HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 890458 - Council Meeting Rules and RegulationsORDINANCE NO. o6 58
AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ADOPTION OF
COUNCIL MEETING RULES AND PROCEDURES FOR
THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN CITY COUNCIL;
PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE AND SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND SETTING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the Charter provides that the City Council of the
City of Georgetown shall, by Ordinance, determine its own rules and
order of business; and
WHEREAS, the Council finds that these rules are procedurally
necessary to function in an orderly/legal manner; and
WHEREAS, upon passage of this Ordinance and adoption of this
Policy by the City Council, the attached Rules and Order of
Business will be adhered to, effective immediately, and
WHEREAS, the Rules and Order of Business shall remain in
effect unless otherwise changed by the City Council after an annual
review following each general election; and
WHEREAS, the City Council hereby finds that this action
implements Policy 3, Governmental Affairs, and is not found to be
inconsistent or in conflict with any other Century Plan Policies,
as required by Section 2,03 of the Administrative Chapter of the
Policy Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF GEORGETOWN, TEXAS:
SECTION I.
The City Council of the City of Georgetown finds that the recitals
set forth above are true and correct and are adopted herein
verbatim as if fully set forth at length.
SECTION II,
That the City Council approves the Council Meeting Procedures,
which are attached hereto,
SECTION III,
All Ordinances, parts of Ordinances, or Resolutions in conflict
herewith are expressly repealed,
SECTION IV
If any article, provision, paragraph or part of a paragraph of this
ordinance is held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of
competent jurisdiction, the same shall not invalidate or impair the
validity, force or effect of any other article, paragraph or part
of a paragraph of this ordinance,
SECTION V.
These Rules and Procedures shall become effective upon Final
Passage,
READ, PASSED AND APPROVED on First Reading this 14th day of
November, 1989,
READ, PASSED, AND APPROVED on Second and Final Reading this
28th day of November, 1989,
II
tiLON
Tim Kennedy, Mayor
ATTEST;
L,.
Leslie Barone, Deputy City Secretary
APPROVED;
illu'to f`''ait
Diane Callander, City Attorney
COUNCIL MEETING PROCEDURES
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, FOLLOWING THE ADOPTION OF THIS POLICY BY
THE CITY COUNCIL, THE FOLLOWING RULES AND ORDER OF BUSINESS WILL
BE ADHERED TO, THEY SHALL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNLESS OTHERWISE
CHANGED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AFTER AN ANNUAL REVIEW FOLLOWING EACH
GENERAL ELECTION, SUCH ACTION IS IN KEEPING WITH SECTION 2,09 OF
THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN WHICH STATES THAT THE COUNCIL
SHALL DETERMINE ITS OWN RULES AND ORDER OF BUSINESS,
I, MEETINGS - Three types of meetings are recognized.
A. Regular Meetings will be held on the second and fourth
Tuesday nights of each month. The meeting will be held
at City Hall in the Council Chambers commencing at 7:00
P.M,, unless otherwise posted. The Council may
reschedule or cancel meetings in order to avoid
conflicts, holidays and vacation periods,
Workshop Meetings, The purpose of such meetings shall
be to discuss in depth or explore matters of interest to
the City, a meeting with one of the City's appointed
committees, or the Council alone may wish to explore a
matter in detail.. The purpose of Workshop Meetings is
to explore or discuss problems without taking specific
action, The general public can, or course, attend such
meetings if they wish, but they may not participate in
the proceedings unless invited to do so, Occasionally,
public hearings may be held at Workshop Meetings for the
convenience of the public,
C, Special Meetings may be called at any time by the City
Secretary upon the request of the Mayor, the City,
Manager, or three (3) Councilmembers. Notice of special
meetings shall be given to all members of the Council who
are not absent from the City; provided, however, that any
member of the Council who did not receive notice of a
special meeting may, either before or after such special
meeting is held, waive such notice. It shall not be
necessary to give notice to a Councilmember of a special
meeting held at a time when such Councilmember is absent
from the City, and it shall not be necessary for such
absent Councilmember to waive such notice.
