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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 005-82 Rules Conduct Mtg RESOLUTION NO. 5-82 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN ESTABLISHING RULES FOR THE CONDUCT OF MEETINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN WHEREAS, Section 36813 of the Government Code, State of California, authorizes a City Council to establish rules for the conduct of its meetings; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Dublin hereby adopts the following rules: 1. REGULAR MEETINGS. (a) Time. Regular meetings of the City Council shall be held on the first and third Monday of each month at the hour of 7:30 p.m. Whenever the day fixed for any regular meeting of the Council falls upon a day designated as a holiday, such meeting may be held at the same hour on the next succeeding day not a holiday, on the following Monday, or cancelled. (b) Place. All regular meetings of the Council shall be held in the place designated by ordinance. (c) Public. All meetings of the Council shall be open to the public; provided, however, the City Council may hold closed sessions as provided by the laws of the State of California. 2. SPECIAL MEETINGS. A special meeting may be ordered at any time by the Mayor whenever in his opinion the public business may require it or upon the written request of any three members of the Council. Whenever a special meeting shall be called, written notice of such meeting shall be delivered personally or by mail by the City Clerk to each member of the Council and to each local newspaper of general circulation and radio station requesting notice in writing. Such notice must be delivered at least twenty-four hours before the time of such meeting as specified in the notice. The order shall specify the time and place of the special meeting and the business to be transacted. No other business shall be considered at such meetings by the Council. The written notice may be dispensed with as to any member of the Council who, at or prior to the time the meeting convenes, files with the City Clerk a written waiver of notice. 3. AGENDA. In order to facilitate the orderly conduct of the business of the Council, the City Clerk shall be notified no later that 11:00 'a.m. of the Wednesday immediately preceding a regular Council meeting of all reports, communications, ordinances, resolutions, contract documents or other matters to be submitted to the Council at such meeting. Immediately thereafter the City Clerk shall arrange an agenda of such matters according to the order of business and furnish each member of the Council, the City Administrator, and the City Attorney with a copy of the agenda prior to the Council meeting and as far in advance of the meeting as 'time for preparation will permit. The City Clerk shall mark with the word "Consent" or identify with an asterisk those items on the agenda regarding which it can reasonably be expected that there will be no discussion by members of the City Council, the City staff or interested persons in the audience. The Council shall consider all of the items on the agenda marked "consent" at one time by vote after a motion has been duly made and seconded. If any member of the City Council or City staff or any interested person in the audience requests that a consent item be removed from the list of consent items, such item shall be taken up for consideration and disposition in the order in which it is listed on the agenda. Unanimous consent of the Council must be obtained before matters not included on the Agenda may be presented to the Council, except as herein- after provided. 4. THE PRESIDING OFFICER. The Mayor shall preside at all its meetings and perform such other duties consistent with his office as may be imposed by the Council. He shall be entitled to vote, but shall possess no veto power. He shall be recognized as the official head of the City for all ceremonial purposes, by the courts for the purpose of serving civil process and by the Governor for military purposes. In the time of public danger or emergency, he may, with the consent of the Council, cause order to be maintained and enforce laws. The Mayor shall preserve strict order and decorum at all regular and special meetings of the council. He shall state every question coming before the Council, call for the vote, announce the decision of the Council on all subjects and decide all questions of order, subject, however, to an appeal to the Council, in which event a majority vote of the Council shall govern and conclusively determine such question of order. He shall sign all ordinances adopted by the Council during his presence. In the event of the absence of the Mayor, the Mayor Protem shall sign ordinances as then adopted. 5. CALL TO ORDER. The Mayor, or in his absence, the Mayor Protem, shall take the chair precisely at the hour appointed for the meeting, and shall immediately call the Council to order. In the absence of the Mayor or Mayor Protem, the City Clerk shall call the Council to order whereupon a temporary chairman shall be elected by the members of the Council present. Upon the arrival of the Mayor or Mayor Protem, the temporary chairman shall immediately relinquish the chair upon the conclusion of the business immediately before the Council. 