Legal Handbook for Council Members 2022

DATE: TO: FROM: SUBJECT:

August 11, 2022 Mayor and City Council C huck Watts , City Attorney Ground Rules for Council Meetings

A. GENERAL -- The Council may adopt reasonable rules governing the conduct of public hearings including; 1. Fixing the maximum allotted time to each speaker. 2. Providing for the designation of spokesmen for groups of persons. 3. Providing for the maintenance of order and decorum in the conduct of the hearing. The Mayor shall preside over Council meetings. He or she has a vote just as any other councilmember. The Council members at the organizational meeting shall elect one of its members Mayor Pro Tempore who will serve in the absence of the Mayor. B. MEETINGS -- The Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem or any two members of the Council may at any time call a special meeting. Such special meeting must be preceded by a written notice posted at least forty-eight (48) hours before the meeting. All meetings of the Council shall be public meetings, but it may recess to a closed session. C. QUORUM AND VOTING PROCEDURES -- A majority of the members of the Council shall constitute a quorum to do business. No ordinance shall be adopted on the same day it is introduced unless six (6) affirmative votes are received in favor of it. After that, an ordinance only requires five affirmative votes to pass. All other matters, including resolutions, require a vote of the majority of the members present. ORDINANCE -- A local law of a municipal corporation of a general and permanent nature. It has a mandatory effect and is accomplished while the City Council is acting in a legislative capacity. RESOLUTION -- An expression of the opinion of the City Council concerning some matter of administration. It is less formal than an ordinance and requires no set form of words. Illustrations would be authorizing purchase of property and authorizing agreements and contracts. The Mayor will introduce an ordinance or resolution by merely reading the title as it appears on the agenda. Thereafter, it will require a motion for adoption and a second to that motion and then the roll call vote after discussion. The City Council may reconsider any matter previously acted upon by it no later than the day of the 2nd regular meeting following the meeting at which such matter was previously considered. In the