95-01 City of Chanhassen
Carver and Hennepin Counties, Minnesota
DATE: Januar~ 9, 1995
RESOLUTION NO: 95-01
MOTION BY: Senn
SECONDED BY: Mason
A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE CONDUCT
OF CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS
The following rules of procedure shall govern the conduct of City Council business:
SECTION 1. MEETINGS.
1.01. Regular Meetings. The City Council shall hold regular meetings on the second
and fourth Mondays of each month at 7:30 p.m., provided that when the day fixed for any
regular meeting falls on a day designated by law as a legal holiday, such meeting shah be
held at the same hour on the next succeeding Monday not a holiday. However, in December
the Council will have only one meeting which will be on the second Monday, December 11.
1.02. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Council may be called by the Mayor
or by any two members of the Council in writing fried with the City Manager. At least one
day before the meeting, the Manager shall notify each member of the time, place and the
purpose of the meeting by causing written notice thereof to be delivered to them personally if
he/she can be found, or, if he/she cannot be found, by leaving a copy at the home of the
member with some person of suitable age and discretion. Special meetings may be held
without prior written notice when all Council members are present at the meeting or consent
thereto in writing. Such consent shall be filed with the City Manager prior to the beginning
of the meeting. Any special meeting attended by all the Council members shall be a valid
meeting for the transaction of any business that may come before the meeting.
1.03. Place. All meetings shall be held in the Council Chambers of Chanhassen City
Hall unless there is a published or posted notice designating another location.'
1.04. Presiding Officers. The Mayor shall preside at all meetings of the Council. In
the absence of the Mayor, the Acting Mayor'shall preside. In the absence of both, the
Council members shall elect one of their number as temporary chairman to so preside.
1.05. Quorum. Three members of the Council shah constitute a quorum for the
transaction of business of the Council, but a smaller number may adjourn from time to time.
1.06. Order of Business. At the hour appointed for meeting, the members shall be
called to order by the Mayor, or in his absence by the Acting Mayor, or in the absence of
both by the City Manager. In the absence of the City Manager, the Mayor shah appoint a
Secretary pro tem, as the case may be, shall call the roll, note the absentees and announce
whether a quorum is present. If a quorum is present, the Council shall proceed to business
which shall be conducted in the following order:
.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Call to Order (Pledge of Allegiance)
Roll Call
Approval of Agenda
Consent Agenda
Visitor Presentations
Public Hearings
Award of Bids
Unfinished Business
New Business
Council Presentations
Administrative Presentations
Adjournment
1.07. Consent Agenda. Items of routine, or primarily administrative in nature, shall
be presented by the City Manager as a part of the consent agenda. All items so submitted
shall have one clearly understandable recommended action so that all items may be voted
upon as a group without discussion. The Mayor shall ask if there is anyone present, written
correspondence received, or any Council member wishing to discuss any item prior to calling
for a vote approving the consent agenda. Any items requiring discussion shall be removed
from the consent agenda and shall become the last item on the agenda unless a Council
member requests that it be heard earlier, i.e. if the question is short or persons are in
attendance who are affected by the decision. If the action proposed to be taken involves a
citizen(s) not in attendance, action shall be tabled to allow notification of the Council's intent
to discuss the proposed action.
1.08. Curfew. No additional agenda items shall be discussed after 11:30 p.m. No
meetings shall continue past 12:00 midnight. Meetings adjourned under this policy shall be
continued to a time specified by the Council. The continued meeting will start at the point on
the agenda where the adjournment occurred.
1.09. First Regular. At the first regular Council meeting in January of each year, the
Council shall (1) designate the depository of City funds, (2) designate the official newspaper,
(3) choose an Acting Mayor from the membership of the Council who shall perform the
duties of the Mayor during the disability or absence of the Mayor, and (4) review the Rules
of Procedure of the City Council and make any necessary changes.
SECTION 2. AGENDA FOR REGULAR MEETING.
2.01. Filing Deadline. All matters to be submitted to the Council shall be filed with
the City Manager's office not later than 10:00 a.m. on the Thursday ten days prior to the
Council meeting at which consideration is desired. In unusual circumstances and when the
matter does not require investigation, an item may be accepted after said deadline upon the
approval of the City Manager or Mayor.
2.02. Maintenance of Agenda. No item of business shall be considered for action by
the Council which does not appear on the agenda for the meeting, except that an item of
urgent business which requires immediate action and is so determined by a majority of the
Council may be considered by the Council whether or not there is a full membership present.
The Council will hear all responsible citizen petitions, requests and statements; however, such
items which do not specifically appear on the agenda shah be deferred to a future meeting for
more careful consideration and study if Council action, other than filing, is required or
requested.
