HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 9City of Lakeville
Administration
Memorandum
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Justin Miller, City Administrator
Date: April 25, 2019
Subject: City Council Rules of Procedure Update
The City Council last updated your rules of procedure in 2011. It is a good practice to review
these from time to time to ensure that current practice and state statues are being followed.
Attached to this report are the current rules of procedure as well as edits being suggested by
staff. Any changes suggested by council will be incorporated into a clean version and placed
on an upcoming council agenda for formal approval.
City of Lakeville
City Council
Rules of Procedure
Established: June 1991
Revised: August 2011
i.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. MEETINGS
1.1 Regular meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Adjourned meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.3 Special meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.4 Emergency meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.5 Work sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.6 Notice of meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.7 Quorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.8 Meetings to be public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.8.1 Personnel matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.8.2 Attorney-client matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.9 Annual meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.10 Staff members present at meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.10.1 City Clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.10.2 City Administrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.10.3 City Attorney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.10.4 City Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. PRESIDING OFFICER AND DUTIES
2.1 Presiding Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.2 Call to order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.3 Right of floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.4 Preservation of order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.5 Points of order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.6 Decorum and order – Council Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.7 Decorum and order – Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.8 Decorum and order – Public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.9 Enforcement of Decorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3. AGENDA AND ORDER OF BUSINESS
3.1 Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.1.1 Items not on the agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.2 Delivery of agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.3 Order of business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.4 Roll call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.5 Minutes of Council proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.6 Reading of minutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.7 Consent agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.8 Adjournment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
4. ORDINANCES, MOTIONS, AND VOTING PROCEDURES
4.1 Preparation of ordinances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.2 Ordinances, confined to one subject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3 Motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
-ii-
4.3.1 Motions out of order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3.2 Division of question . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3.3 Precedence of motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3.4 Motion to adjourn (not debatable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3.5 Motion to table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3.6 Motion to limit or terminate discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3.7 Motion to amend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.3.8 Motion to continue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.4 Voting procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.5 Failure to vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.6 Reconsideration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.7 Tie votes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.8 Failure to achieve required votes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.9 Conflict of interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.10 Rulings of Chair final unless overruled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5. BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES
5.1 Creation of boards, commissions and committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5.2 Membership and selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5.3 Removal of members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5.4 Vacancies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5.5 Minutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6. CITIZENS’ RIGHTS
6.1 Right to address the Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.2 Addressing the Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.2.1 Addressing the Council regarding any matter not appearing
on the regular Council Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.2.2 Addressing the Council regarding any matter appearing on
the regular Council agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
6.3 Addressing the Council during the Unfinished Business and
New Business portions of the Agenda prohibited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
6.4 Time limit for addressing the Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
7. AMENDMENT AND SUSPENSION OF RULES
7.1 Amendment of rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
7.2 Suspension of rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
-1-
CITY OF LAKEVILLE
COUNCIL
RULES OF PROCEDURE
Adopted August 1, 2011
The purpose of these rules is to provide guidelines for the conduct of public business by or on
behalf of the Lakeville City Council.
1. MEETINGS:
1.1 Regular meetings:
The City Council of the City of Lakeville will hold regular meetings in the council
Chambers of the City Hall, 20195 Holyoke Avenue, Lakeville, Minnesota, on the
first and third Mondays of each month at 7:00 p.m. If the meeting date falls on a
legal holiday, the meeting will be scheduled instead on the next succeeding day
that is not a holiday, unless another day has been designated in advance.
A schedule of all regular meetings will be kept on file at City Hall. All meetings,
including special, adjourned and emergency meetings, will be held at City Hall
unless the notice of meeting designates a different location.
1.2 Adjourned meetings:
Any meeting may be adjourned to a specified time, place and date, not beyond the
next regular meeting. After adjournment, the meeting cannot be reconvened.
1.3 Special meetings:
As specified by City Code, a special meeting can be called by the Mayor or any
two members of the Council by writing filed with the City Clerk, who shall then
mail or deliver a notice to all the members of the time, place and agenda at least
three (3) days before the meeting. The City Clerk shall also post written notice of
the date, time, place and purpose of the meeting on the bulletin board at City Hall.
The notice shall also be mailed or otherwise delivered to each person who has filed
a written request for notice of special meetings.
1.4 Emergency meetings:
As specified by City Code, an emergency meeting may be called because of
circumstances that require immediate consideration by the City Council. Notice of
the emergency meeting shall be given by telephone or by any other method used to
notify the members of the Council. A good faith effort shall be made to provide
notice of the meeting to each news medium that has filed a request for such notice.
The notice shall include the purpose of the meeting.
1.5 Work sessions:
Work sessions can be called from time to time as deemed necessary. Information
can be presented and discussion can occur but no action can be taken at work
sessions.
1.6 Notice of meetings:
Notice of all regular meetings, work sessions and special and emergency meetings
will be consistent and will be posted by the City Clerk in designated locations.
1.7 Quorum:
A majority of the Council (three of the five members) will be sufficient to do
business. Certain matters, however, require four affirmative votes for approval.
-2-
1.8 Meetings to be public:
It is the policy of the City Council that all of its meetings shall be open to the
public. A schedule of the regular meetings of the City Council shall be kept on file
at City Hall. If a meeting is recessed or a continued session of a previous meeting,
and the time and place of the meeting was established during the previous meeting
and recorded in the minutes of the meting, then no further published or mailed
notice is necessary. All regular, adjourned, special, or emergency meetings and all
work sessions of the City Council will be open to the public, except as provided in
the Open Meeting Law, Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13D as amended.
