[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Nekoosa 2-9-1988 by Ord. No.
423. Amendments noted where applicable.]
(2)
The Mayor shall be the chief executive officer of the City. He shall
have the powers and duties prescribed in Ch. 62, Wis. Stats., and
applicable sections of the Wisconsin Statutes.
(3)
The regular terms of office of the Mayor and the Alderpersons shall
commence on the third Tuesday of April in the year of their election.
(4)
The Council shall be the judge of the election and qualification
of its members, may compel their attendance, and may fine or expel
members for neglect of duty. [See § 62.11(3), Wis. Stats.]
(5)
The Council shall adopt the proper rules of procedure as necessary
and shall have such duties and powers as are provided by state law
and this Code.
(6)
At its first meeting subsequent to the regular election and qualification
of new members, the Council 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 City Clerk. He
shall, when so officiating, be styled "Acting Mayor."
(1)
Regular meetings. The regular meetings of the Council shall be held
in the Council chambers room in the City Municipal Building on the
second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m., except that when the day
for holding any regular meeting shall be a legal holiday, the regular
meeting shall be held on the next following secular day at the same
place and hour, unless otherwise determined by the Council.
[Amended by Ord. No. 472]
(2)
Special meetings.
(a)
Special meetings of the Council may be called by the Mayor, or, in
his absence, the President of the Council, at such time as he may
appoint, by written notice of the purpose and time thereof to each
member, delivered to him personally or left at his usual place of
abode.
(b)
Upon petition of three or more of the members of the Council, the
Mayor, or, in his absence, the President of the Council, shall call
a special meeting of the Council.
(c)
In addition to all other notice requirements, the requirement of
Subsection (4) below shall be complied with.
(3)
Adjournments. Any regular or special meeting may be adjourned by
a majority of the members present, but no adjournment shall be made
to a time later than the next regular meeting.
(4)
Open meetings. Except as provided in § 19.85, Wis. Stats.,
all meetings of the Council or of any City board, commission, committee
or otherwise designated formally constituted subunit of City government
shall be open sessions as defined by § 19.82, Wis. Stats.
Pursuant to § 19.84, Wis. Stats., notice of all meetings
shall be given as to time, place and subject matter not less than
24 hours prior to the commencement of such meetings unless, for good
cause, such notice is impossible or impractical, in which case shorter
notice may be given, but in no event less than two hours in advance
of the meeting. In addition, such notice shall be posted for a like
period on the City Municipal Building entrance door and a copy sent
to the official newspaper and other requesting media. The subject
matter of all closed sessions shall be announced by the Mayor or committee,
board or commission chairperson and a roll call vote taken on the
motion to go into closed session so as to comply with the requirements
of § 19.85, Wis. Stats.[1]
(5)
Attendance by City officials. Unless excused by the Mayor, the City
Clerk, the City Attorney, the Director of Public Works, the City Treasurer
and the Chief of Police or their designated representatives shall
be required to attend all regular meetings of the Council. Other department
heads and City officials shall attend Council meetings when requested
by the Mayor.
(1)
Call to order. The Mayor, or, in his absence, the President of the
Council, shall promptly call each meeting of the Council to order
at the hour fixed for the holding of such meeting. In case of the
absence of the Mayor and the President, the City Clerk shall call
the meeting to order, and the Alderpersons present shall elect one
of their number President Pro Tem. In the absence of the City Clerk,
the Mayor shall appoint a Clerk for that meeting.
(2)
Roll call. After the presiding officer calls the meeting to order,
the City Clerk shall call the roll.
(3)
Order of business. At all meetings, the following order shall be
observed in disposing of business before the Council unless otherwise
provided in the agenda:
(a)
Public hearings.
(b)
Call to order.
(c)
Roll call.
(d)
Approval of previous minutes.
(e)
Citizens forum; ten-minute limit, except by consent of Council.
(f)
Reports of committees, commissions, boards, the City Clerk and the
Mayor.
(g)
Unfinished business requiring formal action by the Council, including
matters from previous meetings or committee reports contained in previous
agenda.
(h)
Any new business, including introduction of ordinances, resolutions
or other communications requiring formal action by the Council, and
including action items in committee reports.
(i)
Appointments.
(j)
Miscellaneous business.
(k)
Closed sessions under § 19.85, Wis. Stats., if scheduled.
(l)
Approval of claims.
(m)
Adjournment.
The standing rules for the government of the Council shall be
as follows:
(1)
Introduction of business. All ordinances, resolutions or other communications
shall be in writing, with a brief statement of their contents endorsed
thereon, and shall be delivered to the City Clerk and entered on the
minutes. The Council shall refer the ordinance, resolution or communication
to the appropriate committee or to the appropriate place on the agenda.
(2)
Questions of order. The presiding officer shall decide all questions
of order, subject to an appeal to the Council. No appeal shall be
debatable, and the appeal may be sustained by a majority of the members.
(3)
Motions.
(a)
When a motion is made and seconded, it shall be deemed to be in the
possession of the Council and shall be stated by the presiding officer
or, if written, shall be delivered to the City Clerk and read by him
before debate begins.
