Council Policies and Procedures updated 1-7-2013City Council Policy and Procedures
1.1 Terms of Office
a. The term of office for the Mayor shall be two (2) years.
b. The term of office for Council members shall be staggered four (4) year terms.
c. Newly elected or re- elected members shall take the oath of office immediately preceding the
start of the first meeting of the year.
1.2 Term Begins. The term of office for a newly or reelected Council member or Mayor shall begin on
the first Monday in January following the election; however, incumbent Council members or Mayor
shall serve until the newly elected or reelected members are duly sworn in and qualified.
2. Meetings
2.1 Public Meeting. Except as otherwise provided in the open meeting law, all Council meetings,
including special, emergency, and adjourned meetings of all Council committees shall be open to the
public.
2.2 Initial Meeting. At the first regular Council meeting in January of each year, the Council shall;
1) Designate the depositories of city funds
2) Designate the official newspaper
3) Choose an acting Mayor from the Council members who shall perform the Mayor's duties during
the Mayor's absence, disability from the city, or in case of vacancy in the office of Mayor, until a
successor has been appointed and qualifies;
4) Appoint necessary officers, employees, and members of board, commissions, and committees.
2.3 Regular meetings. Regular meetings of the City Council shall be held on the second and fourth
Monday of each calendar month at 7:00 p.m. Any regular meeting falling on a holiday shall be held on
the next following business day at the same time and place. The city clerk shall maintain a schedule of
regular meetings. This schedule shall be available for public inspection during regular business hours at
the city clerk's office. All meetings, including special emergency meetings, shall be held in the city hall.
2.4 Special meetings. The Mayor or any two (2) members of the Council may call a special meeting of
the Council upon written notice to the city clerk. A request submitted to the city clerk via e -mail shall be
considered written notice. The clerk shall deliver written notice to all members of the time and place of
the meeting at least one day before the meeting.
2.5 Emergency meetings. The Mayor or any two (2) Council members may call an emergency meeting
when circumstances require the immediate consideration of a matter by the Council. Notice may be in
writing personally delivered to Council members or may be in the form of a personal telephone
communication. Notice must include the date, time, place, and purpose of such a meeting. Where
practical, the clerk shall make an effort to contact news gathering organizations that have filed a request
to receive notice of special meetings.
2.6 Work Sessions. Work sessions of the Council are held for the purpose of having informal discussion
on an issue or topic and where no formal action is taken.
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2.7 Quorum. At all Council meetings a majority of the elected Council members shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business, but a smaller number may adjourn from time to time.
2.8 Notice of Meetings. With the exception of emergency meetings, all meeting of the Council shall be
posted at City Hall at least three (3) days prior to the meeting noting the time, location and issues to be
discussed.
3. Order of Business
3.1 Agenda. The Administrator shall prepare an agenda of business for each regular Council meeting in
consultation with the presiding officer. Council members and members of the public may request an
item be placed on the agenda by contacting the Administrator and providing a description of the item
and supporting documentation for the item. A copy of the agenda shall be provided to the
Administrator by 2:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the meeting. The agenda shall be prepared in
accordance with the order of business and copies shall be delivered to each Council member and to
others as far in advance of the meeting as time for preparation will permit. No item of business shall be
considered unless it appears on the agenda for the meeting or is approved for addition to the agenda by
a majority vote of the Council members present.
3.2 Agenda materials. The Administrator shall see that at least one copy of printed materials relating to
agenda items is available to the public in the meeting room while the Council considers the subject
matter. The agenda item shall not be considered unless this provision is complied with. This section
does not apply to materials that are classified as other than public under the Minnesota Government
Data Practices Act or materials from closed meetings.
3.3 Delivery of Agenda. The Agenda and supporting materials are delivered to the Council members in
person or electronically the Thursday before the Monday meeting.
3.4 Order of Business. Each meeting of the City Council shall convene at the time and place appointed.
Council business shall be conducted in the following order unless varied as provided herein.
