The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutORD 2276(1-TV .':"; • ~ ~ ;~ f l , I • • ORDIHANCE N0.~_22~.7_6 __ ~~ ,,, . . .... _, ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AMENDING SECTIONS 2.105, 2.109, 2.122 AND 2.126 OF THE PALO ALTO MUNICIPAL CODE RELATIVE TO CITY COUNCIL ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURE The Council of the City of Palo Alto does ORDAIN as follows: SECTION 1. Section 2.105 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code hereby is amended to read as follows: "SEC. 2. 105 DUTIES OF THE PRESIDING OFFICER The Mayor, or in his absence the Vice_ May:'ll:" ;.. sh.all. be the Fre~iding Officer of-the Council and shall assume his place and duties as such itmnediately following his election. He s_hall ·preserve strict order and decortuu at all ml:.!e:tiri_g.8 of the Council,, announce its decis:!.(.!n on all subjects and decide all ques.tions of or:der, subject, however, to an appeal to the Council. He shall vote on all questions as other members of the Council. -The Mayor shall sign all ordinances and re.solutions adopted and contracts approved by the Council at meetings at which he is in attendance. In the event of his·ab:.>ence, the Vice Mayor shall sign such documents as hav~ b.een - adopted -and approved by the Council. In ·the absence of the Mayor and Vice Mayor_ the temporary chairman shall eign such-documents as have been adopted and approv'ed during the ~eeting at which he presided. In tde event the Vice Mayor is absent, th~ Mayor shall haya the right to name any member of the Council to perform the duties of Presidi~· Officer~ but such substitution shall not extend beyond an ac;ljournment." s~crroN 2. Section 2o 109 :. of the Palo Alto Municlpal Code . . ,. . · ..... · ' be_reby ls amended to read as fol lowifl "SEC.. 2 ., 109 :<PROCEDURAL autEs a~ Processing of Motions. When o: mot!on is ... made and seconded, it shall be stated by the Mayor· befor~ debate.,~' A motion may· not be withdrawn by the mov~r without the consent of the -member seconding ·it~· "•.. LJ 'I (1) -!!visfon-of Question,. 1£ th!! <1u~ation, contains two :j or m0re .. divi1donab1e propoe:,itio~s, the Mayor may• and ·upo~ request of a member s~'J,_l_ (uriless appei!_led), divi~~ the a~met. '---. 1 .... j • • b. Precedence of Motions. When a motion is before the Council, no motion-shall be entertained except: (a) to adjou"rn, (b) to fix hour of adjournment, (c) to _lay on the table, (d) for the previous question, (e) to postpone to a certain day, (f) to refer, (g) to amend, and (h) to postpone ind~finitely. · These motions shall _!.ave prec_edence in the order indicated. (1) Motion to Adjourn. (not debatable). A motion to adjourn shall be in order at ctny time, except as follows: (a) when repeated without intervening business· or discussion; (b) when made.as an inter ruption of a member while speaking; (c) when the previous question has been ordered; and (d) while a vote is being taken. · A motion to adjourn 'to ----·-·erfotnij·r time t--is deJ:~a-tatS1£ cn1y· ~--·to th~---t-im_e _-to which the meeting is adjourned. · (2) '~otion to'Fix Hour of Ad3ournment. Purpose is to set a definite time at which to adjout.'n. Undebat able and un&men~able e~~ept"as to time set. (3) Motion to Table~ Purpose is to temporarily by-pass the subject. A motion to lay on th~ table is un~ debatable and shall preclude all amendments ot 0 debate; of the subject under consideration. If the motion.shall prevail, the matter may be 'taken from the table' at any time prior to the end of the next regular meeting. (4) Motion For Previous question. Purpose is to close debate on main motion. Undebatable. Just shouting 'question' does not accomplish the same thing. If motion fails, debate ia reopened; it motion passes, then vote on the main motion. Requires a two-thirds vote. (5) Motion to Amend~ (debatable only as to amendment).: A motion to amend an amendment is in order, but one to amend an amendment to an amendment is not. An amendment modifying a moti()n is.in order but an . amendment chariging the int:etitiot\ of the motion or relating t9 a different m'tte·r shall not be· in order.. .A substitut·e motion ·on the same subject is acceptable. Amendments are voted first,: then the main motion as amended. (6) Motion· to Postpone. A motion· to postpone indefinite ly i• fuily debatable and if the same is adopted, . the p;"incipal.quest:ton shall be de~lared lost. Motio~s to postpq~e to.a'definit;-e t~me are amendable and debatable as .to propri~,ty