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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-27,, . • TOWN OF PULASKI, VIRGINIA RESOLUTION 2004-27 RESOLUTION TO REVISE TOWN COUNCIL RULES AND PROCEDURES • WHEREAS, the Town Council of the Town of Pulaski has determined it to be in the best interest of the public and consistent with the general welfare to revise its Council Rules and Procedure; and NOW, THEREFORE, be it HEREBY RESOLVED by the Town Council of the Town of Pulaski, Virginia that the Council Rules and Procedures shall be amended in accordance with Exhibit "A" attached hereto and expressly made a part hereof as if set forth herein. This resolution is effective upon adoption and is hereby adopted this 3`d day of August, 2004, by recorded vote of the Town Council of the Town of Pulaski, as follows: Bettye H. Steger -Aye Joel B. Burchett, Jr. -Aye John T. Bolen -Aye Jeffrey S. Worrell -Aye Lane R. Penn -Aye Daniel Talbert, Jr. -Aye Town of Pulaski, Virginia f. By: Chaves L. Wade Mayor ATTESTED: Patricia Cruise, Clerk of Council ., Exhibit (A) TOWN OF PULASKI, VIRGINIA Town Council Rules and Procedures I. COUNCIL MEETINGS A. Regular Council Meetings Regular meetings of the Council shall be held on the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Town Municipal Building, unless changed by the Council. 2. No regular meeting maybe continued, postponed, cancelled or held at a location other than the Pulaski Municipal Building without either (i) a majority vote of the Council Members in open session, or (ii) by written consent of the majority of the members other than the Mayor, which written consent shall specify the date, time, and location of the meeting. Said written consent shall be effective when a majority of Council Members have signed the same. 3. The Council shall meet in regular session at least once in every month. (Ref.: Town Charter, Sec. 3.14). B. Special Meetinus 1. Special meetings may be held on the call of the Mayor or of any three Council Members. No business shall be transacted at a special meeting but that for which it has been called, unless the Council is »nanimous in waiving this provision. 2. No vote shall be reconsidered or rescinded at any special meeting unless at such special meeting there aze present as lazge a number of members as were present when such vote was taken. (Ref.: Town Charter, Sec. 3.14). C. uorum A majority of all members of Council, exclusive of the Mayor, shall constitute a quorum, but a smaller number may adjourn from time to time and compel the attendance of absentees. (Ref.: Town Charter, Sec. 3.14) D. Open Meetings The meetings of the Council shall be open to the public and to the press, except as otherwise provided by the Virginia Freedom of Information act. Any citizen and the press may have access to the minutes of the Council at all reasonable times. (Ref.: Town Charter, Sec. 3-14). • II COUNCIL PROCEDURE A. Presiding Officer 1. The Mayor, or in his absence the Vice-Mayor, shall take the chair at the hour appointed for the Council to meet, and shall immediately call the members to order. 2. In the absence or disability of the mayor and Vice-Mayor, the Clerk of Council shall call the Council to order and call the roll of members. If a quorum is found to be present, Council shall proceed to elect, by a majority vote of those present, a presiding officer at the meeting to act until the Mayor or Vice-Mayor appears. B. Sergeant-At-Arms 1. The Chief of Police, or such member of the Police Department as the Chief may designate, shall be Sergeant-at-Arms for the Council meetings. The Sergeant- at-Arms is excused from being physically present at meetings unless the presiding officer requests such attendance. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall carry out orders and instructions given by the presiding officer for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at Council meeting. C. Order of Business 1. The Council shall have the authority to determine its order of business. Until revised by the Council, the order of business at all regular meetings of the Council, as reflected by the printed agenda, shall be transacted in the following order unless the Council, by a vote of a majority of the members present, shall suspend the rules to change the order: a. Call to Order b. Pledge of Allegiance c. Invocation d. Roll Call e. Approval of Minutes f. Presentations and Communications (If Any) g. Public Hearing (If Any) h. Comments from the Public i. Projects Update j. Unscheduled Business k. Adjournment • D. Preparation of Agenda 1. The Town Manager with the assistance of the Clerk of Council shall prepare the agenda for all regular and special meetings of the Council. On the Friday before each regular Council meeting, a Council packet shall be made available to each Council member and shall contain the following: a. A copy of the agenda for the meeting. b. A copy in its latest form or edition of each ordinance or resolution or other printed document to be presented at the meeting. c. A written memorandum on each applicable item on the agenda, which provides background information and analysis, submitted by the Town Manager including recommendation to the Town Council. d. A copy of the minutes of the previous meeting. 2. Before each regular meeting, the Clerk of Council shall make available at the Municipal Building, copies of the agenda for that meeting, minutes, and all ordinances and resolution under consideration. 3. Any Council member requesting that a matter be placed on the agenda for a regular meeting must communicate that request to the Clerk of Council by 1:00 p.m. on the Thursday prior to the meeting. 