(b)
Unless otherwise provided in these rules, the rules of order pertaining
to motions shall be according to Robert's Rules of Order, Revised.
(4)
Division of question. Any member may call for a division of the question
when the same will admit thereof, and such division shall be made
by the Chair, and a separate vote shall be taken on each division.
(5)
Debate.
(a)
No member shall address the Council until he has been recognized
by the presiding officer. When a member wishes to speak to a question
or make a motion, he shall respectfully address the presiding officer.
No member shall address the Council until he has been recognized by
the presiding officer. When two or more members desire to address
the presiding officer at the same time, the presiding officer shall
designate the member who shall have the right to speak first. The
presiding officer's determination on who shall speak first under this
subsection shall be final.
(b)
No member shall speak more than a total of 10 minutes on any question
unless the Council, by a majority vote, shall grant an extension of
time for a member to speak.
(c)
When a question is under discussion, no action shall be in order
except to adjourn, to lay on the table, to postpone to a certain day,
to refer to a committee, to amend, or to postpone indefinitely. All
such motions shall have precedence in the order listed.
(d)
Any member wishing to terminate debate on a question may move to
put the question before the Council. The presiding officer shall then
state that the previous question has been moved, and a vote shall
be taken on whether the question shall be put to a vote. If a majority
of the members vote in the affirmative, debate shall be terminated
and the presiding officer shall then clearly state the question before
the Council. The Council shall vote first upon pending amendments
and then upon the main question.
(6)
Voting.
(a)
Two-thirds of the members of the Council shall be a quorum. A lesser
number than a quorum may compel the attendance of absent members and
may adjourn. A majority of all the members shall be necessary to a
confirmation on all questions. In case of a tie, the Mayor shall have
a casting vote. When the Mayor does vote in case of a tie, his vote
shall be counted in determining whether a sufficient number of the
Council has voted favorably or unfavorably on any measure. The Mayor
shall not be counted in determining whether a quorum is present at
a meeting. (See § 62.11, Wis. Stats.)
(b)
Unless approved by unanimous consent of the members, the ayes and
noes shall be taken and recorded by roll call upon all questions before
the Council.
(c)
All ordinances, rules, resolutions and motions shall be passed by
an affirmative vote of a majority of all the members of the Council
unless an extraordinary vote is otherwise required.
(d)
The Mayor shall have the veto power as to all acts of the Council,
except such as to which it is expressly or by necessary implication
otherwise provided by Wisconsin law. All acts of the Council shall
be submitted to the Mayor by the City Clerk and shall be enforced
upon approval evidenced by the Mayor's signature or upon failing to
approve or disapprove, within five days, which fact shall be certified
thereon by the Clerk. If the Mayor disapproves, the Mayor's objections
shall be filed with the City Clerk, who shall present them to the
Council at the next meeting. A 2/3 vote of all the members of the
Council shall then be required to make the act effective notwithstanding
the objections of the Mayor. If the last day for exercising a veto
falls on a Sunday or a holiday, the Mayor may exercise a veto on the
next succeeding secular day.
(7)
Reconsideration. It shall be in order for any member who voted in
the affirmative on any question which was adopted, or for any member
who voted in the negative when the vote is evenly divided, or for
any member who voted in the negative when the number of affirmative
votes was insufficient for adoption, to move a reconsideration of
such vote at the same or next succeeding regular meeting of the Council.
A new Council member shall succeed to the voting position of his predecessor.
A motion to reconsider shall not be in order when the same result
can be obtained by another motion.
(8)
Ordinances. No ordinance shall be adopted until the same shall have
been submitted in writing. Following passage of any ordinance, the
City Clerk shall cause the same to be published in the official City
newspaper, as provided by § 62.11(4), Wis. Stats., unless
the Council, by majority vote, directs the Clerk to cause the ordinance
to be published pursuant to § 66.0103, Wis. Stats.
(9)
Council agenda.
(a)
All reports, resolutions, ordinances or other written documents to
be brought before the Council at its regular meeting shall be filed
with the City Clerk by 4:00 p.m. on the Friday immediately preceding
the regular Tuesday meeting; provided, however, any member shall have
the right to bring any resolution before the Council at a regular
Council meeting.
(b)
A proposed agenda, together with relevant materials and communications,
shall be prepared by the City Clerk and available to the Mayor, the
Council members, and City officers required to attend regular meetings
not later than 4:00 p.m. on the Monday prior to each regular Council
meeting. A similar agenda shall be prepared and delivered for special
meetings of the Council if time permits. No item may be acted on by
the Council unless it is included in the agenda except by a 2/3 vote
of the members or by suspension of the rules as provided by Subsection
(14) below. The proposed agenda, together with relevant materials
and communications, shall be available at the City Clerk's office
for public inspection and copying by 4:00 p.m. on the Monday immediately
preceding the regular Council meeting. The agenda and materials for
a special Council meeting shall be available as soon as prepared and
assembled by the City Clerk.
(10)
Citizens' right to address Council.