II. AGENDA/CONSENT AGENDA
The following stipulations relate to the Agenda for meetings
of the Council:
A, After approval by the Mayor, items may be placed on the
agenda at the request of a Councilmember, If an item is
not approved by the Mayor, then a majority plus one of
the Council present may approve an item to be placed on
a future agenda, The Councilmembers requesting the
agenda item will be responsible for the preparation of
an appropriate AGENDA ITEM COVER SHEET and for
presentation at the meeting, Any staff assistance, if
required, should be requested through the City Manager's
office. Agenda items must reach the City Secretary's
office at the City Hall by one o'clock (1:00) P,M.
Wednesday of the week preceding Regular Council Meetings.
Any member of the City staff wishing to have an item
placed on the agenda shall submit that item to the City
Manager's office for approval. The City Manager may
establish procedures for submission of routine items
without his approval,
B. Consent Agenda:
Routine matters may be placed on a consent agenda which
will be treated as one agenda item, Each item included
on the consent agenda must be numbered separately and be
reasonably explained, Questions and explanation of
consent agenda items will be permitted, but there will
be no general discussion or debate, Council will vote
on the consent agenda as one item; passage of the consent
agenda will be passage of each item included thereon.
Failure to pass the consent agenda will not defeat each
item included thereon, in such event, each item will be
considered individually, Before the consent agenda is
voted upon, any item included shall be removed upon the
request of any councilmember. Any item removed from the
consent agenda upon request will be handled separately
in the same manner as an agenda item.
C. The agenda packets for all Regular Meetings will be
delivered by staff on the Friday afternoon preceding the
meetings. This should afford ample time for all
Councilmembers to inquire into the nature of each matter
to be discussed or to personally investigate the matter
so as to better inform himself before a Council meeting.
D. Notice of Meetings, The agenda for all meetings shall
be posted by the City Secretary or his/her designee on
the City's official bulletin board and notice of all
meetings shall be given by the City Secretary pursuant
to the requirements of the Texas Open Meetings Law.
(Article 6252-11, V.T.C.S.)
E, The City Secretary's office will assume responsibility
for issuing to newspapers, radio and television stations
a copy of the agenda advising them that the Regular
Meeting will be held on the following Tuesday night. It
Council Meeting Procedures/Page 2 of 6
is the expressed wish of the Council that a notice of
Council Meetings appear in the news media at least the
day before its meeting. The City Secretary's office will
also assume the responsibility for compliance with the
Open Meeting Law.
III. CHAIRPERSON AND DUTIES
A, Chairperson:
The Mayor, or in his absence, the Mayor Pro -Tem, shall
preside as Chairperson at all meetings of the Council,
In the absence of both the Mayor and Mayor Pro -Tem, the
Council shall elect a temporary Chairperson.
B, Call to Order:
The meetings of the Council shall be called to order by
the Mayor, or in his absence, by the Mayor Pro -Tem, In
the absence of both the Mayor and the Mayor Pro -Tem, the
meeting shall be called to order by the City Secretary,
and a temporary Chairperson shall be elected as provided
above,
IV. GENERAL RULES
A. Quorum:
Four (4) members of the Council shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business,
B, Compelling Attendance:
No member shall be excused from attendance at a Council
meeting except for good and valid reasons, Notification
should be made to Mayor or City Manager if Councilmember
is unable to attend,
Right of Floor:
Any member desiring to speak shall be recognized by the
Chairperson, and shall confine his or her remarks to the
subject under consideration or to be considered, No
member shall be allowed to speak more than once on any
one subject until every member wishing to speak has
spoken
V, PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
In Regular and Special Meetings these rules will govern,
except where the Rules are silent, the most recent edition of
Robert's Rule of order shall govern, unless they are in
conflict with the City Charter or State Statutes. The
following commonly used procedures shall be followed:
Council Meeting Procedures/Page 3 of 6
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS, MOTIONS AND
THEIR PRECEDENCE
A
Debat-
Amend-
Majority
2/3
Second
able
able
Vote
Vote
Required
1,
To Adjourn
NO
NO
YES
NO
NO,
Unless
other
business
is
pending
2,
To Take a
Recess
NO
YES
YES
NO
NO
3,
For the
Previous
Question
NO
NO
YES
NO
YES
4.