1.9 Annual meeting:
The Council will hold its first meeting of the year on the first Monday in January
to accomplish the following:
Establish Council meeting dates of the year
Designate the official newspaper
Designate official depositories
Council appointment of Acting Mayor to perform the duties of the Mayor
during disability or absence or, in the case of a vacancy in the office of
Mayor, until a successor has been appointed or elected
1.10 Staff members present at meetings:
1.10.1 City Clerk:
The City Clerk will attend all meetings of the Council unless excused and
will keep official minutes and perform such other duties as may be
requested by the Council. The City Clerk will be responsible for the
preservation and safekeeping of the minutes.
1.10.2 City Administrator:
The City Administrator will attend all meetings of the Council unless
excused. The Administrator may make recommendations to the Council
and will have the right to take part in all discussions of the Council, but
will have no vote.
1.10.3 City Attorney:
The City Attorney will attend all meetings of the Council unless excused
and will, upon request, give an opinion, either written or oral, on questions
of law in accordance with the City Code. The City Attorney will respond
to all questions of the Council regarding parliamentary procedure.
1.10.4 City Employees:
City department heads and staff members will attend City Council
meetings as requested by the City Administrator. Any City employee may
also appear before the Council and identify himself or herself as speaking
as a resident or a member of the public.
2. PRESIDING OFFICER AND DUTIES:
2.1 Presiding Officer:
The Mayor will be a member of the Council and preside over its meetings as Chair.
In the absence of the Mayor, the Acting Mayor will preside. In the absence of both
the Mayor and the Acting Mayor, the Clerk will call the meeting to order and
preside until the Council selects a chair. Upon the arrival of the Mayor or Acting
Mayor, the temporary Chair will immediately relinquish the Chair upon the
conclusion of the current item of business.
-3-
2.2 Call to order:
The meetings of the Council will be called to order by the Chair.
2.3 Right of floor:
Any Council Member desiring to speak must be recognized by the Chair and
should confine his or her remarks to the subject under consideration or to be
considered.
2.4 Preservation of order:
The Chair will preserve order and decorum at all meetings of the Council. The
proceedings of the Council will be conducted in accordance with “Robert’s Rules
of Order Revised” most current edition except if otherwise provided by Statute or
these rules. All questions and remarks shall be addressed to the Chair, or through
the Chair to the appropriate Council Member, staff member, citizen or other
appropriate person.
2.5 Points of order:
The Chair will determine all points of order, subject to the right of any Council
Member to appeal to the Council. In the event of an appeal, a majority vote of the
Council will govern and conclusively determine such question of order.
2.6 Decorum and order – Council Members
2.6.1 Council Members:
(a) Any Council Member desiring to speak shall address the Chair
and, upon recognition, shall confine himself or herself to the
question under debate.
(b) A Council member who wishes to ask a question of the City
Attorney may do so after being recognized by the Chair.
(c) A Council Member, once recognized, shall not be interrupted
while speaking unless called to order by the Chair, unless a point
of order is raised by another Council Member, or unless the
speaker chooses to yield to questions from another Council
Member.
(d) Any Council Member called to order while speaking shall cease
speaking immediately until the question of order is determined. If
ruled to be in order, he or she shall be permitted to proceed. If
ruled to be not in order, he or she shall remain silent or shall alter
his or her remarks so as to comply with the rules of the Council.
(e) Council Members shall accord the utmost courtesy toward each
other, to City employees and to citizens appearing before the
Council. Council Members shall refrain at all times from rude and
derogatory remarks, reflections about integrity, abusive comments
and statements regarding motives and personalities.
(f) Any Council Member may move to require the Chair to enforce
the rules and the affirmative vote of a majority of the Council shall
require the Chair to so act.
(g) Any Council Member may address the Council on a question of
personal privilege if his or her integrity, character, or motives has
been assailed, questioned, or impugned.
(h) No Council Member normally should speak more than once upon
any one subject until every other member choosing to speak on the
topic has spoken.
-4-
(i) Any member shall have the right to express dissent from or protest
any action of the Council and have the reason entered into the
minutes. If such dissent or protest is desired to be entered in the
minutes, this should be made clear by language such as “I would
like the minutes to show that I am opposed to this action for the
following reasons:”
2.7 Decorum and order – Employees
Members of the staff and employees of the City shall observe the same rules of
procedure and decorum applicable to members of the Council. The City
Administrator shall ensure that all City employees observe such decorum. Any
staff member, including the City Administrator, who desires to address the Council
or members of public shall first be recognized by the Chair. All remarks shall be
addressed to the Chair to an individual Council Member or member of the public.
2.8 Decorum and Order – Public
Members of the public attending Council meetings shall observe the same rules of
order and decorum applicable to the Council. Any person making inappropriate
remarks or who becomes boisterous while addressing the Council shall be removed
from the room if the Sergeant-of-Arms is so directed by the Chair, and such person
may be barred from further audience with the Council.
2.9 Enforcement of Decorum
The Chief of Police shall be ex-officio Sergeant-of-Arms of the Council. He shall
carry out all orders and instructions given him by the Presiding Officer for the
purpose of maintaining order and decorum in the Council Chambers. Upon
instructions from the Chair, it shall be the duty of the Chief of Police or
representative to eject any person from the Council Chambers.
3. AGENDA AND ORDER OF BUSINESS
3.1 Agenda:
All reports, communications, ordinances, resolutions, contract documents and
other matters intended for the agenda will be filed no later than 12:00 noon on the
Wednesday prior to the Monday Council meeting at which consideration is
desired. These documents will be delivered to the City Administrator or, in the
Administrator’s absence, to the City Clerk for inclusion on the agenda. Only in
unusual circumstances will matters be accepted later than noon on Wednesday
upon approval of the City Administrator.
3.1.1 Items not on the agenda.
No item of business will be considered by the Council which does not
appear on the agenda for the meeting, except that the agenda can be
amended for items of business that require immediate consideration and
are declared as such by a majority vote of the Council Members present.
3.2 Delivery of agenda
The agenda will ordinarily be delivered to Council Members by each Friday
preceding the scheduled meeting. At the time it is delivered to the Council, the
agenda and all pertinent material not of a confidential nature shall also be available
to the general public and the media.
