City of Lodi, WI Chapter 30 Common Council

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Lodi as Ch. 4 of the City Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 30-1 Meetings.

A. Regular meetings. The Council shall meet annually on the third Tuesday of April for the purpose of organization, and regular meetings shall be held at the Council chambers on the third Tuesday each month. For any regular Council, Commission or Committee meetings falling on a legal holiday or on a day an election is held in the City, the meeting shall be held the following day at the same place.

[Amended 5-15-2018 by Ord. No. A-519; 4-16-2019 by Ord. No. A-538; 9-15-2020 by Ord. No. A-550]

B. Special meetings. Special meetings may be called by the Mayor or three Council members by written notice delivered to each member personally or left at his home at least six hours before the meeting; provided however, that such notice of meeting may be waived by any member, in writing, or by attendance at the meeting in question (which shall be deemed a waiver of notice). At such meeting of the Council, no business shall be transacted but that for which the meeting shall have been called, unless by unanimous consent of the Council members present.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Original § 4.02, Order of business, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 10-10-2006 by Ord. No. A-361.

§ 30-2 Presiding officer.

A. Control of meeting. The Mayor shall preserve order and conduct the proceedings of the meeting. A member may appeal from the decision of the presiding officer. Such appeal is not debatable and must be sustained by a majority of the members present, exclusive of the presiding officer.

B. Absence of Mayor. If the Mayor is absent at any time, the Council President shall call a meeting to order and preside.

C. Participation in debate. The presiding officer may speak upon any question or make any motion if he vacates the Chair and designates a member to preside temporarily.

D. Voting and counting in majority requirements. The Mayor shall not be counted in computing a quorum and shall not vote except in case of a tie. When the Mayor does vote in the case of a tie, the Mayor's vote shall be counted in determining whether a sufficient number of the Council has voted favorably or unfavorably on any measure. Any other member who is acting as presiding officer is entitled to vote in all cases.

§ 30-3 Committees.

[Amended 10-10-2006 by Ord. No. A-361; 1-15-2013 by Ord. No. A-441; 5-15-2018 by Ord. No. A-519; 3-5-2019 by Ord. No. A-535]

A. Standing committees. There shall be the following standing committees of the Council to be appointed by the Mayor annually at the time of the organization of the Council, which shall have such duties and responsibilities as the Mayor shall from time to time prescribe:

(1) Public works and utilities. The Public Works and Utilities Committee provides oversight of the City's infrastructure and utilities. This encompasses everything physical, including but not limited to buildings, improvements, streets, lands, stormwater and wastewater systems, and water and electric utility. The Committee shall perform the duties of the Board of Public Works as found in § 12-2 of this Code. The Committee shall provide oversight to the operation of the municipal public utility pursuant to § 66.0805(6), Wis. Stats. The Mayor shall appoint three members of the Common Council, subject to confirmation by the Common Council.

(2) Finance and human resources. The Finance and Human Resources Committee provides oversight of the financial processes of the City. This encompasses reviewing and making recommendations to the Common Council on the City budgets, borrowing, developing financial policies, providing oversight on contracts, insurance and licensing issues. The Committee also provides oversight of the human resources functions of the City. This encompasses but is not limited to reviewing and developing policy on issues affecting City employees such as compensation systems, benefits and employee relations. The Finance and Human Resources Committee shall be comprised of all six members of the Common Council.

(3) Economic development. The Economic Development Committee provides oversight and makes recommendations on policies and programs for the economic development of the City. This encompasses but is not limited to revolving loan funds, Community Development Block Grant program compliance, grant programs within and outside of the City, within the County, and other programs that assist in the development of the local economy. The Economic Development Committee will also review and make recommendations relating to tax incremental financing (TIF/TID) projects for the City. The Mayor shall appoint three members of the Common Council, subject to confirmation by the Common Council.

(4) Public safety. The Public Safety Committee provides oversight of the public safety of the City, and shall receive reports relating to the Building Code, the Police Department, Lodi Area Fire, Lodi Area EMS, Joint Municipal Court and public safety issues outside of the purview of the Police, Fire and EMS Commissions. The Mayor shall appoint three members of the Common Council to the Public Safety Committee, subject to confirmation by the Common Council.

(5) Parks. The Parks Committee provides oversight to the management, control, improvement and care of all public parks and parkways within the City of Lodi. It shall also oversee the planting and maintenance of all trees and shrubbery in the street areas, parkways and tree lanes in the City. The Mayor shall appoint three members of the Common Council to the Parks Committee and four citizen members, subject to confirmation by the Common Council.

B. Special committees. The Mayor may establish by resolution such special or ad hoc committees as deemed appropriate.

§ 30-4 Majority requirements.

All bylaws, ordinances, resolutions and orders for the appropriation or payment of money shall require for passage or adoption the vote of a majority of all of the Alderpersons.

§ 30-5 Open meetings.

Meetings shall be open to the public to the extent required by law, but public participation in discussion at such meetings may be limited or prohibited in the discretion of the presiding officer.

§ 30-6 General rules.

[Amended 12-4-2012 by Ord. No. A-440]

The deliberations of the Council while in session shall be governed by "A Guide to Parliamentary Procedure for Local Governments in Wisconsin," 1998 edition, except where otherwise limited or modified by this Code.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Original § 4.08, Ordinances, which immediately followed this section, was repealed 10-10-2006 by Ord. No. A-361.