Chapter-2-council

Printed 03/2019 Chp. 2 pg. 1 CHAPTER 2 THE GOVERNING BODY 2.01 Committees of The Common Council ..........................................................2 2.02 Meetings: Procedural Rules ........................................................................2 Printed 03/2019 Chp. 2 pg. 2 2.01 COMMITTEES OF THE COMMON COUNCIL. (1) The following shall be the committees of the Common Council: (a) Finance; (b) Improvements and Services; (c) Protection and Services; and (d) Personnel. (2) Each Committee shall have four members. The Mayor shall be a member of each committee by virtue of his office. (3) APPOINTMENTS. Appointments to the committees of the Council shall be made annually by the Mayor at the organization meeting of the Council. The Mayor shall also designate the Chairman of each committee. (4) COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. At the direction of the Mayor, and with the approval of a majority of the members of the Council, the Mayor may dispense with the committees provided by sub (1), and may direct that the Council act as a Committee of the whole of which all alderpersons shall be members, to act upon matters referred to said Committee by the Mayor or the Council, provided that proper public notice is given as required by Section 19.84, Stats. The Council acting as a Committee of the Whole may take final action on matters properly before it with the same effect as actions taken at a regular or special meeting of the Council. The Mayor may further direct that subcommittees of three members may convene for the purpose of handling business which would otherwise be before the Committees provided by sub. (1) or he or she may appoint temporary subcommittees which may convene for the purpose of making studies, recommendations, or conducting such other business as is necessary and convenient in the circumstances. CR. No. 187 11/21/88. 2.02 MEETINGS: PROCEDURAL RULES. (1) REGULAR MEETINGS. The regular meetings of the Common Council shall be held on the first and third Mondays of each month beginning at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, 1006 Wisconsin Avenue, unless the Council otherwise schedules a meeting at a different day, time or place. (2) SPECIAL MEETINGS. Special meetings of the Common Council may be called at any time by the Mayor or by any three aldermen during the Mayor’s absence from the City. (3) NOTICE OF MEETINGS. Public notice of every meeting of the Council shall be given at least 24 hours prior to the commencement of such meeting unless for good cause such notice is impossible or impractical, in which case shorter notice Printed 03/2019 Chp. 2 pg. 3 may be given, but in no case may the notice be provided less than two hours in advance of the meeting. Public notice of the meeting shall at all times comply with the rules set forth in s. 19.84, Stats. (4) COUNCIL PRESIDENT. The Council at its first meeting subsequent to the regular election and qualification of new members, shall after organization, choose from its members a president, who, in the absence of the Mayor, shall preside at meetings of the Council, and during the absence or inability of the Mayor shall have the powers and duties of the Mayor, except that he shall not have power to approve an act of the Council which the Mayor has disapproved by filing objections with the Clerk. He shall when so officiating be styled “Acting Mayor”. (5) CALLING MEETING TO ORDER. The Mayor shall take the chair at the time appointed for the Council to meet and shall call the members to order and may, at the request of any member of the Council, order the attendance of any absentee. (6) ORDER OF BUSINESS. At all regular meetings of the Common Council, the order of business shall be as follows: (a) Certificate of Notice of Meeting (b) Roll Call (c) Approval of Minutes of Last Meeting (d) Petitions, Memorials and Communications (e) Presentation of Ordinances and Resolutions (f) Reports of City Officers (g) Committee Reports and Recommendations (h) To Discuss Other Affairs and Business of the City (i) Consideration and Approval of Bills (j) Conduct of Closed Sessions Held Pursuant to the Exemption Provided Under s. 19.85, Stats. (k) Adjournment (7) QUESTIONS OF PROCEDURE. The Mayor or presiding officer shall decide all questions of order, but any alderman may appeal from his ruling to the Council. (8) QUORUM VOTING. Two-thirds of the members shall be a quorum. A less number may compel the attendance of absent members and adjourn. Every member present, when a question is put, shall vote thereon, unless excused by the Council. The Ayes and Noes may be required by any member. Votes on confirmation of officials and on the adoption of any measure assessing or levying taxes, appropriating or disbursing money, or creating any liability or charge against the City or any fund thereof, shall be by Ayes and Noes. All Aye and No votes shall be recorded in the minutes. Printed 03/2019 Chp. 2 pg. 4 (9) ADDRESSING THE CHAIR. When an alderman is about to speak on a question, or make a motion, he shall address the Mayor or presiding officer, who shall recognize him by pronouncing his name. Every speaker shall confine himself to the question under consideration and avoid personalities. No speaker shall speak more than twice on any question or more than 10 minutes at any one time without leave from the Mayor. The same rules shall apply in meetings of the Council sitting as a committee of the whole. (10) MOTIONS. When a question is before the Council, no motion shall be received, except to adjourn, to table the matter under consideration, to refer the matter under consideration to a committee or to amend the matter under consideration, which several questions shall have precedence in the order in which they are offered. A motion to adjourn shall always be in order, unless the Council shall be engaged in voting. A motion to adjourn shall be determined without debate. (11) PURCHASES. The following rules shall apply to purchases for the City which are subject to the public bidding law. Purchases involving expenditures of not more than $500.00 must be approved by the Department Supervisor. Purchases involving expenditures of more than $500.00 but less than $1,000.00 require two quotes and the approval of the Director of Public Works. Purchases of more than $1,000.00 require two quotes and must be approved by the Common Council. (12) SPECIAL COMMITTEES. Special Committees may be appointed by the Mayor or presiding officer, subject to confirmation by the Common Council. (13) RECONSIDERATION. Any alderman who voted in the majority on any question, or the Mayor if he voted in the majority on any question, or any alderman who voted in the negative when the Council was equally divided, may move for a reconsideration of such vote on the same or the next succeeding meeting of the Common Council. Once a motion to reconsider a matter has been taken and lost, it shall not again be in order. (14) SUSPENSION OF RULES. Except for subsections (3), (4) and (8), the Council may suspend the procedural rules of this Chapter for any question or meeting by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present. The ayes and noes shall be recorded in the minutes on any vote under this subsection. (15) OTHER RULES. The Council may from time to time adopt such other rules not inconsistent with these rules by either motion or resolution as the Council deems necessary or advisable.