Chapter 2.04
CITY COUNCIL1
Sections:
2.04.020 Meetings public – Executive sessions.
2.04.030 Presiding officer – Mayor, clerk pro tempore.
2.04.050 Addressing the council.
2.04.055 Journal – “Ayes” and “nays.”
2.04.060 Officers and employees to attend.
2.04.065 Duty of the presiding officer.
2.04.070 Motion to reconsider.
2.04.075 Motions, resolutions and ordinances.
2.04.080 Confirmation of appointments.
2.04.085 Withdrawal by presiding officer.
2.04.095 Robert’s Rules of Order.
2.04.100 Council committee on committees.
2.04.105 Repealed.
2.04.010 Regular meetings.
Regular meetings of the council shall be held on the second and fourth Monday of each month at the hour of 7:00 p.m. at the city council chambers, City Hall, Enumclaw, Washington, except if any such day is a recognized Washington State holiday, the meeting shall be held at the same time and place on the Tuesday immediately following. (Ord. 2629 §§ 2, 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1365 § 1, 1982; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.015 Special meetings.
Special meetings of the council may be called by the mayor or any three members of the council by written notice delivered to each member of the council at least 24 hours before the time specified for the proposed meetings; provided, however, that no ordinance or resolution shall be passed, or contract let or entered into, or bill for the payment of money allowed at any special meeting, unless public notice of such meeting has been given by such notice to the local press, radio, and television as well, as reasonably calculated to inform the inhabitants of the city of the meeting. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.020 Meetings public – Executive sessions.
It is intended that the city council comply at all times with the requirements of the open meeting law of the state and amendments thereto. All council meetings shall be open to the public, except that the council may hold executive sessions from which the public is excluded for purposes only as established and authorized by the open meeting law now and hereafter provided. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.022 Seating.
Effective upon new council members taking office, they shall be seated in the seat of the council member that they have replaced. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1889 § 1, 1996).
2.04.025 Quorum.
At all meetings of the council, a majority of the council members constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business, but a less number may adjourn from time to time and may compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as may be prescribed by ordinance. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.030 Presiding officer – Mayor, clerk pro tempore.
All meetings of the council shall be presided over by the mayor, or, in his or her absence, by the mayor pro tempore. Biannually at the first meeting of a new council, or periodically, the members thereof, by majority vote, shall designate one of their number as mayor pro tempore for such period as the council may specify to serve in the absence or temporary disability of the mayor. If the clerk is absent from a council meeting, the mayor or mayor pro tempore shall appoint a clerk pro tempore. The appointment of a council member as mayor pro tempore or as a clerk pro tempore shall not in any way abridge his or her right to vote upon all questions coming before the council. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.035 Order of business.
The order of business generally shall be in compliance with the provisions immediately following, but such provisions shall not be hard and fast to the extent that the council and mayor may not take matters out of order for conditions of enlarged attendance or otherwise may require such changes, or additional matters presented:
A. Call to order;
B. Pledge of Allegiance;
C. Reading of minutes;
D. Additions or corrections to agenda;
E. Bid openings/calls;
F. Communications;
G. Public hearings;
H. Reports;
I. Unfinished business;
J. New business;
K. Adjournment. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.040 Reading of minutes.
Unless a reading of the minutes of the prior council meeting is requested by a council member, such minutes may be approved without reading; provided, the city clerk has furnished each member with a written copy of the minutes prior to the meeting. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.045 Council – Speaking.
A council member desiring to speak shall address the chair and thereupon shall be recognized by the presiding officer:
A. Any member, while speaking, shall confine himself or herself to the question under debate, avoiding all personalities and indecorous language.
B. Any member, while speaking, should not be interrupted unless it be to call him or her to order.
C. No member shall speak a second time upon the same motion before opportunity has been given each member to speak on that motion. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.050 Addressing the council.
A. Any person, with the permission of the presiding officer, may address the council, but the presiding officer shall be required to give recognition in the following order:
1. To those whose request to be heard is contained in the written agenda;
2. To those who have submitted a request to be heard in writing to the city clerk before the council meeting;
3. To those who ask recognition from the floor.
B. In addressing the council, each person should stand, and after recognition, give his or her name and address, and unless further time is given by the presiding officer, shall limit his or her remarks to not more than three minutes. All remarks shall be made to the council as a body and not to any individual member.
C. No person shall be permitted to enter into any discussion from the floor without first being recognized by the presiding officer.