6. ATTENDANCE. Before proceeding with the business of the Council, the City Clerk shall enter into the minutes the names of the members present or absent. No formal roll call need be taken. 7. QUORUM. A majority of the members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a lesser number than a quorum may adjourn from time to time. Theco. uncil may adjourn any regular, adjourned regular, special or adjourned special meeting to a time and place specified in the order of adjournment. If all members are absent from any regular or adjourned regular meeting, the City Clerk may declare the meeting adjourned to a stated time and place. If he does, he shall cause written notice of the adjournment to be given in the same manner as provided for special meetings unless the notice is waived as provided for special meetings. A copy of the order or notice of adjournment shall be posted at the City Office and other places designated by the Council within twenty-four hours after the time of adjournment. Whenever a regular or adjourned regular meeting is adjourned as provided in this section, the resulting adjourned regular meeting is a regular meeting for all purposes. When an order of adjourn- ment of any meeting fails to state the hour at which the adjournment meeting shall be held, it shall be held at the hour specified for regular meetings. 8. ORDER OF BUSINESS. Promptly at the hour set on the day of each regular meeting, the members of the Council, City Clerk and City Admini- strator shall take their regular stations in the Council Chambers and the business of the Council shall be taken up for consideration and disposition in the following order except that with the unamious consent of the Council, matters may be taken up out of order: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 9. 10. 11. Call to order. Pledge of allegiance to the Flag. Approval of Minutes of previous meeting. Oral communications. Written communications. Consent items. Unfinished business. New Business. Miscellaneous. Matters too late for the agenda. Adjournment. 9. MATTERS TOO LATE FOR THE AGENDA. Under the heading of business entitled "Matters too late for the agenda" members of the City Council and the City staff may present to the Council for consideration and disposition matters regarding which information was not available for inclusion on the Council's agenda prior to 11:00 a.m. of the previous Wednesday, if such matters are of such an urgent nature that consider- ation and disposition of them cannot wait for the next regular Council meeting. Such matters shall require unanimous consent for presentation. 10. READING OF MINUTES. Unless the reading of, the minutes of a council meeting is requested by a member of the Council, such minutes may be approved without reading if the Clerk has previously furnished each member with a copy thereof. 3 11. RULES OF DEBATE. (a) Presiding Officer maS debate. The Mayor or such other member of the Council as may be presiding may move, second and debate from the chair, subject only to such limitations of debate as are by these rules imposed upon all members. He shall not be deprived of any of the rights and privileges of a Councilman by reason of his acting as the Presiding Officer. (b) Gettin~ the floor. Every member desiring to speak shall address the chair, and, upon recognition 'by the Presiding Officer, shall confine himself to the question under debate. (c) Interruptions. A member once recognized shall not be interrupted when speaking unless it be to call him to order, or as herein otherwise provided. If a member, while speaking, be called to order, he shall cease speaking until the question of order be determined, and, if in order, he shall be permitted to proceed. (d) Privilege of closin~ debate. The Councilman moving the adoption of an ordinance or resolution shall have the privilege of closing the debate. (e) Motion to reconsider. A motion to reconsider any action taken by the Council may be made. at any time. Such motion must be made by one of the prevail- lng side, bu~ may be seconded by any member, and may be made at any time and have precedence over all other motions or while a member has the floor; it shall be debatable. Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent any member of the Council from making or remaking the same or other motion at a subsequent meeting of the Council. (f) Remarks of Councilman. A Councilman may request through the Presid- ing Officer, the privilege of having an abstract of hiS statement on any subject under consideration by the Council entered in the minutes. If the Council consents thereto, such statement shall be entered in the minutes. (g) Synopsis of Debate. The Clerk may be directed by the Presiding Officer with the consent of the Council, to enter in the minutes a synopsis of the discussion on any question coming regularly before the Council. (h) Rules of Order. Except as otherwise provided in this resolution, the current edition of "Roberts Rules of Order" shall govern the conduct of the meeting of the City Council. 12. ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL. Any person desiring to address the Council at a meeting shall first secure the permission of the Presiding Officer so to do; provided, however, that under the following headings of business, any qualified and interested person shall have the right to address the Council upon obtaining recognition by the Presiding Officer. (a) Written Communications. Interested-persons or their authorized representative may address the Council by written communication on any matters concerning the City's business, or any matters over which the Council has control. Such written communication shall be delivered to the City Clerk no later than 11:00 A.M. of the Wednesday immediately preceding the regular Council meeting the agenda for which such written communication is intended. (b) Oral Communications..Interested persons in the audience or their authorized representatives may address the Council by oral communications on any matters over which the Council has control; provided, however, that preference shall be given to those persons who have notified the City Clerk in advance of their desire to speak in order that the same may appear on the agenda of the Council. 13. ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL AFTER MOTION MADE. After a motion is made by the Council, no person shall address the Council without first securing the permission of the Presiding Officer so to do. 14. MANNER OF ADDRESSING COUNCIL. Each person addressing the Council shall stand at the podium, if one is available, and give his name and address in an audible tone of voice for the record. All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a body and not to any member thereof. No person, other than the Council and person having the floor, shall be permitted to enter into any discussion, either directly or through a member of the Council, without the permission of the Presiding Officer. No question shall be asked a Councilman except through the presiding officer. 15. VOTING. (a) Members of the Council shall vote by "voice vote" on all ordinances, resolutions and other matters unless a roll call vote is required by law or is requested by a Council member. Silence shall be recorded as an affirmative vote. The Presiding Officer shall announce the result of the vote. The clerk shall show on ordinances and resolutions the names of Council members voting "Aye" and "No". (b). The vote on any matter being considered by the Council may be delayed by the Presiding Officer until all members of the Council present for a meeting, and not excused as herein provided, are present at the Council table. (c) A member of the Council who has a conflict of interest regarding any matter being considered by the Council shall declare the conflict and excuse himself from participating in the Council's deliberations and decision regarding that matter. 16. ORDER AND DECORUM. (a) By Council Members. While the Council is in session, the members must preserve order and decorum, and a member shall neither by conversation or otherwise, delay or interrupt the proceedings or the peace of the Council nor disturb any member while speaking or refuse to obey the orders of the Council or its Presiding Officer, except as otherwise herein provided. (b) By Persons. Any person making personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks or who shall become boisterous while addressing the Council or who shall by conversation or otherwise, delay or interrupt the proceedings or the peace of the Council or disturb any member while speaking or refuse to obey the orders of the Council or its Presiding Officer shall be forthwith, by the Presiding Officer, barred from further audience before the Council, unless permission to continue be granted by a majority vote of the Council. (c) Enforcement of Order and Decorum. A law enforcement officer shall be designated as Sergeant-at-Ams of the Council meetings when requested by the Presiding Officer. He shall carry out all orders and instructions given at the Council meeting. Upon instruction of the Presiding Officer, it shall be the duty of the Sergeant-at-Ams, as to any person who violates the order and decorum of the meeting to remove and bar such person from the Council meeting. Violation of the order and decorum of a Council meeting is a misdemeanor. (d) Smoking. Smoking shall not be permitted in the Council Chambers during the meetings of the Council. 17. SPECIAL COMMITTEES. All special committees shall be appointed by the Presiding Officer, subject to approval of the City Council. 18. PROTESTS. Any Council member shall have the right to have the reasons for his dissent from or protest against, any action of the Council entered on the minutes. 19. ADJOURNMENT. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order and decided without debate. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 1st day of February, 1982 by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS Burton, Hegarty, Jeffery, Moffatt and Mayor Snyder NOES: None ABSENT: None CitjClerk mayor