4. The Town Manager, in his responsibility for the preparation of the Agenda, may schedule such public hearings that the Council is required by law to conduct. E. Procedures for Citizen Presentation at Council Meetings 1. Prior Registration. Any person desiring to address the Town Council is requested to contact the Clerk of Council prior to the Council meeting to be registered as a speaker on the agenda for that meeting. To be registered as a speaker, the person must indicate the general subject matter that he or she will address. 2. Permission. Comments from the public during a Council meeting shall be confined to the "Comments from the Public" section of the meeting unless the presiding officer asks for other public comments at other times during the meeting. During the public comment period at a Council meeting, any person desiring to address the Council shall first secure the permission of the presiding officer to do so. Such comments should be related to agenda items, major policy issues or other policy matters more appropriate for consideration by the Council, or the performance of the Town Manager or Town Attorney. Problems or questions related to the operation or administration of the Town shall first be referred to the Town Manager for review and consideration. 3. Manner of Addressing; Time Limit. Each person recognized for the purpose of addressing the Council shall step forward to the podium and microphone, shall give his/her name and address in an audible tone for the record, and unless further time is granted by the presiding officer, shall limit his/her address to five minutes. All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a body and not to any member, thereof. No person, other than the Council and the person having the floor, shall • be permitted to enter into any debate or discussion without the permission of the presiding officer. Unless otherwise waived by the presiding officer or the Council, a person shall be recognized only once during a public comment period for his or her remarks. 4. Proof of Representation. All persons submitting communications as agents or representatives of any organization, group or segment of the public shall, if called upon by the presiding officer, submit satisfactory proof of their authority to act or speak on behalf of such organization, group, or segment of the public. 5. Decorum. Public members attending Council meetings shall observe the same rules of propriety, decorum and good conduct applicable to members of the Council. Any person making personal, impertinent slanderous remarks or who becomes unruly while addressing the Council or while attending the Council meetings shall be removed from the room if the Sergeant-At-Arms is so directed by the presiding officer, and such person maybe barred from further audience before the Council. Unauthorized remarks from the audience, stamping of feet, whistles, yells and similar demonstrations shall not be permitted by the presiding officer, who may direct the Sergeant-At-Arms to remove such offenders from the room. F. Reco~ition Before Speaking. • 1. No member, while the Council is in session, shall offer any motion or make any remarks or speak on any subject under discussion, without first addressing and being recognized by the presiding officer. No member shall interrupt another while speaking, except to call him to order. 2. No member shall be recognized by the presiding officer to speak more than once on any subject until every other member choosing to speak thereon has had an opportunity to speak. G. Voting An affirmative recorded vote of a majority of those members voting is required for the adoption of any ordinance or resolution having in its object levying of taxes or contracting of debt. All votes must be in person. No proxies are allowed. Voting shall be by roll call with the ayes and nays recorded in the minutes where a roll call vote is required by statute or is called for by any Council member prior to the vote. Otherwise, voting may be by voice vote without a roll call. 2. A majority vote of Council shall mean a majority of those members present and actually voting on a matter at a properly called meeting of Council. 3. The Mayor shall not vote in the Council, except that in the case of a tie vote of the Council, the Mayor shall be entitled to vote and such vote (incase of tie only) shall then have the same weight and effect as the vote of a Council member, but the Mayor shall have no right to veto. The Mayor, however, may participate in the discussion of any issue being considered by the Council. (Ref. Town Charter, Sec. 3.14, Sec. 3.07). 4. Upon the request of a Council member any Ordinance or Resolution under consideration shall be read aloud. In the absence of such a request, the reading aloud of such Ordinance or Resolution shall be deemed waived without the need of an express waiver by the Council. H. Proceedings of Meetings to be Recorded. The proceedings of all meetings of the Council and Council committees shall be recorded through minutes of such meetings to be prepazed and retained by the Clerk of Council. Said minutes shall be made available for public inspection upon request. Tapes made of Council meetings shall be retained for a minimum of one year. I. Attendance 1. The minutes shall reflect the attendance of all Council members. Members who cannot attend a meeting due to illness, business, other governmental, or family reasons shall notify the Town Manager prior to the scheduled meeting in order for the absence to be recorded. 