Ordinance - 502ORDINANCE NO.502
AN ORDINANCE OF THE; CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY'OF WEST COVINA,
CALIFORNIA, PROVIDING FOR_THE ESTABLISHMENT OF -.PROCEDURES FOR
MEETINGS -OF THE-CITY.COUNCIL OF THE.CITY OF WEST COVINA,CALIF-
ORNIA.
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. That there are hereby -established the following
rules and regulations which shall govern the procedure to be followed
• in the conduct of city business by the City Council.
Section 1.1 Mayor Duties of
1.2 Meetings of Council - Procedure
1.3 Agenda
1.4 Roll Call
1.5 Order of Business - Suspending - Disposition
1.6 Minutes
1.7 Rules of Debate
1.8 Recognition by the Mayor
1.9 Interruptions
1.10 Privilege of Closing Debate
1.11 Motion to Reconsider
1.12 Remarks -of Councilmen-
• 1.13 Synopsis of Debate and When Entered in Minutes
1.14 Roberts Rules of Order
1.15 Addressing the Council
1.16 Manner of Addressing Council - Time Limit
1.17 Voting - Effect of Silence
1.18 Decorum
1.19 Enforcement of Decorum
1.20 Persons Authorized to Be Within Council Area
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'1.21 Special Committees,,
1.22 Protest Against Council Action
1.23 Ordinances - Administrative Approval
Section 1.1. Mayor, Duties of: The Mayorg' sometimes herein
referred to as the RPresiding Officer", shall preserve strict order
and decorum at all meetings -of theCity 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 Members present shall govern and
conclusively determine such question of order. Voting on all Reso-
lutions and Ordinances shall be by roll call vote called by the
City Clerk, and the Mayor shall be entitled to vote on all questions,
his name being called last- At the second regular meeting of the
City Council in April of, -.,each year the Council shall hold and
conduct an organizational meeting and to choose one of its members
as Mayor, subject, however, to the provisions of Section 36801 of
the Government Code requiring the appointment Of a Mayor on the
Tuesday after a general municipal election. The Mayor shall be the
official head of the City for all ceremonial purposes and he shall
perform all duties imposed upon him ,bythe laws of the State of
California, or by Ordinance of the City Council of the City of West
Covina. The Mayor shall serve in such capacity at the Pleasure of
the City Council.
Section 1.2. Meetings of Council - Procedure, All meetings of
the.City Council shall be conducted in an orderly manner designed
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to expedite the business of the City Council as hereinafter set
forth-.
Section 1.3, Agenda. All reports, communications, ordinances,
resolutions, documGents -or other matters to be submitted to the
Council, shall be delivered to the City Clerk as -far in advance of
each Council meeting as time for preparation will permit. The
• City Clerk and the City Manager shall arrange a list of the matters
to be brought before the.Council according to the order of business
and furnish each member of the Council, the City Attorney and the
City Manager with -a copy of the agenda on the afternoon of the
Friday preceding the regular Council meeting. No matter may be
considered by the City Council other than those matters on the
agenda without the consent of a majority of the City Council present
at the meeting. The City Clerk or City Manager or Department Head
involved shall furnish to the Council a written report covering
each item of business to be considered by the -Council.
Section 1.4. 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 or absent shall be
entered in the minutes.
Section 1.5. Order of Business - Suspending - Disposition.
All meetings of the Council shall be open to the public in accordance
with the applicable provisions of the Government Code except executive
sessions relating to personnel matters only. 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 City Manager shall take
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their regular places 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. Reading.or approval of minutes of previous meeting
3. Opening of bids
4. Hearings-
5. Receiving written and oral communications
6. Presentation of Resolutions
• 7. Introduction and passage of Ordinances
8. Reports from" City Manager
9. Miscellaneous matters
10. Payment of demands
11. Adjournment
The regular order of business may be suspended by a majority
vote of the members present. All business brought before the
Council shall be promptly attended to`, provided that upon the re-
quest of any member of the Council, the same may with the consent
of the City Council be referred to the proper official, or to a
committee of the Council appointed by the Mayor, for investigation
before any action shall be taken thereon by the Council as a whole.
Section 1.6. 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 City Clerk has pre-
viously furnished each member of the City 1 y Council with a synopsis
thereof
Section 1.7. Rules of Debate. -Debate-upon-all-matters pending
before the -City -Council shall be under -the direct supervision of
the Mayorandconducted-in-such a -manner as to %xpedite the business
of the City Council and subject to the rules hereinafter provided.
Section 1.8. Recognition by the Mayor. Every Council member
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desiring to speak shall address the chair, and upon recognition
by the Presiding Officer, shall confine himself to -the question
under debate, avoiding all personalities and indecorous language.