3.3 Order of business:
The order of business for each meeting shall be as contained in the agenda
prepared by the City Administrator, as follows:
Call to order
-5-
Roll call
Citizens’ Comments
Additional Agenda Information
Presentations/introductions
Consent agenda*
Regular agenda
Unfinished business (for Council discussion only)
New business (for Council discussion only)
Announcements
Adjournment
*(All matters listed on the Consent Agenda are considered routine and will be
acted upon by one motion in the order listed. An explanation can be offered, but no
discussion will take place on separate items. If discussion is desired by either a
Council Member or a member of the audience, that item will be removed from the
Consent Agenda and considered separately.)
Agenda items may not be taken out of order except with majority consent of the
Council. No items may be added or deleted without majority consent of the
Council.
3.4 Roll call:
At the hour appointed for a City Council meeting, the Chair will call the meeting to
order and the City Clerk will call the roll and note the absentees. The City Clerk
will note in the minutes the time and point in the proceedings when any member
absent for roll call arrives, or when any member leaves prior to adjournment.
3.5 Minutes of Council Proceedings:
The minutes of each meeting will be recorded, typewritten and signed by the Clerk
and entered into a book as the official minutes of the Council. Copies of the
minutes will be delivered to each council Member, with approval to be considered
at the next regular council meeting.
3.6 Reading of minutes:
Prior to the meeting, each Council Member will have been furnished with a copy
of the minutes of the preceding meeting(s). Unless a reading of the minutes is
requested by a Council Member, the minutes may be corrected, if necessary, and
approved as printed without reading aloud. If there is no objection to the
correction, it may be made without vote of the Council. If there is an objection, the
Council shall vote on the correction.
3.7 Consent agenda:
The City Administrator may place items of business on the “consent agenda”
which are considered routine. After reviewing the consent agenda, any Council
Member may request that a consent agenda item be moved to the regular agenda
for discussion. Any item removed from the consent agenda will become a regular
agenda item and will be considered after the consent agenda. In addition, if there is
no objection, any Council Member may request that a regular agenda item be
moved to the consent agenda. All items not removed from the consent agenda and
items added to the consent agenda can be passed by a single, non-debatable motion
upon unanimous vote of the Council Members present. Prior to a motion to
approve the consent agenda, the Chair will review the items that have been added
or removed.
3.8 Adjournment:
A motion to adjourn will always be in order and decided without debate.
-6-
4. ORDINANCES, MOTIONS, AND VOTING PROCEDURES
4.1 Preparation of Ordinances: All ordinances will be prepared by the City Attorney
upon request of the City Council, the City Administrator or by the City Attorney’s
own initiative.
4.2 Ordinances, confined to One Subject: Exceptions: All ordinances will relate to
only one subject, with the following exceptions—an appropriation ordinance, and
ordinance adopting or embodying an administrative or governmental code, or an
ordinance adopting a code of ordinances.
4.3 Motions:
Motions on agenda items shall be made in the affirmative. When a motion is made
and seconded, it shall be stated by the Chair before debate. A motion so stated
shall not be withdrawn by the mover without the consent of the person seconding
it.
4.3.1 Motions out of order:
The Chair may at any time, by majority consent of the Council, permit a
member to introduce an ordinance, resolution or motion out of the regular
agenda order.
4.3.2 Division of question:
If the question contains two or more divisionable propositions, the Chair
may, and upon request of a member shall (unless appealed), divide the
same.
4.3.3 Precedence of motions:
When a motion is before the Council, no motion shall be entertained
except the following, which shall have precedence in the following order:
Fix hour of adjournment
Adjourn
Table
Limit or terminate discussion
Amend
Postpone
4.3.4 Motion to adjourn (not debatable):
A motion to adjourn shall be in order at any time except as follows:
(a) When made as an interruption of a member while speaking,
(b) When discussion has ended, and vote on motion is pending, and
(c) While a vote is being taken.
A motion to adjourn “to another time” shall be debatable only as to the
time to which the meeting is adjourned.
4.3.5 Motion to table:
A motion to table shall be undebatable and shall preclude all amendments
or debate of the subject under consideration. If the motion shall prevail, the
matter shall be “taken from the table” at any time prior to the end of the
next regular meeting unless the motion is to either table indefinitely, in
which case the matter shall not be rescheduled without at least majority
approval of the Council, or to a certain date.
4.3.6 Motion to limit or terminate discussion:
Such a motion shall be used to limit or close debate on, or further
amendment to, the main motion and shall be undebatable. A two-thirds
-7-
vote is required for passage. If the motion fails, debate shall be reopened;
if the motion passes, a vote shall be taken on the main motion.
4.3.7 Motion to amend:
A motion to amend shall be debatable only as to amendment. A motion to
amend an amendment shall be in order, but a motion to amend an
amendment to an amendment relating to a different matter shall not be in
order. A substitute motion on the same subject shall be acceptable, and
voted on before a vote on the amendment. Amendments shall be voted
first, then the main motion as amended.
4.3.8 Motion to continue:
Motions to continue to a definite time shall be amendable and debatable as
to propriety of postponement and time set.
4.4 Voting procedure:
On passage of every motion, the vote shall be taken by roll call and entered upon
the record. The order of voting shall be rotated for each motion. The Clerk shall
call the names of the Council Members seated when a roll call vote is ordered.
Members shall respond “yes,” “no,” or “abstain.”
4.5 Failure to vote:
Every Council Member shall vote unless disqualified for cause. If any member
present does not vote, the vote for that item as recorded in the minutes shall
indicate that Council Member’s name, followed by “present, not voting.”
