ARTICLE IV: DECORUM AND PARLIAMENTARY PROCESS
Rule 40. Order and decorum.
The presiding officer shall preserve order and decorum and confine members in debate to the question. He may call any member, or other person in attendance, to order who shall violate any of the Rules of the Council and shall, when in the chair, decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal to the Council or a committee thereof by any of its members. On such an appeal, there shall be no debate, and the member making the appeal may briefly state their reasons for the same, and the presiding officer shall have the same right to a similar statement. A majority of the Council shall decide, by simple majority vote, the appeal.
Village employees and officers shall observe the same rules of procedure and decorum applicable to members of the Council. The presiding officer shall have the authority to preserve decorum in meetings as far as Village employees and officers are concerned.
The use of profane or vulgar language, or disrespectful body language and or gestures while making comments shall be considered disorderly. The continued use of the same after the presiding officer has ruled the individual disorderly may cause the individual to be ejected from the council meeting place.
Rule 41. Addressing the Presiding Officer.
Before speaking or rendering a motion before the Council, members shall address the presiding officer as “Mister or Madam Mayor”, “Mister or Madam President”, or “Mister Chairman” or “Madam Chairwoman”, who shall pronounce the name of the member entitled to the floor. Members addressing the Council shall confine themselves to the question under debate and avoid personalities.
No person other than the Council and the person recognized shall be permitted to enter into any discussion directly or through a member of the Council, without permission of the presiding officer. No question shall be asked by a member of the Council except through the presiding officer. No person shall assume the floor unless recognized by the presiding officer.
Rule 42. Business transaction pending before the Council.
INTRODUCTION OF NEW BUSINESS—
When a business transaction enumerated upon the agenda is pending before the Council, the presiding officer shall recognize himself or the public officer, employee, committee chair or public guest proposing the business transaction for a period not to exceed five minutes in length to explain the business transaction. Additional time in increments of two minutes may be granted by the presiding officer at the request of the individual recognized pursuant to this Rule, except that not more than four minutes of additional time shall be granted.
RESPONDING TO NEW BUSINESS INTRODUCED—
Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this Rule, upon conclusion of the explanation of the proposition to transact business pursuant to paragraph (1) of this Rule, any member of the Council may address the presiding officer as provided in Rule 41 to seek recognition for questioning or giving an argument for or against the proposed business transaction, at which point such member shall be recognized for a period not to exceed three minutes. Additional time in the amount of two minutes may be granted by the presiding officer at the request of the member recognized pursuant to this Rule.
EXAMINING THE APPOINTMENT OF EMPLOYEES AND OFFICERS—
Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of this Rule, the presiding officer shall grant each member of the Council a period not to exceed nine minutes in length to examine the appointment of any Village employee or officer.
QUESTION OF DISPOSITION—
Should the presiding officer find no further questions or arguments by members of the Council, the presiding officer shall call the question for the disposition of the proposed business transaction. If the presiding officer receives no motion, the proposed business transaction shall be considered expired before the Council, except that: The business transaction may be again proposed during the next session of the Council.
Any Member of the Council may call the question for the disposition of the proposed business transaction at any time, and if such is granted by the presiding officer, debate on such business transaction shall expire and a vote of the Council shall be held.
Rule 43. Motions; procedure.
A motion of the Council is a proposal that the Council take action on a specific matter. Motions which may be entertained before this Council include:
a. Motion to adopt or approve;
b. Motion to commit or refer (to a committee or first, second or third reading);
c. Motion to lay matter or transaction of business upon the table;
d. Motion to postpone indefinitely or to postpone to a later session;
e. Motion to reconvene (from executive session);
f. Motion to appeal the decision of the presiding officer;
g. Motion to enter into executive session;
h. Motion to recess;
i. Motion to adjourn.
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a. Only members of the Council may render a motion for action of the Council. When doing so, the Member shall state, “I move that the Council _____,” or “I motion that the Council _____.”
b. If the presiding officer or other Village employee or officer addressing the Council requests action by the same, he or she shall clearly state the motion request and, to effect the motion, a member of the Council may state, “I so move.”
c. Immediately thereafter, the presiding officer shall secure a second to the motion. Once a motion and second to the same is received, the presiding officer may offer a period of debate if the motion is debatable. Debate shall take place by members through addressing the presiding officer and receiving recognition to the floor as provided in Rule 41. Debate upon a motion shall be limited to three minutes for each member.
d. If a motion does not receive a second, it shall be considered expired upon the floor.
Motions which are debatable include [a]:
a. Motion to adopt or approve;
b. Motion to commit or refer;
c. Motion to appeal the decision of the presiding officer; and
d. Motion to postpone indefinitely.
Rule 44. Amending a motion.
No motion shall be amended except by the presiding officer or other Village employee or officer initially requesting the motion or the member of the Council initially giving the motion. In such case, the individual initially requesting or giving the motion shall address the presiding officer and offer an amendment to the motion.
Rule 45. Closing debates in Council.
Once each member of the Council has been recognized for the time allowable pursuant to Rule 42 and Rule 43.2.c, the presiding officer may order the close of debate and order the Clerk of Council to conduct roll call pursuant to Rule 46.
Rule 46. Roll call for motions of the Council.
At the direction of the presiding officer, the Clerk of Council shall conduct a roll call of all members of the Council in questions pending before them. Roll call shall be conducted by calling each member of the Council by their prefix and last name (i.e. Mr. Smith). When called upon, each member of the Council shall signify by responding “aye” or “yes”, or “nay” or “no”.
Rule 47. Adjournment.
Except as otherwise provided in the Rules of the Council, any member of the Council may make a motion for adjournment, which shall be seconded and voted upon by roll call vote of all members present. Upon conclusion of the agenda, and upon finding that no additional business is to be considered, the presiding officer may order the meeting adjourned.
Rule 48.—49. Reserved.
Reserved.