Chapter 2.15
COUNCIL PROCEDURE
Sections:
2.15.010 Regular and special council meetings.
2.15.020 Meetings to be public.
2.15.060 Discussion and voting procedure.
2.15.010 Regular and special council meetings.
A. Before the end of each calendar year, the council shall establish regular meeting dates for the following calendar year. The mayor may cancel any regular council meeting by notifying the town manager. The town clerk shall notify the council members of the cancellation.
B. The mayor or three members of the council may call a special meeting at any time by notifying the town manager. The town clerk shall notify the council members of the date, hour, and purpose of the special meeting. [Ord. 2022-162 § 1; Ord. 2016-111 § 2.]
2.15.020 Meetings to be public.
All proceedings of the council shall be open to the public as provided in ARS 38-431.01, except that the council may meet in a closed executive session as provided in ARS 38-431.03. [Ord. 2016-111 § 2.]
2.15.030 Agenda.
Prior to each council meeting, the mayor, town manager, and town clerk shall discuss items included on the agenda. Thereafter, the town clerk shall provide the approved agenda and all supporting documentation to each council member, the town manager, and the town attorney. [Ord. 2023-168 § 1; Ord. 2016-111 § 2.]
2.15.040 Consent agenda.
Items which are routine and noncontroversial, and which do not require a public hearing, may be presented as part of a consent agenda. The consent agenda shall be introduced by a motion to approve the consent agenda and shall be considered by the council as a single vote, which will approve all items on the consent agenda. There should be no debate or discussion regarding any item on the consent agenda beyond asking questions for simple clarification. Prior to the vote on the consent agenda, any council member may ask that one or more item(s) be removed from the consent agenda, in which case such item(s) will be removed from the consent agenda, and will be considered immediately following the consideration of the consent agenda. [Ord. 2016-111 § 2.]
2.15.050 Call to the public.
Pursuant to ARS 38-431.01, the agenda may include an open call to the public, to allow individuals to address the council on any issue within the town’s jurisdiction. All such remarks shall be addressed to the council as a whole, and not to any member thereof, member of the staff, or member of the public, and shall be limited to three minutes unless additional time is granted by the mayor. No person other than the individual speaking shall enter into the discussion without the permission of the mayor. At the conclusion of the call to the public, individual members of the council may respond to criticism made by those who have addressed the council, may ask staff to review the matter, or may ask that the matter be placed on a future agenda. [Ord. 2016-111 § 2.]
2.15.060 Discussion and voting procedure.
A. Any member of the council who has a conflict of interest as provided in ARS 38-501 et seq., shall make known that interest in the town’s official records and shall refrain from voting upon or otherwise participating in any manner relative to the matter.
B. In the event a person in the audience wishes to address the council on an issue on the agenda which is not a public hearing, the mayor may permit the person to speak or may present the request to the council. If a majority of the council wishes to hear from the public on the issue, that person shall be permitted to speak; however, any such public address shall be limited to three minutes per person, unless additional time is granted by the mayor, and as otherwise restricted by the mayor or council. Written communications which were delivered to the clerk prior to the beginning of the council meeting shall be copied and distributed to the council members as soon as practical.
C. The mayor shall ask council members to audibly designate their individual votes. If, prior to the vote or after the vote, any council member requests a roll call vote, the town clerk shall call roll by naming each council member in random order determined by the town clerk, and each council member shall state his or her vote aloud. Except for a council member who is not voting due to a conflict of interest, a council member’s silence shall be recorded as an affirmative vote, and an abstention shall be recorded as a negative vote. A motion passes if it receives the affirmative vote of more than half the council members present at the council meeting, except where otherwise provided by law.
D. Any person who makes impertinent or slanderous remarks, becomes boisterous while addressing the council, or interferes with the order of business before the council, and who fails upon request of the mayor to cease such activity, may be removed from the council meeting for the remainder of that meeting, unless permission to continue is granted by a majority vote of the council. [Ord. 2016-111 § 2.]