4.6 Reconsideration:
Any Council Member who voted with the prevailing side may move a
reconsideration of any action at the same meeting, or first subsequent meeting
when a full Council is present. A motion to reconsider a contract, however, can
only be made at the same meeting at which it is approved. A motion for
reconsideration of any other action shall require four votes for passage, except that
after a motion of reconsideration has once been acted upon, no other motion for
reconsideration of the same matter shall be made without unanimous consent of the
full Council. When an application or request has been denied by the Council and is
resubmitted to the Council at any time within 12 months following the Council’s
action, it shall be deemed a reconsideration, shall be presented only to a full
Council, and shall be subject to the voting requirements of the preceding sentence.
4.7 Tie votes:
Tie votes shall be lost motions, when all Council Members are present. If a tie vote
results at a time when less than all members of the Council are present, the matter
shall automatically be continued to the agenda of the next regular meeting of the
Council, unless otherwise ordered by the Council.
4.8 Failure to achieve required votes:
Any matter which fails to achieve the required number of votes for passage shall
be deemed denied. The Council Members voting in opposition shall state their
reasons for the record.
4.9 Conflict of interest:
Any Council Member whose private or personal interests are involved in a matter
coming before the Council shall refrain from debate and voting in order to avoid a
conflict of interest. The Council Member may choose to step into the audience to
speak as a citizen, or to leave the Council Chambers during debate and voting on
the issue.
-8-
4.10 Rulings of Chair final unless overruled:
At Council meetings, the Mayor, Acting Mayor or temporary Chair shall decide all
questions or interpretations of these rules, Points of Order or other questions of
procedure that require rulings. Any such decision or ruling shall be final unless
overridden or suspended by a majority vote of the Council Members present and
voting, and shall be binding for purposes of the matter under consideration.
5. BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES:
5.1 Creation of boards, commissions and committees:
The Council may create such boards, commissions and committees, standing or
special, as it deems necessary, to study, advise and make recommendations on
such topics as the Council specifies. Such advisory groups shall consist of as many
members the Council determines necessary and perform such duties as the Council
requires. With the exception of the Planning Commission, which cannot be
abolished, any citizen advisory group so created will cease to exist upon the
accomplishment of the special purpose for which it was created or when abolished
by a majority vote of the Council.
5.2 Membership and selection:
Membership and selection of members will be as provided by the resolution which
established the board, commission or committee.
5.3 Removal of members:
The Council can remove any member of a citizen advisory group by a four-fifths
vote of Council, with the exception of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority.
Once a commissioner is appointed to a term on the HRA, the commissioner cannot
be removed. Any member of any other citizen advisory group who misses three
consecutive meetings or a total of one-third of all meetings in a calendar year shall
automatically be removed from office and the City Administrator shall notify the
member of his or her removal.
5.4 Vacancies:
The chairperson of the Citizen advisory group shall notify the City Council
promptly of any vacancies occurring in membership. The City Council shall
publicize the vacancy and request applications for the position. The City Council
shall interview applicants and appoint a citizen to fill the vacancy for the
remainder of the unexpired term.
5.5 Minutes:
Each board, commission, or committee shall furnish the City Council with the
minutes of the group’s meetings.
6. CITIZENS’ RIGHTS:
6.1 Right to address the Council:
All citizens have the right to address the Council. Citizens’ comments are
encouraged to allow individuals to address the entire Council on a matter of
interest or concern. Specific guidelines should be followed in order to preserve and
protect the valuable flow of information; to provide equal rights to all citizens, to
provide for an orderly meeting and to provide adequate time for the Council to
review and consider agenda items.
6.2 Addressing the Council:
6.2.1 Addressing the Council regarding any matter not appearing on the regular
council agenda:
-9-
(a) During the “Citizens’ Comments” portion of the agenda, the citizen
should step forward to the microphone and wait to be recognized by
the Chair.
(b) The citizen should state his or her name and address for the record.
(c) All remarks must be addressed to the Council as a body, and not to
any individual member.
(d) No person other than members of the Council, the City
Administrator and the person having the floor will be permitted to
enter into any discussion unless requested to do so by the Chair.
(e) No question shall be asked of a Council Member or the City
Administrator except through the Chair.
6.2.2 Addressing the Council regarding any matter appearing on the regular
Council agenda:
(a) When the Chair asks if any member of the audience wishes to
comment on the matter under discussion, the citizen should step
forward to the microphone and wait to be recognized by the Chair.
(b) The citizen should state his or her name and address for the record.
(c) All remarks must be addressed to the Council as a body, and not to
any individual member.
(d) No person other than members of the Council, the City
Administrator and the person having the floor will be permitted to
enter into any discussion unless requested to do so by the Chair.
(e) No question shall be asked of a Council Member or the City
Administrator except through the Chair.
6.3 Addressing the Council during the Unfinished Business and New Business
portions of the agenda prohibited:
No one can address the Council during the Unfinished Business and New Business
portions of the agenda. These items are for Council discussion only.
6.4 Time limit for addressing the Council:
So that all who wish to speak may do so, citizens addressing the Council must
limit their remarks to three minutes unless further time is granted by the Chair.
7. AMENDMENT AND SUSPENSION OF RULES:
7.1 Amendment of rules:
These rules can be amended or new rules adopted by resolution with a two-thirds
vote of all members present at a regular meeting.
7.2 Suspension of rules:
Any provision of these rules not governed by the City Code can be temporarily
suspended by a two-thirds vote of the members present. The vote on any
suspension will be taken by roll call and entered in the minutes.