1) Call to Order.
2) Roll Call.
3) Review Agenda
4) Approval of Minutes
5) Consent Agenda
6) Matters from the Floor
7) Reports and Presentations
8) Public Hearings
9) Parks
10) Planning
11) Engineering /Public Works
12) General and New Business
13) Staff and Council Reports
14) Adjournment
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3.5 Varying order. With the consent of a majority of the Council, the order of business may be varied by
the Mayor; however, all public hearings shall be held at the time specified in the notice of the hearing.
3.6 Public Comments. Questions or comments from the public will be limited to the subject under
consideration upon recognition of the Mayor or by a majority vote of the Council. The Mayor may limit
the time provided to address the Council on an issue.
The public may comment or raise an issue of concern for items not under consideration by the Council
during the "Matters from the Floor" portion of the Agenda. The Council will not take action on the issue
raised at the meeting and the Mayor may limit the time allowed for such comments.
3.7 Consent Agenda. Routine, non - controversial items will be placed on the consent agenda for
approval in one blanket motion. A Council member or member of the audience may request that an
item be removed for separate consideration; however, a Council member may abstain from voting, vote
against, or recuse themselves from voting on, any consent agenda item without requesting its removal.
Abstentions will be recorded in the minutes.
4. Presiding Officer
4.1 Presiding Officer. The Mayor is the presiding officer at all meetings of the Council. In the absence of
the Mayor, the acting Mayor shall preside. In the absence of both, the Administrator shall call the
meeting to order and shall preside until the Council members present at the meeting choose one of
their number to act temporarily as presiding officer. The selection of a temporary presiding officer shall
be accomplished by nomination and majority vote of the members present.
4.2 Participation of the Mayor. The Mayor may move, second, and debate from the chair, subject only
to the same limitations of debate imposed on all Council members. The Mayor is not deprived of any
rights and privileges of a Council member by reason of acting as presiding officer. However, the Mayor
is primarily responsible for the conduct of the meeting. If he or she desires to personally engage in
extending debate on questions before the Council, he or she should consider turning the chair over to
another member.
4.3 Maintenance of Order. The Mayor is responsible for the maintenance of order and decorum at all
times. No person is allowed to speak who has not first been recognized by the mayor. All questions and
remarks must be addressed to the Mayor, or through the Mayor to the appropriate Council member,
staff, citizen or representative.
4.4 Powers
The Mayor has the following powers:
a. To rule motions in or out of order, including any motion obviously offered for obstructive or
dilatory purposes;
b. To determine whether a speaker has gone beyond reasonable standards of courtesy in his or her
remarks and to entertain and rule on objections from other members on this ground;
c. To entertain and answer questions of parliamentary law or procedure;
d. To call a brief recess at any time; and
e. To adjourn in an emergency.
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A decision under (a), (b), or (c) may be appealed to the Council upon motion of any member by use of a
point of order. This motion is in order only immediately after the challenged decision is announced.
The member making the motion need not be recognized by the Mayor, and the motion may not be
ruled out of order if it is made timely.
5. Rules, Decorum, and Order
5.1 Rules, Decorum, and Order. The Mayor will determine all points of order subject to the right of any
member to appeal to the Council. If any appeal is taken, the question will be, "Should the decision of
the Mayor be sustained ?" A majority vote will govern and conclusively determine the question of order.