To Continue
to a Time
Certain
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
5
To Commit,
Refer or
Recommit
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
6,
To Amend
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
7,
To Amend an
Amendment
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
B.
To Offer a
Substitute
Amendment
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
9.
To Amend a
Substitute
Amendment
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
10,
To Table
NO
NO
YES
NO
YES
11,
Bring From
Table
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
12,
Reconsider
Prior Action
YES
YES
YES
NO
YES
Any Councilmember may call for the question of the issue, and
upon seconding by another Councilmember, the question of the
issue shall immediately be put to vote, This shall be done
Council Meeting Procedures/Page 4 of 6
by the member calling for the previous question. Passage of
the motion to address the previous question shall terminate
debate on the motion, amendment or amend motion, and the
matter shall move on immediately,
The Council may agree to limit debate on any business before
it. That agreement may be formalized by a majority of the
Council on roll call vote.
Any member may request a roll call vote at any time.
VI. CODE OF CONDUCT
A. Councilmembers:
During Council meetings, Councilmembers shall preserve
order and decorum and shall neither by conversation or
otherwise delay or interrupt the proceedings nor refuse
to obey the orders of the Mayor or presiding officer or
the rules of the Council.
B. Citizens:
Citizens are welcome and invited to attend all meetings
of the Council, and will be admitted to the Council
Chamber up to the fire safety capacity of the room.
VII. DECORUM AND DEBATE
No member shall speak more than the time limits provided
herein on any subject or amendment, and such member may use
his/her time in any combination, in separate speech or
comments totaling the number of minutes permitted. The Mayor
shall not be obligated to recognize any Councilmember for a
second comment on the subject or amendment until every
Councilmember wishing to speak has been allowed a first
comment. Councilmembers shall also have the right to yield
a portion of time to another member.
Any member deciding to speak more than five minutes on any
question or more than five minutes on any amendment to the
question shall be accorded the privilege without objection
upon motion supported by majority plus one of the Council,
No member shall be permitted to interrupt while another member
is speaking.
No Councilmember shall be permitted to indulge in
personalities, use offensive language, arraign motives of
members, charge deliberate misrepresentation, or use language
tending to hold a member of the City Council in contempt.
If a member is speaking or otherwise transgressing the rules
of the Council, the presiding officer shall or any
Councilmember may call him/her to order in which case he/she
Council Meeting Procedures/Page 5 of 6
shall immediately be quiet unless permitted to explain, The
Council shall, if appealed to, decide the case without debate.
If the decision is in favor of the member called to order,
he/she shall be at liberty to proceed, but not otherwise.
VIII.CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, AND MOTIONS
A. Majority Vote Required:
An affirmative vote of a majority of the Council
present and qualified to vote is necessary to repeal any
ordinance or take any official action in the name of the
City except as otherwise provided in the Charter or by
the laws of the State of Texas,
B. Voting Required:
No member shall be excused from voting except on
matters involving the consideration of his own
official conduct, or where his personal interests
are involved, and in these instances he shall
abstain. Any member prohibited from voting by
personal interest shall announce at the commencement
of consideration of the matter and shall not enter
into discussion or debate on any such matter and
shall have previously filed an affidavit stating the
conflict of interest. The member having briefly
stated the reason for his request, the excuse from
voting shall be made without debate,
2. Any member who reasonably believes that his/her
voting on a matter would create an appearance of
impropriety shall be excused from voting. That
member shall state publicly the reason(s) she/he
believes voting would be improper,
C. Any abstention by a Councilmember shall be treated as if
that member was absent,
D, Motion to Reconsider:
When a question has once been determined by the Council,
the same question shall not again be considered until
ninety (90) days thereafter, and then only by motion to
reconsider made by a member who voted with the prevailing
side of such question and in accordance with II, A,
IX, SUSPENSION OF ROLES
Any one or all of the provisions of this provision may be
suspended by a vote of majority plus one of the members of the
Council present, except such provisions that embody provisions
of the Charter, identically or substantially.
Council Meeting Procedures/Page 6 of 6