HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 2010-11-05 Approving Rules of Procedure of conducting meetingsCITY OF ANNA, TEXAS
RESOLUTION NO. 2010-11-05
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ANNA, TEXAS APPROVING RULES OF
PROCEDURE GOVERNING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF CONDUCTING MEETINGS OF
THE CITY COUNCIL AND OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS APPOINTED BY THE
CITY COUNCIL
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Anna, Texas ("City Council"), recognizes that
it is desirable for there to be a uniform set of rules of procedure for conducting meetings
of the City Council, boards and commission appOinted by the City Council, and the
business of the City Council and said boards and commissions in a sound ,and efficient
manner;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY 'rHE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ANNA, TEXAS, THAT:
Section 1. The recital set forth above is incorporated herein for all purposes as if set
forth in full.
Section 2. The City Council hereby adopts the following rules of procedure.
2.01 Definitions.
(a) Governing Body means the City Council of the City of Anna, Texas or any
board or commission whose members are appointed by the City Council.
(b) Presiding Officer means the member of the Governing Body authorized to
preside over official meetings of the Governing Body. The Mayor is the
Presiding Officer at all city council meetings. The Mayor Pro-tern or
Deputy Mayor Pro-tern presides in the absence of the Mayor. Meetings of
boards and commissions apPOinted by the City Council are presided over
by a chairperson or president. The vice chairperson or vice president
presides in the absence of the chairperson or president. The member of
the Governing Body present with the longest tenure shall preside in the
absence of any other presiding officer. In such cases, if two or more
members of the Governing Body present have equal tenure, then the
presiding officer shall be determined by the alphabetical order of the last
names of the members with equal tenure.
2.02 Agendas.
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(a) Unless otherwise provided for in a Resolution or Bylaws approved by the
City Council, the City Manager or the City Manager's designee shall set
the agenda for all meetings of the Governing Body as prescribed in City
Council Resolution 2008-01-04.
(b) Regular city council meeting agendas will include a "Public Commenf'
item. Under this item, members of the audience at the council meeting
are permitted to address any topic relating to City business operations.
The follOWing procedures will be followed:
• The speaker will state his/her name and address for the record
• Remarks will be limited to three (3) minutes
• The speaker may address the council only one time.
The council will not respond to questions or comments by the speaker,
except a council member may respond by making: (1) a statement of
specific factual information given in response to an inquiry; (2) a recitation
of existing policy in response to an inquiry.
2.03 Role of the Presiding Officer. The Presiding Officer shall fulfill the following
duties:
(a) Opens the meeting on time, announces the presence of a quorum, and
sees to it that the meeting follows the agenda, and all discussions are
focused on agenda items.
(b) Keeps discussions focused on the matter at hand.
(c) Sees to it that all major issues are brought to the floor in the form of a
motion. The Presiding Officer shall allow additional discussion on a motion
once made only after a motion is seconded. If no one seconds a motion
made during a meeting, it dies for lack of support.
(d) Uses reasonable measures to keep meetings from becoming
unreasonably long.
(e) If discussion wanders or becomes confused, the Presiding Officer calls
people's attention to the motion on the floor as a way of refocusing
discussion. If it is clear from the discussion that a decision will not be
made within a reasonable period of time during the meeting, the Presiding
Officer may ask for a motion to table the issue to a later meeting.
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(f) The Presiding Officer may authorize a member of the public to speak
regarding a duly noticed agenda item under appropriate circumstances,
and shall ask the speaker to limit remarks to 3 minutes.
2.04 Rules for Discussion and Debate.
(a) Direct all remarks to the Presiding Officer, and only after being recognized
by the Presiding Officer. Only one member of the Governing Body may
speak at a time and must do so at a volume that is audible to the other
members and other attendees of the meeting. There shall be no side
discussion or debate during a meeting.
(b) A member of the Governing Body shall stop speaking when the Presiding
Officer finds it necessary to speak, but may seek to be recognized to
continue to speak.
(c) A member of the Governing Body shall confine remarks to the issue being
discussed and shall not communicate with members of the audience
unless: (1) it is during a public hearing and the member is addressing an
audience member who has been duly authorized to speak; or (2) the
Presiding Officer has recognized an audience member to speak and the
member of the Governing Body has also been recognized to speak.
(d) Members of the Governing Body should avoid using other members'
names when referring to issues and positions under debate and should
avoid attacking other members' motives.
(e) Members of the Governing Body should avoid personal attacks and
offensive comments and shall not use obscene language.