5.2 Decorum and Order— Council members.
a. A Council member desiring to speak must address the Mayor and upon recognition, must
address only the question under debate.
b. A Council member desiring to question the staff must address the question to the City
Administrator or City Attorney, in appropriate cases, who will respond to the inquiry or
designate a staff member to do so.
c. A Council member, once recognized, may be interrupted while speaking only if called to order
by the Mayor, a point of order is raised by another Council member, or the speaker chooses to
yield to questions from another Council member.
d. A Council member called to order while speaking must cease speaking immediately until the
question of order is determined. If ruled to be in order, he or she may proceed. If ruled to be
not in order, he or she must remain silent or alter his or her remarks so as to comply with rules
of the Council.
e. Council members must accord courtesy to each other, to city employees, and to the public
appearing before the Council and must refrain at all times from rude and derogatory remarks,
reflections as to integrity, abusive comments and statements as to motives and personalities.
f. A Council member may move to require the Mayor to enforce the rules. Upon the affirmative
vote of a majority of the Council, the Mayor must do so.
5.3 Decorum and Order— Employees. Staff members must observe the same rules of procedure and
decorum applicable to members of the Council. The City Administrator must ensure that they observe
such decorum. Any staff member, including the City Administrator, desiring to address the Council or
members of the public must first be recognized by the Mayor. All remarks must be addressed to or
through the Mayor.
5.4 Decorum and Order— Public. Members of the public attending the Council meetings must observe
the same rules of order and decorum applicable to the Council. The Mayor may order the removal of
any person who makes inappropriate remarks or who becomes boisterous while addressing the Council
and bar that person from further audience with the Council.
5.5 Enforcement of Decorum. The City Administrator must carry out the orders and instructions of the
Mayor for maintaining order and decorum in the Council chambers.
5.6 Personal Privilege. The right of a member to address the Council on a question of personal privilege
is limited to cases in which his or her integrity, character, or motives are questioned or impugned.
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5.7 Conflict of Interest. Any Council member prevented from voting because of a conflict of interest,
must refrain from debate and voting. That Council member may choose to leave the Council chambers
during debate and voting on the issue.
5.8 Limitation of Debate. A Council member normally should speak only once on a subject until every
other Council member choosing to speak has done so.
5.9 Dissents and Protests. A Council member has the right to express dissent from or to protest any
action of the Council. A Council member wishing to have the dissent or protest entered in the minutes
should state so with language such as "I would like the minutes to show that I am opposed to this action
for the following reason:"
5.10 Procedure in Absence of Rules. In the absence of a rule to govern a point or procedure, Robert's
Rules of Order, Newly Revised, should be used as a guide.
5.11 Rulings of mayor Final Unless Overruled. The Mayor will decide all questions or interpretations of
these rules, point of order or other questions of procedure, requiring ruling. Unless overridden or
suspended by a 2/3 majority vote of the Council members present and voting, a ruling is final and
binding for purposes of the matter under consideration.
5.12 Amendment of Rules. These rules may be amended at any regular meeting or at a special meeting
that includes amendment of the rules as one of the stated items to be considered. Adoption of an
amendment requires an affirmative vote equal to 4/5 of all the actual membership of the Council,
excluding vacant seats.
6. Addressing the Council
6.1 Manner of Addressing the Council. A member of the public desiring to address the Council is to
proceed to the podium and wait to be recognized by the Mayor. After being recognized, he or she is to
state his or her name and address for the record.
All remarks and questions are to be addressed to the Mayor and not to an individual Council member,
staff member, or other person. During a public hearing, all remarks must be limited to the subject under
consideration. No person may enter into any discussion without being recognized by the Mayor.
6.2 Addressing the Council after Motion is Made. After a motion has been made, or after a public
hearing has been closed, no person may address the Council without first securing permission from the
Mayor.
6.3 Limitations Regarding Public Comments and Reports. The Mayor may limit or rule out of order a
speaker who addresses the Council on a topic that is currently before or about to be submitted for
consideration by, a city commission, board or other agency. If an appeal procedure is or was available,
the Mayor may not allow oral communication to the Council outside that procedure. This rule is
intended to ensure that a matter follows the appropriate process and that discussion takes place in the
proper forum.
