SECTION 201.01 Meetings:
The City Council shall have monthly regular sessions at 7:00 p.m. on the days shown by the schedule of regular meetings; the schedule shall be adopted by resolution of the council and shall be kept on file at the City's primary office and at the clerk's office. If the regularly scheduled meeting falls on a holiday or a day on which the council is not by law permitted to meet, then the regular monthly meeting shall be on the next following Tuesday. Adjourned meetings of the council and special meetings of the council shall be set by the council on days and at times that the council may deem proper. All meetings shall be held in the place designated on the schedule by the City Council. If the council decides to hold a regular meeting at a time or place different from the time or place stated in its schedule of regular meetings, it shall give the same notice of the meeting that is provided for a special meeting. The schedule of regular meetings shall be adopted by resolution at the December regular meeting for the upcoming calendar year. (Ord. 90-01, 5/1/90) (Ord. 96-08, 9/3/96) (Ord. 06-02, 1/10/06)
SECTION 201.02 Presiding Officer:
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 shall elect one of their number as temporary chairman. The acting mayor and temporary chairman when occupying the place of the mayor shall have the same privileges as other members.
SECTION 201.03 Quorum:
At all meetings of the council, a majority of the council members shall constitute a quorum to do business. The council may, at any time by a majority vote of those present, adjourn from time to time to a specific date and hour whether or not a quorum is present.
SECTION 201.04 Call to Order:
At the hour appointed for meeting, the members shall be called to Order by the mayor, and in his absence by the acting mayor, and in the absence of both, by the clerk. The clerk shall call the roll, note the absentees and announce whether a quorum be present. In the absence of the clerk, the mayor shall appoint a secretary protem. Upon the appearance of a quorum, the council shall proceed to business.
SECTION 201.05 Role of Mayor:
The mayor shall preserve order and decorum and shall decide questions of order subject to an appeal to the council. The mayor may make motions, second motions, or speak on any question provided. The mayor shall be entitled to vote like other members of the council.
SECTION 201.06 Limitation on Debate:
No member shall speak more than twice on any question nor more than five (5) minutes each time without unanimous consent of the council.
SECTION 201.07 Resolutions in Writing:
All resolutions shall be in writing.
SECTION 201.08 Committees:
All committees, including standing committees, shall be appointed by the chair unless expressly ordered by the council.
SECTION 201.09 Standing Committees:
Standing committees may be appointed by the mayor annually. The first person named on the committee shall be chairman thereof, and each committee appointed shall consist of no more than five persons.
SECTION 201.10 Passage of Ordinances:
After an ordinance shall have passed, a complete and accurate copy as amended shall be made by the clerk and shall be signed by the mayor or in his absence by the acting mayor, and deposited with the clerk, who shall attest, seal, number, file, publish and record or place the same permanently in the ordinance book. Entry of the complete ordinance as amended directly into the ordinance book, original signatures and seal thereon shall be permanently inserted in the ordinance book after each ordinance.
SECTION 201.11 Reading of Petitions:
Petitions and other papers addressed to the council shall be read by the clerk upon presentation of the same to the council.
SECTION 201.12 All Sessions Public:
All sessions of the council shall be public, unless the meeting is allowed to be closed pursuant to the Minnesota Open Meeting Law, Minnesota Statute 471.705. (Ord. 96-09, 9/3/96)
SECTION 201.13 Suspension of Rules:
These rules, or any of them, may be temporarily suspended by consent of a majority of all council members, and shall not be repealed, altered, or amended, unless by concurrence of a majority of the whole council. (Ord. 96-10, 9/3/96)
SECTION 201.14 Parliamentary Procedure:
In all points not covered by these rules, the council shall be governed in its procedure by Robert's Rules of Order Revised.