(f) The Presiding Officer should warn a member about a serious offense the
first time it happens (for example-personal attacks, use of obscene
language, etc.).
(g) Any type of recording device, whether audio or video, even if turned off,
may not be taken into a room or area where any part of an executive
session discussion is being held.
2.05 Rules for Public Hearings.
(a) Public hearings will be conducted as follows:
(1) The City Manager or City Manager's designee will provide a summary
report and recommendation as appropriate on the agenda item.
(2) The petitioner/applicant, if any will be offered an opportunity to discuss
the petition/application prior to other public comment.
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(3) The petitioner/applicant will state hislher name and address for the
record and will be limited to three (3) minutes do discuss the item.
(4) Other persons wishing to speak during the public hearing will be
offered an opportunity and shall state their name and address for the
record.
(5) All other persons wishing to speak during the public hearing will be
limited to three (3) minutes to discuss the item and may speak only
one time on a public hearing item.
(6) The petitioner/applicant, if any, will be offered an opportunity to
respond to comments or questions from the Governing Body but will be
limited to not more than three (3) minutes.
(b) If an agenda item does not include a public hearing, it is the discretion of
the Presiding Officer to allow public comment. If public comment is
permitted, the procedures outlined in paragraph (a) of this section will
pertain.
(c) The Presiding Officer may change the time allowed to individuals to speak
regarding an item on the agenda. However, in order to provide for
efficient, effective, and orderly conduct of the meetings, such changes will
be allowed only under unusual conditions.
2.06 Rules for Motions.
(a) Making Motions.
(1) Maker must be recognized by the Presiding Officer before making a
motion.
(2) Maker then states, '" move ... It
(3) A second to the motion is required.
(4) The maker of the motion has the right to speak first during the
discussion.
(5) The maker also has the privilege of speaking last before the vote.
(6) The Presiding Officer recognizes each person before he or she
speaks.
(b) Amending Motions
(1) Maker must be recognized by the Presiding Officer before making a
motion to amend.
(2) To Amend a Motion:
a. Requires a second from the member of the Governing Body
who seconded the original motion.
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b. Motion is considered amended upon a second from the
member of the Governing Body who seconded the original
motion.
(c) Tabled Motions
(1) Maker must be recognized by the Presiding Officer before making a
motion to table.
(2) To Table a Motion:
a. Requires a second.
b. No debate is allowed.
c. No amendments to the tabling motion can be made.
d. Majority vote is required to pass the tabling motion.
e. A motion to table must set a definite date for reconsideration
to take place at a duly noticed public meeting.
f. The City Manager or the City Manager's designee shall
place the item on a future agenda in accordance with a
motion that tabled the item. At the future meeting upon which
the tabled item is placed, the item shall automatically be
taken from the table for consideration in accordance with
said future agenda.
(d) Motion to Take No Action.
(1) Maker must be recognized by the Presiding Officer before making a
motion to take no action.
(2) Taking No Action:
a. Requires a second.
b. The maker of the motion has the right to speak first during
the discussion.
c. The maker also has the privilege of speaking last before the
vote.
d. The Presiding Officer recognizes each person before he or
she speaks.
(e) Motion to Adjourn
(1) Maker must be recognized by Presiding Officer before making a
motion to adjourn.
(2) To Adjourn a Meeting:
a. Requires a second.
b. Not debatable.
c. Cannot be amended.
d. Majority vote is needed to pass.
2.07 Open Meetings Act. Notwithstanding any provision of these rules, all meetings of
the Governing Body shall comply with the Texas Open Meetings Act.
2.08 Rules of Dress and Decorum.
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(a) During all official meetings of the Governing Body, members shall observe
a business causal dress code which shall at minimum include the
following:
(1) Males will wear a colored polo shirt, dress shirt, jeans with no holes
or dress slacks. Males shall not wear T-shirts (unless dress T
shirts with a coat or blazer) shorts, opened toed shoes, hats, and
non-prescription glasses.
(2) Females will wear a colored polo shirt, dress shirt, jeans with no
holes or dress slacks, or a skirt, and appropriate dress shoes.
Females shall not wear T-shirts (unless dress T-shirts with a coat or
blazer) shorts, hats, and non-prescription glasses.
Section 3. All resolutions of the City in conflict with the provisions of this resolution
are repealed to the extent of that conflict.
PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Anna, Texas this the 9th
day of November, 2010.
APPROVED: ATTEST:
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