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6.4 Written Correspondence. The City Administrator is authorized to open and attend to all mail
addressed to the mayor or Council not marked personal and that appears to relate to city business. All
administrative business in those communications that does not require Council action may be disposed
of between Council meetings. A copy of any communication to the Council must be sent to each Council
member weekly. Correspondence to the mayor or individual members not of general interest to the
Council should be forwarded to the person addressed. Communication delivered to city hall relating to
a matter pending, or to be brought before City Council, must be included in the agenda packet for the
meeting at which the item is to be considered. Letters of appeal from administrative or commission
decisions must be processed under applicable ordinance provisions.
7. Motions
7.1 Motions Out of Order. A member may make only one motion at a time. A substantive motion is out
of order while another substantive motion is pending.
7.2 Division of Question. If the question contains two or more propositions, the Mayor may, and upon
request of a member, must, divide the same.
7.3 Withdrawal of Motions. A motion may not be withdrawn by the mover without the consent of the
person seconding it.
7.4 Precedence of Motions. When a motion is before the Council, only procedural motions may be
considered, in order of priority listed below. Unless otherwise noted, each motion is debatable, may be
amended, and requires a majority vote of the full Council for adoption.
7.5 Motion to Adjourn (not debatable). A motion to adjourn is in order at any time except:
a) When made as an interruption of a member while speaking;
b) When discussion has ended and vote on a motion is pending; and
c) While a vote is being taken.
7.6 Motion to Fix Hour of Adjournment. Unless otherwise agreed to by at least a majority of the
Council, all meetings and study sessions of the Council must be adjourned by 11:00 p.m. A motion to set
a different specific time at which to adjourn is not debatable and not subject to amendment except by
unanimous vote.
7.7 Motion to Suspend the Rules. A motion to suspend provision of these rules may be approved only
by a vote equal to 4/5 of the actual membership of the Council, excluding any vacant seats.
7.8 Motions to Table. A motion to table is not debatable and precludes all amendments or debate of
the subject under consideration. If the motion prevails, the matter may be "taken from the table" at
any time prior to the end of the next regular meeting, unless the motion is to either table indefinitely or
to a date certain. If the motion is to table indefinitely, the matter may not be rescheduled without at
least a majority approval of the Council.
7.9 Motion to Limit or Terminate Discussion. A motion to limit or terminate discussion may be used to
limit or close debate on, or prohibit further amendment to, the pending motion. It is not debatable. If
the motion fails, debate must be reopened; if the motion passes, a vote must be taken on the pending
motion.
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7.10 Motion to Amend. A motion to amend is debatable only as to the amendment. A motion to
amend an amendment is in order, but a motion to amend the amendment to an amendment is not in
order. An amendment modifying the intention of a motion is in order, but an amendment relating to a
different matter is not in order. A substitute motion on the same subject is acceptable, and voted on
before a vote on the amendment. Amendments must be voted on first, then the main motion as
amended.
7.11 Motion to Continue. Motions to continue to a definite time are amendable and debatable as to
propriety and time set.
7.12 Motion to Reconsider. A motion to reconsider an action already taken must be made by a member
who voted with the prevailing side, which is the majority side except that in the case of a tie, the "no's"
prevail. The motion must be at the meeting during which the original vote was taken, including any
continuation of that meeting. The motion cannot interrupt deliberation on a pending matter, but is in
order at any time before final adjournment. If a motion to reconsider is adopted, the prior action taken
by the Council is rescinded, and the matter is returned to the status that it had immediately before the
prior vote was taken. The motion previously voted upon will once again be pending.
7.13 Motion to Rescind or Repeal. A motion to rescind or repeal an action previously taken is
appropriate when the time for reconsideration has expired. A motion is not in order if rescission or
repeal of an action is forbidden by law.
8. Keeping Record of the Meeting and Minutes
8.1 Keeping of Minutes. Minutes of each Council meeting shall be kept by the clerk or designee. In the
absence of both, the presiding officer shall appoint a secretary pro tem. Ordinances, resolutions, and
claims need not be recorded in full in the minutes if they appear in other permanent records of the clerk
and can be accurately identified from the description given in the minutes.
