The powers, composition, terms, election, eligibility, authority, prohibitions and other matters concerning Council are set forth, generally, in Article V of the Charter.
A.
The day, time and place of the organization meeting of Council shall be as provided in § C-37 of the Charter.
B.
The first order of business shall be the election
of a President and Vice President of Council and the appointment of
a temporary Municipal Secretary, when necessary. Until such election
is accomplished, the Mayor shall preside.
A.
Provisions governing public notice of meetings shall
be as provided by law.
C.
Council may hold a special meeting at any time. All Council members, the Mayor and the Chief Administrator shall be notified as provided in § C-38 of the Charter. Such special meeting shall be called by the presiding officer of Council upon the written request of three Council members, provided that no business shall be conducted at any special meeting except to the extent provided in the notice of such meeting and matters related thereto. A quorum must be present at any special meeting.
All meetings of Council shall be open to the
public as provided by law and the Charter.
A.
The proposed agenda for Council meetings shall be
prepared by the Chief Administrator in conjunction with the presiding
officer of Council. The proposed agenda shall be available to:
[Amended 12-16-1991 by Ord. No. 305-91]
B.
A brief statement of each subject to be considered
shall be included as part of the agenda. Any additional documents
that are pertinent shall be available at the municipal building for
inspection by the public unless prohibited by law. Matters which may
be discussed outside of a public meeting in accordance with the Act
of July 19, 1974, P.L. 486,[1] colloquially known as the "Sunshine Law," shall be exempted.
[1]
Editor's Note: This Act was repealed July
3, 1986, by P.L. 388, No. 84. See now 65 Pa. C.S.A. § 701
et seq.
C.
The agenda may be amended prior to the meeting for
good cause. All amendments to the agenda must be announced by the
presiding officer at the beginning of the scheduled meeting. Any item
which is not included on the agenda or announced at the beginning
of the meeting may be discussed, but no action may be taken until
the next regular or special meeting of Council.
The agenda will normally follow the order prescribed
below:
A.
Call to order by the presiding officer.
B.
Determine the voting order.
C.
Roll call.
D.
Announcement of any amendments to the agenda, including
any citizen items.
E.
Bid openings/bid awards/rejections.
F.
Review of minutes of preceding meeting.
G.
Committee reports.
H.
Comments, suggestions and questions from citizens
and taxpayers.
I.
Unfinished business from previous meetings.
J.
New business, including the introduction of ordinances
and resolutions.
K.
Mayor's report.
L.
Special reports.
A.
All rules of procedure shall be in accordance with Article VII of the Charter and the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, unless otherwise noted herein.
B.
The presiding officer of Council shall be responsible
for the orderly conduct of business at each Council meeting and may
appoint a Sergeant at Arms to preserve order and decorum at such meetings.
C.
The Mayor, Council members and other municipal officials
and employees present at any Council meeting shall address themselves
to any citizen with respect. A citizen addressing any municipal official
or employee shall do so with equal respect, and failure to do so shall
be cause for removal. Any person making offensive, insulting, threatening,
insolent, slanderous or obscene remarks or who becomes boisterous
or who makes threats against any person or against public order and
security during meetings of Council may be removed by the Sergeant
at Arms or any other appropriate officer.
D.
All citizens shall be provided the opportunity to
address Council on any matter without written notice. The presiding
officer may limit the time each person shall speak. Any discussion
pertaining to matters on the meeting agenda shall occur prior to the
vote on the agenda item.
E.
At the beginning of each Council meeting, the Council
members' names shall be drawn by lottery, and the order drawn shall
constitute the order of the roll call for that meeting.
Council may, at any time, provide for standing
and ad hoc committees to assist with the carrying out of its functions.
The presiding officer of Council shall appoint the members for each
such committee with the consent of Council. Each committee so designated
by Council may elect officers and provide for written rules governing
its procedure. The presiding officer of Council may require that committee
reports be in writing. The presiding officer may, at any time, appoint
Council members as liaison representatives to boards, commissions
and authorities of the Municipality.
When a vacancy occurs on Council, Council shall, in addition to complying with § C-27 of the Charter, request applications from citizens interested in the office and interview those citizens before filling the vacancy.
[Amended 3-7-2001 by Ord. No. 563-01]
At a meeting designated in advance for consideration
of one or more appointments to boards, commissions or authorities
or to fill a vacancy on Council, the office of Mayor or the office
of Director of the Department of Tax Collection, for each such vacancy
or appointment, Council shall accept nominations from each Council
member desiring to make a nomination. No nomination shall require
a second. When all nominations have been made, the presiding officer
shall declare the nominations closed. A roll call vote of Council
shall be taken, and each Council member shall state the name of the
nominee for whom his vote is cast. The affirmative vote of four Council
members shall be necessary to fill any appointment or vacancy. In
the event that no nominee receives four votes, those two nominees
receiving the highest number of votes (or more than two, in the case
of identical votes) shall be declared the preliminary winners. Immediately
thereafter, Council shall proceed to vote, in the same manner as hereinabove
described, for the nominees who were declared preliminary winners
until such time as one nominee receives the requisite four votes and
shall be declared the person appointed to the position under consideration.