City of Lakeville
City Council
Rules of Procedure
Established: June 1991
Revised: August 2011
i.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. MEETINGS
1.1 Regular meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Adjourned meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.3 Special meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.4 Emergency meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.5 Work sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.6 Notice of meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.7 Quorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.8 Meetings to be public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.8.1 Personnel matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.8.2 Attorney-client matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.9 Annual meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.10 Staff members present at meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.10.1 City Clerk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.10.2 City Administrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.10.3 City Attorney . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.10.4 City Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. PRESIDING OFFICER AND DUTIES
2.1 Presiding Officer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.2 Call to order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.3 Right of floor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.4 Preservation of order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.5 Points of order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.6 Decorum and order – Council Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.7 Decorum and order – Employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.8 Decorum and order – Public . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.9 Enforcement of Decorum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3. AGENDA AND ORDER OF BUSINESS
3.1 Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.1.1 Items not on the agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.2 Delivery of agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.3 Order of business . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
3.4 Roll call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.5 Minutes of Council proceedings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.6 Reading of minutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.7 Consent agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.8 Adjournment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
4. ORDINANCES, MOTIONS, AND VOTING PROCEDURES
4.1 Preparation of ordinances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.2 Ordinances, confined to one subject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3 Motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
-ii-
4.3.1 Motions out of order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3.2 Division of question . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3.3 Precedence of motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3.4 Motion to adjourn (not debatable) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3.5 Motion to table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3.6 Motion to limit or terminate discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.3.7 Motion to amend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.3.8 Motion to continue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.4 Voting procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.5 Failure to vote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.6 Reconsideration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.7 Tie votes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.8 Failure to achieve required votes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.9 Conflict of interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4.10 Rulings of Chair final unless overruled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5. BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES
5.1 Creation of boards, commissions and committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5.2 Membership and selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5.3 Removal of members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5.4 Vacancies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5.5 Minutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6. CITIZENS’ RIGHTS
6.1 Right to address the Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.2 Addressing the Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.2.1 Addressing the Council regarding any matter not appearing
on the regular Council Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6.2.2 Addressing the Council regarding any matter appearing on
the regular Council agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
6.3 Addressing the Council during the Unfinished Business and
New Business portions of the Agenda prohibited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
6.4 Time limit for addressing the Council . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
7. AMENDMENT AND SUSPENSION OF RULES
7.1 Amendment of rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
7.2 Suspension of rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
-1-
CITY OF LAKEVILLE
COUNCIL
RULES OF PROCEDURE
Adopted August 1, 2011
The purpose of these rules is to provide guidelines for the conduct of public business by
or on behalf of the Lakeville City Council.
1. MEETINGS:
1.1 Regular meetings:
The City Council of the City of Lakeville will hold regular meetings in the
council cChambers of the City Hall, 20195 Holyoke Avenue, Lakeville,
Minnesota, on the first and third Mondays of each month at 7:00 p.m. If
the meeting date falls on a legal holiday, the meeting will be scheduled
instead on the next succeeding day that is not a holiday, unless another
day has been designated in advance.
A schedule of all regular meetings will be kept on file at City Hall. All
meetings, including special, adjourned and emergency meetings, will be
held at City Hall unless the notice of meeting designates a different
location.
1.2 Adjourned meetings:
Any meeting may be adjourned to a specified time, place and date, not
beyond the next regular meeting. After adjournment, the meeting
cannot be reconvened.
1.3 Special meetings:
As specified required by City CodeState Statute, a special meeting can be
called by the Mmayor or any two members of the Council by writing filed
with the City Clerk, who shall then mail or deliver a notice to all the
members of the time, place and agenda at least three (3) days before the
meeting. The City Clerk shall also post written notice of the date, time,
place and purpose of the meeting on the bulletin board at City Hall. The
notice shall also be mailed or otherwise delivered to each person who
has filed a written request for notice of special meetings.
1.4 Emergency meetings:
As specified required by City CodeState Statute, an emergency meeting
may be called because of circumstances that require immediate
consideration by the City Council. Notice of the emergency meeting shall
be given by telephone or by any other method used to notify the
members of the Council. A good faith effort shall be made to provide
notice of the meeting to each news medium that has filed a request for
such notice. The notice shall include the purpose of the meeting.
-2-
1.5 Work sessions:
Work sessions shall generally be held on the fourth Monday of each
month, except when the fourth Monday falls on a legal holiday. Special
work sessions can be called from time to time as deemed necessary.
Information can be presented, and discussion can occur, but no action
can be taken at work sessions.
1.6 Notice of meetings:
Notice of all regular meetings, work sessions and special and emergency
meetings will be consistent and will be posted by the City Clerk in
designated locations.
1.7 Quorum:
A majority of the Council (three of the five members) will be sufficient to
do business. Certain matters, however, require four affirmative votes for
approval.
1.8 Meetings to be public:
It is the policy of the City Council that aAll of its meetings shall be open to
the public. A schedule of the regular meetings of the City Council shall be
kept on file at City Hall. If a meeting is recessed or a continued session of
a previous meeting, and the time and place of the meeting was
established during the previous meeting and recorded in the minutes of
the meeting, then no further published or mailed notice is necessary. All
regular, adjourned, special, or emergency meetings and all work sessions
of the City Council will be open to the public, except as provided in the
Open Meeting Law, Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13D as amended.
1.9 Annual meeting:
The Council will holdAt its first meeting of the year, sometimes referred
to as the annual meeting, the council must perform certain functions as
follows: on the first Monday in January to accomplish the following:
Establish Council meeting dates of the year
Designate the official newspaper
Designate official depositories
Council appointment of Elect an aActing mMayor to perform the
duties of the mMayor during disability or absence or, in the caseif
there is of a vacancy in the office of mMayor, until a successor has
been appointed or elected.
1.10 Staff members present at meetings:
1.10.1 City Clerk:
The City Clerk will attend all meetings of the Council unless
excused and will keep official minutes and perform such other
duties as may be requested by the Council. The City Clerk will be
responsible for the preservation and safekeeping of the minutes.
1.10.2 City Administrator:
-3-
The City Administrator will attend all meetings of the Council
unless excused. The Administrator may make recommendations
to the Council and will have the right to take part in all discussions
of the Council, but will have no vote.