Section 1.9. Interruptions. Amemberg once recognized,
shall not be interrupted when speaking unless it be -to call him
to orderg,or as hereinotherwiseprovided.If a member, while
• speaking, be called to order, he shall ceasespeakinguntil the
question of order be determined and, if in order, be shall be
permitted to proceed.
Section 1.10. Privilege of Closing.Debate. The Councilman
moving the adoptiorA4;lof an Ordinance or Resolution shall have the
privilege of closing the debate.
Section 1.11. Motion to Reconsider. A motion to reconsider
any action taken by the Council may be made only immediately during
the same session, or at a recessedoradjourned.-session thereof.
Such`motion-must be made by one of the prevailing side, but may
beseconded by any member,v and may be madeatany 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 orremakingthe same
or,any other -mot -ion at a subsequent meeting of the Council.
Section-1.12. RemarksofCouncilmen. A councilman -may request,
through the Presiding Officer, the -privilege of having an abstract
of his statement on any subjectunderconsideration by the Council
entered in the minutes. If a majority of the Council consents
thereto, such'a-statement shall be entered in the minutes,
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Section 1.13. Synopsis, -of Debate and -When- Entered in Minutes.
The Clerk may be directed -by the Presiding Officer, with consent
of the -Council, to enter in the minutes a synopsis to the dis-
cussion on -any question coming regularly before the Council.
Section 1.14. Roberts Rules of Order. Except as otherwise
provided herein, all questions of parliamentary procedure shall
. be resolved according to'Roberts Rules of Order.
Section 1.15. Addressing the Council. Any person desiring
to address the Council on a matter on the agenda, may address the
Council at the time the matter is considered by the Council upon
first securing the recognition of the Presiding.Off icer. Any
person desiring to address the Council on a matter not on the
agenda,- or when the matter is not being considered by the Council,
may do so only after consent has been obtained by a motion adopted
by a majority'of'the Councilmen present.
Section 1.16. Manner of Addressing Council. Time Limit. Each
person addressing the Council shall step-up to the rostrum, shall
give his name and address in an audible tone of voice for the
• record, 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 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. The Presiding Officer may require any
person to be sworn as a witness before addressing the Council
on any subject. .any such person who, having taken an oath that
he will testify truly, wilfully and contrary to such oath states
as true any material matter which he knows to be false may be
• held to answer criminally and subject to the penalty prescribed
for perjury by the provisions of the Penal Code of the. State of
California.
Section 1.17. Voting - Effect of Silence. Unless a member
of the Council audibly votes in the negative, his silence shall
be recorded as an affirmative vote.
Section 1.18. Decorum. "While the Council is in session, the
members 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.
,any person making personal, impertinent or slanderous remarks
• or who shall become boisterous while addressing the Council shall
be forthwith, by the Presiding Officer, barred from further audience
before the Council, unless permission to continue be granted by
a majority vote of.the Council.
Section 1.19. Enforcement of Decorum. The Chief of Police or
any member or members of the Police Department or other members of
the City staff may.be designated by the Council to be.Sergeant at
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Arms when, in the opinion of the Presiding Officer, the services
of a Sergeant at Arms is necessary, and he or they shall carry
out all orders -and instructions given by the P°residing Officer for
the purpose of maintaining order and decorum at the Council meeting.
Section 1.20. Persons Authorized to Be Within Council Area.
No person, except City officials, their representatives and news-
paper reporters shall be permitted within the rail in front of the
Council Chamber without the express consent of the Council.
Section 1.21. Special Committees. All special committees
shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by a majority
vote of the Council members present.
Section 1.22. Protest.Against Council Action. Any member shall
have the right to have his reasons for his dissent from, or protest
against, any action of the Council entered on the minutes.
Section 1.23. Ordinances - Administrative Approval. All ordi-
nances=, resolutions and contract documents shall, before presentation
to the Council, have.been approved as to.form and legality by the
City Attorney, or his authorized representative.and shall have
been examined and approved for administration by the City Manager
or his_authorized.representative, where there are substantive
matters of administration involved.
SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of
this Ordinance, and prior to the expiration of fifteen (15) days
from the passage thereof, shall cause the same to be published
once in the 'West Covina Tribune, a newspaper of general circulation
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published and circulated in the City of West Covina, and thirty
(30) days from and after the final passage "thereof said Ordinance
shall take effect and be in force.
ayor o eCity o es ov na
• ,ATTEST.
City—MeW
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Ordinance was
adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of
Nest Covina, held on the ��day of October, 1956, by the
affirmative vote of at least three Councilmen, to wit:
,AYES: Councilmen VERNON R. MOTTINGER WAYNE CRUMLEY jAMES W. KAY
DALE PITTENGE$ JAY D. BROWN, MAYOR
NOES
,ABSENT:
City Clerk of the City o !Vest Covina
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