(a)
Any citizen shall have the right to speak on any action item
of business that is on the agenda for Council action if he is recognized
by the presiding officer. Speakers may be limited to 10 minutes, except
by consent of the Council. No citizen shall be permitted to speak
on petitions, communications and reports when first introduced before
the Council and which are scheduled to be referred to and reported
back at a later meeting or which will be taken up at a later time
in the regular meeting.
(b)
No person, except members and officers of the Council, shall
be allowed to address the Council during the session of the Council
without the permission of the presiding officer.
(11)
Public hearings. In conducting a public hearing, the Council shall
allow all interested parties an opportunity to speak on the subject
matter of the hearing. At the beginning of a public hearing, the presiding
officer shall request all speakers to remain in the Council chambers
until the conclusion of the public hearing so that each speaker will
be available for questioning by the Council members. Public hearings
shall be conducted by first allowing those citizens to speak who are
against the question. Each side shall be given an opportunity to rebut
new evidence presented by the opposing side.
(12)
Robert's Rules of Order to govern. In the absence of a special ordinance
or state statute, the Council shall be governed by Robert's Rules
of Order, Revised.
(13)
Business at special meetings. At special meetings of the Council,
no business shall be transacted but that for which the meeting shall
have been called.
(14)
Suspension of rules. Except as otherwise provided by law or this
chapter, 2/3 of the members shall be required to suspend, alter or
modify any of the rules in this section.
(15)
Disturbances and disorderly conduct. Whenever any disturbance or
disorderly conduct occurs in any meeting of the Council, the presiding
officer may cause the room to be cleared of all persons guilty of
such disorderly conduct, except the Council members. If any Council
member is guilty of disorderly conduct, the presiding officer may
order the police to take the member into custody for the time being
or until the meeting adjourns. Such member may appeal from such order
to the Council as in other cases.
(16)
Failure to observe rules not a waiver. The failure to observe or
enforce the standing rules under this section shall not constitute
nor be deemed a waiver of the future enforcement of the rules.
The following committees, each consisting of four Alderpersons,
shall be appointed by the Mayor at the organizational meeting of the
Council each year, and the Chairperson of each shall be designated
by the Mayor:
(1)
Ways and Means Committee.
[Amended 7-10-2012 by Ord. No. 566; 10-13-2020 by Ord. No. 606]
(a)
The Ways and Means Committee shall be responsible for the overall
financial structure of the City.
(b)
The Committee's functions include monitoring and examining the
existing methods of collecting, banking, disbursing and reporting
of all revenue and recommending desirable improvements.
(c)
Areas of responsibility shall include all areas of taxation, bonding,
monthly receipts and disbursements, insurance, functions of the City
Municipal Building, Library, licenses and permits, major purchases
over $1,000 not approved by another committee, leases and contracts,
and all other matters referred to it by the Mayor or the Council.
(d)
It shall be the purpose of this Committee to recommend policies and
procedures for comprehensive and effective operations of all financial
functions performed by the City and its personnel.
(2)
Property, Recreation and Human Affairs Committee.
(a)
The Property, Recreation and Human Affairs Committee shall be responsible
for all City-owned property, except those properties made the responsibility
of the Ways and Means Committee.
(b)
The Committee's functions shall include reviewing policies and procedures
for use, development, maintenance, disposal or acquisition of City
lands. Areas of responsibility shall be all City properties, including
the parks, swimming pool, skating rink, baseball diamonds, tennis
courts, and Riverside Cemetery, City beautification, civic activities,
elderly and youth programs, and education. A further function shall
be the selection and supervision of swimming pool and skating rink
employees, and all other duties referred by the Mayor or the Council.
(c)
It shall be the purpose of this Committee to recommend and regulate
the policies and procedures of effective and meaningful operation
of the various City-owned properties and programs for the benefit
of all.
(3)
Public Works Committee.
(a)
The Public Works Committee shall be responsible for the planning
and facilitating of all public works.
(b)
Areas of responsibility include policies, procedures and functions
of the Department of Public Works; water and sewage treatment plants;
maintenance, repair, improvements and extensions to public roadways,
sewers, waterlines, curbs, gutters and sidewalks, garbage and rubbish
pickup, and the machinery and equipment needed for these functions;
streetlighting; and all other duties referred to it by the Mayor or
the Council.
(4)
Public Safety Committee.
(a)
The Public Safety Committee shall be responsible for all functions
of the Police, Fire, Ambulance and Emergency Government Departments.
(b)
Areas of responsibility are the use, maintenance and operation of
the Safety Center; emergency vehicles; mutual agreements on fire or
police protection; standard operating procedures covering natural
or man-made disasters; all areas of public protection, health and
safety; and all other duties referred to it by the Mayor or the Council.
(5)
Personnel Committee.
[Amended 10-13-2020 by Ord. No. 606]
(a)
The Personnel Committee shall be responsible for overall policy relating
to the City's employees.
(b)
Areas of responsibility include the annual review of wage/salary
and benefit plans, labor negotiations, employee grievances, review
of disciplinary actions, personnel policies, organizational structure,
job descriptions, staffing levels and overall efficiency and productivity.
In addition to the standing committees, special committees may
be appointed from time to time to deal with special matters of interest
to the City. All such committees shall be appointed by the Mayor unless
otherwise directed by the Council.