SECTION 201.15 Intent of Chapter:
The foregoing rules are adopted to facilitate the transaction of council business and functions. They should not be permitted to defeat or hinder the plainly expressed intent and desire of the council. Informal compliance and substantial performance shall be sufficient under the foregoing rules in the absence of objection reasonably taken. Objection is hereby declared not to have been reasonably taken as to procedural matters provided for herein if a council member present at a meeting fails to object during the meeting and requests compliance with these rules, and such objection shall not be reasonably taken if taken by an absent member later than the next regular meeting after the proceedings to which objection is made.
SECTION 201.16 Special Meetings:
Special meetings may be called by the mayor or any two councilmembers in writing, filed with the clerk at least three (3) days prior to the time specified for the meeting, excluding Sundays and holidays. The demand for the special meeting shall specify the date, time, place and purpose of the special meeting. At least three (3) days prior to the meeting, excluding Sundays and holidays, the clerk shall mail a notice of the special meeting to all councilmembers; the notice shall state the date, time, place and purpose of the special meeting. The clerk shall prepare an affidavit that shows the mailing of the notice in the manner here prescribed. The clerk shall post written notice of the date, time, place and purpose of the special meeting on the principal bulletin board, then on the door of the City Council's usual meeting place. The notice shall also be mailed or otherwise delivered to each person who has filed a written request for notice of special meetings with the City. This notice shall be posted and mailed or delivered at least three (3) days before the date of the meeting, excluding Sundays and holidays. A person filing a request for notice of special meetings may limit the request to notification of meetings concerning particular subjects, in which case the clerk is required to send notice to that person only concerning special meetings involving those subjects. The council may establish an expiration date for request for notices of special meetings and require refiling of the request once each year. Not more than sixty (60) days before the expiration date of a request for notice, the clerk shall send notice of the refiling requirement to each person who filed during the preceding year.
Emergency meetings may be called by the mayor or any two council members in writing filed with the clerk. The demand for the emergency meeting shall specify the date, time, place and purpose of the emergency meeting. As soon as possible the clerk shall telephone all council members and leave a message that informs the council member of the date, time, place and purpose of the meeting; if a council member cannot be reached by telephone, then the telephone message may be left with an adult at the residence of the council member or on the answering machine of the council member at the member's residence. If the message cannot so be left, the clerk shall deliver a written notice to the residence of the council member and tape it to the front door of the residence. The clerk shall make good faith efforts to provide notice of the meeting to each news medium that has filed a written request for notice if the request includes the news medium's telephone number. Notice of the emergency meeting shall be given by telephone to each requesting news medium. Notice shall be provided to each news medium which has filed a written request for notice as soon as reasonably practicable after notice has been given to the members. Notice shall include the date, time, place and purpose of the emergency meeting. Posted or published notice of an emergency meeting shall not be required. An "emergency" meeting is a meeting called because of circumstances that, in the judgment of the council, require immediate consideration by the council.
If a person receives actual notice of a meeting of the council at least 24 hours before the meeting, whether a special or emergency meeting, then all notice requirements of this Section 201.16 are satisfied with respect to that person, regardless of the method of receipt of notice. (Ord. 96-11, 9/3/96)
SECTION 201.17 Manner of Voting:
Manner of voting. Votes of the members or any business coming before the council may be by voice vote, standing vote, or in such other manner of voting as may signify the intention of the members.
Any affirmative or negative vote by a member shall be entered in the minutes. Aye and nay votes shall be taken upon any motion at the request of one member and the results thereof entered in the minutes. (Ord. 96-12, 9/3/96)
SECTION 201.18 Minutes:
Minutes of the meeting shall be kept in duplicate by the clerk. The clerk shall retain the original and deliver the duplicate to the mayor. They shall be signed by the clerk, and shall constitute an official record of the council proceedings. Upon approval of the minutes at the subsequent meeting of the council, the mayor shall sign the minutes. Lack of such mayor's signature or council approval shall not invalidate such minutes as official records.
SECTION 201.19 Amending Minutes:
In the event of the clerk shall fail or decline to amend or change his minutes upon informal request at the time they are submitted for approval, the council may, by motion carried by majority vote, amend the minutes. Such amending motion shall become part of the minutes of the subsequent meeting.