Item 37 - Consider Amending City Council Meetings Rules and Procedures

Home Browse Search

(c) Special meetings of the City Council may be held at such locations as stated in the action calling such meetings and otherwise in conformance with the Brown Act. A special meeting may be called by the Mayor or the Mayor Pro Tern by either of them contacting the Clerk of the Council and requesting orally or in writing the call of a special meeting. A majority of the members of the City Council can also call a special meeting by delivering a written notice to the Clerk of the Council of a request for a special meeting. Upon receiving a request from the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tern or a majority of the City Council, the Clerk of the Council shall notice the special meeting. Section 3. Agenda. The Clerk of the Council shall prepare an agenda for each regular and special meeting of the City Council containing all items known by such officer to be considered. The order of placing items on the agenda shall be approved from time to time by the City Council. The agenda shall contain such information as required by the Brown Act. In addition, the agenda shall contain the following sections to provide for reporting by the City Council: AB1234 reports, Council Committee reports, and Regional Agency reports. Section 4. Rules of Procedure. Procedures before the City Council shall be governed by the most current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised. Application of such procedures shall be vested in the sound discretion of the presiding officer. Section 5. Decorum; Time limits and other regulations for speaking. (a) The City Council shall preserve decorum and an orderly procedure during debate. Councilmembers desiring to speak shall seek recognition from the presiding officer. Upon being recognized, a Councilmember shall confine his or her comments to the questions under debate. A Councilmember, once recognized, should not be interrupted unless a point of order is raised by another member. The presiding officer should not recognize a Councilmember to speak who has already spoken on a matter under debate until all other Councilmembers who wish to be heard have spoken. A Councilmember should limit himself or herself to three (3) minutes at any one time without permission of the presiding officer. At the end of each meeting, the presiding officer shall recognize each Councilmember who may speak up to three (3) minutes on matters of public or community interest. (b) The agenda for all regular meetings of the City Council shall provide members of the public the opportunity to address the City Council on agendized matters and non-agendized matters as required by the Brown Act. All requests to speak shall be submitted in writing and submitted to the Clerk of the Council. No such requests shall be accepted after the public comment session begins without permission of the Resolution No. 2013-019 Page 2 of 5