1.10.3 City Attorney:
The City Attorney will attend all meetings of the Council unless
excused and will, upon request, give an opinion, either written or
oral, on questions of law in accordance with the City Code. The
City Attorney will respond to all questions of the Council
regarding parliamentary procedure.
1.10.4 City Employees:
City department heads directors and staff members will attend
City Council meetings as requested by the City Administrator. Any
City employee may also appear before the Council and identify
himself or herself as speaking as a resident or a member of the
public.
2. PRESIDING OFFICER AND DUTIES:
2.1 Presiding Officer:
The mMayor will be a member of the Council and preside over its
meetings as Chair. In the absence of the Mmayor, the Aacting Mmayor
will preside. In the absence of both the Mmayor and the aActing mMayor,
the cClerk will call the meeting to order and preside until the Council
selects a chair. Upon the arrival of the Mmayor or Aacting Mmayor, the
temporary Cchair will immediately relinquish the Cchair upon the
conclusion of the current item of business.
2.2 Call to order:
The meetings of the Council will be called to order by the Chairmayor.
2.3 Right of floor:
Any Council Member desiring to speak must be recognized by the Chair
mayor and should confine his or her remarks to the subject under
consideration or to be considered.
2.4 Preservation of order:
The Chair mayor will preserve order and decorum at all meetings of the
Council. The proceedings of the Council will be conducted in accordance
with “Robert’s Rules of Order Revised” most current edition except if
otherwise provided by Statute or these rules. All questions and remarks
shall be addressed to the Chairmayor, or through the Chair mayor to the
appropriate Ccouncil Mmember, staff member, citizen or other
appropriate person.
2.5 Points of order:
-4-
The Chair mayor will determine all points of order, subject to the right of
any Ccouncil Mmember to appeal to the Council. In the event of an
appeal, a majority vote of the Council will govern and conclusively
determine such question of order.
2.6 Decorum and order – Council Members
2.6.1 Council Members:
(a) Any Ccouncil Mmember desiring to speak shall address the
Chair mayor and, upon recognition, shall confine himself or
herself to the question under debate.
(b) A cCouncil member who wishes to ask a question of the
City Attorney may do so after being recognized by the
Chairmayor.
(c) A Ccouncil Mmember, once recognized, shall not be
interrupted while speaking unless called to order by the
Chairmayor, unless a point of order is raised by another
Ccouncil Mmember, or unless the speaker chooses to yield
to questions from another Ccouncil Mmember.
(d) Any cCouncil Mmember called to order while speaking
shall cease speaking immediately until the question of
order is determined. If ruled to be in order, he or she shall
be permitted to proceed. If ruled to be not in order, he or
she shall remain silent or shall alter his or her remarks so as
to comply with the rules of the Council.
(e) Council Mmembers shall accord the utmost courtesy
toward each other, to City employees and to citizens
appearing before the Council. Council Mmembers shall
refrain at all times from rude and derogatory remarks,
reflections about integrity, abusive comments and
statements regarding motives and personalities.
(f) Any cCouncil Mmember may move to require the Chair
mayor to enforce the rules, and the affirmative vote of a
majority of the Council shall require the Chair mayor to so
act.
(g) Any cCouncil Mmember may address the Council on a
question of personal privilege if his or her integrity,
character, or motives has been assailed, questioned, or
impugned.
(h) No Ccouncil Mmember normally should speak more than
once upon any one subject until every other member
choosing to speak on the topic has spoken.
(i) Any member shall have the right to express dissent from or
protest any action of the Council and have the reason
entered into the minutes. If such dissent or protest is
-5-
desired to be entered in the minutes, this should be made
clear by language such as “I would like the minutes to
show that I am opposed to this action for the following
reasons:”
2.7 Decorum and order – Employees
Members of the staff and employees of the City shall observe the same
rules of procedure and decorum applicable to members of the Council.
The City Administrator shall ensure that all City employees observe such
decorum. Any staff member, including the City Administrator, who
desires to address the Council or members of public shall first be
recognized by the Chairmayor. All remarks shall be addressed to the
Chairmayor, to an individual cCouncil Mmember, or member of the
public.
2.8 Decorum and Order – Public
Members of the public attending Council meetings shall observe the
same rules of order and decorum applicable to the Council. Any person
making inappropriate remarks or who becomes boisterous while
addressing the Council shall be removed from the room if the Sergeant-
of-Arms is so directed by the Chairmayor, and such person may be barred
from further audience with the Council.
2.9 Enforcement of Decorum
The Chief of Police (or his or her designee) shall be ex-officio Sergeant-of-
Arms of the Council. He/She shall carry out all orders and instructions
given him by the Presiding Officer for the purpose of maintaining order
and decorum in the Council Chambers. Upon instructions from the
Chairmayor, it shall be the duty of the Chief of Police or representative to
eject any person from the Council Chambers.
3. AGENDA AND ORDER OF BUSINESS
3.1 Agenda:
All reports, communications, ordinances, resolutions, contract
documents and other matters intended for the agenda will be filed no
later than 12:004:30 pmnoon on the Wednesday Thursday prior to the
Monday Council meeting at which consideration is desired. These
documents will be delivered to the City Administrator or, in the
Administrator’s absence, to the City Clerk for inclusion on the agenda.
Only in unusual circumstances will matters be accepted later than noon
4:30 pm on ThursdayWednesday upon approval of the City
Administrator.
3.1.1 Items not on the agenda.
No item of business will be considered by the Council which does
not appear on the agenda for the meeting, except that the
agenda can be amended for items of business that require
-6-
immediate consideration and are declared as such by a majority
vote of the cCouncil Mmembers present.
3.2 Delivery of agenda
The agenda will ordinarily be delivered to Ccouncil Mmembers by each
Friday preceding the scheduled meeting. At the time it is delivered to the
Council, the agenda and all pertinent material not of a confidential nature
shall also be available to the general public and the media.
