to adjourn, to recess and to lay on the table, shall be debatable.
(C) Upon any question, at the request of any two members, a roll call vote shall be ordered; whereupon the clerk shall call the roll and take the names of all who voted “aye,” and all who voted “no,” which the clerk shall enter in the minutes. Any member may have the member’s vote recorded on any question.
(D) (1) Any member of Council who has a substantial interest in any business which contracts with the county for sale or lease of land, materials, supplies, equipment or services, or who personally engages in such matters, shall make known that interest and refrain from voting upon or otherwise participating in the person’s capacity as a member of Council in matters related thereto, as provided by S.C. Code § 4-9-180, as amended.
(2) No member of Council and no business with which a member of the Council is associated shall enter into any contract with a governmental agency or department which is to be paid in whole or in part out of governmental funds, as provided by S.C. Code § 8-13-460, as amended.
(E) No motion shall be debated until it shall have been stated by the chairperson. Any motion shall, if desired by the chairperson or any other member, be reduced to writing and delivered to the chairperson and read before it shall be debated.
(F) A question before the Council shall be suspended by:
(1) A question of order;
(2) A question of privilege; and/or
(3) A question of taking a recess.
(G) When a question is under debate, no motion besides those mentioned in the next preceding rule shall be received, except:
(1) To adjourn or recess;
(2) To lay on the table;
(3) For the previous question;
(4) To adjourn debate to a subsequent meeting;
(5) To commit or recommit;
(6) To strike the ordaining or resolving words; and/or
(7) To amend.
(H) A motion to strike the ordaining words of an ordinance or resolving words of a resolution, shall have precedence over a motion to amend, and if carried, shall be considered as equivalent to rejection.
(I) Motions to adjourn, recess and to recess subject to the call of the chair shall always be in order, except while the Council is actually engaged in deciding a question.
(J) The chairperson, in the absence of the vice-chairperson, or the vice-chairperson, when the vice-chairperson is presiding, may name a member to fill the vice-chairperson’s place during an occasional absence from the chair, but the substitution shall not extend beyond an adjournment. In the absence of the chairperson and vice-chairperson, the Council shall elect an acting chairperson to serve until the return of the chairperson or the vice-chairperson.
(K) When a member of the Council receives any information or is presented with any matter which will ultimately require action by the Council, the member shall promptly report the matter to the chairperson for further action by the Council. No action shall be taken by any committee of Council until it first has been presented to the Council, or is officially assigned to a committee by the chairperson.
(L) In all particulars not determined by these rules, or by law, the chairperson or other presiding officer shall be guided by the previous usage of Council or by parliamentary law and procedure as it may be determined from Roberts Rules of Order.
(‘77 Code, § 2-28) (Ord. 4, passed 2-7-77)