148ORDINANCE No. 148
ORDINANCE ON CITY COUNCIL
ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURE
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF EDGEWATER, FLORIDA: ADOPTED
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF GOVERNING BODY MUST BE EFFECTED
IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE CHARTER OR THE GENERAL LAW OR
STATE STATUTE OF FLORIDA. RULES PRESCRIBED BY STATUTE OR CHARTER MUST BE
FOLLOWED, BUT IN THE ABSENCE THEREOF, THE BODY.?fAY ADOPT ITS OWN Hum
AND REGULATIONS, AND, IN THE ABSENCE OF THESE, THE GENERAL RULES OF PAR-
LIAMENTARY LAW PREVAIL.
SECTION 1: REGULAR MEETINGS
(A) Time - The Cit
1:30 P.M., except
Provided, however,
Council falls upon
such meeting shall
not a holiday.
r Council shall hold regular meetings every Monday at
:he second Monday in the month meeting at 7:30 P.M.
that when the day fixed for any regular meeting of the
a day designated by law as a legal or national holiday
be held at the same hour on the next succeeding day
(B) Place - All regular meetings of the Council shall be held in the
Council Chambers at City Hall.
SECTION 2: SPECIAL MEETINGS
The Mayor shall call special meetings of the Council whenever, in his o-
pinion, the public business may require it, or at the express written re-
quest of any three members of the Council. Whenever a special meeting
shall be called, a aummons or a notice in writing signed by the Mayor or
the City Clerk shall be served upon each member of the Council either in
person or by notice left at his place of residence, stating the date and
hour of the meeting and the purpose for which such meeting is called, and
no business shall be transacted thereat, except such as is stated in the
notice.
SECTION 3• AGENDA
All reports, communications, ordinances, resolutions, contract documents,
or other matters to be submitted to the Council shall, at least twelve
business hours prior to each Council Meeting, be delivered to the City
Clerk, whereupon the City Clerk shall immediately arrange a list of such
matters.according to the Order of Business and furnish each member of the
Council, the Mayor and the City Attorney with a copy of the same prior to
the Council Meeting and as far in advance of the meeting as time for prep-
aration will permit. None of the foregoing matters shall be presented to
the Council by administrative officials except those of an urgent nature,
and the same, when so presented, shall have the written approval of the
Mayor before presentation.
SECTION 4: THE PRESIDING OFFICER
The presiding officer of the Council shall be the Mayor (or Vice Mayor,
who shall be elected annually at the first meeting in November, by the
members, from their membership.)
The presiding officer shall preserve strict order and decorum at all reg-
ular and special meetings of the Council. He shall state every question
coming before the Council, announce the decision of the Council on all
subjects and decide all questions of order, subject however to an appeal
to the Council, in which event, a majority vote of the Council shall
govern and conclusively determine such question of order.
He shall vote on all questions, his name being called last.
He shall sign all ordinances and resolutions adopted by the Council dur-
ing his presence. In the event of his absence, the Vice Mayor shall sign
ordinances or resolutions as they are adopted.
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SECTION : CALL TO ORDER
The Mayor (or Vice Mayor) shall take the chair precisely at the hour appoint-
ed for the meeting, and shall immediately call the Council to order. In the
absence of the Mayor or Vice Mayor, the City Clerk shall call the Council to
order, whereupon a temporary chairman shall be elected by the members of the
Council present. Upon the arrival of the Mayor or Vice Mayor, the temporary
chairman shall immediately relinquish the chair upon the conclusion of the
business immediately before the Council.
SECTION 6: ROLL CALL
Before proceeding with the business of the Council, the City Clerk or his
Deputy shall call the roll of the members, and the names of those present
shall be entered in the minutes.
SECTION 7: QUORUM
A majority of all the members elected to the Council shall constitute a
quorum at any regular or special meeting of the Council. In the absence of a
quorum, the Mayor shall, at the instance of any member present, compel the
attendance of absent members.
SECTION 8: ORDER OF BUSINESS
All meetings of the Council shall be open to the public. Promptly at the hour
set by law on the day of each regular meeting, the members of the Council,
the City Clerk, City Attorney and Mayor shall take their regular stations in
the Council Chambers, and the business of the Council shall be taken up for
consideration and disposition in the following order:
1. Roll Call
2. Approval of minutes of previous meeting.
3. Bills and Accounts
k. Officers' Reports - Boards - Committees
5. Communications
6. Introduction and adoption of resolutions and ordinances
7. Unfinished Business
8. New Business
9. Miscellaneous
10. Adjournment
SECTION : READING OF MINUTES
Unless a reading of the minutes of a Council Meeting is requested by a member
of the Council, such minutes may be approved without reading, if the Clerk
has previously submitted each Councilman with a copy of the minutes.
SECTION 10: RULES OF DEBATE
(A) Presiding Officer May Debate and Vote, etc.
The Mayor (Vice Mayor) or such other member of the Council as may be
presiding shall have a voice and vote in the proceedings, but shall have
no veto power, subject only to such limitations of debate as are by
these rules imposed on all members and shall not be deprived of any of
the rights and privileges of a Councilmen by reason of his acting as the
Presiding Officer.
(B) Getting the Floor - Improper References to be Avoided
Every member desiring to speak shall address the Chair, and upon recog-
nition by the Presiding Officer, shall confine himself to the question
under debate, avoiding all personalities and indecorous language.
(0) Interruptions
A member once recognized shall not be interrupted when speaking unless
it be to call him to order, or as herein otherwise provided. If a mem-
ber, while speaking, be called to order, he shall cease speaking until
the question of order be determined, and if in order, he shall be per-
mitted to proceed.
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(D) Privilege of Closing Debate
The Councilman moving the adoption of an ordinance or resolution shall
have the privilege of closing the debate.