3.3 Order of business:
The order of business for each meeting shall be as contained in the
agenda prepared by the City Administrator, as follows:
Call to order
Roll call, Moment of Silence and Flag Pledge
Citizens’ Comments
Additional Agenda Information
Presentations/introductions
Consent agenda*
Regular agenda
Unfinished business (for Council discussion only)
New business (for Council discussion only)
Announcements
Adjournment
*(All matters listed on the cConsent Aagenda are considered routine and
will be acted upon by one motion in the order listed. An explanation can
be offered, but no discussion will take place on separate items. If
discussion is desired by either a cCouncil mMember or a member of the
audience, that item will be removed from the cConsent aAgenda and
considered separately.)
Agenda items may not be taken out of order except with majority
consent of the Council. No items may be added or deleted without
majority consent of the Council.
3.4 Roll call:
At the hour appointed for a City Council meeting, the Chair mayor will
call the meeting to order and the City Clerk will call the roll and note the
absentees. The City Clerk will note in the minutes the time and point in
the proceedings when any member absent for roll call arrives, or when
any member leaves prior to adjournment.
3.5 Minutes of Council Proceedings:
The minutes of each meeting will be recorded, typewritten and signed by
the mayor and Cclerk and entered into a book as the official minutes of
the Council. Copies of the minutes will be delivered to each council
Mmember, with approval to be considered at the next regular council
meeting.
3.6 Reading of minutes:
-7-
Prior to the meeting, each Ccouncil mMember will have been furnished
with a copy of the minutes of the preceding meeting(s). Unless a reading
of the minutes is requested by a cCouncil Mmember, the minutes may be
corrected, if necessary, and approved as printed without reading aloud. If
there is no objection to the correction, it may be made without vote of
the Council. If there is an objection, the Council shall vote on the
correction.
3.7 Consent agenda:
The City Administrator may place items of business on the “consent
agenda” which are considered routine. After reviewing the consent
agenda, any cCouncil Mmember or member of the public may request
that a consent agenda item be moved to the regular agenda for
discussion. Any item removed from the consent agenda will become a
regular agenda item and will be considered after the consent agenda. In
addition, if there is no objection, any Ccouncil Mmember may request
that a regular agenda item be moved to the consent agenda. All items
not removed from the consent agenda and items added to the consent
agenda can be passed by a single, non-debatable motion upon
unanimous vote of the cCouncil Mmembers present. Prior to a motion to
approve the consent agenda, the Chair mayor will review the items that
have been added or removed.
3.8 Adjournment:
A motion to adjourn will always be in order and decided without debate.
-8-
4. ORDINANCES, MOTIONS, AND VOTING PROCEDURES
4.1 Preparation of Ordinances: All ordinances will be prepared by the City
Attorney upon request of the City Council, the City Administrator or by
the City Attorney’s own initiative.
4.2 Ordinances, confined to One Subject: Exceptions: All ordinances will
relate to only one subject, with the following exceptions—an
appropriation ordinance, and ordinance adopting or embodying an
administrative or governmental code, or an ordinance adopting a code of
ordinances.
4.3 Motions:
Motions on agenda items shall be made in the affirmative. When a
motion is made and seconded, it shall be stated by the Chair mayor
before debate. A motion so stated shall not be withdrawn by the mover
without the consent of the person seconding it.
4.3.1 Motions out of order:
The Chair mayor may at any time, by majority consent of the
Council, permit a member to introduce an ordinance, resolution
or motion out of the regular agenda order.
4.3.2 Division of question:
If the question contains two or more divisionable propositions,
the Chair mayor may, and upon request of a member shall (unless
appealed), divide the same.
4.3.3 Precedence of motions:
When a motion is before the Council, no motion shall be
entertained except the following, which shall have precedence in
the following order:
Fix hour of adjournment
Adjourn
Table
Limit or terminate discussion
Amend
Postpone
4.3.4 Motion to adjourn (not debatable):
A motion to adjourn shall be in order at any time except as
follows:
(a) When made as an interruption of a member while
speaking,
(b) When discussion has ended, and vote on motion is
pending, and
(c) While a vote is being taken.
A motion to adjourn “to another time” shall be debatable only as
to the time to which the meeting is adjourned.
-9-
4.3.5 Motion to table:
A motion to table shall be undebatable and shall preclude all
amendments or debate of the subject under consideration. If the
motion shall prevail, the matter shall be “taken from the table” at
any time prior to the end of the next regular meeting unless the
motion is to either table indefinitely, in which case the matter
shall not be rescheduled without at least majority approval of the
Council, or to a certain date.
4.3.6 Motion to limit or terminate discussion:
Such a motion shall be used to limit or close debate on, or further
amendment to, the main motion and shall be undebatable. A two-
thirds vote is required for passage. If the motion fails, debate shall
be reopened; if the motion passes, a vote shall be taken on the
main motion.
4.3.7 Motion to amend:
A motion to amend shall be debatable only as to amendment. A
motion to amend an amendment shall be in order, but a motion
to amend an amendment to an amendment relating to a different
matter shall not be in order. A substitute motion on the same
subject shall be acceptable, and voted on before a vote on the
amendment. Amendments shall be voted first, then the main
motion as amended.
4.3.8 Motion to continue:
Motions to continue to a definite time shall be amendable and
debatable as to propriety of postponement and time set.
4.4 Voting procedure:
On passage of every motion, the vote shall be taken by roll call and
entered upon the record. A roll call vote may be called by any member of
the council. The order of voting shall be rotated for each motion. The
Clerk shall call the names of the Ccouncil Mmembers seated when a roll
call vote is ordered. Members shall respond “yes,” “no,” or “abstain.”
4.5 Failure to vote:
Every Ccouncil Mmember shall vote unless disqualified for cause. If any
member present does not vote, the vote for that item as recorded in the
minutes shall indicate that cCouncil mMember’s name, followed by
“present, not voting.”