The Mayor and each Council member shall be provided with a copy of the agenda,
minutes of the previous meeting, and any other reports and information pertinent to the
agenda at least ninety-six hours prior to each regular Council meeting. Exceptions may occur
during holiday weeks.
No matter may be submitted for Council action by any administrative official,
department head or employee unless it has first been presented to the City Manager or Mayor
for inclusion on the agenda. The City Manager and Mayor shall establish the agenda for each
regular and special meeting.
SECTION 3. MINUTES.
3.01. Record of Council Meetings. The City Manager or the Manager's designee or
secretary pro tem, shall keep a record of all Council meetings.
3.02. 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 on the
consent agenda if each member has previously been provided with a copy.
3.03. Amendment of Minutes. The Council may, by motion carried by majority vote
of all its members, amend the minutes. Such amending motion shall become a part of the
minutes of the meeting at which the amendment was made.
SECTION 4. DUTIES OF THE PRESIDING OFFICER.
The presiding officer shall preserve strict order and decorum at all meetings of the
Council. He/she shall state every question coming before the Council, announce the decision
of the Council on all subjects and decide all questions of order, subject to an appeal to the
Council, in which event a majority vote of the Council shall govern and conclusively
determine such questions of order. He/she may vote on all questions, and on a roll call vote
determine the order in which votes are cast.
The presiding officer shah normally use the following procedure on aH agenda items
which such pertains:
1. State the question coming before the Council.
.
Request a summation of the Manager's report (where such has been presented
in writing to the Council).
.
Request a report from advisory boards and commissions when said item has
been referred to such.
4. Recognize citizens desiring to speak on said item.
.
Recognize Council members desiring to speak, maintain order and decorum on
items of discussion, and generally provide leadership for the Council to ensure
timely and efficient decisions on each item.
6. Announce the Council decision.
SECTION 5. RULES OF DEBATE.
5.01. Participation by Presiding Officer. The Mayor or other presiding officer may
move, second and debate from the chair, subject only to such limitations of debate as are by
the rules imposed on all members and shall not be deprived of any of the rights and
privileges of a Council member by reason of his acting as the presiding officer.
5.02. Recognition by the Chair. Every member desiring to speak shah address the
chair and upon recognition by the presiding officer, shah confine himself/herself to the
question under debate avoiding all personalities and indecorous language.
5.03. Speaking Privileges. A member, once recognized, shah not be interrupted when
speaking unless it be to call him/her to order or to vote on a motion to close a debate, or as
herein otherwise provided. If a member, while speaking, be called to order, he/she shall
cease speaking until the question of order is determined and if in order he/she shall be
permitted to proceed.
5.04. Reconsideration. A motion to reconsider any action taken by the Council may
be made at any time following original action. A motion to reconsider must be made by a
member of the Council who voted with the prevailing side. Should a motion to reconsider
fail, an additional request for reconsideration cannot occur for a period of six months
following the date of the first motion for reconsideration. If a motion to reconsider is passed,
then parties entitled to notice shall be notified and action shall be taken at the next regular
meeting following passage of the motion to reconsider. Should the City Council determine
that other parties are not likely to be affected by an item presented for reconsideration, the
City Council may, at its discretion, act on the original action the same evening as the Council
votes on reconsideration.
5.05. Statements for the Record. A Council member may request, through the
presiding officer, the privilege of having an abstract of his/her statement on any subject under
consideration by the Council, of the reason for his/her dissent from or support of any action
of the Council, entered in the minutes. Such a request may be made at the time of said
action or consideration or at the time of the adoption of said minutes. Unless the council, by
motion, objects, such statements shall be entered in the minutes.
SECTION 6. ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL.
6.01. Permission. Any person desiring to address the Council shall first secure the
permission of the presiding officer.
6.02. Procedure. Each person addressing the Council shall, if requested by the
presiding officer, give his/her name and address in an audible tone for the records, and unless
further time is granted by the presiding officer, shall limit his/her address to five minutes,
except at a public hearing when the limit shah be ten minutes. AH remarks should be
addressed to the Council as a body and not to any member. 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 Council member or any member of the administrative staff except
through the presiding officer.
SECTION 7. GENERAL RULES OF ORDER.
Robert's Rules of Order Revised and Robert's Parliamentary Law shah be accepted as
an authority on parliamentary practice on matters not specifically covered and in case of a
conflict these rules shall govern.
SECTION 8. VOTING.
Unless a member of the Council states that he is not voting, his silence shah be
recorded as an affirmative vote. In determining whether the motion has passed by the
required number of affirmative votes, a Council member who orally elects not to vote shall be
considered as having voted against the motion in the tallying of the votes, and his election not
to vote shall be duly noted in the minutes as an abstention.
SECTION 9. DECORUM AND ITS ENFORCEMENT.