of postponement and time. s~t ~ Motions to 'refer• _are similarly not debata'ble except for _the propriety of referring. - 2 ... ' -·~. • • c. Voting. On the passage of; every motion, the vote shall be taken by voice or roll call and entered in full upon the record. (1) Change of Vote. Any member may change his vote before the next order of business. (2) Failure to Vote. Every member shall vote unless disqualified for cause accepted by vote of the Council or by opinion of the Clty Attorney. ·self disqualificaticm whfch results in a tie vote should be avoided as thwarting Council action, but no Councilman. can be forced to vote. · (a) The.abstainer, in effect, 'consents' that-a majority of the quorum may act for him. (b) Tie 'rotes are 'lost' motions and may be re considered iater. d. Motion to Reconsider. A motion to reconsider anv action . •. taken by the Council may be made only on the day such action was taken. It may be made either i1I1Dediately during the same session, or at a recessed or adjourned session ther.eof. Such motion must be made by one of the prevailing side, but may be seconded by any Council man and may be made at any time and have precedence over all other motions, or while a Councilruan has the floor providing no rights have intervened ta create an estoppel. It shall be debatable. Nothing herein shall, be.construed to prevent any Co\J.ncilman'from making a motion 'to rescind such action at a subsequent. meeting of the Council~ . . . ece. . PerscnaJ. Privilege. The right of' a member to: address ·-the Council on a question of personal -privileg:e shall' be lLDited to cases in whir.h his integrity, ch~·,..a_cter, o:r m.otives are q~estioned, cor to where the welfare of the·· Council is cl':Jncerned; may interrupt another speaker 'if the chairman recognizes the 'prtvilege.' . f. Appeal. Any decis.}.on ·or ru'.ling of the Mayor m11y be ,o!ippeaTed by request of any roember. The Mayor shall call for roll call to see if 'tha chair shall be upheld. tf the roll call passes Or is a tie "1ote, the Mayor is up held. If the roll call loser,, the Mayor is reversed. g. Presiding Offic~~ May Debate and Vote. The ~esiding Officer· may mqve, second and debate fram, the chair, sub ject only to such limitations of debate as are by these rules imposed on all· Councilmen ·and shall not be deprived. 'of any of the ri.a~ts and ·privileges of a Counciln:a[l by reason of his ac.b:i..ng as the Presiding Officer. · - 3 - • • h. Getting Floor; .Improper References to be Avoided. · Every Councilman desiring to speak shall address the chair and, upon recognition by the Presiding Officer, shall confine himself to the question under debate, avoiding all indecorous language and reference to pel:'sonalities. i. Interruptions. A Councilman, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless it be to call him to order, o_r as herein otherwise provided. . If a _·Councilman while speaking be called to order, he shall cease ·speaking until the question of order be determined, and, if in order, he shall be permitted to proceed." SECTION ·3. _ Subsection -(:7) of S'?ctioP 2. 122 of the Palo Al to :_' Municipal Cod~ hereby is amended to read as follows: "(7) Re.e_ort of COiDmittee;. The minutes of each committee meeti~g ahall serve as the report to the Council. Any member may write a separate -report.". SECTION 4. Section·2.126 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code hereby ·is amended to read as follows: "SEC. 2.126 COUNCIL R~PRESENTATIVES ON VARIOUS PUBLIC BODIES When any member or members of the Ccuncil are appointed by the Mayor to represent the City: on CoWlty, area, district or State Boards, COD1Dittees or Commissions, such a.ppointed member or memb.ers sha.11 be the duly authorized representatives and spokesmen for· the Citf Council on or before such bodies. and no other Cquncilman shall speak in behalf of the City Council or hold himself out to represent the City Council before such bodies under penalty of public censure.by a majority vote of the entire Council. No.thing herein shall prevent a councilman from appearing ·before such. body as a private citizen. ) .'. - 4 - -~· ~.· .· .. ---·.· .. • • • SECTION 5. This ordinance shall become effective upon the expiration of thirty days f!"~1 .ics passage. INTRO.DUCED: January 10, 1966 PASSED: January ?4, 1966 AYES: Arnold, Beahrs, Comstock, Cooley, Debs, Dias, Flintt Pearson, Rohrs, Sher, Worthington. 'iOES: Noni"! • . ABSENT~ Rus. Woodward. ATTEST: APPROVED: Mayor APPROVED: ~~r City Mall'iger 7 J' -5 -