4.6 Reconsideration:
Any Ccouncil Mmember who voted with the prevailing side may move a
reconsideration of any action at the same meeting, or first subsequent
meeting when a full Council is present. A motion to reconsider a contract,
however, can only be made at the same meeting at which it is approved.
A motion for reconsideration of any other action shall require four votes
for passage, except that after a motion of reconsideration has once been
-10-
acted upon, no other motion for reconsideration of the same matter shall
be made without unanimous consent of the full Council. When an
application or request has been denied by the Council and is resubmitted
to the Council at any time within 12 months following the Council’s
action, it shall be deemed a reconsideration, shall be presented only to a
full Council, and shall be subject to the voting requirements of the
preceding sentence.
4.7 Tie votes:
Tie votes shall be lost motions, when all cCouncil mMembers are present.
If a tie vote results at a time when less than all members of the Council
are present, the matter shall automatically be continued to the agenda of
the next regular meeting of the Council, unless otherwise ordered by the
Council.
4.8 Failure to achieve required votes:
Any matter which fails to achieve the required number of votes for
passage shall be deemed denied. The cCouncil mMembers voting in
opposition shall have the opportunity to state their reasons for the
record.
4.9 Conflict of interest:
Any cCouncil mMember whose private or personal interests are involved
in a matter coming before the Council shall refrain from debate and
voting in order to avoid a conflict of interest. The cCouncil mMember
may choose to step into the audience to speak as a citizen, or to leave the
Council Chambers during debate and voting on the issue.
4.10 Rulings of Chair mayor final unless overruled:
At Council meetings, the mMayor, Aacting Mmayor or temporary Cchair
shall decide all questions or interpretations of these rules, Points of Order
or other questions of procedure that require rulings. Any such decision or
ruling shall be final unless overridden or suspended by a majority vote of
the Ccouncil Mmembers present and voting, and shall be binding for
purposes of the matter under consideration.
5. BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES:
5.1 Creation of boards, commissions and committees:
The Council may create such boards, commissions and committees,
standing or special, as it deems necessary, to study, advise and make
recommendations on such topics as the Council specifies. Such advisory
groups shall consist of as many members the Council determines
necessary and perform such duties as the Council requires. With the
exception ofExcept for the Planning Commission, which cannot be
abolished, any citizen advisory group so created will cease to exist upon
the accomplishment of the special purpose for which it was created or
when abolished by a majority vote of the Council.
-11-
5.2 Membership and selection:
Membership and selection of members will be as provided by the
resolution which established the board, commission or committee.
5.3 Removal of members:
The Council can remove any member of a citizen advisory group by a
four-fifths vote of Council, with the exception of the Housing and
Redevelopment Authority. Once a commissioner is appointed to a term
on the HRA, the commissioner cannot be removed. Any member of any
other citizen advisory group who misses three consecutive meetings or a
total of one-third of all meetings in a calendar year shall automatically be
removed from office and the City Administrator shall notify the member
of his or her removal.
5.4 Vacancies:
The chairperson of the Ccitizen advisory group shall notify the City
Council promptly of any vacancies occurring in membership. The City
Council shall publicize the vacancy and request applications for the
position. The City Council shall interview applicants and appoint a citizen
to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term.
5.5 Minutes:
Each board, commission, or committee shall furnish the City Council with
the minutes of the group’s meetings.
6. CITIZENS’ RIGHTS:
6.1 Right to address the Council:
All citizens have the right to address the cCouncil. Citizens’ comments are
encouraged to allow individuals to address the entire Ccouncil on a
matter of interest or concern. Specific guidelines should be followed in
order to preserve and protect the valuable flow of information; to provide
equal rights to all citizens, to provide for an orderly meeting and to
provide adequate time for the cCouncil to review and consider agenda
items.
6.2 Addressing the Council:
6.2.1 Addressing the cCouncil regarding any matter not appearing on
the regular council agenda:
(a) During the “Citizens’ Comments” portion of the agenda, the
citizen should step forward to the microphone and wait to
be recognized by the Chairmayor.
(b) The citizen should state his or her name and address for the
record.
(c) All remarks must be addressed to the Ccouncil as a body,
and not to any individual member.
(d) No person other than members of the Ccouncil, the City
Administrator and the person having the floor will be
-12-
permitted to enter into any discussion unless requested to
do so by the Chairmayor.
(e) No question shall be asked of a Ccouncil mMember or the
City Administrator except through the Chairmayor.
6.2.2 Addressing the Council regarding any matter appearing on the
regular Council agenda:
(a) When the Chair mayor asks if any member of the audience
wishes to comment on the matter under discussion, the
citizen should step forward to the microphone and wait to
be recognized by the Chairmayor.
(b) The citizen should state his or her name and address for the
record.
(c) All remarks must be addressed to the cCouncil as a body,
and not to any individual member.
(d) No person other than members of the cCouncil, the City
Administrator and the person having the floor will be
permitted to enter into any discussion unless requested to
do so by the Chairmayor.
(e) No question shall be asked of a Council Member or the City
Administrator except through the Chairmayor.
6.3 Addressing the cCouncil during the Unfinished Business and New
Business portions of the agenda is prohibited:
No one can address the cCouncil during the Unfinished Business and
New Business portions of the agenda. These items are for Ccouncil
discussion only.
6.4 Time limit for addressing the Council:
So that all who wish to speak may do so, citizens addressing the Ccouncil
must limit their remarks to three minutes unless further time is granted
by the Chairmayor.
7. AMENDMENT AND SUSPENSION OF RULES:
7.1 Amendment of rules:
These rules can may be amended, or new rules may be adopted by
resolution with a two-thirds vote of all members present at a regular
meeting.
7.2 Suspension of rules:
Any provision of these rules not governed by the City Code can may be
temporarily suspended by a two-thirds vote of the members present. The
vote on any suspension will be taken by roll call and entered in the
minutes.