§ 2-26. Conduct of the meeting.

(a)

A majority of the Aldermen elected to the City Council shall constitute a quorum to do business except where otherwise required by State law, but any less Aldermen may have a call of the City Council or may adjourn or recess from time to time and may compel the attendance of absent Aldermen.

(b)

At the hour of the meeting the Mayor shall assume the Chair and call the City Council to order. A quorum being present, the City Secretary, at each regular meeting, shall present to the City Council the minutes of all proceedings since the beginning of the last regular meeting and shall read the same if so required by any Alderman, and after their correction, if any, and approved, the minutes shall be signed by the Mayor.

(c)

In the absence or inability of the Mayor, the Mayor Pro Tempore shall preside over the City Council, or in the absence or inability of both, a quorum being present, a temporary presiding officer may be chosen from among the Aldermen.

(d)

The order of business for regular City Council Meetings shall follow a pattern similar to that prescribed in Robert's Rules of Order and changes to this pattern shall be authorized only in accordance with Robert's.

(e)

When an Alderman wishes recognition, he shall address himself to the presiding officer, but shall not proceed with his remarks until recognized and named by the Chair. He shall then confine his remarks to the question before the City Council.

(f)

While an Alderman is speaking, other members shall not hold private discourse or in any manner interrupt the speaker. In all discussions disrespectful language and personalities shall be avoided. Disturbance, transgressions of the rules or disorderly conduct in the City Council Chamber may cause the transgressor to be removed from the Chamber.

(g)

An Alderman called to order shall immediately desist from speaking unless permitted to explain. If the Alderman appeals to the City Council from the decision of the Chair, the City Council shall decide the matter without debate.

(h)

Every Alderman who shall be present when a question is stated by the Chair shall vote thereon unless excused by the City Council or unless he is directly or particularly interested in the question, in which case he shall not vote.

(i)

Every motion or resolution shall be reduced to writing if the presiding officer or any member desires it to be done, after which it shall be stated by the Chair or read to the City Secretary. It shall then be deemed to be in possession of the City Council but may be withdrawn, at any time before a decision or amendment.

(j)

No new motion or proposition shall be admitted under color of an amendment or of a substitute for the pending motion or proposition which does not relate to the subject matter in the original motion or proposition.

(k)

When a question is under debate, no motion shall be entertained except to adjourn, to lay on the table the previous question, to postpone to a certain day, to postpone indefinitely, or to amend, which several motions shall have precedence in the order named.

(l)

A motion to adjourn shall always be in order unless another member has the floor and such a motion, or a motion to lay on the table, shall be decided without debate.

(m)

The previous question shall be in the form: "Shall the main question be now put?" It shall be only admitted upon demand of two members and sustained by a majority of members present and, until decided, shall preclude all amendments and further debate.

(n)

A motion for the previous question or to lay on the table shall preclude all amendment and debate on the main question and a motion to amend or recess it to a certain date shall precede all further amendment to the main question.

(o)

All questions relating to the priority of business to be acted on shall be decided without debate and when reading of a paper is called for and its reading not objected to by any member, the question shall be determined by a vote of the City Council.

(Ord. No. 300-01-01, § 4, 11-20-2001; Ord. No. 300-04-12, § I, 4-23-2012; Ord. No. 300-07-12, § I(2), 9-24-2012)