(E) Motion to Reconsider
Amotion to reconsider any action taken by the Council may be made
only on the day such action was taken. It may be made either immediate=
ly during the same session, or at a recessed or adjourned session
thereof. Such motion must be made by one of the prevailing side, but
may be seconded by any member, and may be made at any time and have
precedence over all other motions or while a member has the floor; it
shall be debatable. Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent any
member of the Council from making or remaking the same or any other
motion at a subsequent meeting of the Council.
(F) Remarks of Councilmen - When Entered in Minutes
A Councilman my request, through the Presiding Officer, the privilege
of having an abstract of his statement on any subject under considera-
tion by the Council entered in the minutes. If the Council consents
thereto, such statement shall be entered in the minutes.
(G) Synopsis of Debate - When Entered in Minutes
The Clerk my be directed by the Presiding Officer, with the consent
of the Council, to enter in the minutes a synopsis of the discussion
on any question coming regularly before the Council.
SECTION 10-1: ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL
Any person desiring to address the Council shall first secure the permission
of the Presiding Officer so to do, provided, however, that under the follow-
ing headings of business, unless the Presiding Officer rules otherwise, any
qualified person may address the Council without securing such prior per-
mission.
(A) Written Communications
Interested parties or their authorized representatives my address the
Council by written conmimications in regard to matters then under con-
sideration.
(B) Oral Communications
Taxpayers or residents of the City, or their authorized legal repre-
sentatives may address the Council by oral communications on any mat-
ter concerning the City*s business, or any matter over which the
Council has control; provided however, that preference shall be given
to those persons who may have notified the City Clerk in advance of
their desire to speak in order that the same may appear on the Agenda
of the Council.
(C) Reading of Protest, etc.
Interested persons or their authorized representatives may address the
Council by reading of protests, petitions or communications relating
to zoning, water, sewer and street proceedings, hearings on protests,
appeals and petitions, or similar matters, in regard to matters then
under consideration.
SECTION 10-2: ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL AFTER MOTION MADE
After a motion is made by the Council, no person shall address the Council
without first securing the permission of the Council so to do.
SECTION 10-3: MANNER OF ADDRESSING COUNCIL - TIME T T
Each person addressing the Council shall step up to the Council table, shall
give his name and address in an audible tone of voice for the records, and
unless further time is granted by the Council, shall limit his address to
three minutes. All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a body and
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not to any member thereof. No person, other than the Council and the person
having the floor shall be permitted to enter into any discussion, either
directly or through a member of the Council, without the permission of the
Presiding Officer. No question shall be asked a Councilman except through
the Presiding Officer.
SECTION 10.4s DECORUM
(A) While the Council is in session the members must preserve order and de-
corum, and a member shall neither by conversation or otherwise, delay
or interrupt the proceedings or the peace of the Council or disturb any
member while speaking or refuse to obey the orders of the Council or
its Presiding Officer, except as otherwise herein provided.
(B) By Persons - Any person making personal, impertinent, or slanderous re-
marks or who shall become boisterous while addressing the Council shall
forthwith, by the Presiding Officer, be barred from further audience
before the Council, unless permission to continue be granted by a ma-
jority vote of the Council.
SECTION 10-57 ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, NOTIONS AND CONTRACTS
(A) Preparation of Ordinances
All ordinances shall be prepared by the City Attorney. No ordinances
shall be prepared for presentation to the Council unless ordered by a
majority vote of the Council, or requested in writing by the Mayor, or
prepared by the City Attorney on his own initiative.
(B) Prior Approval
All ordinances, resolutions, and contract documents before presentation
to the Council shall have been approved as to form and legality by the
City Attorney or his authorized representative and shall have been ex-
amined and approved for administration by the Mayor, or his authorized
representative, where there are substantive matters of administration
involved.
(C) Introducing for Passage or Approval
(1) Ordinances, resolutions, and other matters or subjects requiring
action by the Council most be introduced and sponsored by a member
of the Council, except that the Mayor may present ordinances, reso-
lutions and other matters or subjects to the Council, and any
Councilman may assume sponsorship thereof by moving that such ordi-
nances, resolutions, matters or subjects be adopted; otherwise,
they shall not be considered.
(2) No ordinance shall be passed until it shall have been read at two
regular meetings, not less than one week apart, or unless the re-
quirements of such reading has been dispensed with by majority vote
of the City Council. When the committee to which an ordinance has
been referred shall report such ordinance to the Council at a sub-
sequent meeting, the ordinance shall stand.
(3) No ordinance shall relate to more than one subject, which shall be
clearly expressed in its title, and no ordinance, or section there-
of, shall be amended or repealed unless the new ordinance contains
the title of the ordinance or section amended or repealed, and
when practicable all ordinances shall be introduced as amendments
to existing ordinances or sections thereof.
SECTION 11: ADJOURNMENT
A motion to adjourn shall always be in order and decided without debate.
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SECTION 12•
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith be, and the
same are, hereby repealed.
SECTION 13•
This ordinance shall take effect as of March , 1957 upon its passage
and approval by the Mayor.
The above Ordinance was read in full and passed by the vote of the City
Council of the City of Edgewater, Florida at a regular meeting on the
/g-'day of March, A.D. 1957
Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried the requirement of reading
said Ordinance upon second reading was waived, and the Ordinance was
ordered put upon final passage.
Passed by the vote of the City Council of the City of Edgewater, Florida,
at a regular meeting of said Council held on the day of March, A.D.
1957 and approved as provided by law, the vote of said Council on Roll
Call being as follows:
or
Councildan
Councilman
Councilman
Councilman
City Clerk
Approved this /0 '= day of March, A. D. 1957.
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