8.2 Approvals. The minutes of each meeting shall be reduced to typewritten form, shall be signed by
the clerk and copies shall be delivered to each Council member as soon as practicable after the meeting.
At the next regular meeting following such delivery, approval of the minutes need not be read aloud,
but the presiding officer shall call for any additions or corrections. If there is no objection to a proposed
addition or correction, it may be made without a vote of the Council. If there is an objection, the
Council shall vote on the addition or correction. If there are no additions or corrections, the minutes
shall stand approved.
8.3 Publication. The clerk shall make available to the public within thirty (30) days of a regular or special
meeting including the action on motions, resolutions, ordinances, and other official proceedings.
Providing access to the minutes through the city's website shall meet the requirements under this
subdivision.
8.4 Audio and Video Recording. All regular and special meetings of the City Council as well as work
sessions will be recorded and televised and /or available for viewing via web streaming. Executive or
closed sessions of the Council shall not be recorded unless required by Minnesota statute.
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9. Voting Procedure
9.1 Voting. The votes of the members on any question may be taken in any manner, which signifies the
intention of the individual members, and the votes of the members on any action taken shall be
recorded in the minutes. The vote of each member shall be recorded on each appropriation of money,
except for payments of judgments, claims, and amounts fixed by statute. If any member is present but
does not vote, the minutes, as to that member's name, shall be recorded as an abstention.
9.2 Votes Required. A majority vote of all members of the Council shall be necessary for approval of any
ordinance unless a larger number is required by statute. Except as otherwise provided by statute, a
majority vote of a quorum shall prevail in all other cases.
9.3 Failure to Achieve Required Votes. A matter that fails to achieve the required number of votes for
passage, including a tie vote, is deemed denied. The Council members voting in opposition may state
their reasons for the record. A matter is not deemed denied if the Council continues the matter to
another Council meeting by a motion adopted by the same number of votes needed for passage.
10. Ordinances
10.1 Introduction. Every new ordinance or amendment to an existing ordinance will be introduced to
the Council at a work session to get feedback and input. The Council can refer the matter to an advisory
board or commission at this time.
10.2 Public Hearing. A public hearing on the ordinance or amendment to an ordinance is not required
unless specified in City Code or State Law. The Council may, at its discretion, hold a public hearing.
10.3 Adoption. An ordinance can only be considered for adoption at the next meeting of the Council
following the introduction of the ordinance. Unless otherwise specified by statute or existing ordinance,
an ordinance or amendment thereto will be adopted by a majority vote of the Council.
10.4 Repeals and Amendments. Every ordinance and resolution repealing a previous ordinance or
resolution or a section or subdivision thereof shall give the number, if any, and the title of the ordinance
or code number of the ordinance or resolution to be repealed in whole or in part. Each ordinance or
resolution amending an existing ordinance or resolution or part thereof shall set forth in full each
amended section or subdivision as it well read with the amendment.
10.5 Publication. The Administrator shall ensure publication of the adopted ordinance. The Council
may authorize publication of summary of the ordinance by resolution passed by a majority vote of the
Council.
11. Committees
11.1 Committees Designated. Committees shall be appointed by the Council at the first regular meeting
in January of each year. Appointment shall be done via consensus; however, if more than one member
desires appointment to the same committee, the Council shall vote and majority shall determine the
members to committees and commissions.
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11.2 Referral and Reports. Any matter brought before the Council for consideration may be referred by
the presiding officer to the appropriate committee or commission, or to a special committee or
commission that the presiding officer appoints to prepare a written report and recommendation before
it is considered by the Council as a whole. A majority of the members of the committee or commission
shall sign the report and file it with the clerk prior to the Council meeting at which it is to be submitted.
Minority reports may be submitted. Each committee or commission shall act promptly and faithfully on
any matter referred to it.
Revisions approved 1/7/2013
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