2. A Council member shall forfeit his/her office if he/she fails to attend three consecutive regulaz meetings of the Council without being excused by the Council. (Ref.: Town Charter Sec. 3.10). J. Seatin The seating arrangement of Council members shall be designated by the Mayor. K. Telephone Polling Prohibited. The polling of absent Council Members for the purpose of voting is prohibited. L. Parliamentary Procedure The Council expects its public meetings to be held in an orderly manner using general guidelines of proper parliamentary procedure. Robert's Rules of Order shall be accepted as an authority on pazliamentary practice for matters not specifically covered by the Town Charter or these rules and procedures. III. PROTOCOL • A. Courtesies to Other Members and Staff. The Mayor, Committee Chairman, or Town Manager should be contacted in advance of the Council meeting if additional information related to an item appearing on a regular meeting agenda is required. This procedure is to assure that correct, timely information is provided and to avoid undue confusion or embarrassment. B. Addressing the Chair. Every member, prior to his/her speaking shall address the chair and shall not proceed until recognized by the Presiding office. The member shall confine his/her remarks to the matter under debate or discussion and shall refrain from a discussion of individual personalities. C. Treatment of Members, Staff and Public. Fellow members, staff, and the general public shall be treated with respect and courtesy. D. Interference with Administration Except for the purpose of discussion, informal reviews, investigating injuries and/or official investigations, the Council or its members shall communicate with Town officials and employees who are subject to the direction and supervision of the Town Manager, solely through the Manager, and neither the Council nor its members shall give orders to any such official or employee, either publicly or privately. (Ref.: Town Charter Sec. 3.09C). IV. COUNCIL COMMITTEES A. Creation and Appointment 1. The Council may create such committees as the Council may deem expedient as authorized bylaw. Current Council committees are: a. Human Resource b. Finance Committee c. Utilities Committee d. Ordinance Committee e. Public Operations Committee f. Safety Each standing committee shall meet on a regular basis, such as monthly or as called by the committee chair according to the amount of committee business to be considered. ,• . 2. At the organizational meeting of Council or such other times as Council maybe properly convened, the Mayor may appoint the Chairman and other members of each Committee, of which the Mayor shall be a Committee member. It is further resolved that the Council may meet as a Committee of the Whole and the Rules and Procedures governing Council meetings shall apply in all respects including, but not limited to, voting and quorums. At other times when a vacancy exists in the chairmanship or membership in any committee, the Mayor shall also make the appointment to fill such vacancy. B. Duties of Committees It shall be the duty of each committee to act promptly and faithfully in all matters referred to them and to submit written reports periodically to the Council. The Mayor, Council, and Manager shall be notified in advance of the time and place for all committee meetings. C. Committee Procedures 1. Staff. The Town Manager or other designated staff member shall serve as the staff coordinator for each standing committee. The staff coordinator shall be responsible for the preparation of the agenda, reports, minutes, research, and other support activities as the committee requires. • 2. Meeting Date/Preparation of A eg nda. While the Chairman of a committee may call a meeting of the committee at any time, the usual procedure shall be for the staff coordinator to schedule a committee meeting when there are business items requiring the committee's consideration or action. The staff coordinator shall prepare the agenda for the meeting along with any related reports or information. 3. Minutes. The staff coordinator shall prepare minutes following each committee meeting. The minutes shall reflect those committee members in attendance, the general topics of discussion, and the vote on each issue. 4. Voting. a. A quorum for any regular committee meeting shall consist of two (2) of the appointed committee members (but not the Mayor) regardless of the number of members of the committee. Any member of Council, including the Mayor, may attend any committee meeting and may participate in discussion. Formal votes of the committee, however, generally shall be limited to those committee members actually present at the committee meeting. The committee, by majority vote, may make recommendations to the Council in favor of or in opposition to any matter under consideration or suggesting any action; provided, however, that such majority must have at least two (2) votes by appointed committee members (but not the Mayor) in order for the recommendation or suggestion to be transmitted to the Council as coming from the committee b. At a committee meeting, though, where the entire Council has been invited and encouraged to attend the committee meeting, and where the committee is • temporarily serving as a committee of the entire Council, (a committee of the whole), then all Council members present at the meeting may vote. 5. Committee Reports. The Chairman or his designated representative shall report to the Council all recommendations of the committee and, if possible, shall forward any related reports and minutes prior to the scheduled Council meeting. • tc/c/misc/council/council rules and procedures