A. 
The Mayor as the presiding officer shall preside at meetings. In the Mayor's absence the Council President shall preside. The City Attorney shall act as the official parliamentarian to the Common Council.
B. 
Council members are not required to rise but must be recognized by the presiding officer before making motions and speaking. An Alderman, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless it be to call the Alderman to order. If an Alderman, while speaking, be called to order, they shall cease speaking until the question of order be determined by the presiding officer, and, if in order, they shall be permitted to proceed.
C. 
There is no limit to the number of times an Alderman may speak on a question.
D. 
Motions to close or limit debate may be entertained but shall require a two-thirds vote.
A. 
The public shall be allowed to speak during the open forum period of the meeting or at such other time by being placed on the agenda by one of the following methods:
(1) 
Written request to the City Clerk stating intent; or
(2) 
Requesting placement on agenda by their Alderman.
B. 
No person, except City officials, their representatives and newspaper reporters, shall be permitted within the rail in front of the Council Chambers without express consent of the Council.
C. 
Speakers must step to the front of the room and be recognized by the presiding officer.
D. 
Speakers must give their name, address and organization, if any.
E. 
Speakers must limit their remarks to five minutes on a given topic.
F. 
Speakers may not yield any remaining time they may have to another speaker, and each speaker has only one opportunity per meeting to speak.
G. 
Any speaker who engages in electioneering, campaigning or similar action shall be deemed to be out of order.
H. 
All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a body and not to any Council member or City staff person.
I. 
Interested parties or their representatives may address the Council by written communications. Written communications shall be delivered to the Clerk or their designee.
A. 
Subject to appeal to the full Council, the Mayor shall have the authority to prevent the misuse of motions, or the abuse of any privilege, or obstruction of the business of the Council by ruling any such matter out of order. In so ruling, the Mayor shall be courteous and fair and should presume that the moving party is acting in good faith.
B. 
A Council member who fails to go through the proper committee or the Mayor prior to bringing up an item for Council discussion or action will be deemed to be obstructing the rules of procedure, and the Mayor shall have the authority to prevent such misuse by ordering the person to follow the proper procedural channels before continuing.
The Mayor has been delegated the responsibility to control the debate and the order of speakers.
A. 
Council members will limit their comments to the subject matter, item or motion being currently considered by the Council.
B. 
Council members will govern themselves as to the length of their comments or presentation. As a courtesy, the Mayor will signal by hand to a Council member who has been speaking for over five minutes. This procedure is not meant to limit debate or to cut comments short, but rather to assist Council members in their efforts to communicate concisely.
Any member of the Council wishing to speak must first obtain the floor by being recognized by the Mayor. The Mayor must recognize any Council member who seeks the floor when appropriately entitled to.
All members of the public and all public officials are allowed to tape or video record public meetings. Recording is not allowed during executive sessions. The recording should be done in a manner which does not interfere with the meeting. The Mayor may make the determination that the recording is being done in an intrusive manner taking into consideration, but not limited to, brightness of lights, distance from the deliberations of the Common Council, size of the equipment, and the ability of the public to still participate in the meeting. If the Mayor makes the determination that the recording is intrusive and has the effect of interfering with meeting, the Mayor may request an accommodation to avoid the interference and if not complied with ask the individual to leave the meeting room.
A. 
By Council members. While the Council is in session, the members must preserve order and decorum, and a member shall neither, by conversation or otherwise, delay or interrupt the proceedings or the peace of the Council nor disturb any member while speaking or refuse to obey the orders of the Council or its presiding officer, except as otherwise herein provided.
B. 
By persons. Any person making personal, impertinent, or slanderous remarks or who shall become boisterous while addressing the Council shall be forthwith, by the presiding officer, barred from further audience before the Council, unless permission to continue be granted by a majority vote of the Council.
C. 
Questions to staff. A Council member may, after recognition by the presiding officer, address questions to staff members.
D. 
Interruptions. Once recognized, a Council member should not be interrupted while speaking, except to make a point of order or personal privilege. If a Council member is called to order while speaking, the individual shall cease speaking until the question of order is determined.