D. Any person making personal, impertinent or slanderous remarks while addressing the council may be removed from the council chambers at the direction of the presiding officer, unless permission to continue is granted by a majority vote of the council. (Ord. 2629 §§ 3, 4 (Exh. 1), 5, 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.055 Journal – “Ayes” and “nays.”
The clerk shall keep a correct journal describing all action taken and the results of votes at the desire of any member; the “ayes” and “nays” shall be taken on any question and entered in the journal. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.060 Officers and employees to attend.
Any elective or appointive officer or employee of the city shall, when requested by the city council, attend all meetings of the council and shall remain in the council room for such length of time as the council may direct. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.065 Duty of the presiding officer.
It shall be the duty of the presiding officer of the council meeting to:
A. Call the meeting to order;
B. Keep the meeting to its order of business;
C. Preserve strict order and decorum at all regular and special meetings of the council;
D. Decide all questions of order, subject to appeal of the council, in which event a majority vote of the council shall govern;
E. Handle discussion in an orderly way:
1. Give every council member who wishes an opportunity to speak;
2. Permit audience participation at appropriate times;
3. Keep all speakers to the rules and to the questions;
4. Give pro and con speakers alternating opportunities to speak;
5. Permit the mover of a motion to debate it first;
6. Give preference to one who has not yet spoken;
F. Put motions to vote when debate is concluded and announce the outcome;
G. Suggest, but not make motions for, adjournment or recess;
H. Allow discussion of an issue prior to stating of a motion when such discussion would facilitate wording of a motion;
I. Permit, at the discretion of the presiding officer, the withdrawal of a motion by the mover thereof without the consent of the second. If there is objection, permission to withdraw shall require a majority vote of the council;
J. Permit, at the discretion of the presiding officer and with the consent of the second, the modification of a motion by the moving party thereof. If there is objection, permission to modify shall require a majority vote of the council. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.070 Motion to reconsider.
Motions to reconsider must be by a member who voted with the majority, and at the same or next succeeding meeting of the council; provided, however, that a motion authorizing or relating to any contract may be reconsidered any time before the final execution thereof. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.075 Motions, resolutions and ordinances.
Motions shall be reduced to writing when required by a majority vote of the council. All resolutions and ordinances shall be in writing. Any council member may demand to have a full reading of a proposed ordinance immediately before a vote is called on its final adoption. Otherwise, it shall not be necessary to read excessive detail set forth in a particular ordinance, and, in lieu thereof, an oral summary of the contents shall be made by the city attorney. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.080 Confirmation of appointments.
Confirmation of appointments may be preceded by discussion in executive session. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.085 Withdrawal by presiding officer.
The presiding officer of the council may, at his or her discretion, call any member to take the chair, to allow the presiding officer to address the council, make a motion, or discuss any other matter at issue. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.090 Suspension of rules.
The rules of the council may be altered or amended by a vote of a majority of the council, or temporarily suspended by a vote of two-thirds of the members present. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.095 Robert’s Rules of Order.
Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the deliberations of the council, except when in conflict with any of the rules contained in this chapter. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.100 Council committee on committees.
There is created and established a council committee on committees for the city council. The appointment duties and functions thereof shall be as follows:
A. Appointment. Membership in the council committee on committees shall consist of the three council members having the longest tenure on the city council. Longest tenure is to be calculated as the total length of service as a city council member, and need not be consecutive terms. In the event of two or more members having equal tenure, members shall be selected on the basis of the largest number of votes received at the most recent general election. Council members whose terms of office will expire prior to, or during the first meeting of a new council and who have not been reelected or appointed to another term of office extending beyond the first meeting of a new council shall not be allowed to serve on the new council committee on committees or allowed to vote on the approval of the membership of the new committees.
B. Powers – Functions. The function of the council committee on committees is to supervise the formation and membership of all standing committees of the city council. The council committee on committees shall, subject to the approval of a majority of the entire city council, designate all of the standing committees of the city council. In addition, the council committee on committees shall, biannually, at the first meeting of a new council, or periodically, submit a list of the proposed members for all standing committees of the council, for approval by a majority vote of the entire city council. The council committee on committees shall also recommend the chairperson for each standing committee of the city council, which recommendations shall also be subject to approval by a majority vote of the entire city council. The membership of all standing committees of the city council shall consist exclusively of council members. (Ord. 2629 § 4 (Exh. 1), 2018; Ord. 1238 § 1, 1978).
2.04.105 Study session meetings.
Repealed by Ord. 2629. (Ord. 1732 § 1, 1992; Ord. 1525 § 1, 1986).
Compensation – See Ch. 2.78 EMC.