Chapter 2.04
CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
Sections:
2.04.020 Place meeting is to be held.
2.04.060 Mayor or mayor pro tempore to preside at meetings.
2.04.090 Duties of presiding officer.
2.04.100 Roberts Rules of Order.
2.04.010 Date and time.
The regular meeting of the city council of the city of Pateros, Washington, will be scheduled to begin at six p.m. on the third Monday of each month beginning with the February 2007 meeting. In case the regular meeting day falls on a holiday, the meeting shall be held on a day decided by the mayor and a notice shall be posted. (Ord. 654 § 2, 2007: Ord. 01-613 § 2, 2001: Ord. 00-595 §§ 1, 2, 2000: Ord. 579 § 1, 1999)
2.04.020 Place meeting is to be held.
The place of the council meeting shall be held within the corporate city limits of the city and shall be in the building designated as City Hall or at a place designated by the mayor. If other than City Hall, a notice shall be posted on the front door of City Hall giving the new location. (Ord. 541 § 3, 1996)
2.04.030 Order of procedure.
The order of procedure herein contained shall govern deliberations and meetings of the council of the city. (Ord. 481 § 2, 1989)
2.04.040 Special meetings.
Special meetings may be called at any time by the council on notice to each member twenty-four (24) hours before the time specified for the proposed meeting. Provided, however, that no ordinance shall be passed, or contract let or entered into, or bill for the payment of money allowed, at any special meeting. (Ord. 481 § 4, 1989)
2.04.050 Quorum.
At all meetings of the council, a majority of the council members shall constitute 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. 481 § 5, 1989)
2.04.060 Mayor or mayor pro tempore to preside at meetings.
All meetings of the council shall be presided over by the mayor, or, in his or her absence, by the mayor pro tempore. If the clerk is absent from a council meeting, the mayor or mayor pro tempore shall appoint one of the members of the council as clerk pro tempore. The appointment of a council member as mayor pro tempore or as clerk pro tempore shall not in any way abridge his or her right to vote upon all questions coming before the council. (Ord. 481 § 6, 1989)
2.04.070 Order of business.
The order of business shall be as follows:
A. Call to order;
B. Roll call;
C. Reading and approval of the minutes of the previous meeting;
D. Hearings on petitions, applications, complaints, appeals, communications, etc.;
E. Consideration of bids, L.I.D.s and related matters;
F. Reports of standing committees;
G. Reports of special committees;
H. Reports of city officers;
I. Auditing of accounts;
J. Resolutions, ordinances, orders, and other business;
K. Adjournment.
(Ord. 481 § 7, 1989)
2.04.080 Meeting procedures.
A. No member shall speak more than twice on the same subject without permission of the presiding officer.
B. No person, not a member of the council, shall be allowed to address the same while in session without the permission of the presiding officer.
C. Every officer, whose duty it is to report at the regular meetings of the council, shall, in default thereof, be fined at the discretion of the council.
D. Motions shall be reduced to writing when required by the presiding officer of the council or any member of the council. All resolutions and ordinances shall be in writing.
E. Motions to reconsider must be by a member who voted with the majority, and at the same or next succeeding meeting of the council.
F. The clerk shall keep a correct journal of all proceedings and at the desire of any member the ayes and nays shall be taken on any question and entered in the journal.
G. All questions of order shall be decided by the presiding officer of the council with the right of appeal to the council by any member.
H. The presiding officer of the council may, at his or her discretion, call any member to take the chair, to allow him or her to address the council, make a motion, or discuss any other matter at issue.
I. Motions to lay any matter on the table shall be first in order; and on all questions, the last amendment, the most distant day, and the largest sum shall be put first.
J. Each member present must vote on all questions put to the council, except as to matters with respect to which such council member has a disqualifying interest.
K. All regular meetings of the council shall be public and no ordinance, resolution, rule, regulation, order, or directive shall be adopted except in a regular meeting open to the public, the date of which is fixed by law or rule; but executive sessions, from which the public is excluded, may be held for purposes other than the final adoption of an ordinance, resolution, rule, regulation, order, or directive.
L. A motion for a adjournment shall always be in order.
M. The rules of the council may be altered, amended, or temporarily suspended by a vote of two-thirds of the members present.
N. The chair of each respective committee, or the council member acting for the chair, shall submit or make all reports to the council when so requested by the presiding officer or any member of the council.
O. The clerk, engineer, attorney, chief of police, and superintendent and such other officers or employees of the city shall, when requested, attend all meetings of the council and shall remain in the council room for such length of time as the council may direct.
(Ord. 481 §§ 8—22, 1989)
2.04.090 Duties of 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. State each motion and require a second to that motion before permitting discussion.
D. 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;
E. Put motions to a vote and announce the outcome;
F. Suggest but not make motions for adjournment;
G. Appoint committees when authorized to do so.
(Ord. 481 § 23, 1989)
2.04.100 Roberts Rules of Order.
Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the deliberations of the council except when in conflict with any of the foregoing rules. (Ord. 481 § 24, 1989)