The Council members, while the Council is in session, must preserve order and
decorum, and a member shall neither by conversation or otherwise, delay or interrupt the
proceedings or the peace of the Council, nor disturb any member while speaking or refuse to
obey the orders of the Council or its presiding officer, except as otherwise herein provided.
SECTION 10. ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS, MOTIONS AND REPORTS.
10.01. Introduction of Matters for Action. Ordinances, resolutions and other matters
or subjects requiring action by the Council shall be introduced and sponsored by a member of
the Council, except that the City Manager or City Attorney may present ordinances,
resolutions and other matters or subjects to the Council.
10.02. Passage of Ordinances, Resolutions and Motions. Upon the vote on
ordinances, resolutions and motions, the ayes and nays shall be recorded unless the vote is
declared unanimous. Upon the request of any member of the Council, the vote shall be by
roll call of all members of the Council as provided under the section "Duties of the Presiding
Officer" in this resolution. A majority vote of all members of the Council shall be required
for the passage of all ordinances, motions and resolutions except as otherwise provided by
state law or city ordinance.
10.03. Readings of Ordinances. Every ordinance other than emergency ordinances
shall have two public readings as provided in Subsection 10.02 of this section, and at least
seven days shall elapse between the first reading or waiver thereof and the second reading or
waiver thereof.
10.04. Emergency Ordinances. An emergency ordinance is an ordinance necessary
for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, morals, safety or welfare in which
the emergency is defined and declared, passed by a vote of at least four members of the
Council, as recorded by ayes and nays.
10.05. Contents of Minutes. Ail ordinances and resolutions shall be filed with the
Manager and made a part of the minutes. Reports, petitions and correspondence shall be fried
with the Manager and made a part of the minutes by reference.
10.06. Ordinances, Resolutions and Motions:
.
An ordinance shall be required for: all legislation regulating or governing
people or property and which provides a penalty for its violation; all permanent
rules of the organization and operation of the Council; all actions required by
statute to be in ordinance form. The City Attorney shall be consulted should
there be a question as to whether the action posed by the Council requires an
ordinance format.
.
Resolutions: Resolutions shall normally be adopted for actions of a temporary,
routine or administrative nature.
.
Motions: Motions shall be adopted on issues of parliamentary procedure or to
introduce items of business, i.e. ordinances, resolutions, etc.
SECTION 11. CONDUCT OF CITY EMPLOYEES.
11.01. City Manager. The City Manager may take part in the discussion of the City
Council and may recommend to the Council such measures as he/she may deem necessary for
the welfare of the people and efficient administration of the affairs of the City. He/she shall
have all the rights, powers and duties prescribed by city ordinance in regard thereto, however,
it is recognized that the City Council is the policy making body for the city and the City
Manager shall confine his/her discussions at the Council meetings to statements of fact,
recommendations based on his/her knowledge and experience and explanations of the reasons
for the same and any matters pertaining to administration.
11.02. City Attorney. The City Attorney may not take part in the discussions of the
City Council except to answer questions directed to him/her, comment on matters involving
legal issues or procedures of the City, and to present factual material to the Council.
11.03. Other City Employees. No city employee other than the City Manager or City
Attorney shall enter into discussions of the City Council except to answer questions directed
to such employee, or to present factual information. The above regulations of city employees
shall not be construed to limit the appearance before the City Council of any city employee
when such appearance is made as a taxpayer or member of the public, for or against some
particular issue under discussion by the Council when such employee has an interest in the
outcome thereof.
SECTION 12. WAIVER.
By 4/5ths vote of all Council members, these rules may be waived.
SECTION 13. ADJOURNMENT.
A motion to adjourn shah always be in order and decided without debate.
SECTION 14. MISCELLANEOUS.
Section, subsection and paragraph headings used herein are not part of this resolution
and shall not be used or considered in determining the proper meaning, purpose or intention
hereof.
SECTION 15. SEVERABILITY.
If any court of competent jurisdiction shall adjudge any provision of this resolution to
be invalid, such judgement shall not affect any other provisions of this ordinance not
specifically included in said judgement.
SECTION 16. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The "City Council Rules of Procedure" shall be adopted by the City Council each
year. Such rules shall act as the format and control activities for the ensuing year. As such,
the following are hereby incorporated as a part of this resolution:
1.
The "Rules of Procedure" as adopted each year shall be maintained by the City
Council in such a manner as to accurately reflect the procedures in effect for
each year; and
.
The effective date for each years "Rules of Procedure" shall be in full force
and effect from and after its passage. Publication shall not be required so long
as such rules are available for inspection and the general public is notified as
so such availability; and
Passed and adopted by the Chanhassen City Council this 9th day of January, 1995.
ATTEST:
Don Ashworth, City ~anager
'Donald~~~~0r '
YES NO
Chmiel
Berquist
Dockendorf
Mason
Senn
None
ABSENT
None