City Council Standards and Bylaws

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move matters to a vote once the officer has determined that all members have spoken.The presiding officer may determine whether a motion or proposed amendment is in order and may call members to order. B. Adjourning meetings. If considered necessary, because of grave disorder,the presiding officer may adjourn or continue the meeting to another time or suspend the meeting for a specified time. C. Designation of a sergeant-at-arms. The presiding officer may request that local law enforcement designate a member to serve as a sergeant-at-arms at city council meetings.The sergeant-at-arms shall carry out all orders or instructions given by the presiding officer for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at meetings. D. Motions and voting.The presiding officer may make motions, second motions,speak on any questions, and vote on any matter properly before the council. E. Absences of the presiding officer. In the absence of the mayor, the acting mayor shall preside. In the absence of both the mayor and the acting mayor,the city manager shall call the meeting to order.The first order of business shall be to select a presiding officer for the meeting from the members present.The city manager shall preside until the councilmembers present choose a member to act as presiding officer. F. Appeals of rulings of the presiding officer. Any member of the council may appeal to the full council a ruling on order or procedure made by the presiding officer. 1. Procedure for appeals. An appeal is made by motion. No second is needed for the motion. The member making the motion may speak once solely on the question involved, and the presiding officer may speak once solely to explain his or her ruling, but no other councilmember may participate in the discussion. 2. Once both the maker of the motion and the presiding officer has spoken,the matter must be voted upon by the council as a whole. 3. The appeal shall be sustained if it is approved by a majority of the members present, exclusive of the presiding officer. G. Temporary designation of a presiding officer. The presiding officer may choose to designate a temporary presiding officer before participating in debate on a given matter. In the alternative, the council may by majority vote designate a temporary presiding officer to preside over the debate on a given matter. The presiding officer shall resume presiding as soon as action on the matter is concluded. VII.DECORUM OF COUNCILMEMBERS. A. Aspirational statement:All councilmembers shall assist the presiding officer in preserving order and decorum and in providing for the efficient operation of the meeting. Page 6